Grandfathered Amex Aeroplan Platinum card: from $0 to $699 without warning

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Jul 21st, 2021 11:06 pm

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Jul 19th, 2021 5:55 pm

neos [OP]: Jr. Member; May 17, 2007; 140 posts; 52 upvotes; Montreal

Jul 19th, 2021 5:55 pm

Grandfathered Amex Aeroplan Platinum card: from $0 to $699 without warning

Some time over that past 15 years, Amex decided to give me (and many others I'm sure) as a Platinum card member a complimentary Amex Aeroplan Plaitnum card. As long as a I held either the Platinum or Biz Platinum, Amex would continue to waive the fee.
Your text to link here...

This wasn't a terribly exciting perk as he earning potential on the old Aeroplan Platinum wasn't worth the effort.
Then Amex Offers came to Canada and having another Amex card in the wallet was suddenly more interesting!

Well, I guess nothing lasts forever, because I got my latest statement showing the renewal fee of $699!
I'm sure this has something to do with Air Canada re-absorbing its Aeroplan program, but I was never given any warning that the terms would change.

I saw on Reddit someone called and got a one-time courtesy credit of $100, but that hardly seems worthwhile.

Has this happened to anyone else? Any recommendations on what to do?

EDIT: Whoops! Annual fee on Aeroplan Reserve is $599, not $699.

EDIT (2): Sorry if this wasn't clear, but my old Amex Aeroplan Platinum turned into the Aeroplan Reserve card last year when the Aeroplan card family was refreshed.

Last edited by neos on Jul 19th, 2021 9:22 pm, edited 2 times in total.

11 replies

Jul 19th, 2021 7:02 pm

Andreit: Member; May 24, 2019; 390 posts; 421 upvotes; Toronto

Jul 19th, 2021 7:02 pm

You still have your platinum card, right? Usually this kind of warning would be posted somewhere in your statement. Check your statements from the last 6 months and see if there is a notice there. Otherwise I'm sure that by calling they will offer waive the fee and then send you a proper notice of change of terms.

+1

Jul 19th, 2021 7:49 pm

neos [OP]: Jr. Member; May 17, 2007; 140 posts; 52 upvotes; Montreal

Jul 19th, 2021 7:49 pm

Andreit wrote: ↑ You still have your platinum card, right? Usually this kind of warning would be posted somewhere in your statement. Check your statements from the last 6 months and see if there is a notice there. Otherwise I'm sure that by calling they will offer waive the fee and then send you a proper notice of change of terms.

You'd think that would be the logical way to do things, but I just checked both my Biz Plat and Aeroplan P̶l̶a̶t̶i̶n̶u̶m̶ Reserve statements from 2021 and see nothing about the fee change.

Jul 19th, 2021 7:54 pm

smartie: Deal Guru; Dec 5, 2006; 14249 posts; 9655 upvotes; Markham

Jul 19th, 2021 7:54 pm

neos wrote: ↑ You'd think that would be the logical way to do things, but I just checked both my Biz Plat and Aeroplan P̶l̶a̶t̶i̶n̶u̶m̶ Reserve statements from 2021 and see nothing about the fee change.

Why not just call them and ask when did they send communication?

Jul 19th, 2021 7:55 pm

Andreit: Member; May 24, 2019; 390 posts; 421 upvotes; Toronto

Jul 19th, 2021 7:55 pm

neos wrote: ↑ You'd think that would be the logical way to do things, but I just checked both my Biz Plat and Aeroplan P̶l̶a̶t̶i̶n̶u̶m̶ Reserve statements from 2021 and see nothing about the fee change.

You are mentioning a Business Platinum. Did you have a personal Platinum card? And did you maybe cancel this personal platinum card in the past year or so? If so, as far as the wording goes on the picture you posted, that Aeroplan card was tied to your Personal Platinum ("Platinum Card®" is a personal card, not a business card, so your "Business Platinum Card®" shouldn't qualify you for the waiver). Is that what might have happened?

Jul 19th, 2021 8:15 pm

rhw123: Deal Addict; Feb 4, 2019; 2687 posts; 4400 upvotes; BC

Jul 19th, 2021 8:15 pm

From what I understand from your post, you don't really care about the card but you like having an additional Amex card for Amex Offers. So why not just cancel this one and get an Amex with no annual fee like the Choice (soon to be rebranded as Green card)?

