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Try calling amex, many people have been offered 50k for $10k spend when upgrading

50k https://www262.americanexpress.com/business-card-application/upgrade/pa/business-platinum-charge-card/login/44926-9-1-WOC0000416
25K bonus sign up link
DEAD
Alternative 30K bonus sign up link DEAD
(Go Incognito if the link does not work for you.) Sometimes you have to go thru the entering cc info route, bec. the user id route doesn't work sometimes.

New link - https://www.americanexpress.com/us/small-business/openplatinum/benefit.do?benefitTemplate=template_a&benefitId=open.platinumupdates

Q: It's been a few days since I applied and the changes haven't taken effect yet , should I worry?
A: No. That's perfectly normal.


Q: I'm in my first year of my gold card, will I be charged the AF when I downgrade back?
A:
Yes you will


The cheshbon is that you upgrade, get the points, buy the AA GC's do the Platinum Guy's Great Mehalech, then downgrade back or close and get the Annual Fee of the Plat reimbursed. If cancelled within 60 days you get it all back; if more than 60 days it is prorated.

Author Topic: Upgrade From AMEX Business Gold To Business Platinum And Get 25K MR!  (Read 489395 times)

Offline TC610

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Offline steeeveknowsbest

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http://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=3802.0
the short version: (in case you don't want REALLY NUMB LEGS!)
call the number on the back of your card, enroll in an airline. you will now get reimbursed for up to $200 of expenses (non-ticket) paid to that airline(only the one you enrolled in)for each calender year. Examples would be baggage charges or upgraded seat charges. through a glitch in the system Amex, Gift cards in smaller denominations also get reimbursed. the preferred methods of using these credits are to buy 2*$100 AA gift cards (as AA allows you to stack up to 8 gc's towards a flight) in TWO SEPERATE TRANSACTIONS(so that it comes up as two seperate $100 dollar charge and not one $200 charge which wouldn't get reimbursed).

The other good option is"the PlatinumGuy's Grand Mehalach", this is to buy flights on delta, pay more than $200 towards EC seating (prefferred seating, use several legs if necessary). Cancel the flights within 24 hours, since it takes awhile for delta to actually reverse charges, there is ample time to get reimbursed from Amex before the charge dissapears. this affectively leaves you with a $200 statement credit. Good Luck

Offline Drago

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even if he doesn't know that, 100k! thats unreal.

true, but not e/o has $450 sitting around to spend on an annual fee

Offline bigz

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Thanks Alot! And yeah my question about whether or not to go for it was purely fee related. If i dont want to cancel the card i can downgrade to a less expensive card, right? but how long do i have to wait to do that after i get the points?

Offline steeeveknowsbest

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you don't need to wait at all, but YMMV on downgrading the platinum to a free card, also it can only be changed to a charge card (as apposed to a credit card) so gold will cost and most other charge cards cannot transfer points to airlines

Offline meyersmiles

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So I read through this entire forum but I couldn't find a clear answer. I got the card back in November so I've had it for exactly 6 months now and received the targeted email to upgrade to the Platinum for 25k points.

What is the deal with upgrading, getting the points to post, using the $200 airline credit and then downgrading the card back to the Gold within 60 days. Does that mean I will avoid the annual fee completely, or will I just get a prorated fee of half a year? Will I lose my Amex card completely? How exactly does one utilize this deal without incurring any fees?

Online AsherO

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So I read through this entire forum but I couldn't find a clear answer. I got the card back in November so I've had it for exactly 6 months now and received the targeted email to upgrade to the Platinum for 25k points.

What is the deal with upgrading, getting the points to post, using the $200 airline credit and then downgrading the card back to the Gold within 60 days. Does that mean I will avoid the annual fee completely, or will I just get a prorated fee of half a year? Will I lose my Amex card completely? How exactly does one utilize this deal without incurring any fees?

