topic Re: Amex gold delta card AF question for the Amex experts in Credit Cards

Amex gold delta card AF question for the Amex experts

Jccflat — Fri, 14 Aug 2020 15:16:58 GMT

So I am a AU on a family Member Amex He opened in the last 12 months five AMEX cards all are in good status no balances

The first anniversary of the Amex delta gold is today but he has no use of it specially the no travel also now

Can he downgraded to the non-annual

fee card Delta?

Is it gonna risk the points that he has on the account 300k will Amex get upset ?

Just to add that he didn't take it vantage of the bonus points when opening that account for some reason

TIA

Re: Amex gold delta card AF question for the Amex experts

MrDisco99 — Fri, 14 Aug 2020 15:21:43 GMT

There should be no problem with downgrading to the Amex Delta blue card. He'll get to keep the points. Even if he cancelled the card, he'd still have the points because they belong to the SkyMiles account, not the card.

I would wait until the statement posts with the annual fee before calling, though. Amex doesn't like it when you try to downgrade before that. Typically in the first year if there's enough activity on the card, they may offer a bonus to keep the card as it is. If he chooses to downgrade anyway, they'll reverse the annual fee so he doesn't have to pay it.

Re: Amex gold delta card AF question for the Amex experts

ldkcivilservant — Fri, 14 Aug 2020 16:05:07 GMT

I disagree with the above. AMEX has and can clawback Skymiles when they feel that the SUB was abused. Personally I think you should wait until after the AF posts, and then downgrade. You'll get it back.

The Delta Blue is a 'meh' card though, but if you aren't flying it's better than closing the account altogether.

I went from the Gold to Blue, stayed with it for 18 months or so, and recently upgraded to the Gold again as my travel is on the rise.

Re: Amex gold delta card AF question for the Amex experts

Anonymous — Fri, 14 Aug 2020 16:06:45 GMT

@ldkcivilservant wrote:
I disagree with the above. AMEX has and can clawback Skymiles when they feel that the SUB was abused. Personally I think you should wait until after the AF posts, and then downgrade. You'll get it back.

The Delta Blue is a 'meh' card though, but if you aren't flying it's better than closing the account altogether.

I went from the Gold to Blue, stayed with it for 18 months or so, and recently upgraded to the Gold again as my travel is on the rise.

This entirely. Delta and Amex are cozy and Amex is able to claw back bonuses that are Delta related. There's enough DPs on this where it's something to worry about. I'd wait for the AF to post and downgrade as well.

Re: Amex gold delta card AF question for the Amex experts

MrDisco99 — Fri, 14 Aug 2020 16:29:26 GMT

@ldkcivilservant wrote:
I disagree with the above. AMEX has and can clawback Skymiles when they feel that the SUB was abused. Personally I think you should wait until after the AF posts, and then downgrade. You'll get it back.

That's true... Amex can claw back points if they think you are a churner. I did, however, recommend he wait until the AF posts.

Re: Amex gold delta card AF question for the Amex experts

Anonymous — Fri, 14 Aug 2020 16:53:42 GMT

@ldkcivilservant wrote:
The Delta Blue is a 'meh' card though, but if you aren't flying it's better than closing the account altogether.

I went from the Gold to Blue, stayed with it for 18 months or so, and recently upgraded to the Gold again as my travel is on the rise.

This is what i did as well, I just couldn't see paying the AF for something I wasn't using so I downgraded to Blue to keep the account open.

I can always upgrade again late in 21 or whenever this subsides. And I might even get on of those upgrade offers who knows.

Although my card was 2 years old when i downgraded not 12 months, so OP may want to be cautious of shutting it down too early.

Re: Amex gold delta card AF question for the Amex experts

Jccflat — Fri, 14 Aug 2020 16:56:58 GMT

I wanna correct myself the 300k he has are membership points not skymiles

Re: Amex gold delta card AF question for the Amex experts

MrDisco99 — Fri, 14 Aug 2020 18:46:34 GMT

@Jccflat wrote:
I wanna correct myself the 300k he has are membership points not skymiles

The Amex Delta cards earn SkyMiles, though, not Member Rewards points.

Does he have other cards that earn MR points? If so, those would be unaffected by what he does with his Delta card.

Re: Amex gold delta card AF question for the Amex experts

wasCB14 — Fri, 14 Aug 2020 23:10:04 GMT

@MrDisco99 wrote:
@Jccflat wrote:
I wanna correct myself the 300k he has are membership points not skymiles
The Amex Delta cards earn SkyMiles, though, not Member Rewards points.

Does he have other cards that earn MR points? If so, those would be unaffected by what he does with his Delta card.

I've not heard of Amex closing account A due to a customer aggressively closing or downgrading card B. The only thing in danger is the SUB (and any retention offer) on B and the eligibility for a SUB on a future card C. Closures are more related to increased financial risk or MS.

And so long as an MR-earning card is open (and for a few weeks or months afterwards), the MRs stay active.

Re: Amex gold delta card AF question for the Amex experts

NRB525 — Sat, 15 Aug 2020 08:19:28 GMT

@Jccflat wrote:
I wanna correct myself the 300k he has are membership points not skymiles

In the opening post, did I read correctly the Gold Skymiles card never earned a Skymiles bonus amount, only Skymiles at regular spend? Which never achieved $1,000 or $3,000 in the first 90 days?

If so, I'd doubt there's any problem with downgrading after this AF posts.

What are the four other cards with their 12-month coming up? Are other AF involved? What is the outline of a plan this cardholder has for those four cards and any AF?

Re: Amex gold delta card AF question for the Amex experts

Jccflat — Sun, 16 Aug 2020 01:46:22 GMT

Green Amex

gold Amex

Amex Platinum all was open to add me a AU down the road by the end of the year I want my brother to close it he opened it for me

I will be dec 5 years after bk planing to apply on my own for this cards

Re: Amex gold delta card AF question for the Amex experts

NRB525 — Mon, 17 Aug 2020 10:08:48 GMT

@Jccflat wrote:
Green Amex
gold Amex
Amex Platinum all was open to add me a AU down the road by the end of the year I want my brother to close it he opened it for me
I will be dec 5 years after bk planing to apply on my own for this cards

So three chargers, each with SUB, plus an AU added, possibly for a bonus. Each of these three cards has no first year waived AF, plus the $175 Platinum AU fee, so likely $1,125 in AF already paid for these 3+AU MR cards.

Wondering if he plans to keep all of them, as it is possible the credits might make sense. Having the 300k MR is nice, but redeeming that much in the current environment seems a challenge.

Re: Amex gold delta card AF question for the Amex experts

Jccflat — Fri, 21 Aug 2020 20:05:57 GMT

The AU didn't post yet till how long after it's posting the au can I call to downgrade and get the refund of the AU ?