Replacement for AMEX PRG

[Gary02]

I've had an AMEX Premium Rewards Gold Card for about seven years or so now and I've generally been happy with it; however, with the 30k spend bonus going away it's hard to justify the $175 fee, and I'm looking for a replacement. I'm trying to figure out if I switch to a different AMEX card or cash out my Rewards points and move on. Generally I put everything on the card to the tune of about $5-6k per month, but don't fly very often (though I do use points to buy tickets) and credit score is circa 800. I don't think I've used points for anything other than flights in the past, but because AMEX points translate to 1%, cash back might be a better option in any case. Any suggestions to maximize value?

[hyp0luxa]

AMEX Everyday / Everyday Preferred if you do a lot of in-category spending. Both of these cards use the same MR point program and can transfer to travel partners. The Everyday has no fee, the Preferred does, I think it's 75/yr.

[zorbachs]

The only difference is the everyday is capped with category spending, correct?

 

I too am wondering if it's worth keeping the PRG card with its devaluating (plat card might be gone for me too). I keep hoping they'll add dining to it to make up for the 30k bonus. If they do, I'll keep it

 

 

Sent from my iPhone

[mendelssohn]

The Everyday Preferred is a good choice.

 

If you were spending well above $30K in purely 3x and 2x categories, the EDP won't be as valuable to you. Otherwise, you will come out ahead with the EDP.

[Konrad2012]

I've had an AMEX Premium Rewards Gold Card for about seven years or so now and I've generally been happy with it; however, with the 30k spend bonus going away it's hard to justify the $175 fee, and I'm looking for a replacement. I'm trying to figure out if I switch to a different AMEX card or cash out my Rewards points and move on. Generally I put everything on the card to the tune of about $5-6k per month, but don't fly very often (though I do use points to buy tickets) and credit score is circa 800. I don't think I've used points for anything other than flights in the past, but because AMEX points translate to 1%, cash back might be a better option in any case. Any suggestions to maximize value?

 

So get the bonus or get the AF waived. $60k-$72k/yr in spend they'll strive to keep your business.

 

http://www.creditboards.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=538798

Edited January 22, 2015 by Konrad2012

[mendelssohn]

 

I've had an AMEX Premium Rewards Gold Card for about seven years or so now and I've generally been happy with it; however, with the 30k spend bonus going away it's hard to justify the $175 fee, and I'm looking for a replacement. I'm trying to figure out if I switch to a different AMEX card or cash out my Rewards points and move on. Generally I put everything on the card to the tune of about $5-6k per month, but don't fly very often (though I do use points to buy tickets) and credit score is circa 800. I don't think I've used points for anything other than flights in the past, but because AMEX points translate to 1%, cash back might be a better option in any case. Any suggestions to maximize value?

 

So get the bonus or get the AF waived. $60k-$72k/yr in spend they'll strive to keep your business.

 

http://www.creditboards.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=538798

There is no bonus anymore.

[cv91915]

 

 

I've had an AMEX Premium Rewards Gold Card for about seven years or so now and I've generally been happy with it; however, with the 30k spend bonus going away it's hard to justify the $175 fee, and I'm looking for a replacement. I'm trying to figure out if I switch to a different AMEX card or cash out my Rewards points and move on. Generally I put everything on the card to the tune of about $5-6k per month, but don't fly very often (though I do use points to buy tickets) and credit score is circa 800. I don't think I've used points for anything other than flights in the past, but because AMEX points translate to 1%, cash back might be a better option in any case. Any suggestions to maximize value?

So get the bonus or get the AF waived. $60k-$72k/yr in spend they'll strive to keep your business.

http://www.creditboards.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=538798

There is no bonus anymore.

 

 

No retention bonus?

[mendelssohn]

 

 

 

 

I've had an AMEX Premium Rewards Gold Card for about seven years or so now and I've generally been happy with it; however, with the 30k spend bonus going away it's hard to justify the $175 fee, and I'm looking for a replacement. I'm trying to figure out if I switch to a different AMEX card or cash out my Rewards points and move on. Generally I put everything on the card to the tune of about $5-6k per month, but don't fly very often (though I do use points to buy tickets) and credit score is circa 800. I don't think I've used points for anything other than flights in the past, but because AMEX points translate to 1%, cash back might be a better option in any case. Any suggestions to maximize value?

So get the bonus or get the AF waived. $60k-$72k/yr in spend they'll strive to keep your business.

http://www.creditboards.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=538798

There is no bonus anymore.

No retention bonus?

Oh, I thought he was referring to the 15K for $30K spend bonus.

 

I'm going to try for a retention bonus when my AF posts, but I'm ready to shut my PRG down if I don't get what I want.

[Konrad2012]

This guy says his PRG is his daily spender and gets $5k-$6k/mo through it. I'm guessing Amex will give him the 25k MR retention offer.

 

Also if this is his daily spender, it should be pretty easy for him to calculate avg transactions/mo, and then use his end of year summary to categorize his spending and see what a new card like the EDP could net him in points vs the PRG. That's truly the only way for him to know whats best for him, and would take 4 or 5 minutes.

[BDK]

I don't know of a good replacement for PRG for that amount of spend. I'm up against this wall myself, and will soon have to make a decision.

[Gary02]

Thanks for the tips, especially on the retention bonus and on categorizing spending. Average 100-130 transactions a month, would max out the grocery category (for EDP) and don't buy too many flights so it's likely that the EDP card would be a good value at this point. I'll probably still ask for the retention bonus and failing that fall back to the Everyday mainly due to the fact that I don't want to mess around dealing with low initial limits or redoing a substantial number of auto pays.

[mendelssohn]

Thanks for the tips, especially on the retention bonus and on categorizing spending. Average 100-130 transactions a month, would max out the grocery category (for EDP) and don't buy too many flights so it's likely that the EDP card would be a good value at this point. I'll probably still ask for the retention bonus and failing that fall back to the Everyday mainly due to the fact that I don't want to mess around dealing with low initial limits or redoing a substantial number of auto pays.

You would have to put a lot of spending in the grocery category on your PRG to come out ahead against the EDP.

 

Remember that all of your 1x transactions will be 1.5x on the EDP with 30 transactions per month.

[zorbachs]

I just don't see much of a reason to keep the PRG now. I am debating whether to pay the fee again this year but I think I could apply for an everyday and be just fine. Unless they had more bonus categories to the PRG to offset the 15k bonus for 30k spent, it isn't worth keeping a PRG IMO.

[Konrad2012]

I just don't see much of a reason to keep the PRG now. I am debating whether to pay the fee again this year but I think I could apply for an everyday and be just fine. Unless they had more bonus categories to the PRG to offset the 15k bonus for 30k spent, it isn't worth keeping a PRG IMO.

 

I give up. I don't think I will be updating the retention thread anymore.

 

Amex is giving out 25K retention offers for the PRG, its talked about in this thread, yet it just isn't sinking in. People are still talking about the 15K for $30K spend.

 

Not to mention that Amex prorates your AF. So you can get a retention offer, pay the AF, bank the MR's, and then cancel the PRG if you so desire and get most of the AF credited back.