First Amex card
Apr 15, 2015, 1:30 pm
#76
Join Date: Apr 2012
Programs: 25 million points to burn!
Posts: 1,522
1. I spend at least $180,000-200,000 on my cards combined.
2. I don't spend anything on gas (electric vehicle). Minimal grocery spending (occasional restaurants). Use solely points to travel, so minimal airfare expenses.
3. I use AA mostly because I have a ton of AA miles (or I'll use its partners like JAL to get to Asia), I usually only fly once or twice a year and in First.
4. I'm flexible with staying at any hotel pretty much.
I was thinking of getting the SPG mainly because I know that I want to do a Disneyworld trip sometime this year or next year and I can stay at the Swan/Dolphin with those points. But I want to wait until the bonus goes back up to 30K which will probably be sometime this summer.
It's a bit difficult sorting through all the different Amex cards and figuring out when is the best time to apply to make sure I'm receiving the highest sign up offer, especially since the bonuses are once per lifetime or whatever.
Do people pay the annual fees for the Platinum the second year or do they end up canceling?
2. I don't spend anything on gas (electric vehicle). Minimal grocery spending (occasional restaurants). Use solely points to travel, so minimal airfare expenses.
3. I use AA mostly because I have a ton of AA miles (or I'll use its partners like JAL to get to Asia), I usually only fly once or twice a year and in First.
4. I'm flexible with staying at any hotel pretty much.
I was thinking of getting the SPG mainly because I know that I want to do a Disneyworld trip sometime this year or next year and I can stay at the Swan/Dolphin with those points. But I want to wait until the bonus goes back up to 30K which will probably be sometime this summer.
It's a bit difficult sorting through all the different Amex cards and figuring out when is the best time to apply to make sure I'm receiving the highest sign up offer, especially since the bonuses are once per lifetime or whatever.
Do people pay the annual fees for the Platinum the second year or do they end up canceling?
Apr 20, 2015, 10:27 am
#79
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,958
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...rotection.html
Apr 20, 2015, 10:30 am
#80
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,958
Moderator action
Question about Blue Cash rewards has been moved:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...screpancy.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...screpancy.html
May 3, 2015, 3:22 pm
#81
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 24
First Amex card
So I've never got an amex card before and I'm wondering which one I should go for
- Personal Gold 50k but it's once in lifetime and if I should wait for 75-100K
- Biz Gold 50k or 75k - I'm not sure how hard it'll be to get approved for biz card and if I should try for 50k or 75k....
- SPG card - have heard it's a good card
- Delta gold for 50k miles - would that conflict with Premier Gold above?
- Fidelity 2%
- Don't think there's a good Platinum offer right now is there without being targeted
Don't think I'll find a 100k target offer without having an amex card....
- Personal Gold 50k but it's once in lifetime and if I should wait for 75-100K
- Biz Gold 50k or 75k - I'm not sure how hard it'll be to get approved for biz card and if I should try for 50k or 75k....
- SPG card - have heard it's a good card
- Delta gold for 50k miles - would that conflict with Premier Gold above?
- Fidelity 2%
- Don't think there's a good Platinum offer right now is there without being targeted
Don't think I'll find a 100k target offer without having an amex card....
May 3, 2015, 3:57 pm
#82
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,958
This card is issued by Bank of America, and has no bearing on this decision. It is discussed in this thread:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/credi...solidated.html
We cannot give you good advice on the other cards, because we do not know your travel objectives or spending pattern.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/credi...solidated.html
We cannot give you good advice on the other cards, because we do not know your travel objectives or spending pattern.
May 3, 2015, 11:10 pm
#83
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: LAX
Programs: AA, DL, Hyatt, Hilton
Posts: 127
I think the Amex PRG is a solid card, especially with the 50k points offer - I dont know if you will see 75k in the near future for personal. That side, the card is changing soon (new categories etc) so there is a chance that if you get it now, you may be able to get another bonus (probably not, though).
