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-   -   Does BOFA allows to convert one type of card to another (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/credit-card-programs/846352-does-bofa-allows-convert-one-type-card-another.html)

easygoing77 Jul 18, 2008 1:11 pm

Does BOFA allows to convert one type of card to another
 
I called today to convert Bank of America world points visa card to Choice privileges Visa card. The CSR said it cannot be done. Did anybody tried to convert one type of card to another within Bank of America cards with any luck. I am thinking of calling again and check my luck. If anybody had this done before, please respond.

TTT103 Jul 20, 2008 6:56 am

Yes, I've done this a number of times; however, the last time was eight months ago so things may have changed, but I doubt it. I'd give a call again.

sdsearch Jul 20, 2008 7:22 am


Originally Posted by easygoing77 (Post 10056220)
I called today to convert Bank of America world points visa card to Choice privileges Visa card. The CSR said it cannot be done. Did anybody tried to convert one type of card to another within Bank of America cards with any luck. I am thinking of calling again and check my luck. If anybody had this done before, please respond.

Why in the world wouldn't you prefer to:

(1) Apply for the Choice ccard outright, and get the sign-up bonus.
(2) Call B of A then and ask them to consolidate your previous card onto the Choice card.

Seems to have at least two advantages: It's the more common, more reliable way of "converting" to a new card, and it gets you a sign-up bonus, whereas outright converting gets you nothing.

troyb Jul 20, 2008 8:25 am


Originally Posted by sdsearch (Post 10062938)
Why in the world wouldn't you prefer to:

(1) Apply for the Choice ccard outright, and get the sign-up bonus.
(2) Call B of A then and ask them to consolidate your previous card onto the Choice card.

Seems to have at least two advantages: It's the more common, more reliable way of "converting" to a new card, and it gets you a sign-up bonus, whereas outright converting gets you nothing.

Some people are sensitive to having additional accounts and inquiries on their credit.

sdsearch Jul 20, 2008 9:56 am


Originally Posted by troyb (Post 10063093)
Some people are sensitive to having additional accounts and inquiries on their credit.

Inquiries drop off after a certain number of months, and one is hardly ever a problem. (The one a month that us Citi churners do dwarfs the one in a couple years that the OP seems to be faced wtih here.)

Meanwhile, the additional account will also only appear momentarily (if at all), if the OP consolidates once the new card is open. (I say "if at all" because banks tend to report to credit bureaus only once a month, and so it's theoretically possible to open a new card and get it consolidated with an old card's history both between reporting cycles! Although trying to time that would be tricky, so I would presume at least one month showing both cards...)

troyb Jul 20, 2008 1:44 pm


Originally Posted by sdsearch (Post 10063404)
Inquiries drop off after a certain number of months, and one is hardly ever a problem. (The one a month that us Citi churners do dwarfs the one in a couple years that the OP seems to be faced wtih here.)

Meanwhile, the additional account will also only appear momentarily (if at all), if the OP consolidates once the new card is open. (I say "if at all" because banks tend to report to credit bureaus only once a month, and so it's theoretically possible to open a new card and get it consolidated with an old card's history both between reporting cycles! Although trying to time that would be tricky, so I would presume at least one month showing both cards...)

I agree that a single inquiry isn't a big deal. I don't agree that the additional account will disappear or not appear at all. In my experience of consolidating cards over the past few years, the old accounts do stay on my credit report, but are simply noted as "Closed by Account Holder" or something to that respect. For example, if I had 2 Citi accounts and consolidated the newer one, both account would still appear on a credit report. At least they do for me.

Still, having an additional closed account on your credit report won't hurt too bad, but some people are more sensitive to this than others. If you had poor credit to begin with, you wouldn't want to have the additional inquiry or recently opened (and closed) account.

easygoing77 Jul 21, 2008 10:06 am


Originally Posted by sdsearch (Post 10062938)
Why in the world wouldn't you prefer to:

(1) Apply for the Choice ccard outright, and get the sign-up bonus.
(2) Call B of A then and ask them to consolidate your previous card onto the Choice card.

Seems to have at least two advantages: It's the more common, more reliable way of "converting" to a new card, and it gets you a sign-up bonus, whereas outright converting gets you nothing.

I already applied for Choice card two years back, but stupidly I closed the account after one year. So I may not get bonus points if I apply for new Choice card. Now I realized the value of choice points, I want to convert all my spending to accure choice points, hence this issue. I called again yesterday and the CSR said he can put a request to convert the card and decision will be made in a week time. So I just have to wait and see if they do it.

brosnan6 Jul 23, 2008 11:03 am

I'm in this same situation too....I want to convert my useless card to something marginally better, even though I rarely ever use my B of A card. My problem is that I'm concerned about my account history going away cause this card was my first credit card after turning 18. I started off with the student visa and eventually converted it over to the only free product at the time (now the Platinum Plus Visa).

Now I wouldn't mind having something different, even though I don't use it much [all my spending goes on my Amex or my Chase Amazon). I called B of A and they said I was allowed to convert last time because I was leaving a student card to a regular card, but after I'm at a regular card I have to reapply for any other card I want.

Dieuwer Jul 31, 2008 7:57 am

I assume you cannot convert a VISA to AMEX...
Holding BofA Wordpoints VISA at the moment, but like the AMEX accelerated rewards better for obvious reasons.


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