New JPMorgan Palladium Card Enhancements Are A Huge Disappointment

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For several months, rumors have been swirling about potential enhancements being added to the JPMorgan Palladium credit card. The words “complete overhaul” and “re-branding” were even tossed around, which would seem to indicate a wide range of new benefits were in the works.

While the Palladium card comes with a hefty $600 annual fee, it currently provides a decent array of benefits, which include:

  • “Unlimited” Lounge Club membership (no cost for guests)
  • Full United Club membership
  • Hidden credit line
  • 35,000 bonus points after $100,000 in spend
  • 2x points on travel
  • JP Morgan Concierge Access
For me those benefits alone haven’t added up to justify the annual fee, but in each of the past two years just as I was getting ready to cancel the card, they’ve sent over gifts such as a complimentary Ghurka bag, which have been enough to string me along.
JPMorgan Palladium Card benefits
JPMorgan Palladium Card benefits
It appears that the long-awaited card enhancements have finally arrived, and they are a huge disappointment to say the least. A brochure was sent to cardholders last month detailing the added benefits, which include:
  • Priority call routing and dedicated team of claims representatives
  • Trip cancellation coverage up to $10,000
  • Primary auto rental insurance
  • Travel accident insurance coverage up to $1,000,000
  • Purchase protection for 120 days against damage or theft up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per year
  • Extended warranty protection

Basically, none of the additional benefits that cardholders wanted such as airline status, hotel status, or additional bonus categories were added. Instead, it appears that JPMorgan is continuing down the path of dangling special deals or giveaways to keep cardholders around, and in turn promoting brands which they no doubt have partnerships with. Here are examples of a couple from the most recent mailing which include deals with IWC, Oscar de la Renta, and Vilebrequin:

JPMorgan Palladium Card benefits

JPMorgan Palladium Card benefits
If you add up the value of all the free stuff, then sure, you’re coming close to recouping the annual fee. But I have no interest in store-hopping and having to listen to a sales pitch each time I do. I’d much rather that the Palladium card simply beef up the benefits that the card offers, but that doesn’t appear to be the direction its headed. Unless something big changes in the coming months, I’ll be cancelling my card during the next renewal.

11 Comments

  1. Several of those ‘added’ benefits aren’t new though, right? I’m pretty sure the card already had primary collision damage waiver [since it was first introduced?] for instance.

    I heard a rumor they were dropping United Club membership. Is that accurate or unfounded?

    1. Each of the benefits I listed was specifically called-out in a separate pamphlet detailing the “enhancements” to the card, which is a bit confusing since you’re right that the card already offers primary collision damage waiver.

      My United Club membership was just renewed, and I’ve heard that others are still receiving bonus Delta Sky Club memberships so I think the rumor is unfounded. Lounge membership with the card is an unpublished benefit so it’s very much YMMV (I was declined for additional Delta lounge membership).

    1. Despite being branded as an ultra-exclusive card, back in 2012 it was widely available to anyone for a period of several months. That’s when I signed up for the card, mostly out of curiosity and also since I was in the market for a card with United lounge membership.

      1. So there won’t be any new additions to the benefits? Will you guys keep renewing the card or will you close it this year?

        1. The long-promised enhancements are nowhere to be found, so I’m going to cancel the card this year.

          1. I am afraid that once I close the card they will then make the changes that we always wanted. Have you looked into the Merrill Lynch Octave Card?

    1. No no No – you just posted that link was just to promote a new forum for the Palladium card holders – dont lie and say there are new perks and benefits to get more subscribers

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