Sue Patterson, WalletHub Analyst
@sweetsue
You can get an American Express card upgrade through a targeted online or mail offer. Amex cardholders may also contact customer service at 1 (800) 528-4800 to request an upgrade, which is commonly known as a product change.
When you request an American Express card upgrade, understand that Amex will only upgrade to a card within the same card family and with the same rewards structure as the original card. For example, you cannot upgrade from a regular credit card to a charge card, nor can you upgrade from a regular Amex card to an Amex co-branded card. As a general rule of thumb, the account should also be open for at least 12 months before you request an upgrade, and it should have a history of on-time payments.
A common reason for an American Express card upgrade is access to better rewards and benefits. For example, some of the most popular upgrades are from Amex Gold to the Platinum card and from Amex Blue Cash Everyday to Amex Blue Cash Preferred. Just take note that upgrades to cards with better benefits and rewards will usually come with a higher annual fee. If you upgrade to an American Express card with an annual fee, that charge will appear on the new card’s first monthly billing statement. And if you’re due a refund on your current card’s annual fee, Amex will credit that amount to your new card’s account as a separate transaction.
Finally, if you are approved for an American Express card upgrade, you should receive your new card in around 7 business days from the date of approval. The card number will stay the same, but the new card will have a different expiration date and security code. Your existing APR, credit limit and any unredeemed rewards will also transfer to the new card. However, you won’t qualify for any welcome bonus offers unless it’s part of the upgrade offer.

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