Bank of America product switch?
 

I've been with Bank of America for more than a decade now. I've never signed up for any other card. I currently have the BankAmericard Rewards Visa. This is my oldest credit card and I plan on keeping it because of its history. I'm just wondering if I can do product switches with Bank of America? My plan is to switch to the Bank of America Travel Rewards card. It's free and have no AF so it's like a no-brainer. Right now my online account is basically asking me to request a credit limit increase. I wouldn't mind doing that with a better card. I definitely don't want to do this with my BankAmericard. My worry is that BoA will cancel my BankAmericard and there goes my decade plus of credit history. Anyone here with experience on this?

Thanks!

Bank of America let me product switch a years-old generic no-AF no-rewards card to their no-AF Cash Rewards ("1-2-3") card within the past half year or so. I just called them up and asked and it was done in a handful of minutes (not counting them sending me a new card after that, of course).

I suggest you call and get this done ASAP, and then use the card at least once as soon as you activate it.

Thanks, but what about my credit history. I'm just afraid that it'll wipe that out and potentially affect my credit score.

If you continue to use the card, even a few times per year, it is improbable that it will be closed. Even if t is closed it will remain on your credit reports for a decade.

Just like with most banks, it preserves the credit history. That's one of the main points of a true product conversion, isn't it?

Gosh, even when one bank buys an account from another bank, it tends to preserve the credit history. FNBO bought my Best Western card account from Barclay a couple years ago, and now my credit report shows the card as if it had always been with FNBO, with the "opened on" date that I opened the Juniper card (after which Juniper was acquired by Barclay).

But in case you're concerned, since you have to call a live person to do it anyway, you might as well ask them before you commit. (I think I did ask in my case, just to be sure.)

I rather not leave a card with a reasonable size credit limit inactive. If I convert it, I figure I can keep the history as well as using the card as my daily driver.

If you open another account with Bank of America I expect you will be able to move a portion of the credit line to the new card.

If I understand correctly that you have no other credit card, I urge you to reconsider. This isn't about rewards, but basic payment functionality. ANY card may become unusable if it is lost, stolen, compromised, or damaged -and- any payment network and card issuer can have a technological problem that renders all of their cards temporarily useless. I carry one each American Express, MasterCard and VISA from three separate issuers.

Bank of America automatically did this to me when I applied for a new card. Though it seemed misleading since I thought I was going to get an additional $10,000 CL with the new card, but instead they approved the card and then shifted from a current product that I haven't used as much...

No AS coversion offer
 

I just canceled as Alaska card that I wasn't using and it wasn't worth the annual fee. I asked about conversion/downgrade options to keep my account open but they said that the only option was to open a brand new card (travel rewards) and then move the credit line of the AS card to that card. But it would show up as a new card. They were very nice but said they had no downgrade options.