Everyone remembers the groan heard ‘round the world when American Express announced a $145 increase for its Business Platinum Card, with its new annual fee tipping the scales at a whopping $595. For many, the increase meant the card no longer made sense, and the poor old Amex Business Plat was mercilessly excised from wallets.
But the increased fee comes with a couple of extra benefits, most intriguingly which is the inclusion of a Global Platinum WeWork membership, valued at $2,700. Surprisingly, not much has been heard about this membership, and while details are still scarce, this benefit could mean big things for those of us in the travel hacking community.
The Details
- US American Express Business Platinum cardholders will receive one year of complimentary Platinum Global Access, valid from date of registration.
- The membership includes access at any of WeWork’s 300+ global locations, and entitles cardholders to “premium amenities, including WiFi, printing, phone booths, and refreshments, like coffee, tea, and fruit water.”
- WeWork’s FAQ page states that access is during local business hours only, 9am-6pm M-F, but also acknowledges that business hours vary by location. Reports so far indicate access beyond this time frame, even including weekends.
- To enroll, visit WeWork.com/businessplatinum. After 3-5 business days, you’ll receive an email titled “Welcome to WeWork,” and from there you’ll be able to begin using your account to book workspace.
- Cardholders are not allowed to bring guests, though if they book a conference room (at an extra cost), they can sign people in for the day of the reservation only.
Summary
While the ridiculously expensive annual fee of the American Express is unfortunate, at least they’ve tried to compensate for it with increased benefits. I can’t even count the amount of times I’ve tried to connect to local WiFi to work, only to give up in frustration as the connection failed, or it was so slow my email couldn’t load, or I was forced to sign up for “totally valid and not at all phishing memberships to receive access.” WeWork’s global footprint is fairly sizable, and the guarantee of a desk, good internet, and free flowing coffee is pretty enticing. I’ve just signed up myself, and look forward to receiving my welcome email any time now!
Do any of you still have the American Express Business Platinum Card? Have you taken advantage of this?
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Dan Miller travels with his wife and 6 (SIX!) children. He loves to help families travel for free / cheap, especially larger families. If you are looking for help, drop him an email at 
So only for first year?
Yes – just for the first year