what happens to "Member Since" date if I cancel primary card

[bwup2]

Hi folks,

This is my first post so there's anything wrong with it. I'm sorry for that. Please bear with me.

I'm being an Amex AU memeber (Explorer at first, then downgraded to essential, and currently have QF discovery) since 18 and my partner's platinum started since 19.

The facts:

1. My card shows member since 18 (of course) and my partner's platinum shows since 19 (of course as well)
2. I have an additional platinum card under his account. The card shows member since 18 (yes!)

Question:

1. What if I cancel my primary/the only account (QF discovery) with Amex, does it affect my member since year on current additional platinum card? (physically it cannot change the date printed on card in my hand, but what's next time I order a replacement one?)
2. What if I open an account with Amex again in the future (within or not within 18 months), will the original member since 18 shows as it is or it will be the year I open a new account?

Thank you for the help.

 

[dontwanttoregister]

Late reply, but might still be helpful.

My experience is that the earliest date holds, and you’ll keep it (or can ask for it) when you return to AmEx.

More often than not, with a new card they’ll get my starting year wrong (and not always a year that makes sense!), but a quick call or online chat has rectified. They’ll send you a new card fixing it up if you want.

That said, seems meaningless nowadays. I don’t think there is any benefit whatsoever? It used to get you a smallish discount on rewards redemptions the longer you had held membership. That is long gone.

 

[bwup2]

More often than not, with a new card they’ll get my starting year wrong (and not always a year that makes sense!), but a quick call or online chat has rectified. They’ll send you a new card fixing it up if you want.

Thank you so much! That's really helpful.

 

[ChrisFlyer]

That said, seems meaningless nowadays. I don’t think there is any benefit whatsoever? It used to get you a smallish discount on rewards redemptions the longer you had held membership. That is long gone.

You know, while there's a certain aspect of loyalty recognition in the Member Since feature, it's also a subtle security feature.

Part of the old training for AMEX merchants was to look at the Member Since year and compare it to the cardholder's apparent age. If you had something like a card saying 'Member Since 72' and the person presenting the card looks all of 18 (and it's well beyond 1990), there's a good chance the person presenting it isn't the actual cardholder (warning sign for possible fraud or unauthorised use).

These days it's much less relevant with everything using PINs or with people paying via smartphones etc, but back in the old days when it was all signature, or even worse, the old click clack, it was another thing to check alongside the little hologram on the back, whether the last 4 digits on the terminal receipt matched the last 4 digits embossed onto the card, and so on.