""Why didn't you change to the Amex card?""

I had a courtesy phone call from Virgin Atlantic asking this question. "We are asking a number of cardholders why they haven't converted and we note you have more than 1.25 million miles in your Flying Club account. We have received lots of different reasons."

Make of it what you will.

BTW, I now have a Sky Card that gets me 1p for every £1 spent that I can use towards my monthly Sky bill. So that's free Sky for me and lots of UC flights still to come.







Moved to cards forum by mod........ Nick

[Nottingham Nick]

Very interesting.

We had a thread a while back about the card company purporting to be from Virgin when phoning customers, but that is a side issue.

How many times do they have to hear ..."I don't have an Amex, because lots of places I want to use it don't accept it." before they get the message. [?]


Nick

Originally posted by Nottingham Nick
Very interesting.

We had a thread a while back about the card company purporting to be from Virgin when phoning customers, but that is a side issue.

How many times do they have to hear ..."I don't have an Amex, because lots of places I want to use it don't accept it." before they get the message. [?]


Nick

And just why is it that so many other card companies are switching to Amex as their bank? I've got a visa card with NatWest - up until now, it's always earned airmiles (BA - sorry, will leave quietly). Recently though, have had a swathe of paperwork aimed at trying to get me to switch to Lloyds visa - which will also earn BA miles, but will be backed by Amex. Why on earth would I want another card that lots of places won't accept???

The Lloyds TSB card does get around the problem though with Amex not accepted everywhere. If they don't accept Amex, you use your Mastercard instead. It's all on one account, you just don't get as many airmiles when you use the Mastercard.

Originally posted by catsilversword
And just why is it that so many other card companies are switching to Amex as their bank?

Money of course. The higher merchant fee means their cut is bigger.

I've got a visa card with NatWest - up until now, it's always earned airmiles (BA - sorry, will leave quietly). Recently though, have had a swathe of paperwork aimed at trying to get me to switch to Lloyds visa - which will also earn BA miles, but will be backed by Amex. Why on earth would I want another card that lots of places won't accept???

BA Miles does not equal Air Miles. Your card earned Air Miles which, while have a connection with BA, is separate from BA miles, the currency of BA's frequent flyer programme.

The only (UK based) credit cards for earning BA Miles are the BA American Express credit cards which are not affiliated with any other bank. The Premium Plus variant is better, IMHO, than anything Virgin offer and I find it's accepted everywhere I need to use it, bar one or two for which the bmi credit card makes an appearance.

Originally posted by locutus
The Lloyds TSB card does get around the problem though with Amex not accepted everywhere. If they don't accept Amex, you use your Mastercard instead. It's all on one account, you just don't get as many airmiles when you use the Mastercard.

Barring initial promotional offers, the earning rate when using the Mastercard is so laughably bad (1 Air Mile for every £50 spend IIRC) that you may as well not bother. Bear in mind 1 Air Mile is roughly worth 10 BA Miles which is very roughly worth 10 VS miles, depending on redemption strategies.

Originally posted by onionz

Originally posted by catsilversword
And just why is it that so many other card companies are switching to Amex as their bank?

Money of course. The higher merchant fee means their cut is bigger.

I've got a visa card with NatWest - up until now, it's always earned airmiles (BA - sorry, will leave quietly). Recently though, have had a swathe of paperwork aimed at trying to get me to switch to Lloyds visa - which will also earn BA miles, but will be backed by Amex. Why on earth would I want another card that lots of places won't accept???

BA Miles does not equal Air Miles. Your card earned Air Miles which, while have a connection with BA, is separate from BA miles, the currency of BA's frequent flyer programme.

[quote]

Yes, I know Air miles is separate from BA miles, but they ARE airmiles - actually, I just need to keep a card other the Amex. While it's true the merchant fee may be bigger for Amex, it's if no use to the customer if fewer places take it! Maybe I'll just use cash, there seems less and less incentive to use a card. Apart from insurance, of course....

I don't really have a problem using the Amex 95% of the places I spend take it. I switched to a Hilton Mastercard from the Tesco(you can convert the Club card points to BA miles)finest one a few months back as Tesco never seemed to award the correct CC points, useless earning rates also.The BMI cards are waiting in the wings for next year:D

[Scrooge]

I was just thinking the same thing, I know off one place that does not take Amex..but for the life of me I cannot remember what store it is [?]

