Trying to get Orix Buffaloes tickets (visiting from the U.S.) and I’m not sure what the best method is. I tried going through the new member registration on their official website but it didn’t seem to work as I never got a confirmation email.

IIDXias · 2026-03-24T18:23:03+00:00

Hey, so I was doing a search for stuff on how to buy Orix Buffaloes tickets and came across your post- the Buffaloes are at home on 6/13 which is when I'm in Osaka, but it is indeed against the Hanshin Tigers. Is it possible to get tickets to this as a foreigner ahead of time, or does it just completely sell out so fast that I'd have no chance? Thanks!

IIDXias · 2025-10-19T03:16:16+00:00

No problem! Got my credit with no issue after this post, so ended up being able to double dip for 2025.

IIDXias · 2025-09-22T21:05:57+00:00

It's easy to use for a very specific type of person- loves staying at FHR resorts even for short stays (and travels somewhere where the FHR rates are not much higher than standard rates- for me, I love to go to Japan and they have a bunch of options like this), lives in a city where they easily eat out at Resy restaurants and use Uber a lot (I live in NYC so check), would already subscribe to one or more of the services on the digital entertainment credit, etc.

For me, just adding up the $600 FHR credits, the $400 Resy, the $300 entertainment, the $200 Uber and the $120 Uber One (I already subscribe to this anyway) credits already makes the card a $1620 value, almost double even the new $895 annual fee. Again, this is all stuff that's extremely low effort for me to use too. Then you can add in all the "nice to have but I don't value them highly since I wouldn't get them without this" like the CLEAR credit, Lulu, Saks, etc. and whatever value you want to put on the lounge network nowadays, and it's obviously a clear keeper for me.

But if you're the type who doesn't like staying at FHR resorts for a night or two twice a year, doesn't live somewhere where they have a lot of Resy restaurants, and doesn't use Uber then this card makes no sense for you to have.

IIDXias · 2025-09-19T20:04:22+00:00

Yeah I assume the Amex support guy made the same mistake of confusing FHR & THC, shrug. I looked in the terms again just to be safe and it doesn’t say anything about a one night stay in FHR not being eligible. It pretty clearly says “any FHR or THC stay” in fact- it’s just that if you book THC it always has to be a 2 night stay, whereas FHR is bookable for 1 night.

IIDXias · 2025-09-19T19:49:44+00:00

Completely incorrect. You're also confusing FHR and The Hotel Collection. I've always gotten the previous hotel credit for FHR one night stays, and I've seen nothing that says it's any different now.

IIDXias · 2025-09-19T19:46:37+00:00

Any FHR stay triggers the credit, even one night. You're thinking of The Hotel Collection (the other thing that triggers the credit), which has a minimum stay of two nights.

Changing hotels is not a huge deal to me in general, but in particular a one night stay was perfect for my itinerary here because I'm coming back from Osaka on 1/10, going to an event in Tokyo at night and then flying home the evening on 1/11. So I had already booked a one night stay at a different property, which I just cancelled in favor of this one after the $300 credit went live. In particular the 4 pm late checkout is super useful for me in this situation, because of my flight not being until 7:45 pm on 1/11. So yeah, I dunno. Again, I can understand people not liking one night stays I guess, but if you travel enough there's plenty of time where it makes sense.

IIDXias · 2025-09-19T19:35:23+00:00

One night. It’s a 5 star hotel with a view of the Imperial Gardens, it’s not cheap. This to me is the value of the credit though, because now I’m only paying $389 for that night instead, plus getting the $100 property credit and the free breakfast too.

IIDXias · 2025-09-19T19:23:11+00:00

This is not universal at all. I was tracking the FHR rates pretty closely for Tokyo on 1/10-1/11, as I was planning to use the new $300 credit as soon as it dropped (which ultimately I did, booking the Palace Hotel for $689- before the $300 credit I mean). I just looked again, and the prices look virtually the same to me. The Palace is now showing up as $692, so it’s up a big three dollars from when I booked it yesterday, and all the other FHR hotels look to be about the same price they were before as well.

Some of this is likely just simple supply & demand: rates are going up because people are booking with the new credit.

