I've got the same 'Upgrade' offer again right now, and I've got both a Blue and a Gold. Not sure what the trigger is, but it showed up last year, too, I think closer to the end of the year. Hung around a while, then disappeared when I didn't bite.
I've always viewed their calling it an upgrade as marketing spin, as I doubt that it's really anything other than a preapproval of sorts - I assume they did a soft on one or more of my CBRs and decided I was worthy at the time, but they'll darned well want to make sure I'm still worthy before approving me if I accept their 'offer' (and then continue to check on me to make sure I STAY worthy if they did give it to me).
*shrug* I do travel a bit, but more internationally than domestically, and my preferred airlines don't match up with the airport clubs the Plat would get me into, so it's not a good fit for me, either.
ETA: For myself, I also can't really see the sense in me paying an annual fee that's approximately equal to my monthly rent!! 
@Scamp wrote:I've got the same 'Upgrade' offer again right now, and I've got both a Blue and a Gold. Not sure what the trigger is, but it showed up last year, too, I think closer to the end of the year. Hung around a while, then disappeared when I didn't bite.
I've always viewed their calling it an upgrade as marketing spin, as I doubt that it's really anything other than a preapproval of sorts - I assume they did a soft on one or more of my CBRs and decided I was worthy at the time, but they'll darned well want to make sure I'm still worthy before approving me if I accept their 'offer' (and then continue to check on me to make sure I STAY worthy if they did give it to me).
*shrug* I do travel a bit, but more internationally than domestically, and my preferred airlines don't match up with the airport clubs the Plat would get me into, so it's not a good fit for me, either.
ETA: For myself, I also can't really see the sense in me paying an annual fee that's approximately equal to my monthly rent!!
If PenFed and Macy's can issue new CC's based on a soft pull (only!) so can Amex. If you are already doing business with them a hard INQ is not required!
creditwherecreditisdue wrote:
@Scamp wrote:I've got the same 'Upgrade' offer again right now, and I've got both a Blue and a Gold. Not sure what the trigger is, but it showed up last year, too, I think closer to the end of the year. Hung around a while, then disappeared when I didn't bite.
I've always viewed their calling it an upgrade as marketing spin, as I doubt that it's really anything other than a preapproval of sorts - I assume they did a soft on one or more of my CBRs and decided I was worthy at the time, but they'll darned well want to make sure I'm still worthy before approving me if I accept their 'offer' (and then continue to check on me to make sure I STAY worthy if they did give it to me).
*shrug* I do travel a bit, but more internationally than domestically, and my preferred airlines don't match up with the airport clubs the Plat would get me into, so it's not a good fit for me, either.
ETA: For myself, I also can't really see the sense in me paying an annual fee that's approximately equal to my monthly rent!!
If PenFed and Macy's can issue new CC's based on a soft pull (only!) so can Amex. If you are already doing business with them a hard INQ is not required!
When I had been a Gold card client for a bit over a year, I accepted one of the 'upgrade' offers such as plasticguy described above for the Blue card, and I assure you that, despite the preapproval soft involved in providing the offer, accepting it did involve a hard inq.