It finally happened...

I downgraded my Amex Gold card

Author

Wuhoo Group
April 23, 2025

The American Express Gold card is a powerhouse for any household since it earns 4x back on dining and groceries while providing useful credits to recoup the annual fee.

But not for me.

I’ve been thinking about cancelling or downgrading the Gold for a couple reasons

  • I can’t justify the $325 annual fee with credits I use only because I have them - not because they fit in my lifestyle

  • I have the OG Capital One Savor which gives me 4x back on dining and groceries for no annual fee

If you want to see more info on the Amex Gold and my thought process, check out our podcast episode from earlier this year.

Every year, I call American Express for a retention offer, and I’ve been lucky to get one every other year.

  • Opened the card in 2021 for 75,000 bonus points

  • Got a retention offer in 2022 for $200 statement credit after $2k spend

  • Denied any retention offers in 2023

  • Got a retention offer in 2024 for 30,000 points after $3k spend

  • And now this year…

I didn’t expect to get a retention offer, but I was surprised to get a downgrade offer to go to the Green card and then spend $1k to get 15,000 points. This made a lot of sense since I didn’t want to hurt my relationship with Amex by cancelling this card AND my two business plats later this year. So with this downgrade, I reduce my annual fee usage, get some bonus points…

…plus, I’ve been testing out a Clear/Amex credit hack… so stay tuned.

Watch my final call with Amex to finally put the Gold to rest.

What’s the moral of the story?

Weekly Credit Card Tip #14

Make sure your credit cards fit YOUR lifestyle - and not the other way around. AND do the math to make sure any opportunity cost is worth it. Check out our free Credit Card Audit guide.

What’s In our Wallets (Newsletter Exclusive)

Our lineup for this week is below. See our rationale here just for newsletter subscribers like you.

Matthew: World of Hyatt Business | American Express Green

Sarah: Delta Business Gold

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About WuhooPoints

WuhooPoints focuses on the credit card consultation side of Wuhoo Group. We help you unlock the power of your credits cards for free luxury travel.