Multiple sources, including View From the Wing (H/T), have reported today that the American Express Business Platinum Card is cutting even more perks. The Business Platinum Card comes with the most benefits of any business card in the industry. But its now justifying its hefty annual fee is even harder.
Regular consumers who want perks would be better off with the personal Platinum Card. It has a slightly lower annual fee ($550) and most of the same perks. There are better cards out there for those who prefer to earn points over receiving perks.
GoGo Is Going Away
The Business Platinum Card was the last American Express card to have access to the in-flight GoGo Wi-Fi passes. Amex has already removed this benefit from most of their premium cards. Current passes will expire on December 31, 2019 and no new passes will be issued thereafter.
This is unfortunate because many travelers (especially business travelers) used these passes to go online while flying. The removal of these passes makes the Business Platinum harder to justify in general and relative to the personal version. This is especially true if you value the personal version’s credits more.
But that’s not all…
More Benefit Cuts
The WeWork benefit is also going away in January 2020. This was a temporary benefit that lasted for the year 2019. We Work is a series of shared workspaces for businesspeople and entrepreneurs on the go. Membership could be valuable for entrepreneurs who need a space to work but don’t have an office.
Plus, the Business Platinum Card is also losing Boingo Wi-Fi access starting in January 2020. This benefit was essentially free Wi-Fi access for hotspots within airports. It’s also losing premium roadside assistance in lieu of the new set of travel insurances coming to all premium Amex cards.
Final Draw
Fortunately, American Express is not removing all the benefits from the Business Platinum Card. But the card has recently become harder to justify for many travelers. American Express has much better cards for business owners and entrepreneurs who want to earn points. And most of the card’s perks can be obtained from other cards. For example, the complimentary Hilton Gold Elite Status can be obtained with the mid-tier Hilton Surpass Card.
Plus, there are no changes coming to the Business version’s annual fee despite the benefit removals. The Business Platinum Card will still have a $595 annual fee (NOT waived the first year). Cardholders can still realize thousands of dollars in value, but there are now fewer possible ways. The only remaining perks that are exclusive to the Business Platinum are the Dell credits, 35% points rebate, and various car rental statuses.
Update: These changes have gone into effect on January 1, 2020
