Amex Platinum minimum income?

[Skywalker]

I’m just wondering if the >=£50k conditions are the same for upgrades?

For example, my income is not at the magic 50k, but I was (very weirdly) able to upgrade an ARCC to a Plat card via that route without a hard search on my credit file.

I have just tested this upgrade page on P2 who holds an ARCC, and remarkably it is still allowing the upgrade from ARCC (of course, this may vary person to person):

https://www.americanexpress.com/amex/en-gb/benefits/upgrade/platinum/

Accept that the 20k MR points is not as enticing as 60k, but if it’s simply the card you’re after, then it’s another route.

[AnotherRandomPerson]

Skywalker wrote:

I’m just wondering if the >=£50k conditions are the same for upgrades?

For example, my income is not at the magic 50k, but I was (very weirdly) able to upgrade an ARCC to a Plat card via that route without a hard search on my credit file.

I have just tested this upgrade page on P2 who holds an ARCC, and remarkably it is still allowing the upgrade from ARCC (of course, this may vary person to person):

https://www.americanexpress.com/amex/en-gb/benefits/upgrade/platinum/

Accept that the 20k MR points is not as enticing as 60k, but if it’s simply the card you’re after, then it’s another route.

We think the 50k minimum was temporary for the SUB.

[Simey]

AnotherRandomPerson wrote:

Skywalker wrote:

I’m just wondering if the >=£50k conditions are the same for upgrades?

For example, my income is not at the magic 50k, but I was (very weirdly) able to upgrade an ARCC to a Plat card via that route without a hard search on my credit file.

I have just tested this upgrade page on P2 who holds an ARCC, and remarkably it is still allowing the upgrade from ARCC (of course, this may vary person to person):

https://www.americanexpress.com/amex/en-gb/benefits/upgrade/platinum/

Accept that the 20k MR points is not as enticing as 60k, but if it’s simply the card you’re after, then it’s another route.

We think the 50k minimum was temporary for the SUB.

Yeah, that’s what would be good to see. So if anyone gets a Plat card and is on less than 50K, please let us know so we can be informed about it and AMEX’s thinking on this matter and changing requirements left and right!

[zapato1060]

Someone got accepted with 43k so it was temporary.

[Peter K]

zapato1060 wrote:

Someone got accepted with 43k so it was temporary.

Thanks Zapato for the data point.

[BJ]

For those going via the upgrade link there appears to be one page for upgrading from crecut cards and another for upgrading from charge cards. Dies this mean that I can still get a platinum charge card by upgrading green or will it still be a platinum credit card? I feel very reluctant to give up my green card given charge cards are no longer a thing for new applications.

[DJ]

Upgrading from the green card should give you the charge card. You can’t jump from a charge card to a credit card, since charge card is not a credit product.

[Skywalker]

DJ wrote:

Upgrading from the green card should give you the charge card. You can’t jump from a charge card to a credit card, since charge card is not a credit product.

+1

@BJ – The charge card and the credit card are entirely different card families. It will warn you/inform you what you are getting before you commit to upgrading anyway.

[BJ]

Skywalker wrote:

DJ wrote:

Upgrading from the green card should give you the charge card. You can’t jump from a charge card to a credit card, since charge card is not a credit product.

+1

@BJ – The charge card and the credit card are entirely different card families. It will warn you/inform you what you are getting before you commit to upgrading anyway.

Thanks both, I currently have green charge and gold credit so I have a decision to make.

[BuildBackBetter]

BJ wrote:

For those going via the upgrade link there appears to be one page for upgrading from crecut cards and another for upgrading from charge cards. Dies this mean that I can still get a platinum charge card by upgrading green or will it still be a platinum credit card? I feel very reluctant to give up my green card given charge cards are no longer a thing for new applications.

Isn’t the green card a charge card? You can only upgrade to a Plat charge card.

[BJ]

Thanks @BBB, yes, that’s what others were clarifying abive for me but I guess you saw that after replying.

[BuildBackBetter]

BJ wrote:

Thanks @BBB, yes, that’s what others were clarifying abive for me but I guess you saw that after replying.

Sorry, it’s a problem with the forum – gravatar linking. Ever since I linked them and added a profile pic, my posts appear with a 2 hour delay.

[BJ]

Ok, got it. I didn’t know that so apart from my being too lazy it’s a more sound reason not to bother with a photo.

[Simey]

zapato1060 wrote:

Someone got accepted with 43k so it was temporary.

Good info – especially if it’s confirmed for 100%.

Now to see if they’ll do that as soon as a new SUB starts OR if they put that in place sometime during the offer for some reason! Time will tell.

[sloth]

Simey wrote:

zapato1060 wrote:

Someone got accepted with 43k so it was temporary.

Good info – especially if it’s confirmed for 100%.

Now to see if they’ll do that as soon as a new SUB starts OR if they put that in place sometime during the offer for some reason! Time will tell.

