Heartbroken

Let's be honest. You were not the love at first sight. Far from it, actually! Shiny and expensive, sure you would come with a few nice benefits, but I was not prepared to let you have THAT much of my hard earned money before I could even get a glimpse of you. Nor did I really care for the attention I would surely receive having you around.

But I was lucky - a few strangers have convinced me that you would be worth it after all. And boy, I am sure glad I listened!

In true magical fashion, you gave me so much! You showed me the way to the greatest experience of my life. Then you gave me even more than I asked for. So much more!

Ever since we got together, I have told everyone about you. I felt for you. We had a great time.

But as all love stories, our came to the end last April. You were demanding more out of me with not much left to show for it so I let you go.

I missed you.

And now you decide to tease me again? Knowing full well that I cannot have you again at this point. How cruel of you...

I say shame on you, American Express Platinum, shame on you!

The $450 annual fee I paid for you seems outrageous to most [sane] people, but few can comprehend, at first glimpse, all the benefits you bring with you. I understand them - you were the first and only card I actually paid the annual fee for and it sure wasn't peanuts.

But the 50,000 bonus Membership Rewards points you came with would of allowed me to book a round-the-world trip essentially for free. Still, you went the extra step and gave me 50,000 more MRs, allowing me to book my trip in Business Class.

I clearly remember that moment, a year and a half ago - I had tears in my eyes and I knew I was in love with you!

That alone was worth much more than $450 I paid for you. I did not mention that to you back then, but the true cost of my round-the-world itinerary was close to $27,000 and I got it for $368. I did not want you to get cocky.

And, truth to be told, you do have all the rights to be cocky because of all the other benefits you bring with you.

I have used your generous reimbursement of $200 in airline fees to buy four $50 United Airline gift vouchers. And because you allow it every calendar year, I bought $200 more the next year before we had to part ways - essentially $400 back out of the $450 I paid for you.

But there was still more! Much more.

The lounge access. At first, it was just the crappy lounges in the US (still nice for free WiFi and less crowded seating) but then you also gave me Priority Pass membership (without me even asking!), opening the doors of almost any lounge in the world.

And I sure made good use of that!

Still, there was more!

The automatic refund of the $100 Global Entry membership did not seem like a big deal back then - I would only come back to the US at the end of my round-the-world trip and that will be enough travel for me for a while (I was so naive back then).  But I went ahead and filled out the application, submitted for background check, and did the quick interview to get my card.

Now, while most people (even US citizens) stand in horrendous lines at the passport control and then again for Customs upon entering the US, I wizz by them all (to their great envy) to a computer terminal and a couple of minutes later I am through!

I have used Global Entry five or six times so far and every time I saved at least half an hour.

But that's not even it - Global Entry now automatically qualifies me for TSA Pre security lanes at the airports, which are even shorter than First Class lanes and I do not need to take my shoes off, take the liquids or laptop out, keep my belt and coat on and go through a good old metal detector rather than those body scanners. I feel like a human again going through airport security - who would of thought that it is possible these days?

Still, that's not even it. In Australia they have recently allowed Global Entry members to use their Smart Gates (essentially the same thing). For anyone that has been to the land of Oz, you know how much hassle that eliminates! Hint: the Customs lines in the US are nothing like the Australian ones where they screen through pretty much everything.

I will also never forget how helpful you were when I needed the information on immunization requirements, visa requirements and contact information for embassies in two dozen of countries. With just one call to your concierge folks, I had all that information in my email box the next day!

But you still had a few more tricks up your sleeve.

By downloading your AmEx Platinum Travel app on my phone, I was also given a year membership of TripIt Pro, allowing me to have all my flight, lodging, and other itineraries neatly organized in one place. In fact, the TripIt app on my phone was my second most used app during my seven months journey!

In turn, the TripIt Pro membership introduced me to another wonderful perk - the Regus BusinessWorld membership. A year of free access to business lounges around the world saved my butt many many times when I needed a reliable internet connection (and a free cup of good coffee). These are not airport lounges. Instead, these are offices in prime locations worldwide, often with fantastic views, that I can always count on. I visited them (often multiple ones in each city) in Frankfurt, Munich, Geneva, Brussels, Kiev, Cape Town, Dubai, Singapore, Sydney, Melbourne, Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires, and good ole Tulsa (no fantastic views here thou).

I hope it is not hard to see why I felt for you. Sure you were expensive - but all of these amazing benefits really paid for it again and again. I was really sad to let you go last April but I could no longer afford you after my world travels.

And now you are teasing me again!

Bringing back your 100,000 bonus and trying to keep secret until recently! You really thought you could keep me from finding out?

But I did find out. And immediately thought of other ways we could use those points - instead of airline tickets, this time we could transfer those points to Starwood or Hilton and enjoy many free nights at the top luxury hotels in Europe. I was excited to see you again! Then I saw this:

† Welcome bonus offer not available to applicants who have had this product within the last 12 months or any other Consumer ZYNC®, Green or Gold Card or Platinum Card® account within the last 90 days.

Turns out you knew full well that I would not be able to apply right now since we just parted in April. And you still decided to tease me!

I am so heartbroken now!

If you did not catch it, here's the slickdeals thread detailing how you can get this awesome card now. Hurry up as it won't last long! DEAD