Amex Green 45k MR offer...no brainer?

[Anonymous]

First, let’s take 5/24 off the table for the sake of this thread. I’m thinking of apping for Amex Green and I have a 45k MR pts offer available to me. I’m pre-approved and already have Amex Gold, BBP, BCP and Delta Gold. Pretty fully invested in MR ecosystem. CS Plat is coming for me but not yet.
I use Gold for Dining and air so green would only upgrade my earning on other travel/transit. Although I do get 3% back on BCP for transit. Also use QS Venture1 for hotels on hotels.com to get 10x there. But that’s going away on 1/31.
Any reason I should NOT app for the Green this very second?

[FinStar]

---

@Anonymous wrote:
First, let’s take 5/24 off the table for the sake of this thread. I’m thinking of apping for Amex Green and I have a 45k MR pts offer available to me. I’m pretty-approved and already have Amex Gold, BBP, BCP and Delta Gold. Pretty fully invested in MR ecosystem. CS Plat is coming for me but not yet.
I use Gold for Dining and air so green would only upgrade my earning on other travel/transit. Although I do get 3% back on BCP for transit. Also use QS Venture1 for hotels on hotels.com to get 10x there. But that’s going away on 1/31.
Any reason I should NOT app for the Green this very second?

---

Well, if you're already "pretty"-approved (which must be more solid (or pretty solid) than pre-approved then, I'd say go for it if it feels like a reasonable amount of spend to achieve the SUB and you've already done the math on the earnings portion.  It's a good way to boost MRs, but then you'll have to decide on the card's fate once the AF hits. 

[Anonymous]

Haha. Pretty approved is one level above cute approved but below beautiful approved!🤣. I saw that just before you posted and edited.

Anyway, I’m thinking same as you. Will have to decide whether or not to cancel once a year goes by and AF hits again. Good trial period and worth the SUB and benefits for at least that first year regardless I think.

Thanks!

[bourgogne]

imo a possible AoYA reset is never a no-brainer.  as an option have you considered 2 gold referrals, that will yield you close to the pts or the ink preferred will nearly double it and has some nice features to boot.  the idea of closing a card after the first year just to do a pts grab is a bad idea with ax but to each their own

[FinStar]

---

@bourgogne wrote:

imo a possible AoYA reset is never a no-brainer.  as an option have you considered 2 gold referrals, that will yield you close to the pts or the ink preferred will nearly double it and has some nice features to boot.  the idea of closing a card after the first year just to do a pts grab is a bad idea with ax but to each their own

---

While every internal profile can vary in AmEx's eyes, I've had no issue with doing so (strategically) in the past with AmEx - not something that's done with frequency, but in 20+ years of cardmembership...no issues.  And, as far as AmEx referrals, hopefully this is not suggesting self-referrals.

[bourgogne]

---

@FinStar wrote:

---

@bourgogne wrote:

imo a possible AoYA reset is never a no-brainer.  as an option have you considered 2 gold referrals, that will yield you close to the pts or the ink preferred will nearly double it and has some nice features to boot.  the idea of closing a card after the first year just to do a pts grab is a bad idea with ax but to each their own

---

While every internal profile can vary in AmEx's eyes, I've had no issue with doing so (strategically) in the past with AmEx - not something that's done with frequency, but in 20+ years of cardmembership...no issues.  And, as far as AmEx referrals, hopefully this is not suggesting self-referrals.

---

I had several situations this year where a sub was dead on a few friends cards and I am sure its because they closed out after the first year.  cannot prove it but it fits.  no, I am suggesting referrals from the card to friends or colleagues.  I sell the CIP and gold hard each year, I always seems to pickup north of 100k without much issue.  my main point is resetting a AoYA is a big deal with some profiles.  it would have to be the card of the century to tank my scores ever again.   hence my love for business cards.  there you have it lol

[FinStar]

---

@bourgogne wrote:

---

@FinStar wrote:

---

@bourgogne wrote:

imo a possible AoYA reset is never a no-brainer.  as an option have you considered 2 gold referrals, that will yield you close to the pts or the ink preferred will nearly double it and has some nice features to boot.  the idea of closing a card after the first year just to do a pts grab is a bad idea with ax but to each their own

---

While every internal profile can vary in AmEx's eyes, I've had no issue with doing so (strategically) in the past with AmEx - not something that's done with frequency, but in 20+ years of cardmembership...no issues.  And, as far as AmEx referrals, hopefully this is not suggesting self-referrals.

---

I had several situations this year where a sub was dead on a few friends cards and I am sure its because they closed out after the first year.  cannot prove it but it fits.  no, I am suggesting referrals from the card to friends or colleagues.  I sell the CIP and gold hard each year, I always seems to pickup north of 100k without much issue.  my main point is resetting a AoYA is a big deal with some profiles.  it would have to be the card of the century to tank my scores ever again.   hence my love for business cards.  there you have it lol

---

Very valid points, especially AoYA.  That said, the OP basically prefaced with "5/24" which leads me to believe they are aware that adding Green would likely have two impacts, AoYA and 5/24.  OP's decision of course.   CIP may be a good fit for some profiles who have a UR ecosystem and a business set up of some sort, but the OP mentioned they are heavily invested in MR ecosystem and already has the Gold Card.

And, the same could be said for the few friends' accounts you mentioned but it could also point to closing their cards prematurely since there's no actual proof.

[Stralem]

Honestly, I think as long as you're careful about closing the card after the year - chopping it after the 15th month vs the 12th month for example  - grabbing the card for those sweet MR points may be worth it. Once I meet my 30k MR retention bonus on my Platinum, I think I'm going to do the same.

[Anonymous]

No doubt the Green Card’s SUB is pretty good. The MRs are definitely enticing. If you were planning to simply use the card and axe it after the first year with no remorse for it on your CRs, then I would say go for it. The Gold is IMO the best card still in the MR system so I would intend on keeping that.

But... if you are under 5/24... why not go with Chase now and knock it out of the way if you are SUB chasing?