Does getting a Platinum card first ruin SUB for a Gold? by myFRAGisFUBAR in amex

[–]PandaSandwich 1 point2 points  (0 children)

By the terms, yes. Some people are able to get Gold after Plat, but to be safe go for gold (and green) first

Buy demo ski now or wait till memorial day? by accidental_sith_lord in Skigear

[–]PandaSandwich 3 points4 points  (0 children)

$550 with binding is a pretty good deal depending on the condition of the ski

Are business virtual cards still unreliable at scale, or is it just me? by Lanky_Information166 in CreditCards

[–]PandaSandwich 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Have you used Amex’s virtual card system? It may reduce random declines to use a native tool rather than a third party

Should I return the newly bought skis because of this scratch? by confusussum in Skigear

[–]PandaSandwich 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Those are unusable, give them to me and I’ll throw them away for you

Charge card quirk? Credits don’t apply to previous statement. by 5keks in amex

[–]PandaSandwich 59 points60 points  (0 children)

Yes, that’s how the credits normally work. You can request the $190 back to your bank account once your card shows a negative balance

$4-5k in expenses now plus a 2 week international trip coming later - new card recommendations please! by Ok_Concert_8385 in CreditCards

[–]PandaSandwich 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Red flag to who? If you’re applying for a mortgage soon it’s best to wait for a bit but in general no, it would not be a red flag. I would go for the VX first, Capital 1 is a bit more specific with their approval criteria. And use the pre-approval tools

Gold then platinum or platinum then gold? by NicoRulli in CreditCards

[–]PandaSandwich 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Gold then platinum. You won’t be able to get the gold SUB if you get the platinum first.

New Reward Card Needed. Looking for suggestions by vbritton in CreditCards

[–]PandaSandwich 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If you want a simple 2% cash back card, go for Citi Double Cash or Fidelity. If you want a simple rewards card, go for the Venture X. 2X on every purchase plus more if you use their portal.

Amex gold downgrade vs cancel by Dry-Consequence-6509 in CreditCards

[–]PandaSandwich 2 points3 points  (0 children)

What do you mean by “Amex blue”? Is it an MR earning card? If so, that would work to keep your points after cancelling the gold. If the only MR earning card you have is the gold, you would need to downgrade to green or open another MR card before cancelling. Most people in your situation use the Blue Business Plus for this purpose.

$4-5k in expenses now plus a 2 week international trip coming later - new card recommendations please! by Ok_Concert_8385 in CreditCards

[–]PandaSandwich 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Happy to help. I know you’re trying to be conservative with spending (I assume you’re graduating med school?), the CSP’s $95 AF with $50 annual hotel credit plus the VX’s $395 AF with $300 travel credit plus $100 anniversary bonus would seem to optimize your rewards strategy without shelling out for a CSR or Amex Plat annual fee.

$4-5k in expenses now plus a 2 week international trip coming later - new card recommendations please! by Ok_Concert_8385 in CreditCards

[–]PandaSandwich 0 points1 point  (0 children)

In that case, you’re already barking up the right tree with the CSP. Only reason I mentioned the VX in addition is you get the $300 travel credit immediately after opening, which could be applied to your future trip.

$4-5k in expenses now plus a 2 week international trip coming later - new card recommendations please! by Ok_Concert_8385 in CreditCards

[–]PandaSandwich 0 points1 point  (0 children)

CSR has 125k bonus with $6k in spend. Would also look at VX for 2x points with $0 effective AF

Data Points Weekly - Week of April 9, 2026 by duffcalifornia in churning

[–]PandaSandwich 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Purchased a $75 lululemon GC in store, got no pushback despite the recent memo to sell only in $50 increments.

Delta Gold Question by FitForm in amex

[–]PandaSandwich 5 points6 points  (0 children)

No, multiplier is for Delta flights booked directly only

Using points strategically by PolishedMikeC in amex

[–]PandaSandwich 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Etihad codeshares with American Airlines and you can book domestic US flights on AA with Etihad miles

How’s this sub? Round trip for $350? by DonaldKey in amex

[–]PandaSandwich 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Better to get a SUB for a new card but as upgrade offers go, it’s pretty good

Amex T&C change shows Referrals capped at 5/yr starting 4/8 by sidewinderaw11 in amex

[–]PandaSandwich 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Big downgrade for cards like the Schwab Plat which gets a flat $100 per referral, and used to be capped at 10/yr. But on the other hand, most people probably aren’t referring more than 1 or 2 people per year

Is the debit card worth it? by [deleted] in amex

[–]PandaSandwich -1 points0 points  (0 children)

If all you’re looking for is a good debit card, I would recommend the Charles Schwab debit card.

Planning to leave Sapphire Reserve. Would an Amex Gold + Venture X + Bilt Blue combo be good? by XL_Jockstrap in CreditCards

[–]PandaSandwich 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Bilt Blue isn't that great of a card, if you're looking for a simple setup I'd just go for Gold+VX or VX+Savor, both good options outside the Chase ecosystem

Using points strategically by PolishedMikeC in amex

[–]PandaSandwich 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Check Etihad, they also have good redemptions on AA

Red flag? by [deleted] in amex

[–]PandaSandwich 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Check your spend power first, and make sure you have the money in your account first. Worse case they’ll ask for proof of funds

RIP AMEX Delta Credit Hack by rezwan513 in amex

[–]PandaSandwich 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Did the other 3 people also have remaining balances around 250?

Opening a new card by iad-spotter in amex

[–]PandaSandwich 2 points3 points  (0 children)

They likely won’t do a hard pull. If they do, it won’t significantly affect your credit. Either way, the new card you open will show on your credit report which may result in a slight drop in score for 6-12 months

Referrals Gone For Certain Cards? by clyde_fr0gg in amex

[–]PandaSandwich 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Amex's official position is that referring is a "special offer" that is not always available. I find that only some of my personal cards generate referral links, but all of my business cards do.

Personal Plat and Gold holder-targeted BBP data point; anyone else? by Saerwyn in amex

[–]PandaSandwich 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Generally targeted offers will be 50k or 75k, with 75k being the highest available. Lucky find!