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It will look to them just like your post reads to us, as though you're simply bonus chasing. I would proceed with caution.
The contract says that they consider gaming to be cancelling or downgrading within 12 months of getting the card. I'd consider it safe to cancel during month 13 and get a pro-rated refund, but to be honest, I'd pay the AF for the second year and cancel it during month 25 just to be safe. Just because you're not technically gaming as far at the contract is concerned doesn't mean that Amex doesn't have the right to terminate its relationship with you.
@Anonymous wrote:It will look to them just like your post reads to us, as though you're simply bonus chasing. I would proceed with caution.
Well, maybe without context, I understand that. But I've never closed or downgraded any cards with them and I've put a more than acceptable amount of spend on my Amex cards. The reality is that the Aspire is just a much better card than the Ascend as far as benefits go, and the combo of the Aspire and the no-fee HH card has really eliminated the need to pay a $95 fee. To me, they really shot themselves in the food, because the only real benefit of the Ascend is the $15K spend weekend cert. OTOH, the Hilton Biz at least provides other bonus earning categories, and still has the $15K weekend cert, but the Ascend categories are the exact same as the no-fee Hilton. I'd actually be able to use the Biz in a different way from the Ascend when I need to rack up Hilton points.
I would tread lightly with downgrading and then going for a different card bonus. Even though you mention the Hilton business, I don't think personal vs business really matters in terms of the algorithim. You don't want to appear to be chasing after bonuses and then downgrading/cancelling the card. You have no use for the card, and you will probably not have use for the Hilton business either, resulting in the same problem after the bonus is grabbed. A pattern will develop that Amex won't like.
Unfortunately, although it is boring advice, you really should only apply for cards you actually have a need for beyond sign up bonuses, so that you can keep them and not have to downgrade and then sign up for something else. Algorithims are becoming more and more sophisticated against this behavior.
I'd pay the AF and not apply for any other Amex card just to not be on Amex's radar. Think in the long term you can still get a bonus or risk not being able to because of pattern of open/close or downgrades. That's what I'm doing with my SPG card I'm renewing it just to stay off the radar. Then next year when your AF appears you can move CL and cancel.
@kdm31091 wrote:I would tread lightly with downgrading and then going for a different card bonus. Even though you mention the Hilton business, I don't think personal vs business really matters in terms of the algorithim. You don't want to appear to be chasing after bonuses and then downgrading/cancelling the card. You have no use for the card, and you will probably not have use for the Hilton business either, resulting in the same problem after the bonus is grabbed. A pattern will develop that Amex won't like.
Unfortunately, although it is boring advice, you really should only apply for cards you actually have a need for beyond sign up bonuses, so that you can keep them and not have to downgrade and then sign up for something else. Algorithims are becoming more and more sophisticated against this behavior.
Well the categories for the no-fee Hilton and the Ascend are the same, while the Hilton Biz actually has different categories from the non-AF Hilton. And as I've already paid the first year's AF, I figured they would be okay with it. The other issue is that the similarly priced Bonvoy card actually offers a free night to help you offset the AF, while this Ascend really doesn't do much in that aspect unless you spend $15000. As I've said above, the combination of the Aspire and the no-AF card makes the Ascend rather obsolete unless you focus on spending $15000 on it every year.