Cancelling Premium Plus Amex card

[tyroleandancer]

I have taken my eye off the ball, my card has hardly been used this year and I am not getting value for money.
If I cancel the card will I lose any of my Avios?
I am considering downgrading to the ARCC, do I have to apply or can this be done with a call to AMEX?
If in the next year or so I want to generate a 241 will I be able to apply for a card that will allow me to earn a 241?
Sorry for all the questions
Thank you

[tiriavpo]

Assuming you have a BA Premium Plus card currently, you will not lose avios that have been posted to your BA account. Instead of cancelling it, you could downgrade to the free BA card, and upgrade later when you think you will get more benefit.

ARCC is a different card so you need to apply. Although you will not get a welcome bonus, someone else could get a referral bonus so you might want a friend to refer you for the ARCC.

[tyroleandancer]

Thank you for your reply
Yes I have had the BA PP card for many years but like many of us I am not getting the benefit at the moment, I should have downgraded last year as I think my spend this year is less than £2000!
I will downgrade asap, thank you again.

[Bob53]

My wife didn’t have an Amex of any sort but she still has an Avios account and collects from different cards etc so no you won’t lose your Avios if you cancel

[cc]

If you’ve not done it yet, you can downgrade through live chat instead of phoning up and having to listen to all the terms and conditions of your new card. Dont know if this is common knowledge but I only found this out the other day.

[Loz]

Related to this, do folks know if there is any impact to one’s standing with Amex by downgrading a BA premium card opened only around 6 months previously to the basic BA card? I’m talking about some sort of internal black mark on your profile for ‘gaming’ the system. Maybe I’m overthinking it?

Also, if you downgrade and have a supplementary card active will it automatically be reissued as a basic BA card or do you have to apply for the supplementary card again? Thanks all!

[tyroleandancer]

Thank you everyone, hubby downgraded while i was out before i had chance to mention live chat, thank you for the tip,
Loz we were automatically offered supplementary cards. Sorry I can’t answer your other question.

[yorkieflyer]

I recall the other day someone ‘downgrading’ by applying for the basic card on a referral and then closing the BAPP after holding both simultaneously. Seems a tempting route but don’t want to stir things up? Is there a rule about holding both?

• This reply was modified 3 years, 4 months ago by yorkieflyer.

[SteveJ]

yorkieflyer wrote:

I recall the other day someone ‘downgrading’ by applying for the basic card on a referral and then closing the BAPP after holding both simultaneously. Seems a tempting route but don’t want to stir things up? Is there a rule about holding both?

The systems shouldn’t let you apply for a second, as soon as you start the application, based on your details, it is meant to recognise you already have the paid card.