AMEX Corporate Card Questions

[charp150]

Hello Everyone-

I currently have a green Corp AMEX (my employer is fully liable) and have a few questions for anyone who is familiar with the corp programs:

1. I put ~150k/year through the card (primarily direct travel bookings) for which I recieve no MR points.  I was recently informed that I can upgrade my green to Gold or Plat at my expense (AF paid by me).  Does anyone know if doing so would afford me MR earnings?  When I call AMEX, they tell me to call my employer, when I call employer, they tell me to call AMEX.  A colleague of mine told me that there is a program that allows you to earn MR points for $100/year but I can't find any info about it.  I assumed he might be talking about doing an upgrade.  

2. My employer pays AMEX only after our expense reports are approved by management.  My boss is absurdly slow in approving expense reports and they can sometimes sit in queue for long periods of time.  AMEX does not specify a due date for the corp card but rather calls it a 'please pay by date'.  Recently, several statement cycles went by without payment (balances got really massive).  I got nasty emails from AMEX.  The balances were eventually paid but I'm worried they might use this against my personal card portfolio (I'm about to ask for a CLI on Delta).  I called and spoke with a CSR who told me that cards issued through my particular employer are never subject to AA unless my employer directs the card to be closed (my company is one of AMEX's largest corp customers).  Does anyone know if AMEX couples corp and personal cards together for risk assessment? 

[K-in-Boston]

1.) I'm not aware of any Amex program that allows you to change the rewards recipient to any entity other that the person or corporation who is financially responsible for the account.  Upgrading to Gold or Platinum would only give you the benefits and perks available with those card types, not a separate Membership Rewards account.

2.) Your use of any corporate card or small business card for which you have no financial responsibility is not considered by Amex.

[coldfusion]

Unfortunately one of the mods moved the thread while I was replying which blocked my original reply, so this is my 2nd attempt.

From memory there is a risk assessment done when your employer requests that you be issued you a card, but AFAIK there is no linkage between your corporate card and personal cards, and payment issues are strictly between you and your employer although the account may be assessed a fee each month if payment (IIRC) goes past 90 days due.

As I understand it, whether or not you personally accumulate your MR from use of your corporate card is your employer's choice. My employer is also a very large AMEX client and we do not personally accumulate MR either.

There is a program known as the Corporate Advantage Program, where corporate cardholders may be invited to apply for a personal Platinum, Gold, or Blue Cash Preferred card (see the bottom right of the Home page for Exclusive Personal Card Offers) and get yearly statement credits of $150 for Platinum, $100 for Gold, or $50 for the BCP against the yearly fee.   Is that the program you're alluding to?

[Anonymous]

My company allows us to join the member rewards program, but we have to write a check and send it to headquarters to cover the cost, which I believe was $95 per year. They recently upgraded me to the platinum card, so I won’t have to pay the annual fee anymore.

[sjt]

I think it all depends on how the Corporate Account was set up with your company. If its central bill, where your employer gets billed, then I believe they receive any MR, if it was set up. You might want to call Amex or talk to your employer's Amex Program Admin.

[KJinNC]

Somewhat related question. I have a corporate Amex green card. My employer is a Fortune 50 household name company. However, I don't use my card very often. I only have it to pay for relatively rare travel. My company encourages everyone at my level to get the card, so I did.

When I log into Amex, I see this:

In recognition of your Corporate Card Membership:

An exclusive Personal Card offer with a recurring annual statement credit.

Through the Corporate Advantage Program, you're eligible to apply for an exclusive Personal Card offer on the Platinum, Gold, and Blue Cash Preferred Cards. Earn a statement credit on your Personal Card every year you maintain your Corporate Card Membership. Terms apply.

The specific offers are account credits. It doesn't say anything about qualification, or prequalification.

But it makes me think, if they can give me a personal offer of an account credit if I sign up, do I also get brownie points for qualification? If so, enough to matter? Thin (but positive) file, so I can use all the help I can get. Thanks for any insight.

[sjt]

It’s called the Corporate Advantage Program. They offer personal card products to Corporate Card Holders with extra benefits and pre qualification.

[KJinNC]

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@sjt wrote:
It’s called the Corporate Advantage Program. They offer personal card products to Corporate Card Holders with extra benefits and pre qualification.

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My question is, does it make it any easier for me to get a card, or does it just give me a benefit (account credit) if I do get a card? The text only mentions the account credit, not any help qualifying, but I would not be surprised if they did give a boost to business card holders, since they probably want to keep large companies happy and don't want complaints bubbling up, and getting a corporate card as an employee of a large corporation probably implies some level of trustworthiness or at least income. Thanks!

[sjt]

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@KJinNC wrote:

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@sjt wrote:
It’s called the Corporate Advantage Program. They offer personal card products to Corporate Card Holders with extra benefits and pre qualification.

---

My question is, does it make it any easier for me to get a card, or does it just give me a benefit (account credit) if I do get a card? The text only mentions the account credit, not any help qualifying, but I would not be surprised if they did give a boost to business card holders, since they probably want to keep large companies happy and don't want complaints bubbling up, and getting a corporate card as an employee of a large corporation probably implies some level of trustworthiness or at least income. Thanks!

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According to my friend, it does. His daughter got the Advantage offer when she started her job and was issued a Corp Card. At that time, they offered a Blue credit card and/or Gold Charge. She chose the Blue and was approved with a $10K limit. She had no credit history at the time.

You might want to ask your company Amex program admin or call Amex.

[KJinNC]

I tried the Amex chat. It's been helpful before. Today, though, the CSR just kept coping and pasting in irrelevant information that matched some keywords but didn't address my question. He was a human, I could see him typing and some of the answers were clearly human, but he may as well have been a bot. Waste of time, and disappointing for a company I thought had great customer service. I will try calling. Thanks!