Questions and Answers

Hi,

I realized the other day that I barely use my United Mileage Plus Explorers Card. Chase won’t let me downgrade to a non co-branded card so I’m stuck with the Mileage Plus Rewards card as a possible option for keeping it open. Either way, I have no real use for either card.

The problem is, the Chase card is one of my oldest cards (though not the oldest). Am I stuck with this card indefinitely because of its age? Or are there any other options besides downgrading to the useless Mileage Plus Rewards card that I also won’t use. I don’t want my credit length of history to be affected with a big ding if I close it, but keeping it open is costing me.

Anyone ever heard of convincing Chase to allow a product change from a United card to say – a Freedom?

j.

I’ve not heard of them letting you product change to UR-earning card. Is there an annual fee with the MP Rewards card? If not, just hang on to it and throw a purchase on it once a year or so. I’m in the same boat with my Discover card which I’ve had for nearly 20 years. But occasionally they offer bonus categories that don’t overlap with Freedom’s and I actually get some use out of it.

Are you thinking about one of these cards?
[URL]https://www.chase.com/online/Credit-Cards/united-othercards-new.htm[/URL]

I know there is supposed to be a no fee United card available.
[URL]http://www.doctorofcredit.com/chase-united-no-annual-fee-card-review/[/URL]

If you can get the no-fee card then hanging on to it as a sock drawer card like MidSouth Skier says makes sense.

[QUOTE=”MidSouth Skier, post: 34330, member: 184″]I’ve not heard of them letting you product change to UR-earning card. Is there an annual fee with the MP Rewards card? If not, just hang on to it and throw a purchase on it once a year or so. I’m in the same boat with my Discover card which I’ve had for nearly 20 years. But occasionally they offer bonus categories that don’t overlap with Freedom’s and I actually get some use out of it.[/QUOTE]

No, there is no annual fee with the MP rewards card. However, this is why this is a bit of a Catch 22. If I can’t close this account no matter what, I might as well just pony up the 95 and – at least – get the extra benefits of the United stuff when I fly United.

But, you are right. It’s like I have 2 or 3 of these useless cards (happen to all be my oldest cards) that I can’t do much with outside of charge something to them once a year for posterity sake. Too bad that Chase won’t let you do a one time product change to a different category CC. Seems like a weird thing to hold you to a product you get no use out of just because they know you don’t want to do the big hit to your credit history. If I hadn’t opened so many new accounts in the last few years, I wouldn’t care, but it’s gonna do more damage to close it than just pay the 95, I guess.

[QUOTE=”No Name, post: 34394, member: 268″]Are you thinking about one of these cards?
[URL]https://www.chase.com/online/Credit-Cards/united-othercards-new.htm[/URL]

I know there is supposed to be a no fee United card available.
[URL]http://www.doctorofcredit.com/chase-united-no-annual-fee-card-review/[/URL]

If you can get the no-fee card then hanging on to it as a sock drawer card like MidSouth Skier says makes sense.[/QUOTE]

Whoa. I didn’t know about some of these. And Chase didn’t mention to me. That Mileage Plus Awards card is perfect – as it keeps the only benefit I care about – priority boarding. Do you know if that has an annual fee? This page is unclear about it.

As I said I know there is supposed to be a no-fee version, but I have never tried to get one personally or know anyone that has one.

The Mileage Plus Awards card is probably the best candidate for the no-fee card, but I really don’t know for sure.

Your best bet would be to call again, if login in to the Chase site does not give you more information about the product.

[QUOTE=”No Name, post: 34480, member: 268″]As I said I know there is supposed to be a no-fee version, but I have never tried to get one personally or know anyone that has one.

The Mileage Plus Awards card is probably the best candidate for the no-fee card, but I really don’t know for sure.

Your best bet would be to call again, if login in to the Chase site does not give you more information about the product.[/QUOTE]

Ok. so it looks like the Awards card is 60/year and the Mileage Plus Rewards is 0. Both are only available as downgrades. The Awards card at 60 isn’t really enough of a benefit (priority boarding) to not just keep the Explorer card. So, I guess it is a useless Mileage Plus Rewards card or the slightly beneficial Explorers card.