Where do we see AMEX going with card refreshes this year?

[Fenway2025]

This topic is more speculative as nothing has been announced for certain regarding card refreshes and AMEX. 

One thing that has caught my eye with AMEX has been the discontinuation of the AMEX everyday card that earns MR points. I've been waiting to see if AMEX would release another card without an Annual Fee outside of the BBP. Do any of you believe that a new version of the everyday will be released, and how do you forsee any refreshes for the Green, Platinum, or other cards?

[Anonymous]

The Everyday was the first no-AF card that gave "full" MRs (the Blue gave a weakened version) and at the time MyFico was surprised at this offering.  I think it was also the first free card that both earned and allowed transfers: while free Chase cards earn URs, you need a fee card to transfer, and at that time Citi and Capital One etc didn't have such offerings.

So I don't know if Amex found that a bad idea, or, more likely I suspect, customers just didn't find the card that useful.  20 transactions a month to get the increased rate of earn, and then that rate isn't very compelling.   So I wouldn't be surprised if Amex doesn't move to fill this space, for consumers let the charge cards be the MR cards...

[NoHardLimits]

As a current holder of a discontinued EveryDay card, I am hoping for a refresh that would allow me to product change into something more competitive.  A consumer version of Blue Business Plus, with a flat 2x MR, would be nice.  I'd also love to be able to cross rewards ecosystems and PC to a Blue Cash Everyday.  Those would be my wish list items for a refresh.  

However, @Anonymous accurately explained the history and lifecycle of the EveryDay card.  While the product seemed like a good thing to have when it first came out (2014-2015), the rewards landscape evolved over a decade until EveryDay became a "has been".  The question now is will Amex cede that portion of the market to Chase/Citi/CapOne etc., or will they fight to reclaim some customers?  Your guess is as good as mine.

[NAVYCHOP]

Just as a mild correction, more for those interested in history:  I still have an AMEX Optima card from the 1980's which is no fee and offers full MR points for purchases.  I think Optima was the first AMEX credit card that also offered MR points.  The card was not issued in those days for people recovering from bad credit.  Rather, it was a credit card for charge card members and in those days had an interest rate close or at prime.  The Optima color was based on your AMEX charge card such as a gold optima for gold card members and a Platinum Optima for Platinum card members.

[NoMoreDebt]

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@NAVYCHOP wrote:

Just as a mild correction, more for those interested in history:  I still have an AMEX Optima card from the 1980's which is no fee and offers full MR points for purchases.  I think Optima was the first AMEX credit card that also offered MR points.  The card was not issued in those days for people recovering from bad credit.  Rather, it was a credit card for charge card members and in those days had an interest rate close or at prime.  The Optima color was based on your AMEX charge card such as a gold optima for gold card members and a Platinum Optima for Platinum card members.

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Interesting tidbit there. When your card expires and they send you  replacement is the color and design still true to your original?

I'm currently cleaning house regarding my Amex cards. Have decided i only want to keep MR earning cards and ditch the cash back ones. I will use our NFCU cards for that. Going forward will only keep and use our Platinum, Green, BBP and the Everyday Preferred which we use mostly until we get our 30 transactions a month then after that only groceries go on it for the 4.5X points. Once we hit the $6000 annual limit we will start using the NFCU More rewards for grocery or just the BBP.

[swankytiger]

Platinum going to $895, Airline credit going to quarterly like the Aspire, Gym/fitness credit going monthly instead of tied up in 1 program, Saks credit going away, etc.

[Windchill92]

I think they're monitoring the spending dynamics in this new administration first, but will continue to raise AFs and add more credits.

[Anonymous]

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@NAVYCHOP wrote:

Just as a mild correction, more for those interested in history:  I still have an AMEX Optima card from the 1980's which is no fee and offers full MR points for purchases.  I think Optima was the first AMEX credit card that also offered MR points.  The card was not issued in those days for people recovering from bad credit.  Rather, it was a credit card for charge card members and in those days had an interest rate close or at prime.  The Optima color was based on your AMEX charge card such as a gold optima for gold card members and a Platinum Optima for Platinum card members.

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Thanks, good to know.   I think when the  Everyday came out, the Optima (in that form) hadn't been available for application for a while, so it seemed a new concept!