May 5, 2015, 7:17 am
#84
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 232
yeah I'm wondering the same, on what to apply for and at what speed - is it possible to get the PRG, BRG, Pers Plat & Biz Plat all in one go aka for one HP?
I mean I know it's possible if you apply for all these charge cards (plus an AMEX CC) that the HPs will merge with AMEX not thinking they are dupe applications/auto-denying em. however how should one proceed as a strategy?
do you apply for the offers you want the most first, or would the order not really have a bearing since they're kinda all similar products? I know there are many variables like cred history, history with amex, amount of cred you already have with AMEX & other banks, history of your "business" (getting thru recon etc.), amount of INQs from given CB...
but still would appreciate some advice from some of the AMEX experts here for a plan of attack. I figure applyin for all of em at once wont hurt my chances with any one of em so might as well roll the dice. unless it will be a prob and AMEX might deny me for all of em? meeting min spend isnt gonna be an issue either if I do get some of the juicy offers going.
P.S. unlike the OP, I do have a few AMEX cards, like the SPG, OBC, SimplyCash etc so have some history established with AMEX but no MR earning or any charge cards.
I mean I know it's possible if you apply for all these charge cards (plus an AMEX CC) that the HPs will merge with AMEX not thinking they are dupe applications/auto-denying em. however how should one proceed as a strategy?
do you apply for the offers you want the most first, or would the order not really have a bearing since they're kinda all similar products? I know there are many variables like cred history, history with amex, amount of cred you already have with AMEX & other banks, history of your "business" (getting thru recon etc.), amount of INQs from given CB...
but still would appreciate some advice from some of the AMEX experts here for a plan of attack. I figure applyin for all of em at once wont hurt my chances with any one of em so might as well roll the dice. unless it will be a prob and AMEX might deny me for all of em? meeting min spend isnt gonna be an issue either if I do get some of the juicy offers going.
P.S. unlike the OP, I do have a few AMEX cards, like the SPG, OBC, SimplyCash etc so have some history established with AMEX but no MR earning or any charge cards.
May 5, 2015, 12:33 pm
#85
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 384
Nov 15, 2015, 4:21 pm
#86
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 59
Which Amex cards to start with
Hi flyers, need some advice on which are the best Amex cards for my wife to start with. Her only cards are:
- Discover - opened Sep 2013
- Freedom - Oct 2015
She is an authorized cardholder on my PRG and other cards.
She got three targeted offers from Amex:
- Green 25K
- Business PRG 75K
- Platinum 100K
While she could apply for all three, I am worried it would be biting too much as her credit history is small and she is a homemaker. Her Transunion FICO is 784.
I also want her to apply for Sapphire Preferred and Ink Plus next year, which should be OK as she'll be under 5 accounts in 2 yrs even with these three.
So my thinking is to apply for Green & Business PRG now as "Upgrade to Platinum" offers should keep coming, although probably not for 100K. Where as if she took the Platinum now she would likely not receive any offers for a (personal) PRG or any other lower-level cards, right?
- Discover - opened Sep 2013
- Freedom - Oct 2015
She is an authorized cardholder on my PRG and other cards.
She got three targeted offers from Amex:
- Green 25K
- Business PRG 75K
- Platinum 100K
While she could apply for all three, I am worried it would be biting too much as her credit history is small and she is a homemaker. Her Transunion FICO is 784.
I also want her to apply for Sapphire Preferred and Ink Plus next year, which should be OK as she'll be under 5 accounts in 2 yrs even with these three.
So my thinking is to apply for Green & Business PRG now as "Upgrade to Platinum" offers should keep coming, although probably not for 100K. Where as if she took the Platinum now she would likely not receive any offers for a (personal) PRG or any other lower-level cards, right?
Nov 15, 2015, 6:36 pm
#88
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Snohomish, WA
Programs: AS MVP Gold, HHonors Diamond
Posts: 2,796
Take the Platinum 100k option before the end of the year. Get her $200 airline credit for this year, followed by the $200 in January for 2016. That makes her annual fee effectively $50.
Neil
Neil