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if I want an Amex card, which one should I get w/ my profile?

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red259
Super Contributor

Re: if I want an Amex card, which one should I get w/ my profile?


@VegasKyle wrote:

If you are dead set against an AF, then I think the ED card is the one for you.  MR points are quite flexible and don't ever expire, Amex has a lot of ancillary features that make it nice to be a member. 

 

The Amex back dating alone is a good enough reason to get a no AF card from them if you can.  Maybe sometime down the line the of one of their other cards will appeal to you, if you decide then to get it no hit to your AAoA, if anything it goes up! 


I would strongly suggest that OP review the rental coverage of the Amex ED card. I looked at it briefly and there seem to be a number of limitations in there about what is and is not covered. Its best to review each credit card company's policies about rental cars to make sure the insurance fits your particular needs. Now don't get me wrong I think the Amex ED is a great card to have if you want to earn travel rewards. Its non-AF and earns MR points. That being said if your primary motivation is to use a card for rental benefits then I would be more inclined to suggest a card like the cap 1 venture card or barclays arrival plus (this is assuming you would be ok with secondary collision coverage- if you need primary then the CSP or MC world elite would be a better fit).

 

For car rentals I currently use my venture card. Its a visa signature so I get collision insurance via the card. In addition since I belong to the loyalty program of the rental agency I earn points on the rental. Furthermore, I can use the purchase eraser to erase the cost of the rental from my credit card bill if I have the necessary number of points. Even if I erase the points from my credit card bill I still have the points I earned with the rental agency and can use those to redeem a free car rental in the future. Why don't I redeem my Chase UR points or Amex MR points? Because trading those in for a rental car is not a good value. I find those points are much better redeemed for air fare. Neither the venture or the barclays plus card have an AF in the first year and you can get the signup bonus offer. After the year you may be able to get the AF waived. If you can't get the AF waived you may be able to downgrade the card in which case I would just check and see if the non-premium versions of those cards provide the same rental protection. 

;
Starting Score: EQ: 714, TU 684
Current Score: EQ: 725 7/30/13, TU 684 6/2013, Exp 828 5/2018, Last App 8/5/17
Goal Score: 800 (Achieved!) In garden until Sepetember 2019
Message 21 of 25
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: if I want an Amex card, which one should I get w/ my profile?


@red259 wrote:

@VegasKyle wrote:

If you are dead set against an AF, then I think the ED card is the one for you.  MR points are quite flexible and don't ever expire, Amex has a lot of ancillary features that make it nice to be a member. 

 

The Amex back dating alone is a good enough reason to get a no AF card from them if you can.  Maybe sometime down the line the of one of their other cards will appeal to you, if you decide then to get it no hit to your AAoA, if anything it goes up! 


I would strongly suggest that OP review the rental coverage of the Amex ED card. I looked at it briefly and there seem to be a number of limitations in there about what is and is not covered. Its best to review each credit card company's policies about rental cars to make sure the insurance fits your particular needs.


This is why i also have a Blue Sky Preferred.

Message 22 of 25
red259
Super Contributor

Re: if I want an Amex card, which one should I get w/ my profile?


@Anonymous wrote:

@red259 wrote:

@VegasKyle wrote:

If you are dead set against an AF, then I think the ED card is the one for you.  MR points are quite flexible and don't ever expire, Amex has a lot of ancillary features that make it nice to be a member. 

 

The Amex back dating alone is a good enough reason to get a no AF card from them if you can.  Maybe sometime down the line the of one of their other cards will appeal to you, if you decide then to get it no hit to your AAoA, if anything it goes up! 


I would strongly suggest that OP review the rental coverage of the Amex ED card. I looked at it briefly and there seem to be a number of limitations in there about what is and is not covered. Its best to review each credit card company's policies about rental cars to make sure the insurance fits your particular needs.


This is why i also have a Blue Sky Preferred.


Is the rental coverage different between the two cards?

;
Starting Score: EQ: 714, TU 684
Current Score: EQ: 725 7/30/13, TU 684 6/2013, Exp 828 5/2018, Last App 8/5/17
Goal Score: 800 (Achieved!) In garden until Sepetember 2019
Message 23 of 25
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: if I want an Amex card, which one should I get w/ my profile?


@red259 wrote:

@Anonymous wrote:

@red259 wrote:

@VegasKyle wrote:

If you are dead set against an AF, then I think the ED card is the one for you.  MR points are quite flexible and don't ever expire, Amex has a lot of ancillary features that make it nice to be a member. 

 

The Amex back dating alone is a good enough reason to get a no AF card from them if you can.  Maybe sometime down the line the of one of their other cards will appeal to you, if you decide then to get it no hit to your AAoA, if anything it goes up! 


I would strongly suggest that OP review the rental coverage of the Amex ED card. I looked at it briefly and there seem to be a number of limitations in there about what is and is not covered. Its best to review each credit card company's policies about rental cars to make sure the insurance fits your particular needs.


This is why i also have a Blue Sky Preferred.


Is the rental coverage different between the two cards?


You have the option of buying the premium rental coverage.

Message 24 of 25
CreditDunce
Valued Contributor

Re: if I want an Amex card, which one should I get w/ my profile?


@Christina_xyt wrote:

@CreditDunce wrote:

You have a nice lineup of cards there...

 

It depends on how much you spend on groceries and where you shop at.  But I think I would app for the BCE and PC the Cash Rewards to a second BBR (assuming you don't spend more than $250 in gas per month).   If nothing else you can use the occasional Amex Sync (aka cash back deals in BoA speak) to keep the card active.


I don't spend more than 250 in grocery or gas. (at least for now)

 

My boa cash rewards serves when fidelity amex could not be taken (it happened a lot to me actually, like at least 4 - 10 times a month) I probably would do the PC when i get the cap1 QS or citi DC..


Just out of curiosity, is there a reason you can't use your SM for the times fidelity amex is not accepted?   CL of the SM?  Visa is accepted, but not MC?

 

The Cash Rewards is going to be 1% CB for anything besides gas & groceries.   Ok, 1.1% assuming you have a checking account with BoA.  Or 1.75% if you are at the Plat Honors level with BoA (but if that is the case, you should be looking at the BoA Travel Rewards).    The difference between 1% CB for the SM and 1.1% CB for the BoA CR would probably be less than $10 per month you would get with the BBR.  Anyway, just a thought. 

Message 25 of 25
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