higher_flyer

Yes for sure in your situation. But say you had only three cards, each with a $15K limit. Cancelling one card can have a huge impact depending on the balances you carry on the other two (or will carry, now that there is one less card). Everyone has their own situation, and their own credit score needs. It's just something to be aware of.

Syzygies

Some general comments:

1. The fine print on many signup bonuses (e.g. 60,000 miles after $4k spend) says that one cannot have canceled a card in the same family recently. If you're moving to a new card, wait until the signup bonus is in your possession.
2. While many cards won't refund the annual fee after 30 days, they will prorate the fee dropping to a less expensive card in the same family. I for example gave up my American Express Platinum card. Only when it appeared that they'd otherwise lost me did they volunteer that I could downgrade to Green, recouping most of my annual fee and parking my points till I needed them.
3. I like The Points Guy for a survey of credit card options. However, nearly every link leads directly to an application, not to their in-depth review of that card. It's like they're asking for sex fifteen minutes into the first date. If this annoys you too, please let them know. It's otherwise a useful site.

WineCountryUA

Perhaps yes, with a Chase MP card you have access to expended saver award inventory. So if regular inventory is gone, then elites and Chase MP primary cardholders may have additional saver economy inventory not available to others. At that point, the elites and Chase MP primary cardholders will have access to saver economy awards requiring fewer miles than the general MP member.

zombietooth

My wife and I recently cancelled all of our UA cards and requested a reduction in credit limits on our all of our remaining Chase products to below 20K per card; our FICO scores decreased all of 3 points from 817 to 814.

STS-134

That makes sense if you're not going to be flying UA regularly...

Why the heck would you do that? There's no reason to reduce the CL on any existing card unless the bank requires it to apply for a new card. Available, but unused, credit does not hurt you at all. You never know if a roofing company for example would allow you to charge a new roof and doesn't offer cash discounts so...why not?

zombietooth

Oh, I'll still be flying UA most of the time, but I will be using the CSR so that I don't accumulate too many UA points but, instead will have a fungible travel currency.

Simply because we don't need it because I pay off my cards every month.

Funny that you mention a new roof because I actually need one, but the best company in my area doesn't take credit cards without charging a "convenience fee" of 3%. In addition, I just had one of my AC units replaced and it was the same story with them. Cash is still King in many transactions.

STS-134

Even if you're flying UA, as long as you have *G with some *A carrier, there's no point in having the MPE except for the PQD waiver. Which is why I'm getting rid of mine as soon as the AF comes due and I use the UC passes.


I still don't get it. I pay off my cards every month. I don't "need" all of this credit either. But I'd never voluntarily give it up. That serves absolutely no purpose.

JapanFlyerT

My first year is almost up, and not eager to pay an annual fee for nothing.

I called to cancel and the woman said "all miles earned on this card will be taken out of the mileage plus account" which sounded very wrong.

RIght now I have almost a zero balance and 4 flights booked, which will most likely have to be canceled. I asked "if I used the miles to book an award flight, then had to cancel, would those miles be taken by Chase?", and she said yes.

I asked where this was written and was told there was nowhere for me to see the info.

No supervisor available due to covid.

Anyone else run into this?

notquiteaff

Your miles in your MileagePlus account are safe (they are no longer expiring and Chase isn’t taking them back). Perhaps the agent was not understanding, or they were thinking of miles for charges that have not yet been posted to your UA account? (whenever I cancel a card, I generally avoid building up charges the
last month since they may not post once the account is closed).

JapanFlyerT

That was my assumption, but this agent was insistent on some hidden, unpublished policy that customers did not have access to. Usually, Chase agents are pretty competent, but this must have been an exception. She must have gotten the "current/pending statement miles" earned confused with all miles earned.

Chase responded via secure message, although the person successfully avoids answering my question directly. The way they explain the rewards, I can see how this can be misread by an agent.


Thank you for contacting us. We understand your concern about your account and will be more than happy to help you In the event you will close your Chase card, please see details below: If your account earns rewards, check your rewards activity. - If you redeem rewards through Chase, you have at least 30 days to use them or you'll lose them. - If you redeem rewards through a partner loyalty program, we'll transfer them to the partner. - Before your rewards are used or transferred, you can lose them for program misuse, fraudulent activities, failure to pay, bankruptcy, or other reasons described in the terms of your rewards program. - See the terms of your rewards program for details. We appreciate your business and thank you for being a Chase customer. Thank you, Joseph Chase Email Servicing AOC: 6388

WineCountryUA

Also, in some cases, sign-up bonus miles can be clawed back.

AlohafromKOA

Medical issues grounded me from flying in 2019, period. Did not requalify for UA Gold. Don't expect that we will be able to travel enough in the remaining months of 2020 to qualify for 2021 at this point.
Hold a Chase UA Club Card. The renewal is on my current statement.

Should I cancel the card completely?
Should I downgrade the card to something other than UA Club? If so, which one.

I've been told I should have requested an extension of status from UA MileagePlus when I wasn't going to requalify at the end of 2019 and I suppose it's probably too late to do that.
Or is it?
Would UA MileagePlus grant an extension of status to a 20 year Gold member who had a legitimate medical grounding?

Advice is much appreciated.

JapanFlyerT

I have read that clawback happen, but it seems vague as to when. As it has been a full year I don't think that is what they were talking about.

abaheti

I was hoping to downgrade my (yeah, I know, I know, I should have cancelled it a while ago) old MileagePlus Signature Visa because the annual fee is up August 1. Asked about downgrading to a Chase Freedom Unlimited (figuring my MM/*G status would still give me access to "extra" award space such as it is) and was told no. Asked about a retention one year fee waiver and was told no. However, was told I could switch to "United MileagePlus Rewards" card which has no fee. But I don't see it on the Chase website. I only care because I've had the card 25 years (yikes!) and am thinking about a refi so am concerned about dropping my oldest card.

Can someone point me to the card they might mean? Thanks

VWang1111

Here

It's a great option to keep the card on the credit report long term without paying annual fees.