Originally Posted by
cblaisd
About 11 months ago I used the free-for-one-year link to get the United Mileage Plus Club card. I don't want to pay the $450 annual fee so need to cancel or downgrade. Sent an SM to Chase asking to downgrade to an Explorer Card (simply moving the available credit to that card) and got this response:
Do I have any alternatives to closing the account and re-applying for a different card?
I don't want to take a bad hit to my FICO. Along with the United Club card I have an Amex Hilton HHonors card (open for about 5 years, zero balance), and an old United Mileage Plus Signature card (had for about 20 years)
Be gentle; it's my first foray into the credit card forums 
Just call Chase after the fee posts - which should be 12 months from when you opened it, so it would satisfy that requirement. As long as you call and are able to downgrade within 30 days after that, you'd get the annual fee refunded.