What is the Platinum Reserve Card?

I haven't received any news or letters from AMEX about this but American Express has recently been revamping a new set of arrangements for CA / CPA accountants' cards. If you paid $295 for an Institute card, which also includes those engineers, your AMEX platinum card is now known as Platinum Reserve except your card probably doesn't have the RESERVE band across the right side. 

What's the difference? Now if you are in WA, you can redeem a flight to Bali with your card or any of the destinations you knew about before this change (eg Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney, Darwin etc as mentioned here). 

Also you can apply for 2x Annual Free Lounge Passes into airport lounges around the world, including the Virgin Lounge in the WA Domestic Airport. However, you need to apply for one by going to the American Express website here. I pity the platinum card holder who turns up to the lounge in expectancy only to be turned down at the door because they didn't get the Priority Pass, so pay attention to this! Also, the card will be invalid if you cancel your Platinum Reserve card and you will need to send the Pass back to them. 

Effectively, the old CA / CPA AMEX card is now the Platinum Edge card which is only $149 per year (minus Perth-Darwin and some other domestic routes). Do you keep your institute card or do you switch to Edge? 

IF you do not have an AMEX card and you would like to sign up for the Platinum Edge or Reserve, leave a comment to get referred so you can get 20,000 bonus points

Other AMEX posts

• More about Virgin Velocity Platinum 
• More about Velocity Gold 
• Free flights with Velocity Platinum  
• Platinum Edge Free Travel Insurance but is it Good? 
• Virgin now flying AMEX Platinum cardholders
• Platinum Edge flights