Happy Monday morning on the first Monday of November! Only 24 more days until my birthday, woo hoo! Anyway, this post was brought to you by the letter “A”merican Express…
First off, all my American Express credit card statements close at the beginning of the month and I noticed a $75 annual fee on my American Express Hilton HHonors Surpass Credit Card. This card is only good if you want Hilton Gold Status and stay in domestic Hilton Hotels, since you earn 12x. I also have the Citi Hilton HHonors Reserve Credit Card which offers Hilton Gold Status and 10x at Hilton Hotels. Plus it has no foreign transaction fees and earns a free weekend night after spending $10,000/year. For even more analysis, please read MSing for Hilton HHonors Points (4 Credit Card Comparison) and Reykjavik, Iceland Hotel Options. Long story short, the American Express Hilton HHonors Surpass Credit Card is not worth the $75 annual fee.
I was hoping to convert this AMEX card into a AMEX Everyday Credit Card, but the representative could only downgrade me to the no annual fee Hilton AMEX or convert the card to a Delta AMEX. I declined both offers and asked if I could move the credit to an existing AMEX credit card. He said yes, so I was able to move a big chunk to my Old AMEX Blue. My new credit line on the Hilton Surpass was lowered to $500 and the remaining credit line was moved to the Old AMEX Blue, bringing that credit line up to $13,000. Excellent! The Hilton Surpass Credit Card was then closed, per my request (annual fee refund pending).
My new (higher) credit line for my Old AMEX Blue.
Here are some of the better AMEX Offers available. I need to see if you can buy anything else at FedEx Office stores (like gift cards), since this would be a great deal. I think Sony also sells gift cards. Shawn @ Miles To Memories has some good info on FedEx Office and Petco. If you were planning on staying at any Waldorf Astoria or Conrad Hotels, you can save a few bucks with those AMEX Offers.
Here are a bunch of the other AMEX Offers that are not quite as interesting to me…
Last but not least, this is a disturbing new trend from American Express. Instead of offering cash back on AMEX Offers, they started offering 2x Membership Reward Points on certain retailers. 2x is nothing to write home about, especially since you get 1x on everything every day of the week. I hope the 2x offers do not become too popular, since American Express might get away from the cash back offers and start promoting more 2x Membership Reward offers. What do you think, am I being to paranoid? *gasp, what was that outside my window?!*
If you have any questions, please leave a comment below.
Surpass is well worth $75 since you can generate low cost HH and get HH Diamond thru spend. Probably the least appreciated card around. And with a few AU’s, can typically recover all the AF or more with sync and SBS deals.
I think the Citi Hilton HHonors Reserve Card with the $95 annual fee is better than the American Express Hilton HHonors Surpass Card with a $75 annual fee. Personally, I have 8 AMEX cards (primary and authorized user cards), so I’m not losing much sleep over 1 less card regarding AMEX offers and Small Business Saturday rewards. Spending $40,000/year for Hilton Diamond Status is not worth it to me, since I can get Hilton Gold Status for free. Lastly, I am not a fan of the FOREX fees on the AMEX card. If the AMEX card works for you, then you should keep it open.
Good to see your Blue Cash hasn’t been shut down Grant. I take it you weren’t doing $100,000 a month like some FTers. Apparently the so called legend Marathon Man was shut down and so was his wife. Time to look for a job apparently for many of them. One guy was making $6,000 in cash back/mo and said he will have to work on his resume now. LOL. I have the old Amex too, still alive, but MS is a pittance, I don’t do the MO thing, just Serve and mainly for promos. Not too concerned. Funny how all those on FT who were shut down says it was random, not targeted. They all were doing 5 figures or more a month (save for a few), recycling their line, etc. Anyway I digress, can’t believe AMEX is now doing reward points for their promos. No good.
Since the Old AMEX Blue has really no sign up bonus, or annual fee, I have been very slowly spending on it. I’m mixing in a bunch of random charges and the occasional CVS / Walgreens / grocery store charge. Slowly ramping up spending at those locations. No rush, just slow and steady.
Grant, so you asked to move credt limit to other card when you close you surpass card? How long it takes to see the new credit line on another card? Interesting, i just called to move some e available credit line from spg to everyday several days ago and received letter today to know it was declined…
You can only move credit from one card if that card has been opened for at least 1 year. Is your SPG card at least 1 year old? The credit line reallocation request was processed an approved right away over the phone. Other times, I have received letters a few days later that the request was denied (probably since the card was not 1 year old).
Grant, does Brooks brothers or Petco sell visa or mastercard gift cards? Thanks in advance
I’m not sure, but I would guess that they don’t sell Visa or MasterCard gift cards.
thanks.
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