WISHCERTIFICATES

when AMEX mussed up an account for me, they sent me a letter "We're sorry for your inconvenience, here's dinner on us - $250 credited to your card".

Exceptional service beyond all others. Probably the best travel insurance too..

You must understand AMEX is not the cheapest, lowest APR, etc card, but when you're all grown up and time is big $$ you understand that AMEX is there for you. I have about 6 cards with them now.I really like their ability to INSTANTLY re-allocate credit lines. In case i need to push $75K to a card, then use a promo BT rate for a porsche or something lol.


mbna is coming close in cust service, but BofA will trash that shortly.

I charge about 100k/yr on my SPG AMEX. With the points I earn, I take my family on killer vacations for free about every 2 years with all hotels and airfare paid for with points. I've used the AMEX 'extended warranty' feature to replace my wife's 6mo old Sony MP3 player which she somehow broke.. a pleasant experience.

I don't worry about the interest rates, since I pay my bill in full every month, and the $35 annual fee is a pittance compared to the benefits I get from this card. I'd recommend the SPG AMEX to anyone!!

user0001 said:Perhaps AMEX service is higher because they can afford to hire US staff due to higher merchant fees...You're probably right. Being a cheapskate though, I resent having to pay an annual fee for a credit card that is already profiting handsomely (obscenely?) from every transaction I make. I know that there are angles to make that fee back, like BVG, and free services like travel insurance that make it worthwhile. Having to "make the fee back" would make me feel like I'm working for AMEX! I make around 50K in charges per year, but I don't travel frequently enough to make that insurance/concierge feature worthwhile and I don't need most of the things that come across FW for which I could use the BVG. AMEX doesn't fit my lifestyle.

I love my AMEX and would use it for everything, but the problem with not being accepted everywhere is especially hard for us. We are in the agricultural field, and none of the ag supply stores, equipment dealers, fertilizer/chemical dealers in our area accept it, so we must use two cards and it makes it harder to accumulate rewards. I have filled out several surveys on the AMEX site about this issue, but so far nothing has changed. We will stick with VISA primarily unless something changes.

salehdidit said:does any free AMEX card still offer online bvg?

I would ask, does any free AMEX card still offer bvg?

WOW!!!

This is a story AMEX needs to put up on its web site.

I use the Costco 1/2/3 card and the Citi for supermarket and gas.

AMEX's response to one disputed charge got handled very efficiently.

Does Costco car have BVG and extended warranty as well?

Is there any need to register the products?

---------------------------------

CadTeach said:Went to Montreal this summer on vacation, and my wallet fell out of my pocket. When I realized it was lost, I had to call to cancel all my cards. Here's where AMEX service is so great. My wife called the VISA number, and I called my AMEX. By the time she got ahold of a VISA rep, I had cancelled my AMEX, gotten directions to an AMEX office that would advance me cash with no fees due to the circumstances, was relieved to find that AMEX uses different numbers for the 2 cards on our 1 account so my wife's card would still be able to be used unlike every other card in my wallet, and when the Indian from VISA finally got on the line, she couldn't understand me or the fact that we were out of the country.

I finally hung up with VISA after she put me on hold again, and the AMEX rep called the VISA and M.C. 800 numbers on her line, and had people on her end waiting on hold on both lines until someone came on FOR me, while she finished handling things on my AMEX account. She then waited on hold while I dealt with VISA and again with MC, and then called me back to verify that everything was OK. When I called the park where we had been, the phone menu was only in French, so the AMEX operator had someone call the park fluent in French, and listen to the menu to hit the right extensions to reach someone, then hung up only after verifying a live park employee was on that understood and spoke English.

Do you think the call center employee's for VISA or anyone else had any script written to handle such a complex manner, or willing to go this far to help me when I was nervous about things like how do I get back on the return flight and into the US without any I.D.?

My AMEX card has no annual fee, it's a Hilton HHonors card, but I knew right then that I will never be anywhere without an AMEX again, even if I have to pay a fee for it.

That's why AMEX... P.S.- Got my replacement in about 10 days, although they would have overnighted one to me in Montreal.

Any AMEX card recommendations ?

mrng said:Great thread on AMEX... after reading all posts I am still not clear which would be the AMEX card which I should get, I do like BVG and warranty extensions..and if possible no annual fee..I dont care for CashBack... Can anyone summarize which ones are most likely useful for the average consumer...Thanks for your inputs...

cumpaniciu said:Great stories so far.

But I'm surprised no one mentioned the obvious yet: American Express usually is perceived as serving the most affluent customer base (not only in the US, but wherever it operates).

Hence, its "snob appeal".

Says Fat Joe (feat. Nelly)

<<I got that plat no limit American Express card
Mami you can get whatever you like
Plus I got that all-black Phantom it's tinted on four sides
Go 'head kiss it, they can't see us inside

Mami tell me do you like - it, I know you like - it
It's written all over your face don't fight - it>>


Well, if Fat Joe approves of AMEX, how can we go wrong?

<runs>

I travel a lot internationally. I prefer to use AMEX because it doesnt charge me a 2-3% finance charge on international transactions that VISA or MC charges.