Jerry's Mega Thread of Credit Cards Q&A

How long does it take for them to merge AMEX MR accounts? It's been about 4 business days now and my MR account is still just reflecting points on the one account, and the other account is "missing"

john.canad wrote: ↑ How long does it take for them to merge AMEX MR accounts? It's been about 4 business days now and my MR account is still just reflecting points on the one account, and the other account is "missing"

I asked them to merge my Biz Plat account with my Biz Gold account, then close the Biz Plat account.
They acknowledged.
All points showed up under my Biz Plat account a couple days later (not what I wanted...but I waited to see).
Then the Biz Plat account got closed, so my MR points were "missing" (now I'm getting antsy...what are you doing?).
Then eventually they showed up under my Biz Gold account.

Total process probably 1.5 weeks.

DefconZero wrote: ↑ I asked them to merge my Biz Plat account with my Biz Gold account, then close the Biz Plat account.
They acknowledged.
All points showed up under my Biz Plat account a couple days later (not what I wanted...but I waited to see).
Then the Biz Plat account got closed, so my MR points were "missing" (now I'm getting antsy...what are you doing?).
Then eventually they showed up under my Biz Gold account.

Total process probably 1.5 weeks.

What would the process be for linking business platinum and personal gold? Apparently some have had issues with it?

Data Point
Crossed $1500 (travel) on the newest Gold (applied 9/12, arrived 9/18), see 25K+3K (28K) posted today on a new AMEX MR account

Probably the end of cheap AMEX FYF cards for me @@

jerryhung wrote: ↑ Data Point
Crossed $1500 (travel) on the newest Gold (applied 9/12, arrived 9/18), see 25K+3K (28K) posted today on a new AMEX MR account

Probably the end of cheap AMEX FYF cards for me @@

Good news !
What do you mean by "on a new AMEX MR account" ?

rodriarano wrote: ↑ Good news !
What do you mean by "on a new AMEX MR account" ?

Sometimes they'll merge points with a different card you already have. Other times they'll keep the points separated, and associated with each card.

No Canadian amex for me. Declined even for amex gold...seems like I'll wait 6 months or even a year to reapply

Oh well, at least US AMEX are happy to give me cards with high limits

cell21 wrote: ↑ No Canadian amex for me. Declined even for amex gold...seems like I'll wait 6 months or even a year to reapply

Oh well, at least US AMEX are happy to give me cards with high limits

They'll usually give you a reason you were declined if you ask and sometimes it's something minor that you can fix. Are you dual citizen, or do you just have a US SSN and bank account?

atomiton wrote: ↑ They'll usually give you a reason you were declined if you ask and sometimes it's something minor that you can fix. Are you dual citizen, or do you just have a US SSN and bank account?

They will not give the reason and never have in the past, telling me it's confidential. App was auto declined, then sent for manual review and declined anyways.

Not a dual citizen here. No SSN. ITIN and bank account

Has anyone successfully gone from Personal Plat to Business Plat? I'm not looking to churn, I actually want to keep the plat just not the $699 annual fee..

andjuly wrote: ↑ Has anyone successfully gone from Personal Plat to Business Plat? I'm not looking to churn, I actually want to keep the plat just not the $699 annual fee..

So refer yourself to the Biz Plat from Personal Plat, get the 15,000 referral + 75,000 welcome bonus. Lots of people carry both here... or refer between the two of them.

andjuly wrote: ↑ Has anyone successfully gone from Personal Plat to Business Plat? I'm not looking to churn, I actually want to keep the plat just not the $699 annual fee..