Other than that I have no issues with the Amex card.

Edit: Fry's Electronics...thank the lord as I could do way to much damage....[:I]

Originally posted by Scrooge
I was just thinking the same thing, I know off one place that does not take Amex..but for the life of me I cannot remember what store it is [?]

Other than that I have no issues with the Amex card.

Edit: Fry's Electronics...thank the lord as I could do way to much damage....[:I]

Fry's doesn't tale Amex???? Shock, horror.......... love that store[:0]

[Scrooge]

No they don't..bastards...Never had an issue in the UK though.

I'm looking forward to the end of july when the double miles end and see what they'll offer me so I'll keep the card.

Originally posted by catsilversword

Yes, I know Air miles is separate from BA miles, but they ARE airmiles

Ahh, I see now - you are using the term "airmiles" to mean frequent flyer miles rather than referring to the scheme which carries that brand name. That can sometimes cause confusion .

Maybe I'll just use cash, there seems less and less incentive to use a card. Apart from insurance, of course....

Security concerns, expenses management, Consumer Credit Act protection, a small incentive is better than none, short term convenient borrowing....

Perhaps you should get a fee-free bmi credit card. It earns 1.5 miles per pound, is Mastercard and thus accepted everywhere, and the currency - bmi miles - can be used for all Star Alliance airlines and for VS flights too.

Originally posted by onionz

Security concerns, expenses management, Consumer Credit Act protection, a small incentive is better than none, short term convenient borrowing....

Good points all - and you can usually (depending on your card) add things like extended warranty, mobile phone insurance.

Given the recent news stories and some recent personal experience re: security make sure that you get one you can monitor online or ask around for advice on issuers with a record of proactivity re: fraud. I was going to insert the word "bitter" between "recent" and "personal" as our card was used by fraudsters to the tune of 2.5k a few weeks back, but my issuer caught it immediately and dealt with it very efficiently.

Sorry this is slightly O/T.

Paul

[RichardMannion]

Originally posted by pjh

Originally posted by onionz

Security concerns, expenses management, Consumer Credit Act protection, a small incentive is better than none, short term convenient borrowing....

Good points all - and you can usually (depending on your card) add things like extended warranty, mobile phone insurance.

Given the recent news stories and some recent personal experience re: security make sure that you get one you can monitor online or ask around for advice on issuers with a record of proactivity re: fraud. I was going to insert the word "bitter" between "recent" and "personal" as our card was used by fraudsters to the tune of 2.5k a few weeks back, but my issuer caught it immediately and dealt with it very efficiently.

Sorry this is slightly O/T.

Paul

Had a similiar issue with my proper AmEx (none of this MBNA nonsense) over Christmas. I try and buy a couple of DVD's, fraud department wants to ask additional questions whilst I am there trying to purchase. Do they notice the series of large cash withdrawls on a supp card from various cashpoints in Spain over the course of 2 minutes totalling ~£5k. Don't be so silly. After some 'discussion' they thought it best to apply a temporary credit whislt they investigate, and ultimately take responsibility.

Thanks,
Richard

[Darren Wheeler]

Originally posted by catsilversword

Originally posted by Scrooge
I was just thinking the same thing, I know off one place that does not take Amex..but for the life of me I cannot remember what store it is [?]

Other than that I have no issues with the Amex card.

Edit: Fry's Electronics...thank the lord as I could do way to much damage....[:I]

Fry's doesn't tale Amex???? Shock, horror.......... love that store[:0]

Me too. Geek Central admittedly but always worth a trip when in Vegas. [^]

Originally posted by Scrooge
I was just thinking the same thing, I know off one place that does not take Amex..but for the life of me I cannot remember what store it is [?]

Other than that I have no issues with the Amex card.

Edit: Fry's Electronics...thank the lord as I could do way to much damage....[:I]

Ahhhhhh Frys!!! My first and last stop (after Walmart) on every trip to Vegas. it's a shame that the 212V to 110V converters are so expensive. god I love that place[^]