AMEX Platinum Outsources Benefits to Entertainment Book
NEW YORK, NY — Eschewing efforts to enhance benefits for their cardholders, American Express turns to Entertainment Book in an unexpected move.
Credit card juggernaut American Express has added a number of included benefits as it increases its annual fee. Some of those benefits include an entertainment credit for Sirius XM radio, and Walmart+ but these have been received with mixed reviews.
AMEX Platinum Welcomes Entertainment Book
Avoiding the hassle of finding compelling benefits, AMEX has outsourced the task to the widely popular Entertainment Book, a coupon book, as their benefits (enrollment required.)
“American Express is proud to announce its new partnership with Entertainment Book.” said AMEX Platinum chief, Michaeal O’Leary. “We’ve found our customers appreciate the little value adds over big benefits. Who doesn’t like a free small fry when ordering two value meals at McDonalds?”
Prior Benefits Get Makeover
Traditional American Express Platinum benefits are also getting a makeover, here are some of the changes:
- Earn 5x Membership Rewards points on all Microtel stays between Tuesdays and Thursdays
- Complimentary (new) bar of soap for all prepaid hotels booked with American Express
- Earn up to 100,000 Membership Rewards points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel after you spend $3.2 million annually on RyanAir after 67 months of card membership
- Addition of Choice Hotels and Motel 6 to the Fine Hotels and Resorts program
- New lighter, thinner, smaller card dimensions for easier wallet fit
- Earn 400 bonus points after you spend $6,000 on purchases per calendar year at Dollar Tree
- 4,700 “Centurion Lounge Lite” added to gate areas whereby members can receive two yellow “Peeps” May through January.
Questions About Value
American Express has ratcheted up its annual fee from $450 a few years ago to $695. However, to access these new benefits, users will be asked to pay a new annual fee of $1,095/year.
Questions have been raised as to whether the new increases are justified by the replacement of benefits as an Entertainment Coupon Book only costs $24.99/annually.
American Express Platinum representatives were unavailable to answer questions about value, they were at a “spin class.”
