The Points Mom

Um, Do I Still Need My Amex Business Platinum Anymore If I Got The Chase Sapphire Reserve Card?

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Apply For The Chase Sapphire Reserve Card Here
Apply for the American Express Business Platinum Card Here

Posted 9/1/2016

Now that I got the Chase Sapphire Reserve card, that carries a hefty $450 fee, I have started to wonder whether it makes sense to carry two cards with $450 annual fees.  That is, I have started wondering (and I can’t believe I am about to type this!), should I downgrade my American Express Business Platinum ($450 annual fee) for an American Express Business Gold Rewards card ($175 annual fee)?

The Reserve card has many of the same features as an Amex Platinum and the features are actually a little bit better.  Let’s look at some of them in detail…

Annual Travel Credit

Reserve-Automatically receive up to $300 in statement credits as reimbursement for ANYTHING travel-related.

Platinum (Regular and Business)–  Select a qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 per calendar year in statement credits when incidental fees, such as checked bags and airport lounge day-passes, are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card Account.

Winner-Reserve!

 

Bonus Points On Spending

Reserve-Earn 3 points per $1 on dining and travel and 1 point per $1 on all other purchases

Platinum (Regular And Business)-Earn 1 point per $1 on ALL purchases

Winner-Reserve!

 

Redemption Features

Reserve-each point you redeem for travel booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards is worth $.0150 (one and a half cents).  A $750 flight (OR OTHER TRAVEL PURCHASE booked on the Chase Ultimate Rewards site) requires 50,000 points.

Regular Platinum-When you use points to redeem for cash, each point is worth $.01 (one cent).  A $750 flight requires 75,000 points.

Business Platinum-You can get 30% Membership Rewards points back when you use the Pay with Points feature for all or part OF A FLIGHT WITH THE AIRLINE YOU SELECT (the same airline you selected for the $200 airline fee credit above).  A $750 flight requires 75,000 points but you get 22,500 points back.  So it really requires 52,500 points.  But note, you only get this on the one airline you select!

Big Winner-Reserve!

 

Global Entry or TSA Pre✔ Fee Credit

Reserve-Receive a statement credit of up to $100 every 4 years as reimbursement for the application fee charged to your card for Global Entry or TSA Pre√

Platinum-Receive one Global Entry ($100) statement credit or one TSA Pre√ ($85) statement credit every 5 years for an application fee charged to your Platinum Card.

In terms of the amount of the credit, the cards tie. (TSA Pre√ is only $85 anyway) but the Reserve gives you the credit every 4 years and the Platinum every 5.

Winner-Reserve!

 

Airport Lounge Access and Priority Pass Select

Reserve-You can enroll in Priority Pass Select at no additional cost. This program gives you access to numerous airport lounges that are part of the Priority Pass Select Program.

Platinum-Complimentary airport lounge access to The Centurion Lounges, Delta Sky Clubs, and Airspace Lounges and you can enroll in Priority Pass Select at no additional cost. These programs provide you access to numerous domestic and international airport lounges.

Winner-Platinum!

 

Benefits At Hotels

Reserve-You get special benefits at The Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection properties that
may include complimentary room upgrades, complimentary meals, early check-in and late check-out, special discounts and credits and extra amenities.

Platinum-You get complimentary benefits at Fine Hotels And Resorts such as noon check-in when available, room upgrade upon arrival when available, daily breakfast for 2 people, guaranteed 4pm late check-out and a unique property benefit-this benefit varies by property and may be a $100 food and beverage credit or a massage for two or a round of golf, etc.

It’s A Tie For Me And Now Kind Of Irrelevant

In the rare occasion that we pay for a hotel, these benefits are helpful.  BUT, as I recently learned this past summer, if the Chase property or the Amex property also happens to be a Virtuoso property, any Virtuoso travel agent can book you the hotel with the SAME benefits.  Back in July, my friend, Abby Kastin, a Virtuoso travel agent, got me the same rate and benefits at the Nines Hotel in Portland, Oregon that I was getting with my Platinum AND she got me a better room.  (On the Club Level!)

 

Overall

As you can see, the Platinum only wins in one category that I mentioned above.  My renewal for the Platinum comes due in December of this year, and at that time, I think that I will downgrade.  When I called (and got my 10,000 FREE AMEX POINTS just for considering canceling), the Amex rep assured me that I can always re upgrade to the Platinum whenever I want.  I will give you all an update in December if I make a move.