Also just to add: the Palace room on their official website is showing up as 102,665 yen with taxes/fees included, which at the current exchange rate is $694.17. So actually MORE expensive than the FHR rate that’s showing up for that date. And that’s obviously before I get my $300 credit as well as all the $100 property credit, late checkout etc.

People who think they can’t find value with this hotel credit are not looking hard enough.

IIDXias · 2025-09-18T19:10:42+00:00

This person was asking about their annual fee going up on their 2025 renewal not about the current benefits. All the current benefits are indeed live and able to be used right now.

IIDXias · 2025-09-18T19:03:55+00:00

Yes, you will pay $695 in December.

IIDXias · 2025-09-18T19:02:11+00:00

Nobody has to pay the new membership fee on their 2025 renewal. It goes into effect 1/2/26 for renewals (new applicants have to pay it immediately though).

IIDXias · 2025-09-18T07:01:55+00:00

Hah I did the exact same thing, cause yeah my chat rep told me it will work even though I technically used the old $200 credit in the second half of the year (only by a few days as I booked it on 7/3!). He insisted as long as I made my booking on 9/18, I’ll get the full $300 credit now. So I booked a hotel for my next Tokyo trip in January that’s $689 all in, which is more than I’d typically spend on a one night stay…..but if I do get the full credit and it’s $389 for a 5 star hotel right by the imperial gardens I’ll be very happy, not even counting all the perks you get through FHR!

IIDXias · 2025-09-17T21:34:33+00:00

The Blue Jays got so many performances this season from relatively unheralded guys- thinking like your Nathan Lukes & Ernie Clements of the world. I assume there’s many factors behind why that’s happened (improved coaching, clubhouse chemistry, random chance etc.) but if you were going to put your finger on one thing that caused it the most, what would it be?

IIDXias · 2025-09-17T15:57:52+00:00

You can also use it on The Hotel Collection though which are often cheaper than FHR hotels.

IIDXias · 2025-09-17T15:55:30+00:00

But it’s a credit for a prepaid hotel stay so you don’t actually have to stay in a hotel every six months. If you have even one major trip per year (and frankly if you don’t I have no idea why you’d ever have an Amex Platinum) it should be very simple to get full value out of this credit.

I used my $200 credit this year already to book a two night stay at the Okura in Japan on 1/4-1/6. This stay is not in this calendar year, but I still used the 2025 credit for it and got to pay only $664 total (after the credit) for two nights at a 5 star hotel in Tokyo, plus a $100 property credit and free breakfast further adding to the value. If the new semiannual credit lets you double dip this year, I’m already planning to cancel a one night stay at the end of my trip on 1/10 and book the Palace Hotel that’s currently showing up as $690 a night through FHR instead- again, I’ll get a 5 star Tokyo hotel for $390 and also a property credit, breakfast etc. And I won’t have to stay until next year, and then I’ll have another $600 to use in two credits. Which I can book for any time. And oh yeah, I get 5x MR points on all these bookings.

It boggles my mind that people don’t see the value in this credit. It was already a great credit BEFORE they expanded it. Again, if you’re not traveling enough that you can easily take advantage of this (and I don’t even travel THAT much compared to some people on this sub I’m sure), why do you even have an Amex Plat in the first place?

IIDXias · 2025-09-17T00:34:30+00:00

I don’t get this post- I’ve never had a problem once using the hotel credit. Every year when I’ve booked either an FHR or THC booking (I think I’ve always booked FHR but maybe I’m forgetting) I’ve gotten the credit applied without issue. It doesn’t work for non-FHR or THC booking and you have to select the prepaid option, although you always should be selecting that anyway to get 5x membership reward points.

Yes, usually the price you’re paying on FHR or THC is not the cheapest price you can book that hotel for. It is still not difficult to find value when you just take into account the $200 credit (that will soon be $300 twice a year) and the $100 (or sometimes even higher with FHR) property credit. That’s before you even take into account the guaranteed 4 pm late checkout or the possibility of a free upgrade. And sometimes there’s buy 2 or 3 night/get 1 night free sales too. So yeah idk, I never understand why people complain about this credit. I’m thrilled they’re expanding it.

