Member since “Amex” on new applications

[jkry]

If someone is an existing authorized user or card holder, and then applies for a new account; will they have a card issued with a member since 2021 or the year of the account they're already a signer on? 

[coldfusion]

Can't speak for certain as to whether or not being named as an AU qualifies you to be considered a member.

If you acquired a card without first being an AU on someone else's card your membership date is tied to your first card's approval and all subsequent cards will show that same Member Since date.   This is true even if all of your AMEX cards were closed and you later reopened one - it will still show the original Member Since date.

[Jordan23ww]

Your card will display the year you were issued your first Amex card.  So if you were an AU on Amex before getting your own card, the member since date will show the year you became an AU. That's exactly what happened to me. I was added as an AU in 2019 and then got my first Amex in 2020.  All my cards say member since 2019. 

[jkry]

Okay awesome!!! I had added my husband, to my BCP card in 2019, and was curious , if he applies for a good card whether it would say 2019 or since it's his first card under his own SSN and account 2021.  That's pretty cool.  I wonder if it works Vice versa? Since I've been card holder since 2017, and he adds me if my authorized card will ha e my date on it.  Just curious 🧐 

[Anonymous]

Yes your AU card will show your 2017 date.

[Remedios]

That's only for cosmetic purposes, though.

It can show you've been a member since 1899, but it will report with opening date, or in case of AU, opened date will be month and year in which they were added. 

[KJinNC]

This doesn't answer the OP's question, but I will just add for community info that if you had an Amex card in the past - say, 1990 to 1995 - and you open one now, it will probably say "Member since 2021" unless you ask them about it. How I know: I had a Green card from 1990 to 1995, then no Amex until 2019. My Amex card showed up saying "Member since 2019", but based on what I'd read here, I asked if they could put my original member date on it. Took them a while to find the old records to verify, but, they did. My Amex cards now all say "member since 1990" and CSRs sometimes thank me for my "30 years of membership".

I doubt they would intend for AU cards to count for "member since", but it might count depending how their database or records are set up. Good luck!

[DaveInAZ]

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@Jordan23ww wrote:

Your card will display the year you were issued your first Amex card.  

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Yes, and they have a really good memory. I was in college in 1987 and a got a pre-approved mailer for the Gold card with NPSPL. It was a $75 AF but i thought "cool, I can really use it when I graduate". Well, when you live in a dorm you don't spend much, just pizza & beer. Spring Break, and I didn't leave home without it. I was up to around $500 and tried to make around a $50 purchase in a department store. Back then they still used a telephone to call for authorization. Clerk looks confused and hands me the phone saying "that want to talk to you". The Amex rep basically starts off with "why are you spending to much???". I tell her "I'm travelling, don't leave home without it, remember?". Rep tells me grudgingly that she'll approve the purchase, but the card will be declined for any other purchase until I pay the balance in full. I tell her "don't bother approving the purchase, I'll put it on my Visa with $5,000 CL and I know where I'm at with it". 

Got home, mailed them a check for the balance in full along with an angry letter demanding they close the account and refund my AF. I don't think they refunded the AF. So yeah, the Blue Cash card I got in 2017 says "'Member since 1987". And I still don't like them. With the SUB and only grocery spend they haven't made a dime off me. 

[BearsCubsOtters]

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@DaveInAZ wrote:

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@Jordan23ww wrote:

Your card will display the year you were issued your first Amex card.  

---

Yes, and they have a really good memory. I was in college in 1987 and a got a pre-approved mailer for the Gold card with NPSPL. It was a $75 AF but i thought "cool, I can really use it when I graduate". Well, when you live in a dorm you don't spend much, just pizza & beer. Spring Break, and I didn't leave home without it. I was up to around $500 and tried to make around a $50 purchase in a department store. Back then they still used a telephone to call for authorization. Clerk looks confused and hands me the phone saying "that want to talk to you". The Amex rep basically starts off with "why are you spending to much???". I tell her "I'm travelling, don't leave home without it, remember?". Rep tells me grudgingly that she'll approve the purchase, but the card will be declined for any other purchase until I pay the balance in full. I tell her "don't bother approving the purchase, I'll put it on my Visa with $5,000 CL and I know where I'm at with it". 

Got home, mailed them a check for the balance in full along with an angry letter demanding they close the account and refund my AF. I don't think they refunded the AF. So yeah, the Blue Cash card I got in 2017 says "'Member since 1987". And I still don't like them. With the SUB and only grocery spend they haven't made a dime off me. 

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What happened to your signature?

[jkry]

Hahahah!!! Pretty cool story!!!! But also, yeah, let me spend! Come on!!!  Thanks for the laugh and info!