AMEX wants me to Sign and Travel and Pay Over Time

[jaysdad2k]

Apparently they are getting comfortable with me. I got the Gold in May 2008, and after my three "7-10"'s in row with my mini-app spree this past May, I thought I needed some luv somewhere, so I went for the Platinum. They were happy to let me pay them $450 a year.

I tried to use the concierge service last month, and they were unable to help me. I thought maybe they wanted to make it up to me, so I called in and hit the auto CLI option on my TE from June 2008. I had $2,000 from Day 1, and I kept reading about no more than 3X for CLI's. I asked for $5,000, and ta da! $5,000.

Now they are offering 5,000 bonus points if I add Sign and Travel. Certain charges over $200 can be revolved. I don't think I would actually revolve anything on it, but they said it is only available based on Card tenure, payment history, and creditworthiness. If I add this feature, will it change how it reports? Are there any disadvantages to taking them up on this offer?

[Watchmann]

No real downside, and it won't change how it reports.  I've had this Sign & Travel feature for years, and have never used it.  I just don't want to revolve a debt on a PIF type card.  If I wanted to do that I'd just use my Optima card with a lot lower APR.  But if they are giving you a free 5,000 points go ahead and sign up.

[Red1Blue]

Amex know for charge card business. I would pay the balance in full and get it over with it. You never know how amex would react when you carry balance even though it is their own offer.

[haulingthescoreup]

I once received a pm from someone who accepted the option to pay over time. She never used it, but when she called in a few months later on something unrelated (a CLI, maybe?) the CSR told her that her account was no longer in as good a status, as she had accepted the option, even though she had never used it. Somehow accepting the option marked her as being riskier, even though she did it for the points.

This was during the height of AmEx's craziness last fall, so who knows? This was from one of our more rational members, btw. So I don't think it was hysterical rants, and I also don't necessarily believe that the same would happen today. I'm just tossing it out there as a here's-what-I-heard.

[demo18c]

Yea I would not go for thepay over time option. Keep it PIF with Amex especially with having the sweet pleasure of having a platinum card. IF you do not mind me asking but what could they not help you out with. Ive used the concierge service for my trip to France/Germany and loved it. Im asking for future reference....

[creditwherecreditisdue]

Also, not all travel providers who accept Amex will accept Sign and Travel payments. When I worked for Carnival we would not accept that form of payment and I never could find out exactly why. I think I actually was able to slip one through the system for a guest once as a favor. (Modest rule bending - tenure has its privileges!) In general, however, I wouldn't do it.

[jaysdad2k]

Since I have the TE card to revolve, I think I'll just leave well enough alone for now.

The concierge service website claims they can do almost anything. I wanted to meet a pro athlete when the team visited a nearby city. Amex tried, but the team nixed the idea.

[Duke-of-Earl]

I keep getting those offers, too, but always ignore them.  What AmEx has done with their brand seems crazy to me.  Their regular green/gold cards used to stand out as something different from, better than, a regular credit card.  If you have to pay in full every month -- which I generally do on all my cards anyway -- you should be considered a lower risk.  But their "pay over time" feature just turns those cards into ordinary CCs.  I suppose they felt they had to do it to compete somehow, but it's astrounding to me that AmEx (and so many other financial-service companies that are being blasted in this forum) just don't seem to care about their reputation.

[creditwherecreditisdue]

Sign and Travel is nothing new. It has been around for decades. As for whether it is wise to use Sign and Travel or not - that is for you to decide.