Ameriprise Gold AMEX converted to AMEX green

[Anonymous]

I recently got my AMEX green card as a replacement for the discontinued Ameriprise Gold.  Lower annual fee, "upgrade now" offers on Gold and Platinum on the website.  I just haven't figured out whether it's worth keeping or not.  With air travel being "different" this year I'm starting to think I might do better accruing MR points instead of chasing Delta SkyMiles with my Delta Platinum and my wife's Delta Reserve.  

On a semi-side-note, I am NOT a fan of the sickly pale green color of this card...wasn't the old green card darker?  It also feels flimsy and "cheap".

[Brian_Earl_Spilner]

The card is made from recycled materials, and less of them to be eco-friendly, which explains how flimsy it is. I'm gonna assume they went for a more seafoam color because the plastic to make them is recovered from the ocean.

[notmyrealname23]

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@Anonymous wrote:

I recently got my AMEX green card as a replacement for the discontinued Ameriprise Gold.  Lower annual fee, "upgrade now" offers on Gold and Platinum on the website.  I just haven't figured out whether it's worth keeping or not.  With air travel being "different" this year I'm starting to think I might do better accruing MR points instead of chasing Delta SkyMiles with my Delta Platinum and my wife's Delta Reserve.  

On a semi-side-note, I am NOT a fan of the sickly pale green color of this card...wasn't the old green card darker?  It also feels flimsy and "cheap".

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You get 3x MR using Green to buy Delta tickets, which convert to 3x SkyMiles. Same as the Reserve and Platinum. You actually do BETTER on the Green for restaurants and dining plus general travel that isn't hotels than you do on any of the Delta AMEX cards.

It still blows my mind that AMEX Platinum earns 5x for Delta and includes SkyClub access when you fly Delta (plus you could use the $200 airline benefit to defray baggage fees) and Delta's premier card only earns 3x- wouldn't you want YOUR cobrand airline card to always be top dog for earning miles when someone buys a ticket using that card? But I guess Chase and Amex have it figured out...

Anyways, unless you're really getting value on the MQD waivers/MQM, baggage fee waivers and 241 vouchers (which you certainly can, don't get me wrong), AMEX's cards are always at least even or better earners for DL SkyMiles than DL's own cards are... plus you're not locked into SkyMiles.

[wasCB14]

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@notmyrealname23 wrote:

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@Anonymous wrote:

I recently got my AMEX green card as a replacement for the discontinued Ameriprise Gold.  Lower annual fee, "upgrade now" offers on Gold and Platinum on the website.  I just haven't figured out whether it's worth keeping or not.  With air travel being "different" this year I'm starting to think I might do better accruing MR points instead of chasing Delta SkyMiles with my Delta Platinum and my wife's Delta Reserve.  

On a semi-side-note, I am NOT a fan of the sickly pale green color of this card...wasn't the old green card darker?  It also feels flimsy and "cheap".

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You get 3x MR using Green to buy Delta tickets, which convert to 3x SkyMiles. Same as the Reserve and Platinum. You actually do BETTER on the Green for restaurants and dining plus general travel that isn't hotels than you do on any of the Delta AMEX cards.

It still blows my mind that AMEX Platinum earns 5x for Delta and includes SkyClub access when you fly Delta (plus you could use the $200 airline benefit to defray baggage fees) and Delta's premier card only earns 3x- wouldn't you want YOUR cobrand airline card to always be top dog for earning miles when someone buys a ticket using that card? But I guess Chase and Amex have it figured out...

Anyways, unless you're really getting value on the MQD waivers/MQM, baggage fee waivers and 241 vouchers (which you certainly can, don't get me wrong), AMEX's cards are always at least even or better earners for DL SkyMiles than DL's own cards are... plus you're not locked into SkyMiles.

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When people spend a lot on Delta Reserve, they are usually focused on earning MQMs for upgrades. I certainly go for raw MRs...though Virgin Atlantic award space (at least before corona) could be tricky to find on popular routes.

[NRB525]

at the risk of relegating this post to Smorgs, holders of the updated Green card have a special green See Through feature when you hold it up to the light...

Getting back on topic, I think MR make more sense when flying, and so I closed my Delta Reserve earlier this year, to focus on the Platinum / Gold / Green trifecta. Metal and flexible See-Through, the best combo.  

[MrDisco99]

Yeah the higher end Delta cards are not so much for earning miles as they are for maintaining status.

MR points are better for earning miles, but you don't get status.

Depends on what's more important to you.  If you fly often, status can be much more valuable.  If you're just collecting miles so you can go on a big vacation someday, then MR points is probably better.

[Loquat]

Did they give you an opportunity to opt out? Reason I ask if because it would suck to have a card converted and then lose out on the potential sub if you ever wanted it in the future.