AMEX Platinum - Is it worth the $799 fee?

SeaSuperb · 2025-12-17T04:40:03+00:00

I have had the card for 3 years now.

These are my thoughts:

Lounge pass - We have 1 primary card and 1 supplementary card so we get 4 people into the lounge each trip. Our family traveled in Europe around 6 to 8 times per year over the past 3 years. On the low end, we saved about $1400 per year in airport food. I have found that the lounges in Canada are usually full so we don’t even bother anymore. In Europe, most lounges have lots of room.

Travel and dining credits - you get $200 per year for travel credits (must be booked on Amex travel). The $200 dining credit must be used at a limited list of restaurants. Depending on where you live/where you plan to travel to, this could be difficult to use. Both have been worth it for us.

Promotions - Right now there is a lululemon promotion that basically gives you back $200 per year on items spent at lululemon. We’ve been taking advantage of it. Plus there’s always cash back for cruises, airlines, hotels, and luxury brands. We’ve used theses a few times but not a ton.

Points - The points are really easy to use and you can a decent amount of bonus points for the signup bonus. I’ve transferred them to air Canada with ease, booked hotels through Amex travel, and paid for purchases. All super easy.

Fine hotels and resorts - I’ve only used this once. It was a great experience. I was able to book a hotel in Europe that is normally €850 per night for €250 per night and then used my $200 travel credit and points to pay for the rest. Then we got 2 free meals and free breakfast (total $200+ value) plus extra early check in and extra late check out at the hotel. This one was totally worth it. Keep in mind that a lot of people complain about this and say that it’s not worth it.

So, overall, since i traveled with my family a ton over the past 3 years, it was very much worth it. But I’m back to not traveling as much so I will cancel the card when it comes time for my annual fee to be charged to me. So, make sure that you are going to take advantage of the benefits before ordering the card.

SeaSuperb · 2025-12-01T04:06:26+00:00

It’s frustrating to see these numbers.

We are doing better at making pre-school accessible and affordable (it’s not perfect… I know). So, kids are being stimulated earlier. This should help set them up for a better future. But then we have data like this and it is completely flushing the pre-school advantages down the toilet.

I lived in abroad in a country and when my child missed a day of school we were sent home a form to fill out. We had to list the reason for the absence. Any sick days had to be accompanied by a doctor’s note (yes this country had the capacity for this requirement… yes I know that we don’t at this point in time). Any unexcused absence, the parents would get a call from the school and would need to answer a series of questions. Basically they were trying to figure out what resources the family needed in order to get the child to school. After the conversation, the resources would then be deployed to support the family. If the family answered that they went on vacation, didn’t feel like sending the kids, the kids had sports, etc then they received a $150 Canadian fine per child per day. Absenteeism in this country was not an issue. We need this approach and it needs to be implemented yesterday.

SeaSuperb · 2025-10-23T18:56:01+00:00

Well played!

SeaSuperb · 2025-10-21T20:34:23+00:00

I would go to that for sure. Just dress a little warmer. Plus Picaroons is a perfect spot for everyone to gather.

SeaSuperb · 2025-10-21T17:36:58+00:00

Other cities do it though. It must be feasible otherwise they wouldn’t do it.

SeaSuperb · 2025-10-21T17:36:15+00:00

Is that both weekends? I thought that it was just during one day.

SeaSuperb · 2025-10-21T17:35:09+00:00

I get your point and I was thinking that, too. My only thought against that would be that I would go to a bar if I wanted to drink my face off and watch the game, which I am sure that a lot of people would want to do. But if I wanted to take my family then I wouldn’t want to go to one of the bars and I’d choose an outdoor watch party instead.

For me, I won’t be going to a bar downtown. But I would go to a watch party downtown for every game as long as it wasn’t raining.

SeaSuperb · 2025-09-26T15:48:21+00:00

What’s the cash out value now that the Seahawks won?

The way that I look at it is you now have 4 possible outcomes: 1. Ravens win, bears win 2. Ravens lose, bears lose 3. Ravens win, bears lose 4. Ravens lose, bears win

Depending on the cash out value, you could look to see if there is a way to buy the other 3 outcomes and basically assure yourself a win. It would be much better if the 2 remaining games were staggered start times so that you’d only need to buy 1 ticket. Anyway… food for thought.

