Reply To: Few questions on opening an Amex card

[baec_newbie]

I can answer a few of your questions.

1) In most cases, the referral reward would stack on top of any enhanced sign-up bonus. That’s the case for the current 60k Platinum offer – the person who’s referred will get an extra 5k so 65k total, and the referrer will get their usual referral bonus too (up to 12k, temporarily increased to 18k for most people, if referring from a Platinum card).

There have been exceptions, such as the 70k BA Amex sign-up offer earlier this year, but they certainly aren’t the norm.

3) Yes, though note that supplementary card spending won’t qualify for certain Amex Offers (e.g. the £150 domestic + £150 foreign restaurant credit offer).

4) Depends on the chain in question. Most won’t downgrade you until your status naturally expires, but some will. In any event this will be determined by the hotel chain, not Amex.

6) Yes.

7) No real harm in applying unless you have already made a number of other credit applications in the last 12 months and intend to (or may) need to pass a credit check for something else, e.g. a mortgage. Amex are tightening up their criteria though, and you may have to submit evidence of income.