AMEX is for wannabe ballers.
 

Am I not correct?

Honestly,

A) More expensive (In CA the norm is 20% APR, Amex is 30%)
B) It doesn't appear to offer any great incentives (on most programs. SPG is an exception)
C) Lack of acceptance (not a major issue, 95% take V, MC and AMEX)


Can someone please explain to me why so many go for this service? To me it's just ego scratching and you only need min $20k/yr for AMEX, so pretty much anyone can get one.

Please, enlighten me.

I have a Platinum AMEX cash rebate that I use for all major purchases. I pay it off the next month and get checks back. I also have a Amex Starwood Platinum that I use when traveling. There's nothing wrong with free rooms and free upgrades.

Nothing sucks worse then zipping out the amex and having it refused since they don't take it.

Try getting a Centurion Card and let me know what they tell you.

And yes I have one.. It has many perks, but honestly you do have to have some bank to take advantage of them.

See point B: "exception" :)

This statement interests me the most as it confirms the thread's title.

I like to think I focus on paying my debts in a timely fashion and keeping business partners happy. Not bouncing cheques and responding to threads as if I have a superiority complex.

You are enlightened already! :thumbsup

AMEX is top of the league in plastic scams. Their "elite" marketing appeals to dumbasses with a need for "status" (unless it's a company card ripoff). Their small print stinks to hell.

I had a few AMEX cards years back and dumped them back on em cos I was not gonna pay for the "privilege" of being a "member" or listen to crap smooth-talking reps selling insurance. (Dunno if they still have an annual charge for cards?)

Leaving home without an AMEX card does just nicely!

Steen2 so Amex didn't approve your credit application huh? ;)

DH

all the real ballers have debit cards linked to their bank accounts in panama and spend the money they save on taxes for some coke, word?

Either way. Bet you alot of money you can't get one.

I admire any company with the marketing ability to sell their product (or service) at a premium mainly for the "status symbol" and remain profitable through these expensive campaigns (Ellen, Robert and Kate don't come cheap).

However, I do like to question those who fall for this. Could I fall for this? Yes. Would I if I see that (in Canada) Starwood Visa appears to offer the best benefits for your money? No. As I said, Starwood Amex is an exception in the USA (imo).

I don't have a Centurion card but I do have Amex and it rocks. Their service blows away any MC or Visa card I have.

i got amex blue, it wasnt hard to get and i dont even know the interest rate. i pay it off every month. the only reason i use it is because they have the biggest cash back rewards. i made almost 1k this year already just for charging everything on it.

Why worry about the rate when you should be paying them off each month?

No shit, I thought all Amex accounts had to be paid in full every month.

Then why do they have an interest rate?

Some have interest rates to my knowledge. I personally have one bc. of their rewards program allows you to choose from many airlines.

Never applied.
Centurion does indeed have great flight upgrade features, but I do not need a "concierge" to remind me of a birthday when his call center tells him too.

What bugs me is the people who think they're above everyone else because excellent Amex marketing has dictated that anyone with a $20,000/yr Amex card or greater is superior. Yea, right.

Same here. I assumed that Amex was for businesses or business-people who generally planned on paying it off every month, not carrying a balance, and taking advantage of the rewards.

I am not encouraging nor condoning the use of credit cards as a means of carrying debt. I am mearly pointing out that I believe there are better, cheaper options available from Visa and MasterCard, yet people with low self-esteem appear to grab an AMEX due to the product's branding.

Dunno if they spend their money on coke, but most would not dream of an AMEX card! :1orglaugh :1orglaugh

AmEx - No limits. Makes paying some big bills real easy.

Easily the best 'rewards' card going at the moment :2 cents:

I have never even given thought to what the interest rate was. Who doesn't pay in full every month?

I never carry a balance on plastic. Even regular plastic. Never.

you're comparing people who need a credit card to finance stuff to people who pay their credit card off every month. its pretty clear that almost everyone in the thread that has an amex pays it off every month and only uses it for the rewards program. i think its pretty clear you must have gotten declined and are bitter about it.

Also see point B.

i have a Platinum Amex and enough rewards points for a free plasma screen tv. i'm saving up for something better though. i don't think a baller would want a card in which you have to pay in full at the end of the month. a baller would prefer paying in cash and showing off a pocket full of cash. besides you can only us Amex at high class places.

oh yeah, having an amex is like having a personal secretary. they'll get you anything if you can afford it.

I did see point point B... i was just commenting on the SPG card

The people I know with Plat. AMX (and Black) use them for the extras - being able to get into most of the airline VIP lounges for free, getting reservations in a booked restaurant, points (esp with something like the Starwood and Delta AMX cards). I don't know of any Visa/MC that offer the VIP club and restaurant booking? I've also heard with a black card they will bump someone out of a hotel if it's booked and you want to stay there.

Who cares what the interest is? Pay your cards in full when the bill comes in and you won't have to worry about it :)

I really don't care about the flash - my favorite card was my Bank1 Visa with pugs on it - then Chase bought them out and canceled it. It was a sad day :*(

This is why I only have an AMEX besides the Mastercard I got my first year of college. The only reason I keep the MC is because it's my oldest credit card, and it's beneficial for your credit rating to keep your oldest CC open.

