Amex "I'm going to cancel my card" - bonus points given thread.

[sudoer]

Does it work with chat or do you get the best results with calling?

Always call. Preferably during AEST business hours.

 

[velli25]

Interesting… I was thinking of the same.
Do you have other AmEx cards?
(standard sign points are generally not available for existing card holders)

I have a DJs Plat, as well as an personal AmEx Plat and Res partner cred card…
Hoping they’ll be some inducements offered to move the DJs to another AmEx card.

AMEX Platinum holder too. They said it's offered for all current DJ holders

 

[foggy]

Makes me wonder if the retention offers are influenced by spend levels relative to other cardholders of the same product.

100k spend on Plat Edge is probably a fairly high percentile, 100k on the Plat Charge would be on the lower end I guess.

I put through around 400k on charge, probably still on the lower side but I would have hoped to get more. Maybe he was calling my bluff

 

[sudoer]

I put through around 400k on charge, probably still on the lower side but I would have hoped to get more. Maybe he was calling my bluff

Ah, sorry, I mistook "100k last year" as your spend rather than your previous retention bonus.

 

[foggy]

Ah, sorry, I mistook "100k last year" as your spend rather than your previous retention bonus.

Yes, meant that too. 100k pts offered last year on charge compared to the 30k offered this year.
I have a feeling since he was checking what I received last year as a retention offer, there was potential to get more if I went through the cancellation dance.

 

[dein_gesicht]

Went to cancel by plat edge. I only pay a $149 annual fee with a $195 travel credit. I think I only spent $2k on the card last year and was offered a 30k bonus to stay

 

[FlyIsUndone]

Have been calling our friends at AMEX recently to try and bump up to Platinum.

Despite calling during AEST business hours, I continue to be put through to the call centre in the Phillipines. I was told that retention offers do not exist any more. For anyone. They have been scrapped and AMEX are not allowed offer them.

Plus there are no deals or nuthin' for upgrading to Platinum and I would have to start the whole application process from the start if I were interested in upgrading. Is this true or did I get someone who didn't know?

I was also told that holders of the Explorer card were able to move MR points to Virgin Atlantic. Also questionable.

 

[Daver6]

Have been calling our friends at AMEX recently to try and bump up to Platinum.

Despite calling during AEST business hours, I continue to be put through to the call centre in the Phillipines. I was told that retention offers do not exist any more. For anyone. They have been scrapped and AMEX are not allowed offer them.

Technically correct. They can't offer you a retention bonus for keeping a credit card open. What they can do, and do do, is offer bonus points to re-instate your card if you've cancelled it. Let's call it a technical loophole. They'd get in a lot of trouble if they were to say they offer retention bonuses.

 

[FlyIsUndone]

Aha! Thanks @Daver6
So I go ahead and cancel the explorer and then reinstate it?
D'ya reckon there is anything they can do if I cancel it, and then bump up to Platinum?

 

[Daver6]

Aha! Thanks @Daver6
So I go ahead and cancel the explorer and then reinstate it?

Have a read through this thread. The process is well and truly covered, but essentially yes. Have a look at some of the wording people use for this little dance.

D'ya reckon there is anything they can do if I cancel it, and then bump up to Platinum?

I presume you mean the platinum charge card? I can't comment. Might just be simpler to apply for the card and then cancel the current one, assuming your credit allows this. Obviously you won't get any sign-up bonus since you're already an Amex card holder.

 

[Quattro]

Platinum Charge Card
Annual fee posted.
called up overseas call centre (number from back of card).
Said not seeing value due to being platinum/diamond etc on everything I need.

Offered 200k points.

Accepted.

200-400k spend per annum. All personal.

 

[andygfee]

Platinum Charge, annual fee due next billing period. Explained I was not getting as much value from the card as I’m also VA platinum, and don’t travel overseas too often. Offered 30k points. Accepted, wasn’t planning on cancelling card. Annual personal spend 150-200k.

 

[sudoer]

Platinum Charge Card
Annual fee posted.
called up overseas call centre (number from back of card).
Said not seeing value due to being platinum/diamond etc on everything I need.

Offered 200k points.

Accepted.

200-400k spend per annum. All personal.

I seem to recall you also hold/have held the Centurion card? Guessing that may impact the retention offer here..

 

[tlspambait]

Platinum Charge Card, my annual fee just posted, I called and was upfront that I wanted a retention bonus and I was aware they needed to cancel it to be able to offer one (noted to them I've been a card member for more than 25 years and when I moved to platinum I didn't receive any welcome bonuses).

My spend on the card was about (i'd guess) $125K last year.

They offered 50,000 points, which I took.

 

[Daver6]

Platinum Charge Card, my annual fee just posted, I called and was upfront that I wanted a retention bonus and I was aware they needed to cancel it to be able to offer one (noted to them I've been a card member for more than 25 years and when I moved to platinum I didn't receive any welcome bonuses).

My spend on the card was about (i'd guess) $125K last year.

They offered 50,000 points, which I took.

Just to be clear. You do NOT need to cancel a charge card for a retention bonus. Only need to dance for a credit card.

 

[momad]

Did the dance last week, offered 60K to keep my platinum charge for another year. Accepted and will revert in 12 months. Wish was more but oh well, better than nothing.

 

[PPS_SYD]

Good to see Amex offer 50, 100, even 200k points in retention bonus, for whatever reason I only ever seem to be offered 30k points. On the plus side, I have never NOT received a bonus. Another one of my annual fee posts in a week, see how that goes.

 

[foggy]

i remember someone mentioning they were able to receive retention bonus points for the companion reserve card. Has anyone tried recently?

 

[GCC]

Well, just spent 10 minutes with online chat to cancel Ultimate card, thought that after cancelation I’d ask about any incentive to reinstate. But just as the agent typed “do you wish to go ahead with cancellation?” the chat dropped out and I now have “Sorry we are experiencing technical difficulties…”

 

[foggy]

Well, just spent 10 minutes with online chat to cancel Ultimate card, thought that after cancelation I’d ask about any incentive to reinstate. But just as the agent typed “do you wish to go ahead with cancellation?” the chat dropped out and I now have “Sorry we are experiencing technical difficulties…”

do it over the phone mate, not online.