Manila Flyer

My annual fee is coming due and I am not using the card enough to justify keeping it. My options are (1) cancel the card outright or (2) downgrade the card to a no-annual-fee Blue, Blue Sky, or Blue Cash Everyday card.

This is my only AmEx account and I would sort of like to keep it open, however, I do not want to miss out on a possible future bonus opportunity due to already having the card.

Right now I am leaning towards downgrading to the Blue Cash Everyday card. As far as I can tell, the signup bonus for this card is only $100-$150, so I probably would not waste a hard pull on applying for this card in the future anyway. Is there any other downside to downgrading rather than canceling outright?

Rommie2k6

Isn't Blue Cash much higher than AMEX Gold Skymiles, in terms of credit score qualification...

Manila Flyer

I'm not sure, but when I called in to cancel, they said I could convert the credit line to any of those three cards rather than canceling the card.

Manila Flyer

Any thoughts at all on the pros and cons of downgrading versus canceling?

liw5215

in the same situation last month. called to cancel AmEx Delta Gold card, but be offered a card called Delta Options AX card. no annual fee, but only earn 1 DL mile per $2 dollars spent. it sucks, since it is only AmEx card I have, so decided to keep it until getting a better deal from AmEx.

giantreesemar

I have a Blue Cash card and like it quite a bit. Great for buying groceries (3% cashback), and no annual fee. I'd downgrade to that just to keep your relationship with Amex alive. They're a good issuer, but they have come down on people for trying to churn too aggressively in the past. Worth it, I think, to keep.

Manila Flyer

This is exactly the type of feedback I was looking for. Thanks.

Rommie2k6

Can you downgrade to Blue Cash and still get the signup offer?

Recreation

We downgraded my husband and kept mine because of the checked bag perk, which more than pays for the $40 annual fee for the Gold SkyMiles AMEX. (It's only $40 because I also have an SPG AMEX, which carries an annual fee.)

giantreesemar

No problemo. Other amexes (and now Visa Signature's too, I suppose) have this benefit, but I also like the warranty doubling up to one year and purchase protection stuff on it. I've gotten several shirts replaced after spilling coffee on them courtesy of Amex

Phalphan

I actually upgraded mine to the platinum. It's not really an upgrade because the cards have almost the same benefits but they gave me 15000 bonus points and 5000 MQMs. If you were leaning Towards keeping it anyway the new annual fee is 150 but your existing annual fee on Gold is subtracted and they prorated it since it had been 2 months since i paid my annual fee. so I felt like I was paying about 50 bucks for the miles and MQMs. Also, the companion pass on the platinum is free. I know people here say they are useless but I was able to use my Gold one to save about 200 bucks on memorial day weekend in Vegas. With a little worth on deltas crazy site I'm a newbie so I'm sure the pros on here will say it was a terrible upgrade but Delta is my carrier of choice since I'm from Georgia so I was gonna hold on to my Gold no matter what. Also...the gold is basically like being a silver medallion with delta anyway so as long as your're on delta 3-4 times a year it has felt worth it to me to board earlier and such. It's no credit check to upgrade either. Don't know if targeted or just the standard offer once you pay the annual fee.

Manila Flyer

Thanks for this. This is another good idea. Anyone have a link to a bonus offer for upgrading to the Platinum?

Recreation

I've seen them appear when I log onto my AMEX account.

Phalphan

Yeah...the offer was always just sitting above my account statement. It's pre-approved though so you might have a link to it in the "apply for other cards" section of your account. It was also there on mine.

Manila Flyer

Yeah, I found it there. But at 15,000 miles for $150, I'm not sure it's even worth it. If I upgrade to the Platinum, then use the card for a couple of months, can I cancel and be reimbursed for the prorated portion of the annual fee?