Aside from my AMEX's that never have a balance, I only use my debit card to pay for things.

Not declined, never applied. I just thought I should bring up the people who say "my Amex" as if they're name dropping.

SPG is an excellent program.

95% of retailers accept all three.Awesome!
It's not a good idea to cancel any credit card. It affects your debt to credit ratio (which is a portion to how your FICO score is calculated).

Get the platinum card -- You'll understand... :winkwink:

all i got is the amex gold rewards card =/

The AMEX Platinum is ok for the rewards, but you have to charge an assload to justify the $400 a year membership fee. It is an ego card, but then again, aren't they all? All of the companies have the different colors and levels of membership..... gold, platinum, titanium, diamond, cobalt, whatever. That's just part of the marketing game. We all want to feel 'special.'

But none of it matters if you don't take advantage of the rewards. I have about 200k points sitting on my AMEX that I haven't used. It seems like a hassle sometimes to use them. I don't like the 'well you can use them only during this time or under these conditions' b.s.

It does suck the lack of acceptance of the card. In all of my retailing experiences, Visa has kicked the crap out of every other card in terms of useage. If a potential customer is going to have only one credit card, chances are it's a Visa. Many bank debit cards are Visa. Mastercard is a close second, and I think I've seen a Dinner's Club card maybe twice in my life. I would guess Discover would be considered the black sheep of the credit card family. Though I think Discover is the only card Sam's Club accepts :winkwink:

If you use it for business and pay for some of your larger bills with it (hosting/printing/rent/etc) the points can add up quick. Hell, it can easily be an extra 10,000 points a month, provided your vendors accept it. It's nice to be in a position to pay those large purchases off each month to avoid the stress and finance charges, unless you're into creative financing and move the balances around.

BTW, there is absolutely nothing wrong with cancelling an old, unused credit card. Have many cards open HURTS your FICO score, not help it. Even with zero dollars on the account, a potential creditor factors in the mimimum payment if the account was fully charged. So closing old, unused credit cards, like first ones you ever received (Mervins, Best Buy, Texaco, etc) is a good idea :2 cents:

Anyone have a better alternative for a rewards card to AMEX?

I've just got a normal visa personally ... rates are very fucking low thought

I love mine.

Scarily high credit limit on it though.

I guess it must have slipped your mind that Centurion cards are issued by invitation only, so he would be wasting his time applying for one... and the annual charge is ridiculous unless you can really milk the "perks": many of which are routinely and freely available direct from airlines, hotels, stores, etc under their own loyalty programs.

Still, Amex must be doing something right: just today they announced a 17% increase in their third-quarter profits to around $1 billion, easily outpacing the rest of their industry. They also added close to 6 million new card holders last year.

Amex big strength is certainly marketing. Apart from the status, which is now illusory but still lingers from the days when they were more choosy about their customers, the no-limit claim seems to work for them (although personally I would rather know my limit than have the niggling concern that I might discover it one day by having a transaction rejected). Amex caught me years ago by sending me what looked like a gold card that was already approved and ready to activate, instead of the usual card company junk mail that amounts to nothing more than an application form. I guess in my mid-twenties I was more easily flattered, so curious too, I called and sure enough, the card was activated as soon as I confirmed my name and address. That was an effective approach and I doubt I would have bothered with their card otherwise.

I have a few amex cards and love them :)

Some for biz and some personal.. Amex in my opinion has about the best customer service of any "prime" credit card lender out there. Also once you have a relationship with Amex "cli" (credit line increases) are easy. As a matter of fact, login, goto services and hit CLI, usually you can get one instantly, if you get a form to fill out, decide if you really want one, as it will pull a hard on your cr's.

on one biz and one personal Amex (credit card not charge) I went from like 5k line in 94 to over 125k each, but it did take 11 yrs or so.

One thing to always remember with Amex, they do FR's (financial reviews) on customers sometimes. The easiest way to trigger a FR is to have 1 or more Charge Cards and 1 or more Credit Cards. If you get credit cards and have a charge card and not for biz, and don't really need it, close it..

Higher credit lines. I have 15 CC and my AMEX has the highest credit line :)

The Best amex card out there is definately SPG Platinum.

DatingGold, anyone that spends $250k/year on their AMEX can get a centuriun (also known as the "BLACK" card) , you will need to have either a few mil laying around or 24 months of positive amex banking history. But the yearly fee ($2k/year here in Australia) is not justifyable for the benefits you get back from it. Every country has different pricing and benefits, however to obtain one it's by far easiest in USA.

Amex is all about status, they don't offer anything that any visa/mc can't or don't offer. The only thing that comes to mind is Amex Plat gets free priority pass (airline lounge) that I'm not aware any other card offers. Visa White offers cardholders (singapore only) free resort stays, private boating parties, free limos etc etc...

In Australia the new Amex Platinum card (credit, not charge) offers a free flight anywhere in australia every year, so there are some bonuses, but nothing that woo's anyone with an ounce of logic.

There is of course, various levels with in each card type at Amex. John Doe will never get the same benefits as bill gates, and that is something you will never be told about by american express.

woah..my fingers are tierd!