American Express Membership Rewards - 2 questions about AMEX

I've had a BA premium plus Amex for 4 months and have just applied for a Plat Chargecard. The thing is, I wasn't entirely truthful about my income (Its only £25,000 when you need £30,000 to apply for the card.) Since I've had the BA Amex I've charged £740, £900, £2100 and £750 over the last 4 months and paid it off in full every time. All of the transactions were at decent establishments such as Harvey Nichols, Dolce and Gabbana, Le Printemps in Paris, British Airways and Gucci. They've also increased my credit limit every month. Will this work in my favour?

Do they actually contact your employer for income information? How many employers would waste their time replying anyway? If this is so why do they take your employers address?

People from the US are welcome to answer this question as I'm sure the process is quite similar.

Another question, do the statements come from Florida or Brighton. It says Par Avion on the envelope but isnt it a waste of money sending the statements from the US when they have an office in the UK

I don't think fudging income #s on credit card apps is exactly uncommon. That said, I'm sure it's against the law to knowingly do so, but I don't think it's something most cc companies get irate over. You only listed a 5k difference which could be explained easily, no worries.

The statements come from the UK. They used to use those annoying US envelopes with a US return address (!) but seem to have stopped now.

There is no way of verifying your income since your employer will not disclose it and, in any event, you could have unearned income or other jobs that they could never track. They DO contact Experian etc for a credit check but as long as you have never defaulted on payments or got a CCJ there is little real info there. (Experian will send you your credit file for a couple of quid, see there website.)

Enjoy your Plat card. For maximum benefits, I recommend:

* Giving family members a supplementary card so they can benefit from the free travel insurance (just make sure they don't actually use the card as you are liable!)
* Get your free Priority Pass ASAP
* Get your free Starwood Gold Card ASAP
* Do NOT get your free Hilton Gold Card ASAP. They only comp you Gold for a year, so wait until you think you will use them then ask for the comp.
* Sign up for the e-mail newsletter. UK Plat has quite a lot of free drinks receptions at top London stores (Dunhill, Boss, Jaeger in last 2 months, all with a good quality free gift for attending) but you usually only hear about them in the e-mail newsletter.
* Do use the Fine Hotels programme for your holiday bookings. I have had a good run of good discounts, although others will tell you otherwise.
* If you intend to use the Eurostar lounges (and this is a great Amex perk, since most 1st Class tickets don't come with lounge access, yet alone economy ones) then get a supplementary Plat card for your partner as no guests are allowed (ie you need 1 Plat card per person you get in).

Just spoke to Amex new accounts and they said that they haven't eveb received my application yet and that it usually takes bout a week for new applications by phone to be put on the system. After that it usually takes around 14 days to process and then 14 days to issue the card.

Surely it can't take that long?

Didn't take that long for me.

I did a telephone application, called a week and half later to check the status and they said they were just about to send the terms and conditions for me to sign. Faxed it as soon as I got it and got the card within 7 days.

When I applied for Platinum they asked me for either a tax return or a W-2 to establish income (in the US the requirement was $100,000 when I applied in early 2003...don't know now). I don't know if this is normal or not, or whether they just wanted to verify that someone who was (at the time) under 30 years old was making over that amount.

I thought the statements for the crdit cards did come form the US ans AMEX has some issues with being a credit company ex UK.

The charge card ones come form the UK.

On another not Mark Jones where are you located in the UK? Reason being I new Know of a Mark Jones who married an ex GF of mine. (Yes I know MJ is not uncommon.)

1) Do you get travel insurance when you buy tickets with Amex Plat?
* Giving family members a supplementary card so they can benefit from the free travel insurance (just make sure they don't actually use the card as you are liable!)

2) What is Priority Pass? Is it available in USA?
* Get your free Priority Pass ASAP




The statements come from the UK. They used to use those annoying US envelopes with a US return address (!) but seem to have stopped now.

There is no way of verifying your income since your employer will not disclose it and, in any event, you could have unearned income or other jobs that they could never track. They DO contact Experian etc for a credit check but as long as you have never defaulted on payments or got a CCJ there is little real info there. (Experian will send you your credit file for a couple of quid, see there website.)

Enjoy your Plat card. For maximum benefits, I recommend:

* Giving family members a supplementary card so they can benefit from the free travel insurance (just make sure they don't actually use the card as you are liable!)
* Get your free Priority Pass ASAP
* Get your free Starwood Gold Card ASAP
* Do NOT get your free Hilton Gold Card ASAP. They only comp you Gold for a year, so wait until you think you will use them then ask for the comp.
* Sign up for the e-mail newsletter. UK Plat has quite a lot of free drinks receptions at top London stores (Dunhill, Boss, Jaeger in last 2 months, all with a good quality free gift for attending) but you usually only hear about them in the e-mail newsletter.
* Do use the Fine Hotels programme for your holiday bookings. I have had a good run of good discounts, although others will tell you otherwise.
* If you intend to use the Eurostar lounges (and this is a great Amex perk, since most 1st Class tickets don't come with lounge access, yet alone economy ones) then get a supplementary Plat card for your partner as no guests are allowed (ie you need 1 Plat card per person you get in).

