AMEX ED vs BCE

[Anonymous]

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@sunkissed wrote:

ED vs BCE is really MRs vs $. From your signature, it looks like you have experience with both (MRs and cash back). Which would you prefer to earn? What is your personal valuation of MRs?

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+1. Which one you like better? I have alot cash back cards from other Lenders so I prefer ED for MR points!

[BronzeTrader]

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@xenon3030 wrote:

I am looking for a comparison of AMEX ED vs BCE. Both do not have AF. I see some people have both but it looks like BCE is a better card in terms of cashback (3% vs. 2X). Is it good to have both CCs?

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There is no comparison between the ED vs BCE/BCP.  They are totally different cards.  If you have the MR cards (Plat, PRG etc), you always want to max the MR system.  The MR system is very flexible and valuable if you know where to find.

Also, the MR cards run different AmEx offers.  If you search, often time you can find good offers.  Just paid my cable bill with 3x MR points + 1,000 more points.  Worth 1,350 MR points just one month, or worth $22/month.  It is small, but can just add up.  And the MR points do not expire.

If this is too complicated to you, get the BCE/BCP for simplicity.

[Anonymous]

Resurrecting this topic because I've been thinking about switching from the BCE to the ED. Mainly because I don't use it enough on groceries to earn much, already have two other cards for that spend. Plus I might be doing the math wrong, but 3% doesn't seem to add up very much for me. Shopping about $150-225 weekly, give or take. How does Amex apply the 3%, per transaction right? Not statement period. So 3% time $200 weekly isn'y much really, like $6? That only comes to $72 per year. Not to mention the minimum $25 redemption.

So I've been thinking that the ED card would suit me better, with 1X points per $1 spent. Plus the possible 20% bonus spend.

At least with this card the MR points could be combined with PRG and Gold Delta's.

Based on what I've read here, ED seems to be the better card. But I've not seen a concrete answer to whether they will PC.

I'd rather do this than straight up apply, as I don't want another account added to my CR. 

Thoughts?

[simplynoir]

No possible PC. AMEX only allows BCE <->BCP and ED <-> EDP.

[longtimelurker]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Resurrecting this topic because I've been thinking about switching from the BCE to the ED. Mainly because I don't use it enough on groceries to earn much, already have two other cards for that spend. Plus I might be doing the math wrong, but 3% doesn't seem to add up very much for me. Shopping about $150-225 weekly, give or take. How does Amex apply the 3%, per transaction right? Not statement period. So 3% time $200 weekly isn'y much really, like $6? That only comes to $72 per year. Not to mention the minimum $25 redemption.

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While 3% of $200 is indeed $6, but if that is weekly (so $10K per year) it would be more than $72, ~ $300.   But BCE only gives 3% on the first $6K, so you would get $180 on that and $40 on the remaining $4K.   If it's $200 per month, then yes.

But apart from the fact that you cannot PC, the ED isn't going to get a ton of points either if your spend is $200 a month, and if it's $200 a week it has the same $6K cap.

[kilroy8]

I think cash rules unless you are collecting points for a specific reason like you have an SPG and are going after status, or a specific airline that you need points for. For standard consumers, cash is best.