I agree. They have sort of "dumbed-down" their Platinum and Gold cards. The Premier Gold does seem to be the best for rewards. This is why I like the Zync; you get the same Membership Rewards points that Blue has but with an annual fee that is just a fraction of Green, Gold, Premier Gold and Platinum annual fees. You should be very proud of that USAA Amex. They are tops. I will be having my first bank-issued Amex shortly. I accepted an upgrade from my BofA Visa Signature to the BofA Accelerated Cash Rewards Amex with 1.25% cash on all purchases everyday. I will check my PO Box on Saturday but I am not expecting the card for another week. I figured I will try it out to see what the cash back looks like. I believe they offered the upgrade since I have not been using the card. BofA does not like idle cards.....

Just got my BofA Accelerated Cash Rewards Amex card in the mail today. They upgraded me from the same Black Visa Signature card. I've been using mine a fair amount. It took a full ten days to get it. The cool thing about the worldpoints I had on this account were changed to cash rewards. Since 2008 when I opened this account they've upgraded it three times. I wonder whats coming next year. LOL!! Before the offered upgrade I figured this card was equal to the Visa Signature.

Okay you are killing me LOL

Actually you're correct. I emailed them asking about a hard-pull and wether or not spending $6,500 is required for the higest rewards. And it's not required.

This would have been my first card upgrade ever so I wasn't aware. Hehe.

I agree. They have sort of "dumbed-down" their Platinum and Gold cards. The Premier Gold does seem to be the best for rewards. This is why I like the Zync; you get the same Membership Rewards points that Blue has but with an annual fee that is just a fraction of Green, Gold, Premier Gold and Platinum annual fees. You should be very proud of that USAA Amex. They are tops. I will be having my first bank-issued Amex shortly. I accepted an upgrade from my BofA Visa Signature to the BofA Accelerated Cash Rewards Amex with 1.25% cash on all purchases everyday. I will check my PO Box on Saturday but I am not expecting the card for another week. I figured I will try it out to see what the cash back looks like. I believe they offered the upgrade since I have not been using the card. BofA does not like idle cards.....

I actually like that Amex. Only thing holding me back on something like that card is BofA.

Used to love the American Express Platinum Charge Card with all it's benefits. At an AF of $450 however I want more than they offer for benefits today (reduced from when I had the card). In the older days they had benefits. Today I find the American Express Gold Premier Charge Card at $175 appears to be more worth the annual fee. Truth my USAA American Express Credit Card and my HSBC American Express Plus Rewards Credit Card (7.9% APR) have no annual fee, good CL's ($10K) and reasonable benefits/rewards (1.25 points on every purchase) with no AF. Likely for the regular traveler who receives upgrades... the original American Express Cards are better. For me with a lower travel need, my co-branded AX Cards serve me very well.

I agree. They have sort of "dumbed-down" their Platinum and Gold cards. The Premier Gold does seem to be the best for rewards. This is why I like the Zync; you get the same Membership Rewards points that Blue has but with an annual fee that is just a fraction of Green, Gold, Premier Gold and Platinum annual fees. You should be very proud of that USAA Amex. They are tops. I will be having my first bank-issued Amex shortly. I accepted an upgrade from my BofA Visa Signature to the BofA Accelerated Cash Rewards Amex with 1.25% cash on all purchases everyday. I will check my PO Box on Saturday but I am not expecting the card for another week. I figured I will try it out to see what the cash back looks like. I believe they offered the upgrade since I have not been using the card. BofA does not like idle cards.....

WOW! I didn't know they had a Blue Cash Preferred now! I got the little popup too but not a pre-approval. Does the 6% cash back start right away or do I need to reach $6,500 still? Hmmmm. The terms & conditions are not online yet.

I didn't know it existed either until recently. They have a Blue Sky Preferred now as well. I didn't read anything about needing to spend $6,500 before the 6% kicks in. I think that is why they may have the $70 annual fee in place. Other than the Member Since date (that my regular Blue lacks) I am not interested in the upgrade. I will stick to my Citi Dividend.

Okay you are killing me LOL Do they hard pull your credit bureau for an upgrade? I figured they used their monthly soft inquiry to offer the upgrade. There shouldn't be a need for a hard pull.

