Originally Posted by
ccscotgb
I have the Gold Rewards card which I plan on transferring to the United States but I'm also hoping to get a Visa/MC to compliment it as American Express isn't accepted everywhere.
American Express acceptance in the USA is not universal, but much higher than you may expect.
Originally Posted by
jjava
Also, Amex isn't really a transfer, they open you a new card (whatever one you want) based on your relationship with them. You get to keep your Canadian one if you want.
Correct. See this thread:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...periences.html
Originally Posted by
garykung
HSBC has significantly scaled back in the U.S. So it is not as attractive as it used to.
True, but probably not important for someone moving to New York City where HSBC has branches. I would arrange the USA account through HSBC Canada, and not ask a local branch to get involved
unless your banking requirements are atypical, and you want to use the transfer to evaluate the branch's performance.