Come on peeps. Amex charge cards are sui generis. They do a unique job but I don't think status is one of them.
I just recently spend more in one purchase than the total CLs on my other cards. Kinda hard to do on a non-Amex.
The second most valuable thing about Amex is the ability to set SLs on my AUs and get accounting info for their spendings broken out from mine.
Sure there is a bigger chance for an FR but that's just the price I may or may not pay for the above bennies.
I had a Gold Amex back in the 70's and for a while I was taken with the "status" it represented as there weren't many back then. But then it turned out I really didn't use it that much and didn't have a use pattern like I do now. I stopped using it since Visa coverage was far wiider. So much for status. At some point Amex called and canceled (they did not do an FR, just canceled). My reaction was good - been meaning to do that to avoid the AF.
But now I find Amex's pretty amazing spending capability valuable and it isn't something other cards offer to quite the same degree.
Times change and Amex's value proposition can be great, crappy, or somewhere in between and I've experienced both ends.
I have reestablished credit over the last couple years
With Amex, my expirience has been that their charge cards are good, and their customer service has been good as well. The issue I see is that they do take action when something does not look right, which has a huge financial institution that it is, it should be doing that. Anyways, just use the card as intended and try staying under the radar, not only with them, but with all the other creditors that you have. There is no reason to be afraid, life will go on without AMEX or without credit. But yeah they also offer spending flexibility which many lenders do not offer and they allow you to grow with them over time. I personally like dealing with them in the times I have had issues with them and they have been good to me, and so I hope that it continues.
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