LakeCentralFlyer

Scenario:
My father has a Amex business gold card and has lots of points accumulated. He has been wanting to get out of the gold card because the annual fee no longer justifies the card for him.

Here are my thoughts of things that we could do, but I don't know if either option is available. Just looking for any thoughts the forum might have to offer:

1. Find a fee-free MR-earning business card that he could product change to. I don't know if there are any fee-free cards on the business side though. Is this the easiest option? Maybe there's a simple solution card that I'm not aware of.

2. The other thing I was thinking, although I feel like this may not be supported, is adding him as a new gold card under my Amex plat - especially since the gold cards are free now. Is there anyway Amex would allow him to somehow move over to being a gold member under my personal platinum account and also move over all his MR points from his business gold card?

Thanks for any advice!

Happy

You dont need a business card.

Just get him the Everyday which is a no fee personal card that has full membership reward benefits. Once the Everyday card is approved it will be attached to the existing Membership Reward account automatically. You should be able to see it within the Membership Reward area.

Then you can cancel the current Gold card and the balance will be preserved by the Everyday card. I did this on the first year Everyday was introduced.

Additional user card does NOT have his own Membership Reward account. So your 2nd thought does not work.

mhdena

Two choices, can do both,
No fee Everyday card
https://www.americanexpress.com/us/c...tails-Top-Pos1

No fee Blue for Business
https://www.americanexpress.com/us/s...forbusiness-lm

mia

Blue for Business will maintain the points, but they will be Membership Rewards Express points which cannot be transferred to airline or hotel programs. Everyday is the superior free option.

LakeCentralFlyer

Oh okay, that sounds like a good idea. Do you know if they can "product change" into a personal card? The only concern he has is that since he has been using only this business card as his primary credit card for like 30 years he doesn't seem to have any personal credit history now (he didn't realize the business card didn't show up on his personal credit). Because of this he's concerned that he won't be approved if he comes in fresh asking for a personal card.

mhdena

Charge cards can only change to charge cards, he'll have to apply.

Might as well apply before closing as he at least has history with Amex.

mia

That card gives him a history with American Express. Other types of consumer borrowing appear on a credit history: mortgage, automobile loan, even if he hasn't had those recently, they linger for a decade.

Happy

He NEEDS to apply before closing his Business card because he NEEDS a replacement card to hold his membership reward points before closing his one and the only card that participates in membership reward.

The business blue cash membership reward points do NOT enjoy the full benefits of the Everyday card. It is not the same program as mia pointed out.

mhdena

When you have another MR card the points are full MR points. In fact with a 30% annual bonus its better for non bonus spend than an Everyday and no gimmicky 20x per month usage. Also as a business card will get some of the nice business Amex offers.

The last signup bonus was great.
10K MR after 1st use in 3 months.
20K MR on Restuarant spend 10x on $2,000 in 6 months.
2x MR on up to $50,000 1st year (100K)
30% on annual spend each year.

But yes if one was to only have one Amex card the Everyday is the one to have.