+1

Jul 19th, 2021 8:39 pm

neos [OP]: Jr. Member; May 17, 2007; 140 posts; 52 upvotes; Montreal

Jul 19th, 2021 8:39 pm

I will, but I was wondering if anyone else experienced this.
The only data point I had so far is a one-time $100 rebate from Reddit rebate.

I also wanted to gets RFD's view on if Amex was in their right to re-instate the annual fee without warning.

Jul 19th, 2021 9:12 pm

neos [OP]: Jr. Member; May 17, 2007; 140 posts; 52 upvotes; Montreal

Jul 19th, 2021 9:12 pm

Andreit wrote: ↑ You are mentioning a Business Platinum. Did you have a personal Platinum card? And did you maybe cancel this personal platinum card in the past year or so? If so, as far as the wording goes on the picture you posted, that Aeroplan card was tied to your Personal Platinum ("Platinum Card®" is a personal card, not a business card, so your "Business Platinum Card®" shouldn't qualify you for the waiver). Is that what might have happened?

Currently, I only have the Business Platinum (same card now for the past 2 years).
But I have always had the fee waived as long I had either the personal Plat or Biz Plat (same family I guess) at any one time.
And back in the good ol' churning days, I was able to alternate from one to the other and reap the SUB's!

+1

Jul 19th, 2021 9:19 pm

neos [OP]: Jr. Member; May 17, 2007; 140 posts; 52 upvotes; Montreal

Jul 19th, 2021 9:19 pm

rhw123 wrote: ↑ From what I understand from your post, you don't really care about the card but you like having an additional Amex card for Amex Offers. So why not just cancel this one and get an Amex with no annual fee like the Choice (soon to be rebranded as Green card)?

The old Aeroplan Plat was pretty useless IMHO and definitely not worth the exorbitant annual fee.
Since its been spawned into the Amex Reserve, the card' features are a lot better, but I'm not sure if it's worth the $599 (sorry, I mistyped the fee in the thread title).
However, the card's Amex offers, like the current 10x point son drinks eats & drinks, are often better than the lower tier cards.

Jul 19th, 2021 9:46 pm

Andreit: Member; May 24, 2019; 390 posts; 421 upvotes; Toronto

Jul 19th, 2021 9:46 pm

neos wrote: ↑ Currently, I only have the Business Platinum (same card now for the past 2 years).
But I have always had the fee waived as long I had either the personal Plat or Biz Plat (same family I guess) at any one time.
And back in the good ol' churning days, I was able to alternate from one to the other and reap the SUB's!

I don't work for Amex, but I believe that not having a personal platinum on the anniversary date of the Aeroplan card is what triggered the annual fee. Just call and inquire about it to make sure.

Jul 21st, 2021 11:43 am

intravino: Sr. Member; Mar 8, 2006; 541 posts; 100 upvotes; Montreal

Jul 21st, 2021 11:43 am

Welcome to world of Amex Canada.

They limited my gold card for nothing (no bad credit, 900 score) and they warned me that we would cancel the card soon. I used my points for Amazon and close the account. They did not even said thanks for being a customer of 25 years.

Jul 21st, 2021 11:06 pm

neos [OP]: Jr. Member; May 17, 2007; 140 posts; 52 upvotes; Montreal

Jul 21st, 2021 11:06 pm

I spoke to a CSR in the Amex retentions department yesterday.
He confirmed what had I suspected all along: that Amex could no logner offer the Aeroplan Reserve (formerly Platinum) card because they had renegotiated their contract with Air Canada last year.
Up until 2020, I was considered a "Charter" member and had been offered the card free of charge.
From the Amex website:

Charter member means designated American Express AeroplanPlus
Gold Card and American Express AeroplanPlus Platinum Card
cardmembers from whom we received applications for their cards on
or before December 31, 2004

I was offered a $100 credit and 15,000 Aeroplan points to keep the card. I decided the keep it for at least one more year. The CSR said I should call back again when the fee hits next year to see what they might be able to offer.

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