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Amex increases Platinum Authorized User fee, min spend, and changes digital entertainment credit

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Amex has implemented a few changes to The Platinum Card® from American Express and The Business Platinum® from American Express that should you undoubtedly be aware of, but I’m not 100% sure everyone will agree on whether they are entirely negative or not.

This is a the reason for the AU changes…

a group of people standing in a hallway

The biggest change: Authorized User fee increases

Before today, you could add up to 3 Platinum Authorized Users for $175. Yes, 3 more Authorized users, and then $175 per user starting with the 4th. This was very advantageous for lounge access since Amex changed the lounge access and required a minimum annual spend of $75k to bring guests into the lounge or pay a fee.

Now, the cost of an authorized user has increased from $175 to $195, but it’s per Authorized User meaning the cost for 3 AUs is now $585…up from $175. 

This should dramatically reduce the number of people that are coming into the lounge. Sure, this is negative to those who were adding 3 AUs, but not really a big deal if you’re just bringing in a single guest and adding them as an AU. Many cardholders without families will consider this a positive change as it will have an impact on reducing crowd size and kids in the lounge. Those who have used the 3 AU trick will find this painful.

Additional Platinum Card fee is already in effect

a screenshot of a cardThe Free Gold Authorized Users are now called Companion Platinum Card® from American Express

a close-up of a cardAmex Business Platinum Changed a bit too

You used to be able to get Green Business Cards free of charge, now they’re called Employee Business Expense Cards…

a close-up of a card

 

Up to $240 Amex Platinum Digital Entertainment Credit – Audible gone on 10/1/23

As of October 1st – Audible is dropped and replaced by The Wall Street Journal. I use all of my credits on Hulu and add in Showtime or Cinemax. This isn’t a big move to me, but I’d presume that many will be happy to WSJ added to the list, and some will be annoyed that Audible is removed. It’s a push to me.

the list now looks like this:

  • Get up to $20 per month at Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, SiriusXM, and The Wall Street Journal

a screenshot of a cell phoneThe minimum spend requirement has increased

Currently the public offer is 80k Membership Rewards after $8k spend in 3 months. This had been set at $6k in 6 months. The same goes for the Resy 100k Membership Rewards after $8k in 6 months + 10x on dining for 6 months, and I’d guess that once the new referral offers begin to populate that they will include the higher spend as well.

Personally, I don’t really think this is a big deal. $8k over 6 months is a low bar and if you can’t hit that spend, maybe you shouldn’t have a $695 annual fee card to begin with.

a card with a picture of a man in a helmetOverall

This really comes down to whether or not you value adding AUs on to your account or not and I suppose if you really valued the Audible credit…which I did not.

For rates and fees of the The Platinum Card® from American Express, click here.

Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities.

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2 Comments

  • David August 22, 2023

    the increased AU fee is robbery at gun point.

  • C.J. August 17, 2023

    I am totally fine with all of the changes–especially the increase in the AU fee, as it will continue to weed the garden. As the third individual from the back of the line demonstrates in your photo, wearing a backward facing baseball cap indoors isn’t what one generally thinks of as suitable casual attire.

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