How do you figure half a year of fees if you upgrade for less than 60 days? (Amex prorates monthly)

Why would you lose your Amex if you're downgrading?

I don't know if you can do it without incurring any fees, but you can definitely profit from it.
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Offline gozalim

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what you probably would lose is the remainder of the 1st year fee on the gold. (you could also wait to do this at the end of said year)

Offline meyersmiles

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Can anyone that has downgraded their card or gone through this whole process explain to me how it works. I've never downgraded any credit cards before- does it hurt my credit, or do I have to be approved for a downgrade? Is there anyway that I end up being shit out of luck and stuck with a Platinum for the rest of the year? Is it fairly simple and quick to do, and do I have to give a valid reason?

Offline gozalim

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Can anyone that has downgraded their card or gone through this whole process explain to me how it works. I've never downgraded any credit cards before- does it hurt my credit, or do I have to be approved for a downgrade? Is there anyway that I end up being shit out of luck and stuck with a Platinum for the rest of the year? Is it fairly simple and quick to do, and do I have to give a valid reason?
it should not hurt your credit, being that the (NPSL) Credit line stays the same, only the benefits change. no 'approval' (creditwise) involved. they may ask you why you want to, but you should not be stuck. you should be able to say "I reevaluated and it's not worth the fee for me". just don't do it immediately after cashing out the $200 credit, or you may get some uncomfortable Mussar.

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what you probably would lose is the remainder of the 1st year fee on the gold. (you could also wait to do this at the end of said year)
Does anyone know this for certain?

I have a Biz Gold, I upgraded to the Platinum yesterday (I actually didnt mean to, I mistakenly clicked the upgrade button, and I just looked today and I see my account is a Platinum one) I got my Biz Gold about 3 months ago, and I plan on keeping it open and paying the yearly fee, but this year its free. Now that its a Platinum, after I get my 25K points and $200 I wanna downgrade it back to Gold, but will it still be free for first year?

(Even if not 25K points + $200 is more than $175 ;))

Offline yare

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I have a Biz Gold, I upgraded to the Platinum yesterday (I actually didnt mean to, I mistakenly clicked the upgrade button, and I just looked today and I see my account is a Platinum one)
huh?  aren't there two or three screens you have to go through before the actual upgrade, how do you do it by mistake??

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huh?  aren't there two or three screens you have to go through before the actual upgrade, how do you do it by mistake??
I am wondering the same thing... I called Amex and they told me that it was upgraded by a rep not online, but I never called ... Doesnt make sense, and since it wasnt upgraded online I wont get the 25K, so I asked to downgrade back to Gold, and their system is down - typical :(

Offline Zeeeeks

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I am wondering the same thing... I called Amex and they told me that it was upgraded by a rep not online, but I never called ... Doesnt make sense, and since it wasnt upgraded online I wont get the 25K, so I asked to downgrade back to Gold, and their system is down - typical :(
Get the $200 before downgrading...

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Get the $200 before downgrading...
Yup :) Thnx

Offline bubbles

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Yup :) Thnx

maybe try for retention bonus first too?  :D

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Maybe try for retention bonus first too?  :D
I just looked an they already billed me $375, and my statement closed yesterday... so if I get back my $375 and a $200 AA credit I'm more than fine

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Dont ask me how but...  ;D

Even though they told me it was done over the phone (which it wasn't) and I wouldn't be eligible for the 25K ...

All I did was click the upgrade button, there was no other screen to confirm ...


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Dont ask me how but...  ;D

Even though they told me it was done over the phone (which it wasn't) and I wouldn't be eligible for the 25K ...

All I did was click the upgrade button, there was no other screen to confirm ...

Congrats! Well done Ka"H!
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Offline bubbles

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Dont ask me how but...  ;D

Even though they told me it was done over the phone (which it wasn't) and I wouldn't be eligible for the 25K ...

All I did was click the upgrade button, there was no other screen to confirm ...

Nice! a profitable mistake  :)