topic Re: After you downgrade an AMEX... in Credit Cards

After you downgrade an AMEX...

Anonymous — Mon, 12 Apr 2021 21:12:55 GMT

...is there a waiting period before you can upgrade again? I just downgraded my BCP to BCE in September and they're offering me the option to upgrade my BCE back to BCP with $0 AF for the first year and $150 cash back after $1K spend. I thought for sure there was a year wait but that's a tempting offer with the waived AF.

Re: After you downgrade an AMEX...

K-in-Boston — Mon, 12 Apr 2021 21:15:56 GMT

No wait on upgrade offers. As soon as an offer is there, it should be yours.

Re: After you downgrade an AMEX...

M_Smart007 — Mon, 12 Apr 2021 21:21:33 GMT

Congrats on a solid offer!

Re: After you downgrade an AMEX...

Anonymous — Mon, 12 Apr 2021 22:26:24 GMT

@K-in-Boston wrote:
No wait on upgrade offers. As soon as an offer is there, it should be yours.

Thanks, K. Do the offers get better than this or should I jump on it? I wouldn't mind another year of 6% on groceries.

Re: After you downgrade an AMEX...

FinStar — Mon, 12 Apr 2021 22:33:24 GMT

I've received and seen higher than that offer with the same spend criteria. So, it's a matter of preference whether you want to bite now or later.

Re: After you downgrade an AMEX...

Anonymous — Mon, 12 Apr 2021 22:42:05 GMT

@FinStar wrote:
I've received and seen higher than that offer with the same spend criteria. So, it's a matter of preference whether you want to bite now or later.

Okay cool, thanks.

I will wait. I have at least one app coming up next month so my little spend will be going to that SUB. I am in no rush and BBVA keeps throwing out amazing offers anyway.

Re: After you downgrade an AMEX...

FinStar — Mon, 12 Apr 2021 23:06:14 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
@FinStar wrote:
I've received and seen higher than that offer with the same spend criteria. So, it's a matter of preference whether you want to bite now or later.
Okay cool, thanks.

I will wait. I have at least one app coming up next month so my little spend will be going to that SUB. I am in no rush and BBVA keeps throwing out amazing offers anyway.

I've done this about 3x on this particular card (upgrade/downgrade) at different intervals. Sometimes they offer the lesser of the SUB, but if you wait it out, they come knocking with a better offer, at least IME 😁

Re: After you downgrade an AMEX...

Anonymous — Mon, 12 Apr 2021 23:47:49 GMT

@FinStar wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@FinStar wrote:
I've received and seen higher than that offer with the same spend criteria. So, it's a matter of preference whether you want to bite now or later.
Okay cool, thanks.

I will wait. I have at least one app coming up next month so my little spend will be going to that SUB. I am in no rush and BBVA keeps throwing out amazing offers anyway.
I've done this about 3x on this particular card (upgrade/downgrade) at different intervals. Sometimes they offer the lesser of the SUB, but if you wait it out, they come knocking with a better offer, at least IME 😁

Makes sense. I can be patient. I'm not really in spending mode right now anyway, I just didn't want to pass up the opportunity for the waived AF if there was a good chance the offer would go away.

Re: After you downgrade an AMEX...

JNA1 — Tue, 13 Apr 2021 00:54:25 GMT

How long do you typically have to wait to get upgrade offers after downgrading?

Re: After you downgrade an AMEX...

pinkandgrey — Tue, 13 Apr 2021 12:25:53 GMT

I did the exact same thing way back in the day. I was getting re-upgrade offers almost immediately thereafter.

Re: After you downgrade an AMEX...

Anonymous — Tue, 13 Apr 2021 14:57:30 GMT

@FinStar wrote:
I've received and seen higher than that offer with the same spend criteria. So, it's a matter of preference whether you want to bite now or later.

With AF waived? I've seen $150 with AF waived, $250 without.

The latter is technically a little better, but I find the one without the AF more compelling for some reason!

Re: After you downgrade an AMEX...

SecretAzure — Tue, 13 Apr 2021 15:14:36 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
@FinStar wrote:
I've received and seen higher than that offer with the same spend criteria. So, it's a matter of preference whether you want to bite now or later.
With AF waived? I've seen $150 with AF waived, $250 without.

The latter is technically a little better, but I find the one without the AF more compelling for some reason!

Same for me. I prefer the $150 without having to pay anything right now which I just upgraded to yesterday.

If I do decide the AF is not worth it for me, I should downgrade after the AF hits and I've paid it, right?

Re: After you downgrade an AMEX...

