Amex Retention Offers

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vanpan
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Amex Retention Offers

Post by vanpan »

Just wanted to get the word out here. Incase you have a credit card with a high annual fee and are thinking about renewing or not? Call the credit card company and check for a retention offer. I signed up for an Amex platinum for a 100K bonus offer and used some of the perks in the card, but not everything. Given time for renewal, i called the retention department and checked for a retention offer and was offered a $550 credit if i spent $4K in 3 months. This equals the annual fee.
exigent
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Re: Amex Retention Offers

Post by exigent »

vanpan wrote: Sat Oct 23, 2021 9:03 am Just wanted to get the word out here. Incase you have a credit card with a high annual fee and are thinking about renewing or not? Call the credit card company and check for a retention offer. I signed up for an Amex platinum for a 100K bonus offer and used some of the perks in the card, but not everything. Given time for renewal, i called the retention department and checked for a retention offer and was offered a $550 credit if i spent $4K in 3 months. This equals the annual fee.
I’m guessing the answer is no, but is there a direct number for retentions?

Also: Had you been using the card leading up to this, or was it mostly sitting idle? I could imagine that they’d be more willing to make such offers to get people using the card again, but not sure.
Jags4186
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Re: Amex Retention Offers

Post by Jags4186 »

Yes, there is a direct number: 800-452-3945 You can also chat and receive retention offers. Offers are all over the place and can change day to day. If you get one you’re happy with I generally recommend taking it as it may go away. I always recommend calling before your annual fee posts on a new card (around month 11) because AMEX will only give a retention offer every 13 months. So you want to catch it in month 11, pay your fee, then you’ll be eligible for a retention the following year when the fee posts again.
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whodidntante
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Re: Amex Retention Offers

Post by whodidntante »

You can't really expect an offer, but it never hurts to ask.
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vanpan
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Re: Amex Retention Offers

Post by vanpan »

exigent wrote: Sat Oct 23, 2021 9:17 am
vanpan wrote: Sat Oct 23, 2021 9:03 am Just wanted to get the word out here. Incase you have a credit card with a high annual fee and are thinking about renewing or not? Call the credit card company and check for a retention offer. I signed up for an Amex platinum for a 100K bonus offer and used some of the perks in the card, but not everything. Given time for renewal, i called the retention department and checked for a retention offer and was offered a $550 credit if i spent $4K in 3 months. This equals the annual fee.
I’m guessing the answer is no, but is there a direct number for retentions?

Also: Had you been using the card leading up to this, or was it mostly sitting idle? I could imagine that they’d be more willing to make such offers to get people using the card again, but not sure.
I called the number on the back of my card and asked to be connected to retention dept. (about a 5 min wait).
I had decent spend on the card. About 40K across last 11 months.
exigent
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Re: Amex Retention Offers

Post by exigent »

Jags4186 wrote: Sat Oct 23, 2021 9:20 am Yes, there is a direct number: 800-452-3945 You can also chat and receive retention offers. Offers are all over the place and can change day to day. If you get one you’re happy with I generally recommend taking it as it may go away. I always recommend calling before your annual fee posts on a new card (around month 11) because AMEX will only give a retention offer every 13 months. So you want to catch it in month 11, pay your fee, then you’ll be eligible for a retention the following year when the fee posts again.
Thanks, I’ll give it a shot. We have an Amex Delta Reserve that we haven’t been able to take full advantage of over the past 18 months. The good news is that they’ve extended the BOGO certificates for the past two years (usually one per year that expire) so we actually have three right now, and they don’t expire until Jan 2023. Regardless, it’s worth trying for a deal.

Any idea if it’s once every 13 months *per account* or per cardholder?
Jags4186
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Re: Amex Retention Offers

Post by Jags4186 »

exigent wrote: Sat Oct 23, 2021 9:30 am
Jags4186 wrote: Sat Oct 23, 2021 9:20 am Yes, there is a direct number: 800-452-3945 You can also chat and receive retention offers. Offers are all over the place and can change day to day. If you get one you’re happy with I generally recommend taking it as it may go away. I always recommend calling before your annual fee posts on a new card (around month 11) because AMEX will only give a retention offer every 13 months. So you want to catch it in month 11, pay your fee, then you’ll be eligible for a retention the following year when the fee posts again.
Thanks, I’ll give it a shot. We have an Amex Delta Reserve that we haven’t been able to take full advantage of over the past 18 months. The good news is that they’ve extended the BOGO certificates for the past two years (usually one per year that expire) so we actually have three right now, and they don’t expire until Jan 2023. Regardless, it’s worth trying for a deal.

