Attending an American Express By Invitation Only Event with Vogue Creative Director Grace Coddington
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
In the past couple of weeks, The Platinum Card from American Express has become one of my favorites in my wallet. Since the card switched from 1x to 5x Membership Rewards points on airfare earlier this month, I upgraded my Amex Premier Rewards Gold Card to a personal Platinum Card and have been putting all of my air travel on the card — and earning tons of points in return. Besides the new point-earning bonus, one of the things I love most about being an Amex Platinum cardholder is the number of perks that come along with it — and more specifically, Amex By Invitation Only events.
The Amex BIO event program is exclusive to Amex Platinum and Centurion cardholders and allows you to attend events at a reduced price or to events that are already sold out — music, art, dining and sporting events. I've been to some incredible BIO events in the past like the James Bond premiere in Mexico City and the Kentucky Derby. So when I saw there was a BIO event with fashion icon Grace Coddington, I had to attend.
Amex BIO events aren't free — and they can get pretty pricey — but they do give you some incomparable access to icons like Coddington, which are hard to turn down, especially for me as someone who's interested in the world of fashion. The Grace Coddington event was held in New York City and had a very intimate feel to it — there were only about 50 people in attendance — and I had the honor to go as an Amex Platinum ambassador. It cost $250 for each cardholder but included a copy of Coddington's book, "Grace: The American Vogue Years," which retails for about $131 — more than half the price of the event itself.
The event featured a 45-minute discussion with Coddington and Barney's Creative Director Dennis Freedman. The two discussed all of the highlights of Coddington's career, like starting at Vogue as the creative director on the same day as Anna Wintour. They then went through some of the most well-known photographs at Vogue from her time, which was beyond fascinating to hear the beyond-the-scenes stories from all of the iconic photos we've seen in print. (FYI: Annie Leibovitz is not easy to work with, but her work is absolutely incredible.)
There were little bites and cocktails throughout the night, and after the talk ended, we were able to line up and meet Coddington one-on-one. She was extremely generous with her time with me, so I told her who I was and what I do. Of course, I had to ask her what her secret to frequent travel is, and without missing a beat, she said, "First class." We then talked about transatlantic travel — she's not a huge fan of Virgin Atlantic and finds the seats kind of cramped, and so do I. So, we see eye-to-eye there.
She's also a big fan of Air France's La Première product, so when I asked if she'd yet tried the new 777, she said yes. In fact, she didn't pay for first class but was somehow upgraded. I wonder if a fangirl was working the counter and saw the iconic red hair and upgraded her — I mean, I would probably do the same if I were working at Air France.
In all, the event was an great opportunity to meet one of the iconic figures in the fashion world, especially in such an intimate setting. Being able to chat about two of my favorite topics — travel and fashion — in one night was definitely a night to remember, and it was all thanks to Amex's BIO program. Grace Coddington is super gracious, and her book is incredible — I highly recommend getting it and checking out future Amex BIO events for more extraordinary experiences. To see upcoming BIO events, log in to your Platinum account and select the BIO option on the benefits tab.
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.