| ⚠️ Update |
American Express has clarified the following:
The article below has been updated accordingly. |
One of the best perks of the AMEX Platinum Charge is the “one annual fee” policy, which allows cardholders to add on an AMEX Platinum Reserve for free (avoiding the usual annual fee of S$535).
This comes with perks like a 2-night stay at selected Fraser Hospitality properties, a S$100 Tower Club credit, and complimentary wine vouchers (no purchase necessary in some cases). If you’re an AMEX Platinum Charge cardholder, there’s really no reason not to take it.
Unfortunately, there’s some bad news in this regard: I’ve received reports that as of 1 November 2022, American Express will nerf the one annual fee policy. AMEX Platinum Charge cardholders approved for an AMEX Platinum Reserve from this point forward will be required to pay annual fees. However, existing AMEX Platinum Reserve cardholders will escape the change, so long as they remain AMEX Platinum Charge members.
What are AMEX Platinum Reserve’s perks?
While I don’t believe the AMEX Platinum Reserve is worth paying S$535 a year, I’ll happily take it for free. Cardholders receive a pack of 30+ vouchers every membership year, including six that are more or less freebies:
- Frasers Hospitality
- 2 nights complimentary stay at selected Frasers Hospitality properties worldwide
- Tower Club
- S$100 F&B voucher
- Grand Cru
- 1x free bottle of wine
- 1x free bottle of wine
- Napoleon Food & Wine Bar
- 1x free bottle of wine
- Wan Hao Chinese Restaurant
- S$50 off min. S$100 spend
There’s also vouchers for discounted staycations, spa treatments and group dining. For a more detailed look at the pack, refer to the article below.
AMEX Platinum Reserve: Exploring the latest dining, staycation and spa voucher pack
In my latest annual review of the AMEX Platinum Charge, I valued the benefits from the AMEX Platinum Reserve at S$420, which could be even higher depending on your personal lifestyle and travel patterns.
That wasn’t a decisive factor in my decision to renew the Platinum Charge for an additional year, but it certainly made the case a whole lot stronger.
What happens now?
From 1 November 2022:
- Any AMEX Platinum Charge cardholder who gets approved for an AMEX Platinum Reserve will be required to pay the S$535 annual fee
- Any AMEX Platinum Charge cardholder who already holds an AMEX Platinum Reserve will continue to enjoy an annual fee waiver so long as he/she is an AMEX Platinum Charge member
In other words, if you already have your AMEX Platinum Reserve, you’re safe.
I understand there’s some confusion about the effective date, with some customers being told 21 October 2022 by CSOs. I can’t explain why there’s two different dates floating out there, but the information I have here comes from AMEX directly.
If your Platinum Reserve approval date is before 1 November 2022 and you’re being charged an annual fee nonetheless, I think it’s worth calling up AMEX and seeking clarification.
Conclusion
AMEX Platinum Charge cardholders will no longer be able to enjoy an annual fee waiver on the AMEX Platinum Reserve, which means you should exclude these benefits from your renewal (or sign-up) decision going forward.
It’s disappointing for sure, especially since other Platinum Charge benefits like dining and spa vouchers have been chipped away over the years. The Love Dining and Chillax partner lists have shrank, and let’s not forget that from 2023 the annual fee will increase to S$1,728 thanks to the GST hike.
If we don’t see some genuine enhancements (or a blow-me-away Platinum af’FAIR 2022), it’s going to be harder and harder for existing cardholders to justify renewal.
Maybe they are thinking about to give the reserve card a whole new setup?
Long overdued.
Nerf one fee policy means other Amex credit card fee waiver also no more? Eg Amex KF
This card should be fully waivable anyway, else you cancel it as it is junk.
why is it junk? you could use it to spend on non 4mpd spends like education fees. such spend earns 1.1 mpd with Amex kf and the spend counts towards any year 2 retention bonus of the amex plat charge. better than spending on the plat charge for 078mpd and better than the tru cashback of 1.5%.
And why would I do that when Amex HF is giving 1.8mpd?
You belonging to the tiny minority of people who qualify for Amex HF doesn’t make KF junk for the vast majority of people right?
Are you dumb mate? Literally everyone with a PC, working internet connection and $125 qualifies for Amex HF.
Not everyone is able to set up a paper company just for a credit card, e.g. Wikipedia lists 87,000 civil servants in Singapore.
87k seems like a minority to me
My sincere apologies for not being a fraudster
And also for not having a brain. Poor you
I have Amex HF but no reason to slam those who don’t. Unbecoming
And what are you gonna do about it?
Seriously are you 15 years old or something you sound like it
You reporting your ‘business’ income to IRAS bro?
The value proposition for the 1712 card keeps on declining. I think I’ll be canceling shortly, it’s just too much money for what you get.
The one fee policy is an unspoken rule in AXP and never communicated officially to cardmembers, whether in the product T&Cs or marketing materials. I doubt the public affairs team will comment much (or maybe neither confirm nor deny) as the workings of this fee policy was never communicated from AXP’s perspective.
And in same vain, no ABS obligation to inform cardmembers who enjoyed this “benefit”.
I’ve given up on Amex Charge card since it rebranded as a life style card in the US along with higher AF. The SG version of it has never been attractive with eye popping AF and underwhelming value. The thing that made me ROFL was the fx fee….2.95% on a 1700+ AF card?