Originally Posted by
Vitaforce
This is the only credit card I have had for the last 20 years.
Then I suggest you get a no-annual-fee credit card of some kind
right now and plan to keep that card "forever".
That'll give you more options regarding your existing Southwest card, because it'll start new "long-held card" history. Yes, it'll take some years before it's significant "long-held card" history, but better to start now than later, if you're not sure how much longer you're going to keep this Southwest card and it's the only one you have.
Originally Posted by
Vitaforce
It also unfortunate that one can't downgrade to a Chase no annual fee credit card from a SWA card without closing a card and affecting a credit score. Seems like the company policy is set-up to repel rather than attract long-term customers.
It is indeed unfortunate for you, but I think you may not realize how rare your situation is. Most people don't have one card with an annual fee and no other cards. Most people don't move up to an annual fee card until they've got other cards with no annual fee. And thus most people aren't in your situation where the card with an annual fee that you can't downgrade is your
only card.
So I bet Chase didn't expect
anyone to be in your situation, when they came up with their marketing approach. So you may want to talk to a "supervisor" at Chase and explain your situation and see if there's
any kind of exception they can make given your situation (of this being your only card that you've had for the last 20 years).
Chase does downgrade partner cards to generic cards when those partner cards are discontinued. So there is some mechanism within Chase for downgrading from partner cards to generic cards. It's just that it might take "special intervention" to make it possible in a case where the card isn't being discontinued.
But again, I suggest you apply for a no-annual-fee "keeper" card
first, and do everything else later.