If Chase mimicked Amex's CLI policy would you consider them the best issuer?

[slickshoes182]

How is AMEX for foriegn travel use?

Chase is terrible. For example, I recently tried to use my Freedom at the Universal Studios Theme Park in Singapore, confirmed that its not a fraud, but couldn't get them to let me use it for the theme park tickets. From talking to the CSR, it sounds like they block both individual companies and entire merchant codes for various countries. I'm amazed at the major companies that Chase has blocked, even in advanced countries like Singapore, and there appears to be no way to get the transactions thru. (They keep blocking at the merchant even if I have confirmed the transaction is valid).

With Barclays, if they initially block a transaction, I can simply confirm on my phone that its valid, rerun the transaction, and no problem.

[red259]

---

@slickshoes182 wrote:

How is AMEX for foriegn travel use?

Chase is terrible. For example, I recently tried to use my Freedom at the Universal Studios Theme Park in Singapore, confirmed that its not a fraud, but couldn't get them to let me use it for the theme park tickets. From talking to the CSR, it sounds like they block both individual companies and entire merchant codes for various countries. I'm amazed at the major companies that Chase has blocked, even in advanced countries like Singapore, and there appears to be no way to get the transactions thru. (They keep blocking at the merchant even if I have confirmed the transaction is valid).

With Barclays, if they initially block a transaction, I can simply confirm on my phone that its valid, rerun the transaction, and no problem.

---

Amex is horrible for foreign travel. Their cards have a FTF.

[chwebb1]

For me, Chase will never be on the level of AMEX (and for that matter, Discover and Barclays) for several reasons:

The first being that most major card issuers will allow you to request an APR reduction. Chase won't. This was ultimately the reason I closed my Chase Freedom account several months back.

Secondly, HP for CLI (I know you're saying more like AMEX CLI policy, but for now, that's dream land). Again, another major reason I closed my Freedom account.

Thirdly, quality of CSRs. I've found AMEX, Barclays, and Discover's (and Citi's) CSR's to be much more helpful and courteous than Chase.

Fourth, I think that AMEX's protections (return protection, extended warranty, purchase protection, etc) are much better than Chase's.

I have never figured out why people go gaga over Chase on this forum. To me, they are nothing special at best, and in my opinion, they are one of the worst credit card issuers I've ever dealt with. I'd personally much rather deal with AMEX, Discover, Barclays, and to a lesser extent, Citi, and BoA.

[mongstradamus]

---

@chwebb1 wrote:

For me, Chase will never be on the level of AMEX (and for that matter, Discover and Barclays) for several reasons:

The first being that most major card issuers will allow you to request an APR reduction. Chase won't. This was ultimately the reason I closed my Chase Freedom account several months back.

Secondly, HP for CLI (I know you're saying more like AMEX CLI policy, but for now, that's dream land). Again, another major reason I closed my Freedom account.

Thirdly, quality of CSRs. I've found AMEX, Barclays, and Discover's (and Citi's) CSR's to be much more helpful and courteous than Chase.

Fourth, I think that AMEX's protections (return protection, extended warranty, purchase protection, etc) are much better than Chase's.

I have never figured out why people go gaga over Chase on this forum. To me, they are nothing special at best, and in my opinion, they are one of the worst credit card issuers I've ever dealt with. I'd personally much rather deal with AMEX, Discover, Barclays, and to a lesser extent, Citi, and BoA.

---

I wouldn't say ga ga , but i think have an chase card and having an csp is two totally different things. A lot of people may have chase freedom csp and possibly checking combo. The interaction i have had with chase has been mostly with csp , but i did have an few interactions when I first got my freedom, and it went pretty well. They allowed me to PC my visa to MC, which was surprising since they were getting rid of most MC cards. Also when i signed up i missed the new signup bonus by 2 weeks, but they gave me the new signup bonus. I thought that was pretty nice since discover rejected me when i asked for the same thing. 

Also when it comes to HP cli, i was able to get an auto sp cli after 3 or 4 months which i didn't think was bad it wasn't an huge increase but at least it was something.  I find most cards are hp cli so i am not overly upset that chase doesn't do sp cli on request. If i am not mistaken barclays, citi, Boa and chase all do hp cli ?

I know post sounds like i am an chase fanboy or something , just throwing it out there. 

[Open123]

---

@chwebb1 wrote:

I have never figured out why people go gaga over Chase on this forum. 

---

In my view, most of us have personal preferences in all things that we consume. 

Some people prefer black cars over white; BMW over Audi; Chanel over Prada; and, Chase over Citi.  Few are 100% objective.  Invariably, personal biases would tend to cloud some of our objectivity.  For instance, for whatever reason, I'm just partial to Amex, just as another would be to Chase, Citi, or NFCU.

Objectively speaking, on any scale, Chase would have to be ranked as a top-tier "white shoe" issuer, in my view.

[LawStudentCivilis]

---

@chwebb1 wrote:

For me, Chase will never be on the level of AMEX (and for that matter, Discover and Barclays) for several reasons:

The first being that most major card issuers will allow you to request an APR reduction. Chase won't. This was ultimately the reason I closed my Chase Freedom account several months back.

Secondly, HP for CLI (I know you're saying more like AMEX CLI policy, but for now, that's dream land). Again, another major reason I closed my Freedom account.

