Thanks and thank you for the suggestion! This is actually the second time this topic gets suggested. I'll definitely look into this in January, stay tuned!

@@LoyaltyLlamayes please do it! 💙

Yeah, I realize that £10+ / 1000 MRs is far from guaranteed but for me personally it's a fair figure as I never go for redemptions that give me value below this.

Yeah, I think you're right! I generally didn't account for the added comfort (e.g. the lounge atmosphere that you mention, or the convenience of having late checkout at the hotel, etc.) that comes from using the Platinum card on top from the obvious savings.

Thanks for the analysis. I must admit, the platinum card does have a hefty fee but what you have very importantly demonstrated is that how much value an individual gets depends on the individuals circumstances, it can work fantastically for some and less so for others.

@@kadose 300 on restaurant credits and 100 at harvey nichols are really often and easily used without an amex so basically we have to maximise 250£ in fees per year, i personnaly value the lounge at minimum 20/person (centurion lounge i'd say even more) so a few trips with the partner and the fee is already behind ^^

​@@LoyaltyLlama i see but airports are also really expensive, a good meal/breakfast or more than a coffee + croissant comes really easily to 15/20£ per person, maybe in your case you're not too hungry at the airports

Thank you!

Thank you, glad you enjoyed the video :) I can send you a referral link with 60k welcome bonus on the Platinum card if you want, just drop me an email at loyaltyllama@gmail.com

Good point. I keep forgetting to go via the eStore whenever spending my HN credit :(

Thanks! With the retention offer I just told them I'm nearing my renewal date and asked if they can give me a retention offer to help me decide. At this point it doesn't really matter what you say exactly, since these offers seem to be pre-determined by some algorithm. So I feel like you can't get a bigger offer by being a good negotiator.

2p is amazing value, well done!

Would the "free food" on the Platinum actually save you money, i.e. do you already spend money on food at airports and / or go to restaurants that are similar to the ones covered by the dining credit ? I was debating between Gold and Platinum myself. Gold does seem very attractive due to the good points earning structure. Ended up keeping both between me and my partner because we do save more by having these cards than what we pay in annual fees. However, everyone's situation is different.

This is a really excellent question. In my case the answer is definitely yes - all my 2023 stays were either because 1) the Hilton property was cheaper than the other options of similar quality I was considering or 2) it was my favorite hotel in the location and I was going to pick it over cheaper alternatives regardless of the loyalty program. However, the point you raise is something that's generally important to keep in mind!

Hey! When I moved here, I started with a credit building credit card (e.g. Barclaycard Forward - www.barclaycard.co.uk/personal/credit-cards/forward). These don't have any exciting benefits and just help you build up your credit history. And then I went for an Amex card later. Also keep in mind that Amex now has a minimum income requirement (www.headforpoints.com/2023/07/20/american-express-brings-back-minimum-income-requirement/)

I’d suggest you to start with Yonder as it’s really easy to get approved and the perks are really neat (especially if you’re based in London), then you can move over with Amex Gold but i’d wait up untill when you’re employed.

@@albertocrescini2076alright thanks, but if i were to get the amex gold, would i use that specifically for all purchases ? or are there cards which could allow me to get more points depending on what i buy?

@@LoyaltyLlamathanks !!

Even with someone who earns more than minimum salary for Amex platinum card, has excellent credit score and has had the gold card for nearly year now. It still gives me 0% chance for to get it.

Thanks for the suggestion! I certainly can :)

Really depends on your spend and what kind of benefits you value? With the Gold card that you already have, would a retention bonus change your mind? In that case you can ask Amex for one and decide from there.

I spend around £1k a month in bills & other expenses. I have asked for a retention offer but was only offered 5k points which I didn’t think is big enough to justify the £160 yearly fee.

Hey, I actually have a video on that! kzfaq.info/get/bejne/f7p0jNl2y6ndlX0.html

Yes, I had watched this video. What I meant was to discuss the impact of that decision by Amex on your decision to retain the card or not, as it is also an important factor, I believe...

Is that too much or too little?

Yeah, depending on the lounge it can get ridiculously high. But I don't think most lounges are worth the price they're charging at the door, that's my reason for using a conservative figure when valuing lounge passes.

That's fine, what matters to me is that you cared enough to comment 😉

@@LoyaltyLlama i mean this is like the 6th video ive seen of people going “im cancelling” .. cancel… amex doesnt care, i dont care..amex needs to stop approving people with a net worth of under 1 million… this card used to be hard to get now even the bums got it from what I can see