VS Amex Credit Card

Having been seduced by 'the dark side' and the world of Avios collecting I am looking at my VS Amex Card and wondering if I need the black one any more.

I have always been able to use my 2 free upgrade vouchers (when Mrs S had her own card we always managed to use all 4 upgrades every year - just lucky I guess), but potentially I may not qualify for both this year (by July) as I have been loading my multiple other Amex's.

So, I was thinking that as they have just hit me for the £140 charge I will call them, downgrade to the basic VS Amex and get the fee refunded. This will then keep my oldest credit card going (for credit scoring purposes) and also I could then upgrade again in a few years time.

I phoned MBNA and they said I could not 'downgrade' and that the only way to do this was to cancel my card and re-apply for the basic one.

I have come to doubt everything that NBMA (and all Service Centre) staff tell me - especially as in the same phone call he tried to tell me that all spend (including the Visa spend) goes towards the upgrade voucher and that I had qualified already - took 10 minutes to explain to him that it is only the Amex spend that goes to the upgrade voucher).

Anyway, does anyone know if I can downgrade?

Thanks

I can tell you that when I tried to do the opposite and go from white to black, they told me exactly the same and I had to reapply

I've given my VS card up completely and am very much considering starting to collect Avios, do you mind me asking which card you're using?

I've given my VS card up completely and am very much considering starting to collect Avios, do you mind me asking which card you're using?

ok - hold on to your hat

1) BA Premier - picked up a nice 2:4:1 in F last year through this to go to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. May do the same this year. Only costs £150 a year and is by far the best value for the 2:4:1. Basically each seat was £4k and I paid a total of £950 in taxes / fuel surcharge and 120k Avios when the bill should have been £8k

2) Lloyds Premier - last year they did an amazing 10X Avios on your first 3 months spend - or 20X Avios on overseas spend. Never bought so much in such a short space of time, including gift cards! Managed to accumulate 288k Avios on that one. Alas, bonus no longer available. Fee £50 pa. Will dump this one soon. Missed a trick by not getting Mrs S to signup so we would have had 6 months in total

3)Normal Lloyds Amex - Mrs S got this just for the introductory bonus - 15k if you spend £500 in each of the first 3 months. No annual fee

4) Amex Platinum - got just for the 50k introductory Avios bonus (£2k spend in 3 months). May chop that out soon after I use the No 1 lounge in LGW (gives you access and various Au cards like Cathay Pacific / Priority Lounge card). I think the introductory bonus has gone down to 30k (?), Fee is a whopping £450, but if you play it right you get £80 via Quidco and they refund you pro rata. Theoretically, they could be paying you and giving you loads of Avios.

5) VS Amex - as described earlier.

Recently there were some amazing FourSquare deals - register your card and get auto cash back (Debenhams spend £50 get £25 back etc etc) Multiple cards enabled me to recoup over £500 in cash backs on things I was spending anyway e.g spend £50 at Shell and get £15 back - so effectively a 30% discount on my petrol. Couple this with multiple cards .....and supplemental cards that all have a different number, except VS)

Happy to refer you

Yes, was going to mention Head for Points, but wasn't sure of forum rules.

It is a mine of information on this subject.

Raffles has posted on here a couple of times

There are no better cards out there for earning VS miles than the VS AX card.
4 miles per £1 spent on VS flights.
If there is a better one please tell me.

There are no better cards out there for earning VS miles than the VS AX card.
4 miles per £1 spent on VS flights.
If there is a better one please tell me.

I'm cancelling my Black Amex next month once I get my PE vouchers, much better earning cards out there.

See Raffles on http://www.headforpoints.com for his extensive credit card analysis.

What, the same Raffles who says there are no better airline points-earning cards than the VS black Amex?