Any idea if it’s once every 13 months *per account* or per cardholder?
It’s per account — so if you have 8 cards you can get 8 retention offers every 13 months. AMEX will even give retention offers on no annual fee cards so it’s best to ask about every card you have open.
Hannibal Barca
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Re: Amex Retention Offers

Post by Hannibal Barca »

This was maybe a year ago, but when I was cancelling my Amex Platinum (right before the annual fee would be charged) they offered to reduce the fee by $250 or $300 (can't remember the exact amount). Of course it was a one time thing, the annual fee would be the full amount next year.
exigent
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Re: Amex Retention Offers

Post by exigent »

Jags4186 wrote: Sat Oct 23, 2021 9:20 am Yes, there is a direct number: 800-452-3945 You can also chat and receive retention offers. Offers are all over the place and can change day to day. If you get one you’re happy with I generally recommend taking it as it may go away. I always recommend calling before your annual fee posts on a new card (around month 11) because AMEX will only give a retention offer every 13 months. So you want to catch it in month 11, pay your fee, then you’ll be eligible for a retention the following year when the fee posts again.
Fwiw, I just called this number and it didn't work. It initially picked up and asked me to enter my card #, which I did — after first verifying independently that the number belongs to AmEx. It then forwarded me to a voice mail message saying that the number is no longer in service and directed me to call the number on the back of the card.

Edit: Found another post on a frequent flyer board saying that if you get an out-of-service message, just hang up and call again. Did so and it worked. Got and accepted an offer for a $225 statement credit in return for spending $3k in 90 days.

Edit2: Called back after setting up the first retention deal and got a $100 statement credit in return for $3k in 90 days on our Amex Blue Preferred card. In both cases, they said these were the only offers available. I accepted both and will repeat in 13 months.
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beyou
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Re: Amex Retention Offers

Post by beyou »

Have a rarely used Amex and got an emailed offer to switch rebate programs and get $150 credit for maybe $1000 spend in 3 mos. Seemed good to me but offer link didn’t work. Call customer svc and they thought itnan unusual deal, said they would send to “research” and it may take 30 days. Well past that, no news. Gave up, not using the Amex any longer.
skierincolorado
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Re: Amex Retention Offers

Post by skierincolorado »

Or just cancel it and sign up for a new one. Signups dwarf retention 10 fold.
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beyou
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Re: Amex Retention Offers

Post by beyou »

skierincolorado wrote: Sun Oct 24, 2021 12:15 am Or just cancel it and sign up for a new one. Signups dwarf retention 10 fold.
Oldest card, was trying to keep for fico benefit.
skierincolorado
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Re: Amex Retention Offers

Post by skierincolorado »

beyou wrote: Sun Oct 24, 2021 12:26 am
skierincolorado wrote: Sun Oct 24, 2021 12:15 am Or just cancel it and sign up for a new one. Signups dwarf retention 10 fold.
Oldest card, was trying to keep for fico benefit.
Good call, but why waste good spend on an old card? Sock drawer it.
Jags4186
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Re: Amex Retention Offers

Post by Jags4186 »

I just accepted 55,000 points after $4k spend in 3 months on my Morgan Stanley Platinum Card. I’ll also be receiving my $550 engagement bonus in a few weeks. FYI they offered me nothing on this card last week so if you didn’t get an offer, it makes sense to try again in a few days.

How can you go wrong?
Last edited by Jags4186 on Mon Oct 25, 2021 10:05 am, edited 1 time in total.
Jags4186
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Re: Amex Retention Offers

Post by Jags4186 »

skierincolorado wrote: Sun Oct 24, 2021 12:15 am Or just cancel it and sign up for a new one. Signups dwarf retention 10 fold.
AMEX is once per lifetime (presently 7 years…) on bonuses unless you received a targeted no-lifetime-language offer.
millervt
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Re: Amex Retention Offers

Post by millervt »

skierincolorado wrote: Sun Oct 24, 2021 12:15 am Or just cancel it and sign up for a new one. Signups dwarf retention 10 fold.
amex is getting a lot more picky over offering the sign up bonuses. Many people are in "amex jail" where they get the dreaded "we are not offering you a bonus on this card" popup. Fortunately its before you submit the app (so no hard pull), but there are people who can't get any new bonuses.
atdharris
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Re: Amex Retention Offers

Post by atdharris »

I took a 30k point retention this year on my Platinum card - first time I've ever asked for retention in the 10 years I've held the card. I would've preferred them to just waive the annual fee, but the best they offered was $200 off so I just took the points.
rivendell
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Re: Amex Retention Offers

Post by rivendell »

I called and requested to cancel amex platinum card. Given 550 off annual fee and 20k points for keeping card and spending 4K by 1/31/22. I called 800 number on back of card and when asked for a reason for my call stated “cancel card”. This took less than 5 minutes total.
“On a long enough time line, the survival rate for everyone drops to zero.” | ― Chuck Palahniuk
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whodidntante
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Re: Amex Retention Offers

Post by whodidntante »

rivendell wrote: Sun Oct 31, 2021 10:57 am I called and requested to cancel amex platinum card. Given 550 off annual fee and 20k points for keeping card and spending 4K by 1/31/22. I called 800 number on back of card and when asked for a reason for my call stated “cancel card”. This took less than 5 minutes total.
FYI, sometimes AmEx processes an automated cancellation. So if you are not sincere about canceling this plan can backfire.
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