mia

Did you meet all/some/none of the published requirements?

ChocolateFactory

Of course. But it's not hard to do. Bank of America open bank accounts for non-residents even without an ITIN, and an ITIN isn't that hard to get, you just need US-sourced income.
As for the address, you can use a friend's or a remailing service.

ExpatExp

I have a US Platinum card. Any point in getting an additional Platinum card in the UK? I take it the benefits are similar, but just curious if any of you had advice. The annual fee is not a big deal.

mia

The features are very different.

• UK card supports Chip & PIN.
• There is a fee if the transactions are in any currency other than Sterling.
• UK Platinum includes travel insurance that is not offered by American Express in USA market.
• Membership Rewards points are posted daily as earned.
• Membership Rewards transfers partners are different.
• No bonus points when buying airline tickets.
• No airline fee or Global Entry reimbursement.
• American Express Offers are localized for UK market.

ExpatExp

Thank you for that. Just what I was hoping to understand. Based on that information, doesn't seem to make sense to get an additional Platinum card.

ChocolateFactory

While I don’t know the UK credit card market, the biggest advantage with Global Transfer is not getting a specific Amex card, but rather that you can build up credit history in another country without actually moving there. Which eventually makes it possible to be approved for non-Amex cards.

pointsbrah

Has anyone used Shipito as their US Address provider recently? There are a few DPs that Shipito is no longer shipping credit cards.
Any suggestions / thoughts?

IMH

Any data points on whether AmEx will refund part of the annual fee if a US card is cancelled shortly after getting a German card via Global Transfer? In my case the AF will have been paid approx. 40 days before moving.

Pseudo Nim

ChocolateFactory

I guess that’s not really GT related? Amex generally automatically refunds part of the AF when you cancel a German card, at least.
With that said, why would want to have a German instead of a US card?! The US cards offer much higher earnings (but different transfer partners).

mia

If your income will be earned in Euros there will be some trouble and expense to pay a USA-issued card billed in Dollars.

ChocolateFactory

Not really (thanks to Transferwise, Revolut etc.,). But YMMV.

IMH

I'd separate that back out into two questions: "Why have a German card?" and "Should I keep the US card?"

I'm looking at the Platinum cards offered in the two markets. Getting the German card makes sense, for me, because of the package of benefits (and the fact that they also apply to a free supplementary card).

Keeping the US card might make sense because of the 5x points on airfare. But I might be just as well off saving the AF and settling for 3x UR on a Chase card, especially if I'm not sure that I'll continue to get full value out of the (US) airline fee reimbursement every year.

What made my question a Global Transfer question was the possibility that AmEx might view a closure of my US account as a transfer rather than a cancellation, which might make them prepared to refund part of the annual fee. If that's the case, I need to decide soon whether or not to keep the US card. Otherwise, I can wait and see how much I'm spending on airfare after I relocate.

AAdmiral

MIA do you know the requirement to Global Transfer from the USA to UK? I already have a UK bank account with a credit card both from HSBC and UK address as well as a UK mobile phone. I have a USA Centurion but am looking to add an UK Platinum Card. Looking to have an AMEX card in Pound Sterling.

ChocolateFactory

There’s quite a lot of differences between the two cards. The German insurance package is much better as it includes a very generous insurance against delayed baggage (400€ for the first 48 hours, another 400€ after that) and primary rental car insurance up to 75,000€ (but beware, they require you to be “traveling,” you always need a hotel or flight reservation for the insurance to be applicable).

For all German cards, you can contact Amex and ask them to activate a “Membership Rewards turbo,” which gives you 1.5 points per 1€ on the first 40,000€ per year, for 15€ per card.
You get both a second Platinum card for free (for your partner etc.), as well as a second Platinum card for yourself (to split business and private expenses, etc.). This can be lucrative because of the “turbo.”

The “German” PriorityPass includes no free guests, so your partner would need a Platinum card and PriorityPass of their own (additional guests are 23€ or so). The US card includes one free guest.

The German insurance is generally only valid if you paid using your German Platinum card.
The German Business Platinum generally doesn’t have that requirement, but you’ll want to doublecheck that as there may be other differences I’m not aware of (for example, the German Business Gold insurance package differs from the private Gold one).

Like I said, you always receive a partial refund when you cancel a German card (why you cancel doesn’t matter), it might be the same with the US card, but I’m not sure.