u/Icemachinemalfunctio

We are nearly two weeks into the new 3.5% foreign exchange fee (up from 3%) that Amex rolled out on May 5. This makes using our Aussie Amex cards overseas or on international sites incredibly expensive compared to zero-FX options from the major banks. Are you completely abandoning your Explorer or Platinum card for international spending now, or is the points multiplier still somehow worth the 3.5% hit for your strategy? If you've moved on, what zero-FX card are you pairing with your Amex setup for travel this winter?

Amex just refreshed the Platinum offer: 200k points for a $5,000 spend. But with the recent lounge cuts and the FX fee hike, the "value proposition" feels different this year. If you’re on the fence, does the $400 Global Dining Credit and the $450 Travel Credit still make this a "break-even" card for you, or is the $1,450 annual fee becoming too hard to justify? Has anyone successfully negotiated a "retention bonus" recently to offset the new fee structure?

Are there any hidden gems left in the suburbs where you can still get a decent feed for under 20 dollars?

Late payments seem to be a constant issue.

I've seen a few changes around fees and benefits recently and it feels like value is slowly dropping. Are people still happy holding their cards or starting to reconsider?