topic Re: Downgraded all my Amex in Credit Cards

Downgraded all my Amex

CS800 — Sat, 10 Sep 2022 02:21:22 GMT

I went on a downgrade spree starting with my platinum since I do not travel much anymore and couln't justify the $695 for silly perks. I get several of the perks on other credit cards. I use the commuter rail, tools, parking garage more so i went for the green card instead at $150/ year. The only reason I didn't cancel is is that I have about 360000 MR points and the guy said i would lose them.

Then downgraded my Delta Gold to Blue. I could never really use the card since I could never get a CLI on it and it stayed at $2000 to this day; I have had that card for 6 years.

I also have the Blue Cash, Hilton, Blue Cash Business (all no AF)

I still use my JP Morgan Reserve for travel credits, global entry and priority pass. I feel like the JP Morgan Reserve gets me more "perks"

Re: Downgraded all my Amex

wasCB14 — Sat, 10 Sep 2022 03:38:04 GMT

You might consider dumping the Delta Blue. Delta miles don't expire and the perks are minimal.

Hilton points do expire (at least my tiny HH point balance did around 2020).

Re: Downgraded all my Amex

ZackAttack — Sat, 10 Sep 2022 05:00:42 GMT

@wasCB14 wrote:
Hilton points do expire (at least my tiny HH point balance did around 2020).

According to online, I think that is only if there isn't any eligible activity within the last 24 months of the card usage.

Re: Downgraded all my Amex

wasCB14 — Sat, 10 Sep 2022 06:43:11 GMT

@ZackAttack wrote:
@wasCB14 wrote:
Hilton points do expire (at least my tiny HH point balance did around 2020).
According to online, I think that is only if there isn't any eligible activity within the last 24 months of the card usage.

Three annual nights from CCs (IHG, Hyatt, Marriott) and a pandemic were enough for it to happen.

Re: Downgraded all my Amex

xenon3030 — Sun, 11 Sep 2022 01:04:08 GMT

To keep the Hilton points active, you may just buy ~$1 Amazon GC each quarter with your HH card and the points get transfered to your Hilton account directly. The Amex cards are designed nicely, with several perks, to attract people while several of those perks might not be easy to use for a long time (it looks to be a lot of homeworks to use small monthly credits).

If they were doing annual credit, instead of monthly, it could change lots of things. Without traveling, it is hard to justify the high AF of Amex prime travel cards like Platinum or Gold.

Re: Downgraded all my Amex

805orbust — Sun, 11 Sep 2022 09:05:08 GMT

@xenon3030 I totally agree. Unfortunately annual credits would be better for us as the consumer... which of course means it'll be unlikely to happen.

Re: Downgraded all my Amex

JNA1 — Sun, 11 Sep 2022 13:38:03 GMT

I recently downgraded my BCP to the BCE, and we upgraded DWs Cash Magnet to the BCP to get the $150 bonus and one year waived on the AF.

Re: Downgraded all my Amex

wingennis — Mon, 12 Sep 2022 13:42:28 GMT

@CS800 wrote:
I went on a downgrade spree starting with my platinum since I do not travel much anymore and couln't justify the $695 for silly perks. I get several of the perks on other credit cards. I use the commuter rail, tools, parking garage more so i went for the green card instead at $150/ year. The only reason I didn't cancel is is that I have about 360000 MR points and the guy said i would lose them.

Then downgraded my Delta Gold to Blue. I could never really use the card since I could never get a CLI on it and it stayed at $2000 to this day; I have had that card for 6 years.

I also have the Blue Cash, Hilton, Blue Cash Business (all no AF)

I still use my JP Morgan Reserve for travel credits, global entry and priority pass. I feel like the JP Morgan Reserve gets me more "perks"

Sometimes you just have to do it.

Re: Downgraded all my Amex

CashOutReFi — Sat, 17 Sep 2022 04:14:47 GMT

Good!

I went through the same thing this year. No more status symbols, no more incentivizing unnecessary spending to "make" a card's AF worth it. Now I focus on 2% cash back cards unless there's a card that offers a higher fixed % for categories I consistently spend major dollars in each and EVERY month:

- Gas

- Groceries

- Dining

I've boarded a plane maybe 20 times in my life. All domestic. I'll fly if I have to, but I have grown to hate it. Also the idea of mass transit has never been something I wanted to get attached to. The only travel spend I have is hotels (that we DRIVE to).

I'm keeping a basic Marriott card so I can hopefully soon achieve a low level "lifetime" status. We just tended to gravitate toward Marriott properties so that's what made sense to have.

Other than that, we said goodbye to the Platinum (now rose Gold) and are debating on whether to downgrade the CSR.