Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I suppose the perks make perfect sense for wealthy people, but I already have an Amex Optima card, and presumably from my credit report and card-usage profile the Amex Corp knows I'm not a wealthy individual. So why market the Gold Card to me?
I used to have a Gold Card back in the 80's, but only for one year because of the $75 fee (now $195), but I only got it as a status symbol. In fact, I dropped it after I read a quote from an Amex executive who said something like "the difference between the Gold Card and the Green Card is that the Gold Card is Gold, and the Green Card is Green." They admitted it was all status-based marketing.
Or is there something an average Joe like me is missing out on by not having the Gold Card?
I have the plat card and its 450.00 and its a much better card for travelers. I wouldn't get the gold card for 160.00, that's the fee per the Amex website and free for the first year.
I travel enough that the upgrades that the Gold Card gets me make sense and since many of the places I like to stay in various towns are from different hotel chains I don't have to worry about not accumulating "loyalty points" in just one program.
I use the "member rewards" mostly to make the card itself "free" so there is not really a cost for having it in my wallet.
When I do travel over seas I don't have to worry about "currency fees" which can be giant PITA...
In theory, if you travel enough, a Platinum card offers even more benefits and depending on your use it too can accumulate so many points that it too would have no cost... Amex Business Gold Rewards vs. Amex Business Platinum
i took advantage of an offer chase had to upgrade my chase credit card to a new free chase card with better rewards . i got 20,000 points yesterday just for upgrading .
i took advantage of an offer chase had to upgrade my chase credit card to a new free chase card with better rewards . i got 20,000 points yesterday just for upgrading .
Upgrade to which? If it's freedom to the new freedom I'd say the freedom is better (and it varies by person) as I take full advantage of the 5% rolling categories.
If you want AmEx Membership Rewards points but can't justify swinging the big fee on the Gold or Platinum card, look at the AmEx Everyday (no annual fee) or Everyday Preferred (annual fee, but a slightly stronger points earner). They are by far the most cost-effective way of earning AmEx Membership Rewards points, but they don't offer the variety of travel-related services the pricier cards do.
(I have the Everyday Preferred in my wallet, and most months I manage to hit the 30 charges per month required to get the bonus point multiplier, so my points have piled up fast. And I travel enough that a big pile of Membership Rewards points comes in handy. But YMMV.)
my favorite card is the 2% back visa card from fidelity . it used to be an amex card but they just broke with amex and went to visa . a full 2% and no fees .
i prefer to take the gift cards . my reason is we use the gift cards for things we normally would not do or buy . once the money goes to our account instead it just becomes part of the funds and we find we never do the things we would have done with the gift cards .
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
