Friends,

My Amex Platinum annual fee just posted. $695. Woof.

Now, I’ve long considered this card to be worth it — and have used it frequently to book flights (5x points), access lounges, and lean on Global Entry, CLEAR, and other travel credits.

But I’m starting to wrestle with whether to keep it.

Because while the perks stack up, it’s a high bar to clear every single year — especially when so many of the credits are “use it or lose it” and fragmented across Uber, Saks, and airline incidentals.

So it’s had me thinking: where do I actually get the most value from Amex Membership Rewards?

Here’s my short list:

• FlyingBlue (Air France/KLM) — Easy sweet spots to Europe in business class (especially during Promo Rewards).

• Avianca LifeMiles — Low-cost Star Alliance redemptions with no fuel surcharges. A favorite of mine.

• Singapore KrisFlyer — The only way to fly Singapore Suites with points.

• Virgin Atlantic — Great partner pricing on ANA and Delta, especially short-hauls.

I love how flexible Membership Rewards are — but even flexibility has to pull its weight. I’m not canceling anything yet, but I am re-evaluating. The points are great, but I may look at cards with lower fees or better everyday earning.

If you’re weighing the same thing, a quick exercise: take your past year’s redemptions and see how many points came from your Platinum versus, say, a Gold or Green card — or even a great no-fee one.

Big picture: Amex points are still incredibly valuable—but I’m not sure the Platinum card is the best fit for me going forward. I’ll keep you posted.

Would love to hear how you’re thinking about it, too.

Fly well.

Links

New United Polaris seats were leaked; the announcement event is tomorrow.

American is trying to save more connections this summer.

JetBlue’s Dunkin plane is really something.

Ben Schlappig nails so much of what’s wrong with American Airlines. Bless him.

Remember, this life you are living has meaning. Thank you for reading. I am grateful you are here and would love to hear from you. If you'd like to write me a note, simply reply to this email. Otherwise I'll see you in the next one.

P.S. If I can ever help you plan your next travel adventure (slash help make your points go farther), I’d be delighted. You can schedule time together here.