Thirdly, quality of CSRs. I've found AMEX, Barclays, and Discover's (and Citi's) CSR's to be much more helpful and courteous than Chase.

Fourth, I think that AMEX's protections (return protection, extended warranty, purchase protection, etc) are much better than Chase's.

I have never figured out why people go gaga over Chase on this forum. To me, they are nothing special at best, and in my opinion, they are one of the worst credit card issuers I've ever dealt with. I'd personally much rather deal with AMEX, Discover, Barclays, and to a lesser extent, Citi, and BoA.

---

I was going to name most of these reasons too, but didn't want to sound like I was ranting.  But I completely agree with you, especially your final sentences.

[chwebb1]

---

@mongstradamus wrote:

Also when it comes to HP cli, i was able to get an auto sp cli after 3 or 4 months which i didn't think was bad it wasn't an huge increase but at least it was something.  I find most cards are hp cli so i am not overly upset that chase doesn't do sp cli on request. If i am not mistaken barclays, citi, Boa and chase all do hp cli ?

---

 You are correct that many banks are HP for CLI. I know that BoA and Barclays do. In my experience, Citi and AMEX do not. But the fact that Chase wouldn't even hear me out on an APR reduction (when there card was 5% higher APR wise than any other card I had, and approximately 3x the APR of my Barclaycard Ring) coupled with the fact that they are HP for CLI (when their CL was less than 1/3 of my AMEX CL with a much higher APR), and to a lesser extent, the fact that their CSRs were blasé when I called in about both questions made me reconsider my relationship with them. I realize that my experience may not have been usual, but considering that they won't negotiate APR, I'll definitely wait a long time until I try them again, so that hopefully I can get the lowest APR they offer.

[red259]

---

@chwebb1 wrote:

I have never figured out why people go gaga over Chase on this forum. To me, they are nothing special at best, and in my opinion, they are one of the worst credit card issuers I've ever dealt with. I'd personally much rather deal with AMEX, Discover, Barclays, and to a lesser extent, Citi, and BoA.

---

I wouldn't say I am gaga with Chase, but what draws me to Chase is its travel partners and the signup offers that let me pull in a nice haul of points with a diversity of cards. I have the freedom, but I also have the CSP and INK Bold. Since the later two are higher end products I think my experience probably differs from what it would be if I just used a freedom or other non-premium chase cards alone. Of course, if they didn't have their travel partners then they would fall way back compared to some other lenders. The unwillingness to reconsider an APR is a poor business practice in my mind. However, if I really needed to carry a balance I would open up a new card  with a 0% apr signup. 

[Pat94108]

Although I love Amex, Chase has given them a run for their money. No FTF on more cards and overall just as many great products. I just opened a new Chase as I am going to Europe in a couple of months and didn't want to pay FTF on my Amex like I did when I went to Canada a few months ago. It adds up. In any case, I think they're both great companies. I can understand why they are both loved. 

[randeman]

---

@chwebb1 wrote:

For me, Chase will never be on the level of AMEX (and for that matter, Discover and Barclays) for several reasons:

The first being that most major card issuers will allow you to request an APR reduction. Chase won't. This was ultimately the reason I closed my Chase Freedom account several months back.

Secondly, HP for CLI (I know you're saying more like AMEX CLI policy, but for now, that's dream land). Again, another major reason I closed my Freedom account.

Thirdly, quality of CSRs. I've found AMEX, Barclays, and Discover's (and Citi's) CSR's to be much more helpful and courteous than Chase.

Fourth, I think that AMEX's protections (return protection, extended warranty, purchase protection, etc) are much better than Chase's.

I have never figured out why people go gaga over Chase on this forum. To me, they are nothing special at best, and in my opinion, they are one of the worst credit card issuers I've ever dealt with. I'd personally much rather deal with AMEX, Discover, Barclays, and to a lesser extent, Citi, and BoA.

---

Well, correct me if I am wrong here, but what pays for no annual fee card benefits?  Is it all swipe fees?  A conjunction of swipe fees and APRs?  I should imagine, though won't mind to be wrong, that the benefits coverage is paid for by both.  Maybe they would lower APRs for people who earn for them enough swipe fees to offset the loss garnered by a lower APR.

I will cheerlead for Chase.  While I have never had a need for any of the consumer protections or travel benefits (if offered, save early boarding and free checked bag), I have nothing but praise for Chase customer service.  I let each CSR that I speak with know that.  Yes, the occasional CSR has gotten some information wrong, but I almost always ask two or three different agents on two or three different calls for clarification of an important issue or question.  I am not one that minds to do that, especially if I have been misinformed in the past.  No one is perfect.  I have plenty of credit with Chase (three signature cards with high enough limits) so I am not really looking for five figure limits right now.  Except if I decided to ask for utilization purposes.

As for Amex, their customer service is on par for my needs thus far, but, admittedly, I have made much less contact with Amex than I have with Chase.  That has to do with the fact that I have only had my SkyMiles for three months but have had two of my Chase cards for a year.  My Amex is used in conjunction with rotating visa cards for my daily expenses, so I seldom make purchases of merchandise with Amex that I might need their consumer protection benefits.  I'm sure they're swell, though, if I did need them.