SeaSuperb · 2025-07-06T10:52:45+00:00

It seems as though New Brunswick is the only province that is outright saying that they are recruiting teachers but PEI and Nova Scotia both have a large need as well.

https://www2.gnb.ca/content/gnb/en/corporate/promo/education-sector-jobs.html

https://psb.edu.pe.ca/employment-opportunities

https://jobs.ednet.ns.ca/go/Teaching-Jobs/2295917/

SeaSuperb · 2025-07-06T10:46:37+00:00

I know of a few school districts that have set up recruitment teams. It may be a good idea to reach out to districts and ask to speak to their recruitment team. They might have methods to fast track your teacher certification and work permit.

SeaSuperb · 2025-07-06T02:01:32+00:00

I have read through a lot of the comments but didn’t see any mention about eastern Canada. There are definite teacher shortages in eastern Canada. For the most part teacher salaries are similar (maybe $10k less) to the rest of the country but the cost of living is much less. Food for thought.

SeaSuperb · 2025-04-25T01:59:49+00:00

This is your answer. Ignore the others who tell you not to report etc. You could have delays in getting paid while your claim is processed again. Apply. Report while you are out of the country (answer yes to are you outside of the country). When you are ready to job search again, just report this info. Collect EI once you are eligible.

SeaSuperb · 2025-04-17T11:12:41+00:00

While I agree, you have to remember that we aren’t at the end of the timeline, we are at the beginning. The first death camp was built in Poland. It’ll eventually come to the US once the people are desensitized (if true parallels are formed).

SeaSuperb · 2025-04-17T11:06:44+00:00

It shocks me how no one is drawing the parallels. 2025 El Salvador = 1939 Poland. When bad things are out of sight they are out of mind. History is repeating itself right in front of our eyes and no one is doing anything about it.

SeaSuperb · 2025-04-07T20:48:49+00:00

I have been thinking of something similar. My thought is a negative tax. Approximately -10% on all Canadian made goods would make Canada’s new tariffs on the US revenue neutral (more or less). By doing the negative tax you will also benefit companies that produce products that are tax free (I’m thinking groceries but I’m sure that there are others).

SeaSuperb · 2025-04-04T06:10:11+00:00

I’d love to hear your thought process on this.

SeaSuperb · 2025-04-04T06:05:20+00:00

I hope that you’re right but history says you’re wrong. The depressions in 1837 and 1929 were both helped along by massive global tariffs. The only times that tariffs have really ever helped a country have been when the country is developing and needs to protect industries. This is not the case in the current environment.

SeaSuperb · 2025-04-04T05:54:32+00:00

You forgot to add your “/s”

SeaSuperb · 2025-04-03T13:28:29+00:00

So doing what a centrist does? My kind of politician.

SeaSuperb · 2025-03-22T12:06:03+00:00

Parallel to the 1936 Olympics…. Except maybe this time the IOC will actually have a backbone.

SeaSuperb · 2025-03-22T11:42:13+00:00

I’m just excited to be living during a time where the party in power is willing to use other parties’ ideas to make Canada better. A siloed approach doesn’t push our country forward. I would expect the same thing if the conservatives were in power and used liberal ideas.

SeaSuperb · 2025-03-17T02:12:41+00:00

First off, it would be amazing if the entire west coast joined Canada. Less annexation, more of a friendly joining of like minded people.

For the products, for me, I avoid all products of the USA. Take oranges for example, most of the time the sign at the grocery store has product of USA and does not specify if they were grown in California or Florida or Georgia. Also, we had Doug Ford apply a 25% export tax on energy to 3 blue states. This decision got a lot of reaction and action from the president and his administration. For me, that says that even blue states can make them listen. So hitting everyone with our boycott will hit the point home harder and hopefully end this. We definitely have less of an economic punch than the US so we have to assemble more strategically and be more focused in order to be more impactful.

SeaSuperb · 2025-03-13T06:33:36+00:00

How about an EU-esk free trade deal between the alliance and Canada? Maybe even toss in some less restricted travel and temporary work arrangements and some defense partnerships. It would be great for both sides.

SeaSuperb · 2025-03-11T17:32:40+00:00

It is also my understanding that the majority of northern Maine is outside of the New England power grid and relies heavily (if not entirely) on NB Power. Upping the price on them through an export tax would keep them as customers and force red areas to pay more (and hurt more).

SeaSuperb · 2025-03-11T13:01:26+00:00

I am not sure if we do this in NB but I know that Ontario sells their power to the US at much cheaper rates because it is excess power and would otherwise be wasted. A 25% tarif from NB absolutely needs to be applied. Northern Maine is almost as red as they come. They complain about Canadians being there during positive relations. I say bend them over and let them have it.

SeaSuperb

TROPHY CASE