What to do with a useless American Express Clear?

[Anonymous]

So I have 2 Amex revolvers, both backdated until 2006.  One is the American Express Blue Cash, the other is the Clear.  I don't really use either now that I got a Premier Rewards Gold to act as my Amex-only card.  I tried to PC the Clear but get shot down everytime.  The Blue Cash is at 5k, the Clear is at 5.2k lines.  Should I just keep things as is?  Should I call and close the Clear and consolidate the line to make a $10,200 Blue Cash?  I figure the saying that higher credit lines lead to higher future credit lines would help.  Anything negative to worry about scoring wise?  I'm sure I'll take a short term hit for the card closure but I'd rather be proactive and consolidate instead of them closing it down for inactivity. 

[pizzadude]

I think that AMEX is better than most companies about not closing idle cards, so if you decided to do nothing I think it would remain open.

Your idea to combine CLs and close it is also a good idea, if you want to bump your CLs higher, it help get you there.

You wouldn't be hurt by closing the CL unless your overall %util increased as a result of losing the CL, but if you get it reallocated to your other AMEX there should be no negative affects.

[birjest]

I second that.  If they don't close it out and won't allow you to combine them, atleast your uti% would be sitting pretty good.

[Juan123]

i'll take it off your hands ^_^

[learnin113]

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@Anonymous wrote:

So I have 2 Amex revolvers, both backdated until 2006.  One is the American Express Blue Cash, the other is the Clear.  I don't really use either now that I got a Premier Rewards Gold to act as my Amex-only card.  I tried to PC the Clear but get shot down everytime.  The Blue Cash is at 5k, the Clear is at 5.2k lines.  Should I just keep things as is?  Should I call and close the Clear and consolidate the line to make a $10,200 Blue Cash?  I figure the saying that higher credit lines lead to higher future credit lines would help.  Anything negative to worry about scoring wise?  I'm sure I'll take a short term hit for the card closure but I'd rather be proactive and consolidate instead of them closing it down for inactivity. 

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What I wouldn't do to have your problems.  Like seriously?  Any hit to your credit from consolidating would be temporary, but I'm sure you already know that. 

[ArisGreek]

AMEX does not consolidate lines anymore. At least that's what they have told me 3 times.  They said they used to do it and can "put a request" in but generally it is always shot down. They are moving away from that from what the rep informed me as well. 

[Anonymous]

Update

I called today during work and spoke to a nice rep who was able to help me.  At first she tried to move over 5k from the Cleare to the Blue Cash to make it an even 10k line but it came back with an error that said the lowest line possible to be kept on a card is $500.  Then I realized that I have 2,275 Clear points and at 2,500 I would get another $25 gift card.  It's not much but hey I would hate to forfeit 2,275 points.  So I kept the Clear open for the time being, went home and ordered $225 worth of Costco gift cards.  I'll wait for those points to point, get my $25 Clear rewards card, then either cancel or just keep it in the sockdrawer and not really care if they end up closing it since I'll be losing a $500 line.  I'll keep the Blue Cash open by putting my Netflix or something on it and set it to autopay. 

I just hate the fact that my Blue Cash shows a CL of $9,700 and wish they could've just given me a courtesy bump up to $10,000, lol.

[Scuba]

Even though I have closed a few cards lately, I do have a few AMEX cards because I want an immediate 10+ year history. 

If it was me, I'd keep the card until I could get a better card from them and then they will back-date that card to help your AAOA.

[Anonymous]

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@Scuba wrote:

Even though I have closed a few cards lately, I do have a few AMEX cards because I want an immediate 10+ year history. 

If it was me, I'd keep the card until I could get a better card from them and then they will back-date that card to help your AAOA.

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Not to hijack this thread too much.. but what do they backdate to? The original opening date (mm/yyyy) of your first account?

[pizzadude]

AMEX backdates to the Year of your first opened account.

Any card opened after that shows a dated opened of the actual month it was
Opened, with the year of the member since date.