Which AmEx for my situation?

Asterion

Hello!

Assuming that somebody who never had debt but that started using a credit card only 4 months ago (always repaid in full!) can hope to get an Amex, I was wondering what should I get.

I will be working in Germany for the next six months, maybe nine, flying from London and back every week. Expenses are about £500-600 a week (unluckily I don’t get to pay the hotel). I am flying Lufthansa about 60% of the time, the rest is BMI and very rarely BA.
I subscribed to the Diamond Club of BMI, which I have been told is part of Star Alliance and gives me miles I can use with any Star Alliance partner.

I was therefore thinking about the Amex BMI, but then I read some bad comments regarding unexpected fees and such. I’m not the pickiest flyer and I am probably happy with low cost companies. I don’t have plans of flights outside of Europe and I was thinking that I get miles out of flying anyway. Moreover, my company doesn’t mind whether I fly back to London or to other places for the weekend, as long as it’s £300 or less. So, weekends away can be covered by this, too, no great need to have/use air miles for me.

Maybe I should got for the Amex Platinum? I REALLY do not believe in debt, I’d never spend more than I earn and I have cash savings I could use to pay off credit card bills that would exceed my net monthly income. Is there anything I should worry about, apart being refused the card?

Thanks for your help!

[Deleted User]

Amex Platinmum is a decent card - you'd end up with about £300 cashback at the end of the year, just on your expenses. But to your first point, with your very limited history, I doubt you'd have much, if any, chance of getting it.

You'll have better luck with some other kind of rewards card - maybe a supermarket one?

Asterion

I am on just a bit more than 30k if that helps and I've heard that some people who were refused the card at first appealed and got it... Does that make my chances any better?

Are the other cashback ones (CapitalOne, Egg etc) easier to get?

[Deleted User]

Amex are quite stringent. It's not so much your salary, but your short length of history. Not saying it's impossible but unlikely.

The others should be easier. Check the qualification criteria on each on their site (where available) to get an idea of whether it's worth applying. No poijt in wasting a search on something you can't get.

What about your own bank - do they offer anything good? Your chances are always improved as they can see how you've managed your finances in terms of savings, current accounts, which others can't see.

Quick additional thought - when you say you've had no debt - no loans for cars, or mobile phone contracts, anything else that might help? Doesn't have to be major. Just something that says "Yes, I can make a regular monthly financial commitment without spending it all on trainers and Carlsberg."

Asterion

Hi, thanks again.

When I meant "I do not believe in debt", I meant that I'd never be caught not being able to pay off a bill. I have a monthly phone bill for my corporate phone and I also have a corporate charge card which, somehow, doesn't appear on my credit records.

Shall I:

1 - Phone up Eperian/Credit Expert and make them actually earn the £7.99 a month I'm paying to try and track the corporate phone bill (it is very tiny though!) and charge card down?

2 - Should I start to use my personal credit card for business expenses in order to have a higher monthly balance to pay off and show that I can get into more monthly debit than my usual £500-£600 and still come out as the "winner"?

Thanks

[Deleted User]

Yes to number 2. But no to number 1. From what I understand, corporate contracts are not with you - they're with the company. You almost certainly weren't searched for it and your credit rating was irrelevant - it's a corporate deal.

But definitely use your own card if it's allowed. Best to check it is. They may have a deal that means they expect you to use your corporate card.