When I applied for Platinum they asked me for either a tax return or a W-2 to establish income (in the US the requirement was $100,000 when I applied in early 2003...don't know now). I don't know if this is normal or not, or whether they just wanted to verify that someone who was (at the time) under 30 years old was making over that amount.

I think this is somewhat common. When I telephoned to check on progress I was told the terms and conditions were in the post, however I also had to verify my resources as they do not take into account non-taxable income and not usually allowing charge cards to 20 year olds (especially platinum ones). After some words with the CSR and proving her wrong by already holding an Amex Credit Card for over a year she let it "slide" and said once I sign the T&C I'll get the card...

My friend, 22 is having some bother getting a gold charge card even tho he earns more than me and has a very similar credit score. He missed Amex's internal scoring by 1 point...

Chris

1) Do you get travel insurance when you buy tickets with Amex Plat?
* Giving family members a supplementary card so they can benefit from the free travel insurance (just make sure they don't actually use the card as you are liable!)

2) What is Priority Pass? Is it available in USA?
* Get your free Priority Pass ASAP

With the UK Plat Card, the travel insurance does NOT require you to pay for anything with your Amex card to qualify for cover. It is a normal, sensible travel insurance policy - the sort of thing that, in the UK at least, costs about £90 per year per person.

Priority Pass is a UK only perk, I'm afraid. It gets you into about 400 airport lounges around the world.

With the UK Plat Card, the travel insurance does NOT require you to pay for anything with your Amex card to qualify for cover. It is a normal, sensible travel insurance policy - the sort of thing that, in the UK at least, costs about £90 per year per person.

Priority Pass is a UK only perk, I'm afraid. It gets you into about 400 airport lounges around the world.

german centurion has 2 comp. cards of pp too

With the UK Plat Card, the travel insurance does NOT require you to pay for anything with your Amex card to qualify for cover.

That's only half the truth - you get a superior level of cover if you do pay with the card. Check the Ts&Cs, you'll find it's in two sections: one section covers you whenever you travel; the other, when you travel on a ticket purchased with the card.

AmEx statements are cut in Fort Lauderdale.

Thanks,
Richard

I got a Gold charge card at 19, and moved to Centurion at 21. I did not have to prove income for the gold card.

Chris

Hmmm... looks like Amex is not so strict in the US. I am 24 - not making anywhere close to the 100k (taxable) and I have had a Gold Plus Rewards for a year and they have been pushing me to take the Platinum Charge Card - which so far I have refused. They say I am pre-approved for it as per my history with Amex.

Time to do research to see if its worth the fee here.




I think this is somewhat common. When I telephoned to check on progress I was told the terms and conditions were in the post, however I also had to verify my resources as they do not take into account non-taxable income and not usually allowing charge cards to 20 year olds (especially platinum ones). After some words with the CSR and proving her wrong by already holding an Amex Credit Card for over a year she let it "slide" and said once I sign the T&C I'll get the card...

My friend, 22 is having some bother getting a gold charge card even tho he earns more than me and has a very similar credit score. He missed Amex's internal scoring by 1 point...

Chris

Hmmm... looks like Amex is not so strict in the US. I am 24 - not making anywhere close to the 100k (taxable) and I have had a Gold Plus Rewards for a year and they have been pushing me to take the Platinum Charge Card - which so far I have refused. They say I am pre-approved for it as per my history with Amex.

Time to do research to see if its worth the fee here.

Min. income is waved for existing cardholders.

And it is worth it :D

OK, UK based question.

I have BA Amex Premium Plus already. Do you think I could have an Amex Plat charge card in my hand by 21st Dec? And supp plat card in the hand of Mrs Oyster (though hopefully not to be used!!).

Have a Eurostar trip just b4 Xmas and the lounge access could be of good use!

OK, UK based question.

I have BA Amex Premium Plus already. Do you think I could have an Amex Plat charge card in my hand by 21st Dec? And supp plat card in the hand of Mrs Oyster (though hopefully not to be used!!).

Have a Eurostar trip just b4 Xmas and the lounge access could be of good use!

I would guess Yes if you could apply for the Supp Card at the same as applying for the main card, especially as they don't need to do another credit check. However, if the Supp Card cannot be got until you get your original card, then I would say No.

(However, if you have a friend with a Plat Amex you can always borrow theirs - they never check the names! Just wave the cards vaguely in their direction ....)