topic Re: Amex PRG card retention offer in Credit Cards

Amex PRG card retention offer

red259 — Thu, 22 Jan 2015 00:08:26 GMT

I had pretty much decided to get rid of my amex prg since I do not see how I will use it now that I have an everyday card. That being said as anyone gotten a decent retention offer on the PRG and are there any retention offers that would offset the AF? Obviously I would keep the card if they credited me back the AF, but beyond that how many MR points would make the card worth keeping if that was the only value you would get from it?

Re: Amex PRG card retention offer

longtime_lurker — Thu, 22 Jan 2015 00:15:29 GMT

@red259 wrote:
I had pretty much decided to get rid of my amex prg since I do not see how I will use it now that I have an everyday card. That being said as anyone gotten a decent retention offer on the PRG and are there any retention offers that would offset the AF? Obviously I would keep the card if they credited me back the AF, but beyond that how many MR points would make the card worth keeping if that was the only value you would get from it?

I've seen some PRG retention bonuses on FT, but most of those people reported spend upwards of 30-40k (and also used the fact that the 15k bonus for 30k spend is no longer on the card = card not worth $175).

YMMV. What are your spending habits on the card?

Re: Amex PRG card retention offer

red259 — Thu, 22 Jan 2015 00:19:08 GMT

@longtime_lurker wrote:
@red259 wrote:
I had pretty much decided to get rid of my amex prg since I do not see how I will use it now that I have an everyday card. That being said as anyone gotten a decent retention offer on the PRG and are there any retention offers that would offset the AF? Obviously I would keep the card if they credited me back the AF, but beyond that how many MR points would make the card worth keeping if that was the only value you would get from it?
I've seen some PRG retention bonuses on FT, but most of those people reported spend upwards of 30-40k (and also used the fact that the 15k bonus for 30k spend is no longer on the card = card not worth $175).

YMMV. What are your spending habits on the card?

My spend going forward on it will not be that much. I would only keep it if it was free or they gave me enough of a reward in MRs to offset the AF. I like it but not enough to pay money to keep it. Just thought I would ask to see if there were any great retention offers.

Re: Amex PRG card retention offer

longtime_lurker — Thu, 22 Jan 2015 00:40:52 GMT

@red259 wrote:
@longtime_lurker wrote:
@red259 wrote:
I had pretty much decided to get rid of my amex prg since I do not see how I will use it now that I have an everyday card. That being said as anyone gotten a decent retention offer on the PRG and are there any retention offers that would offset the AF? Obviously I would keep the card if they credited me back the AF, but beyond that how many MR points would make the card worth keeping if that was the only value you would get from it?
I've seen some PRG retention bonuses on FT, but most of those people reported spend upwards of 30-40k (and also used the fact that the 15k bonus for 30k spend is no longer on the card = card not worth $175).

YMMV. What are your spending habits on the card?
My spend going forward on it will not be that much. I would only keep it if it was free or they gave me enough of a reward in MRs to offset the AF. I like it but not enough to pay money to keep it. Just thought I would ask to see if there were any great retention offers.

Gotcha. May as well see if there are offers, but I'm banking on not having any when it's my time, and realistically, 3x MR on airlines isn't that valuable for me (Huntington Voice is better to me

Re: Amex PRG card retention offer

red259 — Thu, 22 Jan 2015 00:44:33 GMT

@longtime_lurker wrote:
@red259 wrote:
@longtime_lurker wrote:
@red259 wrote:
I had pretty much decided to get rid of my amex prg since I do not see how I will use it now that I have an everyday card. That being said as anyone gotten a decent retention offer on the PRG and are there any retention offers that would offset the AF? Obviously I would keep the card if they credited me back the AF, but beyond that how many MR points would make the card worth keeping if that was the only value you would get from it?
I've seen some PRG retention bonuses on FT, but most of those people reported spend upwards of 30-40k (and also used the fact that the 15k bonus for 30k spend is no longer on the card = card not worth $175).

YMMV. What are your spending habits on the card?
My spend going forward on it will not be that much. I would only keep it if it was free or they gave me enough of a reward in MRs to offset the AF. I like it but not enough to pay money to keep it. Just thought I would ask to see if there were any great retention offers.
Gotcha. May as well see if there are offers, but I'm banking on not having any when it's my time, and realistically, 3x MR on airlines isn't that valuable for me (Huntington Voice is better to me

Why what does that card do with airfare? Never even heard of it before this!

Re: Amex PRG card retention offer

Anonymous — Thu, 22 Jan 2015 00:58:56 GMT

With the Amex ED as a great placeholder for keeping MR points and using MR points when AF cards are canceled, you really should not keep the PRG unless offered a really good retention bonus. The only other exception would be if your airfare spend is high enough to offset the $175 AF.

I value MR points a little under 2 cents per dollar as opposed to UR points that I value a little over 2 cents per dollar. A $175 AF would be offset by about 10-12k MR points for me. If the retention bonus had any spend requirement, I would likely need to see at least 12k MR points and even then it would be a maybe. A waived AF would definitely make the card worthwhile for me because I have some airfare fees I pay with my CC and bill for work, just not enough to justify the high AF because my business travel is sporadic.

I value the CSP over the PRG for airfare since 2 UR points are worth almost 3 MR points for me. Moreover, even if the points were even, the PRG only has 1 more point per dollar for airfare, which is the only category I would use it for (grocery/gas bonus on it is not worth it for me given my other options). At 1 MR point per dollar over the CSP, it would take 10-12k airfare spend to justify the AF if you value MR and UR points evenly. Since I value UR points over MR points, it would take significantly more for the PRG to make sense for me.

Simply put, if Amex waived the AF, I would keep the card. Alternatively, if they gave me a bonus of around 15k MR points (maybe 10-12k but that would be a closer call) and required an AF paid, I would keep the card.

Re: Amex PRG card retention offer

longtime_lurker — Thu, 22 Jan 2015 01:04:42 GMT

Lol, because some people on this forum are great at finding new ways for cards/new cards (looking at you, themanwhocan), but many are just followers of how other people use the card. In this case, many people use the Voice as a utility 3x card (and it is great for that, too!).

In regards of relating this card to airfare (travel, etc.), this card has a 2,000 quarterly cap for their 3x, and one of the categories is "travel and entertainment". Mastercard MCC is pretty generous in awarding these points. For those who do NOT have the annual spend to justify AF's (and come out ahead)/want a flexible earning card because they don't travel often (and can earn bonus points on other categories when they aren't)/don't want the hassle trying to offset the AF by finding valuable transfer partners should really look at the Huntington Voice.

Recap:

Pros:

3% back on "travel and entertainment" (I've found this to be broad)

no FTF

no AF

(ninja edit to add: It's always a WMC...if that matters to someone)

Cons:

Geographically limited

2,000 per quarter cap

Seems like a milder Cash + with arguably better categories.