Roginator

Just tried to check my vintage Alaska Airlines credit card at the Bank of America website.

It shows they switched me to the signature card (with a different number) but crashes when I try to access any other parts of the website. I didn't ask to be switched... and I have a zillion auto payments tied to my card.

Anyone else having this experience?

(I did snail-mail them earlier this week to have them fix my account - but this isn't the "fix" I had in mind.)

david55

I believe they switched everyone over a year or so ago...no choice...... they gave you a grace period to activate the new card and then the old card became obsolete. I tried in vain to keep my old number which had so many 0's in it I actually could remember it....no dice.... it is a pain in the butt when you have auto-payments tied to the old number....especially when you forget and suddenly you get a notice for failure to pay.....

whjensen

MBNA now handles the credit card portion of Bank America, so they re-issued everyone new numbers when their renewal comes due. I'm still platinum rather than signature. Odd they switched that.

AS FF Guru

Bank of America is proactively upgrading eligible Visa Platinum cardholders to their Visa Signature product. While the account number must change as part of this upgrade, your miles earned with the program will continue to be deposited in the same Mileage Plan account. The Visa Signature program also includes no pre-set spending limit and concierge services, as well as other Signature-only benefits - check out http://usa.visa.com/personal/cards/c..._signature.jsp for additional details. You should be receiving a notice in the mail regarding this change and there is a special phone number printed on that letter for any questions or concerns regarding this program.

Seattlenerd

It is, however, NOT a good automatic upgrade if you care about the credit utilization portion of your credit score.

The VISA Signature does not report a credit limit to the credit reporting agencies, even though BofA may tell you what your "limit" is, which can change frequently. It only reports your highest achieved balance. So if you pay off your credit card every month, or never keep much of a balance, it'll appear to the credit reporting agencies that you are using all of your available credit on the VISA Signature card (not a good thing for your credit score) -- even if you really are well below what you have available to use.

As a result of this, when I was automatically switched to the VISA Signature from my VISA Platinum a year ago, I talked with my personal banker at BofA and had them undo it. Instead, I was issued a new VISA Platinum Plus with a new number, but it preserved my reported credit limit to the agencies ... and truly indicated how much credit I had available that was unused.

I recommend the same approach to anyone who may want to maintain a higher credit score if they plan to get a mortgage, car loan, or the like in the next year or so.

Roginator

Well hell... does this mean I won't get the 20,000 miles they've been harping at me for a year?

Roginator

Finally got my official letter today telling me they had switched my card.

They replied to my email by saying they had switched me over on March 8 and if I wanted any info on getting my 20,000 miles they weren't interested - call Alaska Airlines.

I still haven't heard back from BofA about their lame software double debiting my bank account every other month. I expect a worthless response AGAIN.

I sure wish Alaska Airlines would switch to some other bank with better customer service. BofA seems to have gotten too big.

LouiseMc

Don't hold your breath - Alaska told me I wouldn't be getting any and that it was just for "new" accounts.

akdude

I got the dreaded change over letter yesterday.Its kinda funny that I applied for the signature card twice last year during the 25000mile giveaway and was told I only qualified for platinum plus.
Now all of a sudden I'm one of their best customers qualifying for reduced payments and signature cards.
I am looking this gift horse in the mouth and have spent the past 2 days fighting with b of a over the phone.
So far it looks like I'm losing the battle.

davidgmg

I hate MBNA even more than BofA. I feel captive as I enjoy the benefits of the Alaska CC but hate dealing with the banks. I'm hoping that many of you on the Alaska website send a msg to them objecting to the customer service you recieve at Bof A.. There isn't really a category to comment on this but If lots of you follow thru I believe it will have an effect. When they tried to swith my number, I applied for the signature card and did get the bonus miles.

Roginator

That's what I don't understand... they are STILL offering 20,000 miles if you apply online..

D'oh!

The only drawback may be you'd lose whatever miles you had.

Roginator

Just got back an email reply from Alaska Airlines.

"...The 20,000 mile bonus is for first time credit card holders. If you had
upgraded your Platinum card you would have received 5,000 miles. I will be
happy to add that to your mileage plan account...."

While this isn't 20,000 miles, I suppose it's SOMEthing. I can't find anything to support the claim that the 20,000 miles applies only to first time credit card holders. I've heard the opposite.

I still haven't heard from BofA about the crazy bug in their software. If they fix that I may just let my Platinum card run out - cancel the Signature card foisted on me - and reapply for a new Signature card with 20,000 miles.

Looking at BofA'a website I was surprised to find they offer 4 different levels of Alaska Airlines cards.

I had two MBNA credit cards before I got the BofA card. Now I have 3 BofA cards after the merger. Aren't I the lucky one!

beckoa

I think there has been at least one person who has more then one BofA AS card, and did indeed get the 20K recently, so it sounds like either they told you some line, or there is a bug in awarding miles on new accounts. Come to think of it, if you opened a new card, it probably applies, but what you were forced into was an "upgrade" which does not get the full 20K.

Good job getting some miles though!

I was not eligible for the signature, and ended up with the preferred card and 2 3K sets of miles... its got a cheaper monthly fee but not all the perks I want... oh well - the joy of being a college student!

Roginator

Wow... it's amazing how you happen to mention this.

They switched my card over on March 8. Shortly after that - unaware that I had a new Signature card - I applied for a Costco/AMEX TrueEarnings card to get that little extra discount on gas purchases at Costco. I already have the regular Costco/AMEX card. I got email today saying it was DECLINED! The last time I had a credit card application declined was probably 30 years ago. Ok, once a card was declined in error.

I did just have a house built last year, but my credit score then was excellent.

It'll be interesting to see what my new credit scores are once I get the official letter of declination from AMEX.

Then again, maybe we ARE headed into a new Depression - where no one can get credit like in the 30's. The banks and brokerage houses sure aren't being shy of plundering the almost-free money the Fed is handing out lately.

Scary times.

SeaSfoWeekly

Yeah - I got my letter today (for some reason I think this is the Second credit card number switchover). Anyway, I did call BofA and they do allow you to keep the Plat. Plus level card -- but with a new credit card number. BUT a Signature credit card "number has already been assigned" -- they will "cancel" it but I would guess its probably going hit my credit report anyway.

BofA has never been a great bank, but this is a really bad way to treat customers -- and their credit.

I know this has been said before, but I think Alaska Airline needs to seriously consider another Credit Card partner in the future!