WOW! I didn't know they had a Blue Cash Preferred now! I got the little popup too but not a pre-approval. Does the 6% cash back start right away or do I need to reach $6,500 still? Hmmmm. The terms & conditions are not online yet.

I would consider the upgrade if we don't need to reach $6,500.

Monthly groceries = $240.00 x 12 = $2,880 x .06 (cash back) = $172.80. Which beats the $75 annual fee!

EDIT: I don't think reaching $6,500 is required. I am seriously thinking about upgrading. Do I want the hardpull?

EDIT #2: WTF! The "new" regular Blue Cash doesn't require reaching $6,500 either? I've been cheated?!

Used to love the American Express Platinum Charge Card with all it's benefits. At an AF of $450 however I want more than they offer for benefits today (reduced from when I had the card). In the older days they had benefits. Today I find the American Express Gold Premier Charge Card at $175 appears to be more worth the annual fee. Truth my USAA American Express Credit Card and my HSBC American Express Plus Rewards Credit Card (7.9% APR) have no annual fee, good CL's ($10K) and reasonable benefits/rewards (1.25 points on every purchase) with no AF. Likely for the regular traveler who receives upgrades... the original American Express Cards are better. For me with a lower travel need, my co-branded AX Cards serve me very well.

Ok, so I'm at the AMEX site checking my balance. I want to see all personal cards and then it tells me what I have already known for the last two years, "you are preapproved for a Platinum Card" ; I want to compare my current card against the new blue card to see which one offers more bang for the buck. The page doesn't change, it leaves me at the pre approval site. I want to look at a specific card now, nope, nada, keeps me at the pre approval site. Telling you people, the card is calling me, $450AF and everything......

I kind of like that Zync card but then again, I am cheap. When I recently went on they offered me an upgrade on my current Blue to their new Blue Cash Preferred (which I noticed has the Member Since date on it) that has 6% cash back on a lot of the everyday items I buy (groceries, gas etc) but it comes with a $70 annual fee.

Ok, so I'm at the AMEX site checking my balance. I want to see all personal cards and then it tells me what I have already known for the last two years, "you are preapproved for a Platinum Card" ; I want to compare my current card against the new blue card to see which one offers more bang for the buck. The page doesn't change, it leaves me at the pre approval site. I want to look at a specific card now, nope, nada, keeps me at the pre approval site. Telling you people, the card is calling me, $450AF and everything......

Have a good day everyone.....

Do you have car insurance?

Nope, I go by public transit and bicycle.

I'm going to be moving this weekend or the next and will be renting a U-Haul, will my Amex Blue Cash cover the U-Haul under the rental insurance (that comes with the card)??

Thanks in advance.


PS. Welcome back Eldarwen!!!!!! You've been missed!!!!

I found an old link from creditcards.com that states: Coverage up to $50,000 for Green, Gold, Blue, Optima and Small Biz. Vehicle exlusions: any type of pickup, full sized SUV, exotic sports car and cargo van. This was from 2008 however, and may have changed. Do you have car insurance? If so, check to see if your policy will cover the UHaul.

I have no idea since I have not rented anything.

I'm going to be moving this weekend or the next and will be renting a U-Haul, will my Amex Blue Cash cover the U-Haul under the rental insurance (that comes with the card)??

Thanks in advance.


PS. Welcome back Eldarwen!!!!!! You've been missed!!!!

After having Amex in my wallet for a few years, it's not a status thing for me anymore. When it was announced that you could pay with points on Amazon.com, I got all excited. I did take a look and I wasn't impressed. I have stockpiled 5,800 points and it equates to $40 and some odd change. It's a little bit of a ripoff for an Amazon.com junkie for me.

I agree with the posts that say having an amex is to have people say "wow he has an amex" yes thats true. When you have an amex people at the register treat you differently than with a chase or capital one card. I know that because I got an amex for that reason. I have other cards sure. But shopping with an amex has its perks. For example, I went on a vacation a few weeks ago and the hotel upgraded me to a bigger suite for free compliments of my amex. So having one has its benefits. So the people saying that its better to have visa or or mastercard you are wrong. You have to have an amex to experience the true joy of what it brings you. I was lucky to get one a month ago after a few years of being denied. I am satisfied knowing I have worked very hard to get my credit worthy of having this card in my wallet. I too, have visa's and mastercards, but i prefer doing all my shopping and vacationing with my amex.