AMEX Platinum Charge adds Pan Pacific DISCOVERY Platinum status benefit

While the AMEX Platinum Charge will be losing its Shangri-La Golden Circle Jade benefit from 1 April 2021, cardholders can look forward to new perk effective immediately: Pan Pacific DISCOVERY Platinum status (Centurion members receive the Black tier).

An eDM was sent out yesterday regarding the new benefit:

Pan Pacific DISCOVERY is more than just a membership, it is your window to the world of Pan Pacific, PARKROYAL COLLECTION and PARKROYAL hotels, resorts and serviced suites and more. It is the adventure and hidden gems that await you, together with a sincerity that is distinctly driven from the heart.

Pan Pacific DISCOVERY also rewards you with Local Experiences and exclusive privileges across its network of 35 hotel brands, 570 hotels and 85 countries.

DISCOVERY Platinum status is available up till 31 December 2025, giving you a hefty 4+ years to enjoy it. 

DISCOVERY Platinum Status for AMEX Platinum Charge members

Members will need to register via the link in the eDM by 31 December 2021 (if you didn’t receive an eDM because of your communication settings, contact the Platinum concierge). Upon registration, they will receive DISCOVERY Platinum status until 31 December 2022, which can be further renewed up till December 2025 by contacting the concierge. 

Despite the “Pan Pacific” in the name, this membership will confer benefits at all participating GHA brands worldwide, including Capella, Kempinski, PARKROYAL and more. 

Pan Pacific DISCOVERY Platinum members enjoy perks like 3 p.m late check-out and a single category room upgrade (subject to availability). They will also save 20% off F&B (excluding alcoholic beverages) when dining at Pan Pacific Hotels Group operated restaurants. 

Unlike other hotel loyalty programs, DISCOVERY members don’t earn points for future stays. Instead, they earn Local Experiences, which in Singapore include things like complimentary spa treatments, tours and dining sets. 

While members are normally accorded a Local Experience upon attaining Platinum status, this does not apply to those who received an instant membership upgrade. Therefore, you’ll only receive a Local Experience upon completing your first stay, and earn an additional one with every subsequent stay at a different DISCOVERY brand. 

Goodbye Shangri-La Jade status 

Unfortunately, with every carrot comes a stick. Further down in the eDM is the reminder that from 1 April 2021, Shangri-La Golden Circle Jade membership will no longer be a Platinum Charge benefit.

Platinum Charge members can still register via this link up till 31 March 2021, and will continue to receive their benefits in line with the expiry date set out within their Golden Circle Membership. In my case, that’s 31 December 2021, but if you register now, your status should be valid till 31 December 2022. 

Is DISCOVERY Platinum or Golden Circle Jade more valuable? The former has a much wider network, but the latter has guaranteed breakfast, which can be an invaluable perk at some high-cost destinations. I’d say it’s about a wash, but Jade is more useful to me because I’m already a DISCOVERY Black member. 

Conclusion

My experiences with GHA recognition have thus far been limited to the Capitol Kempinski and Pan Pacific Singapore, but in both cases staff were familiar with the benefits and accorded them properly. While Platinum isn’t the highest tier within DISCOVERY, all things considered, some status is better than no status.

Take a few minutes to register for this new perk- with 10 properties in Singapore participating in DISCOVERY, this may come in useful for your next staycation.