Converting from platinum to rewards: Easy? Impossible?

[pdxuser]

I'm considering secured cards from major banks to start my credit history. They all seem to convert to platinum. I'm wondering if down the road a while I'll be able to convert those platinum cards again to more attractive cards? For example, could Chase Platinum become Chase Freedom? I'm also looking at cards from BOA, Citi and Wells Fargo.

[wmarat]

I have nevr had any problem with BOA.

Citi refused to convert CashReturns to Citi Amex Platinum

Chase converted without a problem.

I have never had Wells Fargo.

[Anonymous]

Possibly depends on the bank, but I can tell you my experience with US Bank.

I got a ($500) secured card with them in May 2007. A year later they unsecured it, but you don't get a choice of card when it unsecures - they just decide which 'product' to give you. They gave me their 'Classic Visa' (ie a dull, no-frills Visa that had a higher CL ($1000) than the secured one, and kept the same history, but didn't really 'do' much). I called and asked if it might be possible to upgrade to a more 'interesting' card, and was told that by all means, I could do that, I'd just have to wait until I'd had the unsecured card for 90 days. So, I called back after 90 days, and they pretty much listed all the cards I'd be eligible for - I asked for their cash rewards card, and was told that would be no problem. I also asked for a CLI, and that was no problem either - they increased my credit line to $2500.

I got my product change and CLI with no hard pull - very happy with that!   

[Anonymous]

BoA converted my secured card after it unsecured to the accelerated rewards amex when I asked them to.