Amex Platinum annual fee is coming due.  Time to get serious, how bad do I need the card, how bad do they want to keep me.  Called the Amex # and asked for the Retention Department.  Transferred and the dance began.  We finally settled on two options; $300.00 credit or 30,000 Membership Rewards Points, if I agreed to renew.  The card has a $450 annual fee and is loaded with benefits.

$300.00 credit is great.   All of the cards incredible benefits for $150.00 ($450 fee-$300 credit) or:

30,000 MR Points, valued at ~.019 per point=$570 in possible travel value, hmmm…A round trip plane ticket to LAX for two costs~$700 or ~60,000 MR Points (Insider Flights) AND with the Amex Business Platinum, thru Amex Travel , I get half the Points back.  So ~$700 in value for 30,000 points is what I end up receiving.

I took the 30,000 points and ran away with a big smile.  That’s value!

Always give the card issuer a chance to keep you.  If you’ve been a good client for them, everybody  wins.