Upgrading from the Gold Charge card

[vallver]

Hi everyone,

I currently hold the American Express Preferred Gold Charge card and I’m thinking about the following 3 options:

a) Upgrade to Platinum charge – I feel that the dining and HN credit would make up for the increased cost
b) Switch to the Gold credit card – for the free year
c) Switch to the Gold credit card and upgrade to the Platinum Credit card – for the 100k bonus

What would you recommend? I do a lot of my spend abroad with an average of ~£5k a month

Thanks

[Harrier25]

I don’t think that you can switch to a credit card from a charge card. It would need to be a new application.

If you plan to do lots of spending abroad with an Amex, then in my opinion PRG charge or credit would be your best friend for the double MR points.

I don’t think you’ll qualify for the welcome bonus with the Platinum card anyway as you already hold an MR points card. You’ll only qualify for a welcome bonus with the BA Premium card.

[Skywalker]

@vallver as @Harrier25 says, no welcome bonus as you already hold an MR card, but see this link:

https://www.americanexpress.com/uk/benefits/upgrade/platinum-charge/

– if you choose to upgrade and if your card is upgradeable via the link then the current charge card upgrade offering is 20k MR points .

[Yamahareo]

I recently held the Gold credit, and was offered an upgrade. Amex live chat has said I’m currently on the 100k for £10k spend via the upgrade offer, so that definitely is an option.

[BBbetter]

If you plan to hold platinum card for a longer time frame, the charge version is much better. It might be worth foregoing the bigger upgrade bonus on credit version.

[Harrier25]

I agree with @BBbetter with regards to the charge card being the better option, but if you’ll be spending £5k a month abroad then I’d just stick with the Gold charge card that you currently have.

[vallver]

Thanks everyone! Sounds like I might be better off with the gold then – do the supp. Golds from the Plat also have the bonus earnings for foreign spend?

[Harrier25]

No, only the supps on the Preferred Rewards Gold card have double points for FX spend and airline bookings. In my view PRG has a much better offering than Platinum if you want to collect loads of MR points.

[BBbetter]

Harrier25 wrote:

No, only the supps on the Preferred Rewards Gold card have double points for FX spend and airline bookings. In my view PRG has a much better offering than Platinum if you want to collect loads of MR points.

Interesting, Harrier. Two questions come to mind when we think about holding cards long term.

1) Is the Gold card better than the Bonvoy card?
Gold: £195 fee, gets 12500 points for 25k spend. Bonus points on airlines or other ccy.
Bonvoy: £95 fee, gets you a night voucher (valued at approx £125) for same 25k spend. Points more flexible.

2) Would you get the gold card if you already hold the plat?

[Harrier25]

I suppose it’s personal preference. In their current forms I would hold Gold over both Platinum and Marriott Bonvoy.

I’m not saying the Bonvoy card is poor value, it’s just that I tend to stay in Hilton or IHG branded hotels, so the Hilton Barclaycard is my preferred hotel branded credit card at this time.

In my personal opinion…not everyone’s, the Amex Plat in its current form is very poor value.