Whilst I certainly don’t have a problem with them implementing a minimum salary, I think it’s pretty poor that it seemingly comes and goes as and when they raise the SUB… and more importantly that they don’t update the website application accordingly so people at least know where they stand BEFORE making an application. There is either a minimum salary or there is not

[JDB]

@sloth – the problem is that there are too many people trying to game the system so that providing any definitive information would actually be quite stupid. The higher SUBs attract lower paid hit and run merchants until the end of the pro rata refunds they have helped precipitate.

Amex may no longer have a published minimum income requirement but it has all sorts of regularly changing undisclosed application criteria.

I’m also not sure that it greatly adds to the supposed cachet of their flagship card to advertise the £50k number.

[sloth]

It’s immaterial whether it’s add to the ‘cachet’ of the platinum card or not. I have it, and have had it for around 6 years and been with Amex for over 20… I certainly don’t think it means anything to show the card, it’s just a credit card….with certain benefits.

The point is it’s completely unreasonable and unfair to impose and then remove minimum salary requirements advocated but not say anything until after people have applied, and possible been declined due to that sole reason. If they want to (understandbly) introduce minimum salary requirements, they should do so, state what they are, and then leave them there

[AnotherRandomPerson]

I agree with sloth.

It is not particularly reasonable to enforce a minimum requirement just in the enhanced SUB and not tell anyone about it.

If they want to keep a minimum income, that is completely fine. But this way is just odd.

[Peter K]

Personally I’ve found the cachet of this card to be zero. I’ve never had anyone make any comments regarding my using it to pay. I’ve never noticed any improvement in service by someone clocking it. No one cares about the colour of the card from my experience.

I don’t think any transient change in the required income level is going to change that.

If any card would be the flagship card, it’s the Centurion card. That’s why they name their lounges after it. That’s the only amex with real cachet.

[sloth]

Peter K wrote:

Personally I’ve found the cachet of this card to be zero. I’ve never had anyone make any comments regarding my using it to pay. I’ve never noticed any improvement in service by someone clocking it. No one cares about the colour of the card from my experience.

I don’t think any transient change in the required income level is going to change that.

If any card would be the flagship card, it’s the Centurion card. That’s why they name their lounges after it. That’s the only amex with real cachet.

Even then you have to wonder…I saw someone pay for some drinks in my local with one a few months ago (it is a nice pub tbf ) but I honestly don’t think the barman was particularly bothered either way… 🙂 on a personal level I wonder how much I would have to earn before I could justify that fee to myself (i know it’s invitation only)

[JDB]

Peter K wrote:

Personally I’ve found the cachet of this card to be zero.

You have rather summed up the problem of the Platinum card! It no longer has the cachet it once had and although it is billed as a “premium travel and lifestyle” product, it is no such thing as averred by HfP that describes it as a “middle class coupon book” – individually, and even more together an Amex marketing team nightmare. It’s a bit like M&S clothing – Amex has no idea who its Plat customer is. As a result, and because the cost can be lost in their numbers, they have to pay people to take out the card in the first place and then pay retentions greater than the next annual fee. They then reward people internally and make public statements about great new customer acquisition and retention rates!

If the product had wide appeal to quality customers that would clearly be unnecessary. The card has very little appeal to richer established people who don’t like the concept of a fee for things they get anyway and see the card as a little infra dig but it’s also over complicated in its benefits as people’s justification/maths for the fee in this site show. Less well off people simply see it as an opportunity to grab a SUB, strip out the quick benefits and close the account and Amex acquiesces. The card clearly has some appeal, but to an embarrassingly small number of people, so Amex keeps upping the ante but still to little effect. Some flagship/premium product indeed. For the UK market, the product needs a very radical rethink.

Anyway, the earlier bit of the thread was about Amex not disclosing a minimum income threshold, particularly when imposed at a time when the SUB is increased. Of course they should be allowed to protect themselves a bit against the smash and grab merchants.

[sloth]

JDB wrote:

Anyway, the earlier bit of the thread was about Amex not disclosing a minimum income threshold, particularly when imposed at a time when the SUB is increased. Of course they should be allowed to protect themselves a bit against the smash and grab merchants.

Most right minded people agree that Amex are well within their rights to have a minimum salary requirement but it’s the cack handed way they bring it in and then relax it again adhoc that is the issue. Bring it in but then leave it there and make it clear on the application page to stop wasting peoples time

[BJ]

I find the very notion that amex and some readers may think that there is a strong causal relationship between the £50k threshold and (shall we say) type of card-holder and/or incidence of gaming is hilarious. I’d love to see the evidebce.

[ffxmadman]

Anyone else had recently been approved for Amex platinum after the end of the latest sign up bonus boosted offer? Other than the one person who got approved at £43k.

[comeocome]

For what is worth, I have a strong income but still got denied. Think their internal scoring system also cares about length of stay in the uk (new expat here).