Beard Season founder, surfer, and jet-setter Jimmy Niggles holds one of Amex’s sleek metal Platinum Cards and is taking it on a travel adventure to put it to the test. With $450 to spend on travel each year and 80k bonus points in his pocket, Jimmy utilised the benefit of the Platinum Travel Service to book his next trip where he’ll be hitting the slopes of Queenstown with a mate and the waves of Oahu with his fiancé.
In this week’s episode, we follow Jimmy to the American Express Lounge at Sydney International Airport – one of the best benefits of the Card, giving members access to 1,200 lounges worldwide.
Like plenty of cards with premium benefits, the Amex Platinum Card offers a huge list of perks that all sound good and well – but how do they actually benefit the user? And how often can a Card Member actually put these rewards to good use?
Good question.
For one, Jimmy now has access to complimentary travel insurance every time he heads abroad and pays with his Amex card. And, as we’ve already established, Jimmy travels a lot, meaning he’s saving real money every time, and never has to remember to organise what most people forget up until the last minute anyway. In simple terms, the Platinum Card has got your back.
What any frequent traveller will tell you gets very old very quickly, is spending time in airports. Not only does Jimmy spend (what he’ll say is too much) time in between flights, and waiting for connections, but given his role at the helm of one of Australia’s most innovative charity organisations, he never stops working.
Here’s where the American Express Lounge at Sydney International Airport is a real plus for regular travellers. As opposed to a frequent flyer program that might give you lounge access if you’re in the right place, and on the right loyalty tier, an Amex Platinum Card is your ticket to a vast network of airport lounges worldwide. 1,200 Lounges, in fact, as part of the American Express Global Lounge Collection, including all Amex Lounges and Centurion Lounges, plus complimentary Priority Pass Membership valued at more than AUD $600 per year.
Comfort is key, so American Express has expanded its lounge at Sydney airport to three times the size of the original lounge. You’ll also be able to enjoy more amenities like shower suites, and dining options including a live cooking station. Don’t worry, they’ve got you covered with the basics like complimentary Wi-Fi, charging stations and quiet resting areas so you can relax before you take-off. Open from 23 October for eligible Card Members.
The sheer number of lounges that the Amex Platinum Card will get you into is easily one of the most used features for travellers like Jimmy, who can relax with a glass of premium wine or conduct business over barista-made coffee.
Additionally, thanks to a complimentary Australian Financial Review digital subscription valued at $628 per year, Jimmy can enjoy the latest news covering business, finance, investment and politics from Australia (and worldwide) whilst he’s relaxing in any of these lounges.
To top it all off, the lounge benefit is made that much better by the fact that Jimmy’s Platinum Card allows him to bring not one, but two guests into the Amex Lounge with him–what’s the point in a perk if you can’t share it, right?
We’ve covered merely a drop in the bucket of Airport Lounge benefits, so to discover a full list of perks, head on over to the Amex Platinum site here.
Check back with us next week, when Jimmy lands in Queenstown and checks into his luxury hotel taking advantage of the Fine Hotels & Resorts benefit before hitting the slopes. To make sure you don’t miss any episodes, sign up to our Newsletter here.
Apply for an American Express Platinum Card today to receive 80,000 bonus points.
To see more of Jimmy’s adventure, visit the American Express Platinum Travel Hub.