Thread: Looking for a good American Express card?

Apply for a card because how it looks? Platinum look?

Originally Posted by 4Runner

If you already have the perfect card, why you are looking for something else. I see no point about asking for an AMEX card if they don't fit your needs.

I have a perfect card the only problem is my 95 dollar annual fee is coming up, If i get useful benefits then theres no problem. But just for purchase protection I would never use it so then it becomes a waste of money.

Originally Posted by JNK

To diversify - and keep the card portfolio diverse - would be my guess. Same reason that someone like me who is already very happy with their cards might be looking into getting another card.

That said... If you're specifically looking for concierge services that DON'T come attached to a Platinum charge or a Delta Reserve, then I think you're out of luck as Concierge and Client Entertainment-type services only come with those two cards (and other cards that are of the Platinum level or beyond like Centurion).

For a 'professional looking card' that has no AF and has decent rewards, you could try a Simply Cash business card which has the Platinum silver look along with what I feel to be a really good cashback rewards program built-in. I have no idea what your business expenditures are, so I would have no idea if the cashback rewards tiers would be useful for you but the good thing is is that there are no caps to what can be earned back.

... And aqua card? What aqua card? You mean the True Earnings Costco card? Why don't you like it?

I got that (business) instead of the Simply Cash because of my spending habits (and yes, I shop at Costco) though now that I'm spending quite a bit more than I used to on office and wireless and webhosting/server-related stuff, I'm reconsidering applying for the Simply Cash card since the Ink Cash from Chase has a cap and Simply Cash doesn't.

I'm not a professional. I work for social services, I just want an American Express card like what a business salesperson has, like somebody who works for IBM, Federal express etc. what I mean is the Aqua/Costco card.

Jnk you own a business that's cool, but what do you think would happen let's say somebody that has this card, they also have a red level Costco membership card. The service isn't as good as it once was items all over the place, food isn't as good as it once was. now you want to cancel your red store card, but you want to keep your true earnings card being it's a American express credit card and can be used all over. what do you think American express would say?

Money Card, I understand what are you saying. If you don't want to pay the AF just cancel the card, that easy. And then, go for an AMEX credit card with no AF.

But if you want to have a charge card with AMEX, paying the AF is something that will happen sooner or later, but you can't skip it.

Jnk my dad has the true earnings card, one night after he and my mom left my condo I went over to chat and asked them that question.

My Dad has a membership of 1960 on that card. he also has a red star membership card. if he decided he wanted to get rid of that but keep his true earnings card, the account mgr said NO. I've heard in other situations they also said the same thing.

Jnk you can have your costco membership on the true earnings card. Most people do, my dad changed his american express card with the company, he didn't go into costco. so he has his set up differently.

If you moved to the mountains like Boise Idaho, Portland Oregon and there were no Costco or Macys within 300 miles. let's say you moved your business. You actually never canceled your true earnings card, just your red level costco card. Costco charges 50 for the red, 100 for the black. Macys American express has no annual fee, so like your saying if something happened that card doesn't cost you 50 to 100 bucks. but your costco membership does.

Originally Posted by Money card

The platinum is for people who travel. Yes every now and then you might somebody using this card at Bed Bath and Beyond, the Container Store, Neiman Marcus, Costco.

I'm sure most people have their bill sent to there office. While I'm guessing some people have the Green Card bill sent to the office. I'm not allowed to have a small business platinum card, nobody would be able to sign for me. The personal platinum card is to expensive for me.

I guess what I'm looking for is the Green Card with some platinum benefits at the Green Card annual fee.

Platinum benefits at Green Card prices? You've got to be kidding. The benefits actually cost real money. Those people who would answer your phone call and make your dining reservations usually want to get paid just like you probably get paid on your job. You could hire a personal assistant instead. They make about $25/per hour. So your platinum card annual fee ($450) would get you 18 hours of work per year. Maybe you could find a PA for cheaper but you'd still need to provide your PA with resources to give the service you expect

The platinum card is mostly for people who travel. But my wife and I travel only a little (about 3 trips per year) and the card easily pays for itself. We've had ours only since March. My wife was maybe a little skeptical of the annual fee. Then two weeks ago on a short trip we stayed in a nice hotel for a night, got a great rate from AMEX, got upgraded to a high floor suite for free at check in, got free breakfast and a $100 food and beverage credit from AMEX, and several other perks. AMEX refunds bag fees on airlines and other incidental fees as well. We've gotten at least $750 in savings/benefits just since March. These do have to mostly do with travel, but it does not take too much travel to make the card worthwhile.

And, I've used the concierge a couple of time. They are great. I used to have a personal assistant in a former job, actually several. The AMEX concierge is better than a PA in many ways because they have a lot of resources they can draw on. And guess what, I was an executive in that job, publicly traded company, directly reported to the CEO. But I only had a green card just like the CEO only had a green card provided by the company.

My bill is sent to my residence not my office.

Really, if you want benefits you have to pay for them one way or another. You either need to spend a lot to generate fees or you pay a high annual fee. If you don't meet those criteria then you'll need to just pay for the concierge service directly. I suggest contacting Circles directly or one of the "personal virtual assistant" services.

not kidding on my capital1 gold card. I get platinum benefits like I get a full concierge, I already have 2 reservations lunch at Mickey Mantles and Dinner at the Ho-Ho-Kus Inn. I also get 0% foreign transaction fee. all I'm asking is for better benefits than lost passport, medical, roadside assistance, protection against damaged merchandise and purchase protection.

DoingHomework, have you ever used any of these benefits? has anybody in your family or coworkers ever used any of these benefits?

which would you rather have. these benefits or a little assistance in having dinner reservations being you're already paying a 95.00 annual fee? since I'm already paying the fee I would rather have all the above, most that would be used would be restaurant reservations.

I work for social services, we don't make a lot of money, but yea I get something. I would want American Express to get paid just like the Visa Signature company gets paid. I'm not asking for travel assistance, a hard to find gift, or tickets to any event. I'm just asking for a little help in dinner reservations being I soon will be paying for the card.

at your old job you mentioned you had a green card, how did you like it? which card do you like better the platinum or green? I see you get your bill sent to your residence when you had the green card. when you were an executive did you have the bill sent to your office or home? was anybody allowed to have a corporate card or just the personal? did you travel on business?

Originally Posted by Money card

DoingHomework, have you ever used any of these benefits? has anybody in your family or coworkers ever used any of these benefits?

which would you rather have. these benefits or a little assistance in having dinner reservations being you're already paying a 95.00 annual fee? since I'm already paying the fee I would rather have all the above, most that would be used would be restaurant reservations.

I work for social services, we don't make a lot of money, but yea I get something. I would want American Express to get paid just like the Visa Signature company gets paid. I'm not asking for travel assistance, a hard to find gift, or tickets to any event. I'm just asking for a little help in dinner reservations being I soon will be paying for the card.

at your old job you mentioned you had a green card, how did you like it? which card do you like better the platinum or green? I see you get your bill sent to your residence when you had the green card. when you were an executive did you have the bill sent to your office or home? was anybody allowed to have a corporate card or just the personal? did you travel on business?

We use the benefits a lot. Have saved more than the fee in the last 6 months alone just doing things we were already doing anyway.

I have a visa signature too. There is a concierge and a few other bennies. But AMEX platinum is MUCH better. You really would not understand that until you have it.

Old job: Green card was fine but no better that a visa or mastercard. No special perks. Platinum is far better. Bill came to my office then but could just as well have come to home. I had a corporate card then not a personal. Yes, I traveled a lot on business.