No pain/risk, no gain
You can't get the welcome bonus (much more than the annual fee) without paying the $399 or $699

as above said, Self-refer from Plat -> Biz Plat and cancel the Plat

Just talked to TD about getting a better card/deal. According to csr...
TD First Class Travel. First purchase of anything/any amount gives you the 20000 points (= about $100). Spend $1000 gives you another 30000 points (= about $150). So $250 for $1001 spend. Travel is not just Expedia. When you purchase travel on Expedia with this card you earn at 4.5%.
If/when you're not happy with this can always switch to TD Cash Back Infinite possibly in time to catch the 6% cash back on all spend in first 3 months to max $3500 = about $210 cashback.
Spend $4501 and earn about $460.

jerryhung wrote: ↑ No pain/risk, no gain
You can't get the welcome bonus (much more than the annual fee) without paying the $399 or $699

as above said, Self-refer from Plat -> Biz Plat and cancel the Plat

If keeping the card after the 1st year, which of the Personal Plat ($699/year with $200/year travel credit) or Biz Plat ($399/year) is 'better' in terms of benefits?

gameon12 wrote: ↑Just talked to TD about getting a better card/deal. According to csr...
TD First Class Travel. First purchase of anything/any amount gives you the 20000 points (= about $100). Spend $1000 gives you another 30000 points (= about $150). So $250 for $1001 spend. Travel is not just Expedia. When you purchase travel on Expedia with this card you earn at 4.5%.
If/when you're not happy with this can always switch to TD Cash Back Infinite possibly in time to catch the 6% cash back on all spend in first 3 months to max $3500 = about $210 cashback.
Spend $4501 and earn about $460.

Yep, that's the way to go

maho wrote: ↑ If keeping the card after the 1st year, which of the Personal Plat ($699/year with $200/year travel credit) or Biz Plat ($399/year) is 'better' in terms of benefits?

Don't keep it after 1st year :P

I'd say Plat (but only if you travel extensively, using Priority Pass for lounges), since Biz Plat really has no benefits (except SPG Gold & able to use some Plaza Premium lounges)
but it's up for you to decide

Can anyone please tell me how can I use self referral for Amex to apply for a different type of Amex other than the one I currently have? I have the gold Rewards card but the referral link apparently only refers the Gold Rewards Card again not another type of Amex card.

Thank you,

maho wrote: ↑If keeping the card after the 1st year, which of the Personal Plat ($699/year with $200/year travel credit) or Biz Plat ($399/year) is 'better' in terms of benefits?

As far as I can tell, the only "extra" benefits to the Platinum card over the Business Platinum are:

• Gold status at Hilton;
• Gold status at Carlson;
• No charge for you and guest at Priority Pass lounges (vs. US$27/person fee for the Business Platinum);
• $200 travel credit.

You have to decide if those benefits are worth the extra $300 in fees (or net $100 in fees if you net out the $200 travel credit).

(I didn't add the 15,000 extra in sign-up bonus, as the user was asking about holding a card past the first year.)

The benefit of the Business Platinum over the Platinum is an extra 10,000 MR points when you refer someone.

efrant wrote: ↑ As far as I can tell, the only "extra" benefits to the Platinum card over the Business Platinum are:

• Gold status at Hilton;
• Gold status at Carlson;
• No charge for you and guest at Priority Pass lounges (vs. US$27/person fee for the Business Platinum);
• $200 travel credit.

You have to decide if those benefits are worth the extra $400 in fees.

EDIT: The benefit of the Business Platinum over the Platinum is an extra 10,000 MR points when you refer someone.

And an extra 15k when you sign up. For the life of me, I can't figure out why Amex doesn't make the Amex Personal Plat. 75k and the Biz Plat 60k, but hey... there must be a reason.

Does anyone know if you already have a personal platinum, and then get a biz platinum, do you have to go through the whole hotel loyalty registration process again?

john.canad wrote: ↑ Does anyone know if you already have a personal platinum, and then get a biz platinum, do you have to go through the whole hotel loyalty registration process again?

Actually I have a similar question… When the new year comes does your hotel status automatically update assuming you keep the American Express personal platinum?

Also, when you cancel the personal platinum does you hotel status get revoked or is it good for the rest of the calendar year?