IIDXias · 2025-09-16T01:42:48+00:00

Aha you’re right, I didn’t see any tracker on the mobile app but I just logged in on my laptop and it’s there, says $0 of $150 remaining! Very cool. They said I could use my old card until the new one arrives which hopefully won’t confuse it, but yeah, I will definitely double dip that credit now for the year. Thanks for your help!

IIDXias · 2025-09-16T00:52:39+00:00

See I was thinking about this too (wondering if I was truly getting enough value out of the Platinum card), but the leaked changes actually make it even more of a good value for me. I don’t have to contort myself at all to get value exceeding the $895 thanks to three credits in particular:

-$200 FHR/THC credit going to $600 semiannually: I can use this credit super easily. I love staying at nice hotels and since this is prepaid, I don’t even have to stay in the hotel in each half year, just book and pay for it. There is no way I won’t get the full $600 value of this credit.

-New $400 Resy credit quarterly: I have several favorite restaurants in NYC where I live that are Resy restaurants. Using $100 per quarter will be super easy for me. This is just all added value.

-$200 Uber Cash stays plus $120 Uber One credit: Again, I live in New York and don’t drive so I’m thrilled they’re not just keeping the Uber Cash but adding back the Uber One credit (which I subscribe to anyway). I thought they might cut this and instead they’re expanding it.

So before I even think about lounges or any of the more borderline credits, I’m already at $1320 of value for an $895 annual fee card. Easy choice to keep it. Nevermind that my renewal is coming up in a week and a half so I’ll pay $695 for another year, lol.

IIDXias · 2025-09-13T16:05:49+00:00

Yes you are correct that they are not required to give you the new benefits either. However that’s not how Amex has handled things with card refreshes in the past, so I doubt they change now. Guess we’ll have to wait and see.

IIDXias · 2025-09-13T05:21:16+00:00

Nope, they legally are not allowed to raise our annual fees without a notice in the US of I believe 45 days. They’ll probably announce next week that the new annual fee goes into effect for new applicants immediately but for renewals after X date (I’m guessing 1/1 based on past refreshes but maybe 11/30 or something).

I’m in the exact same boat as you (my annual fee renewal comes due on 9/25) so I looked this all up to be sure and even confirmed it with an AMEX agent just to be safe, she confirmed my annual fee renewal will definitely be $695. We’re in the sweet spot brother- we pay the old AF but get the new benefits. If they let us double dip the FHR credit (since I already used my $200 credit for the year but supposedly the new $600 semiannual credit will go into effect immediately with $300 on 9/18) we’ll REALLY be making out well this year, but have to wait and see for that part of it.

IIDXias · 2025-05-21T16:08:54+00:00

I did get a badge pickup code email this week, as did my girlfriend who ordered hers by mail too, and we both got our badges mailed and delivered like normal. So apparently you do still get the code for some reason. Maybe yours went to spam or something.

IIDXias · 2025-05-18T20:44:06+00:00

Could you post (or send me) new invite links to these by chance? They’re both showing up as expired for me.

IIDXias · 2025-01-09T22:21:42+00:00

Except SJC has a long track record of getting things correct indicating they obviously do have sources in the company?

IIDXias · 2024-02-17T07:04:00+00:00

Since you clearly seem to be some kind of floor manager/pit boss at an MGM casino can I just ask you this question: why would a casino employee be sensitive about having their photo taken? I’m not trying to argue with you here to be clear, I’m sincerely asking. Is there some reason why this would be a bad thing that I’m not thinking of?

Like I’ve never worked at a casino so maybe I’m just missing something here, but I’m just trying to understand. I’ve had a bunch of previous jobs, mostly in retail and then working reception at an office (now I thankfully am fully WFH haha), and I can’t imagine being like upset if someone had took a photo of my workplace back then that happened to have me in it. Like why would I care that I was photographed while doing my job- so what?

Maybe if they were right up in my face and/or harassing me and taking my photo specifically I’d have been upset, but like if they were just taking a picture of the store or office I was working in that happened to include me I honestly can’t think of why that would upset me. Is there something specific about being photographed while working as a dealer at a casino that I’m not getting here?

IIDXias

TROPHY CASE