K-in-Boston — Tue, 13 Apr 2021 16:11:02 GMT

@SecretAzure no need to wait until you have paid it, but I would wait until it has shown on the statement (Amex usually charges AFs when the statement is generated and not a minute sooner), at which point you have 30 days.

Re: After you downgrade an AMEX...

Wavester64 — Tue, 13 Apr 2021 16:45:29 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
@K-in-Boston wrote:
No wait on upgrade offers. As soon as an offer is there, it should be yours.
Thanks, K. Do the offers get better than this or should I jump on it? I wouldn't mind another year of 6% on groceries.

I remember when I was offered this same offer I waited and waited for something better and nothing came along so I took this offer just before the cut-off

Re: After you downgrade an AMEX...

Curious_George2 — Tue, 13 Apr 2021 17:31:56 GMT

Informative thread. Do the experiences described here also happen on Green/Gold?

Re: After you downgrade an AMEX...

Anonymous — Thu, 15 Apr 2021 21:36:13 GMT

Just be forewarned, that unless something has changed as far as welcome offers are concerned, since you already had the BCP product code, the system will find you ineligible. Marketing's systems historically have not communicated in such a way to see if you're actually eligible, hence the time-of-application/upgrade disclosures.

Re: After you downgrade an AMEX...

Anonymous — Fri, 16 Apr 2021 04:59:42 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Just be forewarned, that unless something has changed as far as welcome offers are concerned, since you already had the BCP product code, the system will find you ineligible. Marketing's systems historically have not communicated in such a way to see if you're actually eligible, hence the time-of-application/upgrade disclosures.

That's not what I have heard. Upgrade offers don't have lifetime language and are targeted per account while new card bonuses have lifetime language.

"If we in our sole discretion determine that you have engaged in abuse, misuse, or gaming in connection with the welcome offer in any way or that you intend to do so (for example, if you applied for one or more cards to obtain a welcome offer (s) that we did not intend for you; if you cancel or downgrade your account within 12 months after acquiring it; or if you cancel or return purchases you made to meet the Threshold Amount), we may not credit $150 statement credit to, we may freeze $150 credit credited to, or we may take away $150 statement credit from your account."

They reserve the right to not pay it but I haven't abused SUBs at all (I only have two cards with AMEX, both of which have gotten plenty of use beyond the SUBs, and a third I closed without even getting the SUB) so I would be surprised if they opted not to pay it.

Re: After you downgrade an AMEX...

FinStar — Fri, 16 Apr 2021 05:13:47 GMT

@Anonymous- good to see you around the forums!

Re: After you downgrade an AMEX...

notmyrealname23 — Fri, 16 Apr 2021 06:55:01 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Upgrade offers don't have lifetime language and are targeted per account while new card bonuses have lifetime language.

This is a copy and paste of the upgrade offer that's attached to my account (Green->Platinum, 25k points on spending $2k in 6 months, 10x Membership Rewards on gas and supermarkets for 6 months for up to 15k of spend):

"Welcome offer not available to applicants who have or have had this or previous versions of this Card. We may also consider the number of American Express Cards you have opened and closed as well as other factors in making a decision on your welcome offer eligibility."

I called AMEX when I saw this (since I was curious) and was told I am a past Platinum account holder (because of a past Chapter 13, my Platinum was closed only when the bankruptcy was resolved in early 2019, even though AMEX shut it down over a decade ago), and thus I would be denied the bonus were I to request an upgrade.

Needless to say, I'm not taking the upgrade. But I offer this to you as a data point about AMEX and upgrade offers.

Re: After you downgrade an AMEX...

Anonymous — Fri, 16 Apr 2021 10:43:31 GMT

@notmyrealname23 wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
Upgrade offers don't have lifetime language and are targeted per account while new card bonuses have lifetime language.

This is a copy and paste of the upgrade offer that's attached to my account (Green->Platinum, 25k points on spending $2k in 6 months, 10x Membership Rewards on gas and supermarkets for 6 months for up to 15k of spend):

"Welcome offer not available to applicants who have or have had this or previous versions of this Card. We may also consider the number of American Express Cards you have opened and closed as well as other factors in making a decision on your welcome offer eligibility."

I called AMEX when I saw this (since I was curious) and was told I am a past Platinum account holder (because of a past Chapter 13, my Platinum was closed only when the bankruptcy was resolved in early 2019, even though AMEX shut it down over a decade ago), and thus I would be denied the bonus were I to request an upgrade.

Needless to say, I'm not taking the upgrade. But I offer this to you as a data point about AMEX and upgrade offers.

Interesting. I guess they have some with lifetime language and some without. Mine is an offer without it.