Mercedes Benz Platinum Transition Date Announced & Why It Matters
The Mercedes Benz Platinum card from American Express was discontinued and pulled from the website earlier this year. Card holders will be transitioned to another version of the Platinum card in the coming months. This is very important to some Mercedes Benz card holders because the transition could cost them a potential 100,000 Membership Rewards points.
RELATED: Guide To American Express FHR & How To Stack Discounts
Details
Mercedes Benz Platinum cardholders will automatically be transitioned to the original Platinum card January 11, 2019. You will still get all of the same travel perks as before but you will no longer receive the Mercedes Benz specific perks. These included:
- $100 Mercedes Benz gift certificate
- $1,000 towards Mercedes purchase or lease after spending $5,000
- Up to 2,000 excess miles waived at lease-end on leases through Mercedes-Benz Financial Services
- 5X on Mercedes Benz purchases
These were useful perks for Mercedes Benz car owners or people who lease their cars. Everything else will remain the same though. The annual fee, lounge access, and earning rates will all be the same outside of what is listed above.
Who This Affects
In the past people have been able to get the bonus on each individual flavor of the American Express Platinum card. Most people usually start out with the original “vanilla” Platinum card and try to get the 100K offer (check here to see if you are targeted).
Having said that many may have gone with the Mercedes version first since the welcome offer was going away for good. If you did that and you have never had the regular Platinum version then you do not want this transition to go through. If it goes through you would technically have held the original Platinum version which would disqualify you from receiving the welcome offer in the future. That should be avoided. You can cancel or downgrade once your annual fee posts if it happens before January. If it doesn’t then you may want to look into a downgrade option before then.
RELATED: How To Get Free Changes & Cancellations on American Airlines With Your Platinum Card.
Conclusion
I imagine that most Mercedes Benz Platinum cardholders have had the vanilla version of the Platinum card before. If that is the case then this transition doesn’t mean much to you. If you have not carried that version before then be sure to make the necessary arrangements before January 11th.
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Upon cancelling your MB must we ensure to liquidate all points prior to the cancellation?
Or is it possible to transfer MB points to another platimum card?
No your points will remain safe as long as you have another MR earning card active before you cancel.
I currently have MB and never held the vanilia Plat. Im not worried about the annual fees since my fees are waived. My way ahead plan:
1. Apply for vanilia version in Nov (hope for bonus increase)
1a. Applying in Nov will give me $200 air credit until Dec 31 and another $200 credit starting Jan 1.
1b. I should receive $50 Sax credit to use before Dec and another in Jan
1c. Would I also receive double Uber credits from vanilia & MB $70 in Dec? (Which I liquidate ordering food through Uber eats)
2. Cancel my MB on Jan 10.
2a. Cancelling in Jan will still give me the MB $200 air credit & $50 Sax credit to use between 1-10 Jan correct?
Hard part of the plan is using the $200 airline credits in a short time since purchasing Delta gift cards is no longer working. I need to find a way to quickly use the air credits, any ideas?
I would think the Uber credits would stack. Lots of Uber Eats in December 🙂
Looks like Delta still works but you need to do it in $50 increments and not through the mobile site.
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/american-express-membership-rewards/1739932-airline-fee-250-200-100-reimbursement-reports-dl-only-66.html
Although I used to buy GC for $150 and have received rembursiment in the past the last GC I purchased in Sep was for $50 but charged as cstar. I do recall purchasing it from my desktop computer. Checking that blog the direct link is https://buy.giftcards.delta.com/store/buy/recipient?locale=en-us I did notice when I open it with my phone in mobile mode “Cash Star” logo is at the bottom of the page. When I change the page to desktop mode that logo goes away. Which is also the same site I purchased from in Sep. Im about to give it another try and ill report back if it works.
Sounds good – fingers crossed!
Success!!! It worked I got reimbursed for the $50 gift card this time and it did not show up as Cstar.
Awesome – congrats Mike!
I currently have the MB Platinum and my annual fee posts in April. I’ve never had the “vanilla” version. What would be the best course of action in my situation? I am thinking:
1) Apply for the vanilla version and take advantage of the 2018 calendar year benefits
2) Use my 2019 MB benefits before January 11
3) Downgrade to PRG on January 10 to get an annual fee difference proration
4) Cancel in April before my 2019 PRG fee posts.
Am I on the right track? Thanks in advance!
Sounds like a good plan. Only do it if you have already had the PRG though so you don’t miss out on that offer. Usually they don’t allow co-branded cards to go to regular MR cards (couldn’t change my Ameriprise Plat to PRG) but they may with this situation.
Awesome, thank you! I think I’ll just cancel my MB Plat instead of downgrading.
From the AMEX MB Platinum FAQ website: “If you choose to cancel your Card before the account is changed, you will receive a prorated credit for any Annual Membership Fee paid in the last year. To cancel, you must call us at 1-855-865-1451, or call us collect at 1-336-291-1361, no later than 5:00pm Eastern time on January 10, 2019.”
Nice!
What ryan z said
The point you’re missing here is that January 11th is actually incredibly generous. I’ve never had the normal Plat card. My MB fee came up in July. Now I can wait until January 1st, purchase 4 x $50 delta gift cards, take a $20 uber ride, and buy $50 of socks at Saks 5th Ave. Amex will refund all of it, and then I can cancel the card on January 10th and get a 50% refund of my $550 annual fee. Then I can sign up for the Amex Platinum card on January 12th and collect the sign-up bonus, if I choose to do so.
what the heck will you do with one sock? 😉
Amex doesn’t prorate annual fees anymore unless you downgrade – then they prorate the difference. You can also buy a $50 Saks gift card for the credit 😉
I read somewhere that because of this product change Amex is offering to prorate. Anyone can confirm that?
Interesting I have not seen that but would be pretty amazing if they were.
Yes, the letter they sent to cardholders confirmed that annual fee would be prorated because they are getting rid of the card. If they made this change valid on Dec 29, you’d miss out on $200+ in freebies.
Thanks Ryan!
When did you purchase Delta GC last? I tried in Sep, they are now coding as on the statement as “delta cstar gftcd” even the payment address is different coming us as “Delta Airlines GC” out of Portland. AMEX will not reimburse the credit.
While my non Delta GC purchases which I am receiving credits show up as “Delta Airlines Atlanta” I’m lost on how to spend my airl credits now.
Was the GC for $50 – I know they don’t reimburse for over $50 for Delta GC
Ryan, also if you don’t need to take an Uber ride you can use your Uber monthly credits with Uber eats.
Personally, I’m looking forward to the transition. I currently have the MB Platinum and previously had the regular Platinum so I am not losing anything of substantial value. However, currently the MB Platinum does not allow me to refer friends to other Amex cards but once it switches to the regular Platinum, that should open up for me.
That is a good point – with the new referral program that will be a nice bonus.
I agree I tried to refer many friends but only have the MB. AMEX CS told me the MB is an invite only card so I don’t have the ability to refer. Which is crazy I was never invited I applied for MB directly oh well good bye to MB but ill miss that $100 credit which I been using at the MB gift shop.
That was a nice little perk. I got some cool stuff this year. I was surprised by how reasonable the prices were.
I had and since closed the MB version last year and I’ve yet to open the original Platinum card.
I’m not entirely sure if I’ll be lumped into that group but it sounds like my best bet is to apply in December and if approved go for the triple dip and beat the Jan 19 deadline.
That is not a bad idea 🙂