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AMEX Platinum

sevenhelmet

Low calorie attack from the Heartland
pilot
Anyone have any issues with the Chase Sapphire Reserve? I recently (less than a month ago) opened the card, but after sending in my LES, I got a letter today saying I wasn't eligible for SCRA benefits because I opened my card after my active duty service period began. Anyone else have problems with this? Anyone else get charged the $450?

Funny, I didn't know SCRA worked that way. Chase has some creative legal interpretation.

Sounds like one to stay away from.
 

sickboy

Well-Known Member
pilot
Anyone have any issues with the Chase Sapphire Reserve? I recently (less than a month ago) opened the card, but after sending in my LES, I got a letter today saying I wasn't eligible for SCRA benefits because I opened my card after my active duty service period began. Anyone else have problems with this? Anyone else get charged the $450?


I got the same, but argued and won. However, my state of residence has additional protections that helped me out. They did however apply SCRA benefits to my old car loan which was paid off four years prior.
 

Hopeful Hoya

Well-Known Member
pilot
Contributor
I managed to get mine waived about a year ago, but from what I've read it seems to depend on the agent you talk to. I'd try calling the military number listed and cite the MLA.
 

insanebikerboy

Internet killed the television star
pilot
None
Contributor
I managed to get mine waived about a year ago, but from what I've read it seems to depend on the agent you talk to. I'd try calling the military number listed and cite the MLA.

I just got off the phone with Chase to see if I could get the Sapphire Reserve fee waived.

According to the agent, for SCRA to apply you have to meet one of the following; opened the card prior to entering military service, have had a break in service since opening the card, or live in Ohio, Louisiana, or (I think) South Carolina.

For the MLA to apply, the card must have been opened after 20 Sep 2017.

I unfortunately don't qualify for either but I'm still keeping the Reserve card. The travel benefits make it worth it, in my mind.
 

Hopeful Hoya

Well-Known Member
pilot
Contributor
I just got off the phone with Chase to see if I could get the Sapphire Reserve fee waived.

According to the agent, for SCRA to apply you have to meet one of the following; opened the card prior to entering military service, have had a break in service since opening the card, or live in Ohio, Louisiana, or (I think) South Carolina.

For the MLA to apply, the card must have been opened after 20 Sep 2017.

I unfortunately don't qualify for either but I'm still keeping the Reserve card. The travel benefits make it worth it, in my mind.

That's strange. I commissioned in Dec 2016, and I opened the card in Jan 2017. I got SCRA benefits applied in Mar 2017 while living in FL (and billing address was in PA) and while they didn't reimburse my fee for the first year they didn't charge me this year. Maybe I got lucky but like I said it seems like it depends on what agent you talk to.
 

Tycho_Brohe

Well-Known Member
pilot
Contributor
I opened my card two months ago, hadn't even gotten around to calling them yet when they sent a letter to me saying MLA benefits were applied to my account. As was said above, I'd call them and ask about MLA instead of SCRA.
 

DanMa1156

Is it baseball season yet?
pilot
Contributor
Funny, I didn't know SCRA worked that way. Chase has some creative legal interpretation.

Sounds like one to stay away from.

Yeah, it's not SCRA specifically, but the credit card lenders often refer to their benefits as SCRA benefits. From what I've read, most of them are doing this mostly as a CYA with some of the legal interpretations of MLA and SCRA.
 

Brett327

Well-Known Member
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
So, checking in to this thread after a few years. Any overall advice on the AMEX? Still worth it? Any pitfalls I should know about? Looking like my next gig will have a bit more travel.
 

BigRed389

Registered User
None
So, checking in to this thread after a few years. Any overall advice on the AMEX? Still worth it? Any pitfalls I should know about? Looking like my next gig will have a bit more travel.

Well...it’s free, so yes it’s worth it.

Between the uber credit, airline fee credit, and the Centurion lounge (just used the Seattle one on a work trip), it’s pretty damn good. The status benefits with Hilton and Marriott (via matching) is also pretty nice.

Chase Sapphire Reserve is a better “free” card if you can get it,
 

DanMa1156

Is it baseball season yet?
pilot
Contributor
So, checking in to this thread after a few years. Any overall advice on the AMEX? Still worth it? Any pitfalls I should know about? Looking like my next gig will have a bit more travel.

Sir - 2 recommendations; wait for one of the top promo offers to come out (spend x get y back in points, ideally 100,000 but those are rare) and get a member on AW or a friend to send you an invite code for a little extra bonus for one or the both of you.
 

Ken_gone_flying

"I live vicariously through myself."
pilot
Contributor
So, checking in to this thread after a few years. Any overall advice on the AMEX? Still worth it? Any pitfalls I should know about? Looking like my next gig will have a bit more travel.

As someone who travels a lot with the AMEX card, I'm finding that one of the best perks is that when you link it to your Hilton Rewards account, you get an automatic upgrade to Gold Member. Being a gold member they give you the option of earning double nights or a free breakfast voucher. The breakfasts are usually legit, a meal that would cost about $20 without the voucher.

In addition to that, most Hilton's have AMEX lounges. They serve food around each mealtime and you get two free alcoholic beverages per day. I stayed at the Hilton Lakes in Dallas for 3 weeks last year and my buddies and I ended up eating like 2 meals a day in the lounge. Good free food and saved a lot of money not eating out. Convenient too, didn't have to leave the hotel.
 
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BigJeffray

Sans Remorse
pilot
As someone who travels a lot with the AMEX card, I'm finding that one of the best perks is that when you link it to your Hilton Rewards account, you get an automatic upgrade to Gold Member. Being a gold member they give you the option of earning double nights or a free breakfast voucher.

I agree with this being a great benefit and you also get Gold with Starwood Preferred Guest, which you can link to your Marriott Rewards account and get free Gold status there as well. It gives you a lot of flexibility if you're a frequent traveler.
 
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