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Old May 31, 2013, 3:32 am
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: mia
For discussion of retention bonuses on Starwood Amex cards, see Annual fee retention bonus for Starwood Amex card.

Retention's department:
(800) 452-3945

Everyday Preferred
10/13/15
2.5K points not to cancel, and 5k points for 1K spend within three months, Total 7.5K points, or in the alternate, a $75 statement credit or gift card.
1/15/16 - 16k spend - first renewal - offered $50, no MR offer - accepted
3/14/16 - 98k spend - first renewal - offered $100 or 15k MR - took the 15k.
11/18/16 -50k spend - first renewal - offered $100 or 15k MR - took the 15k.

Platinum OPEN/Business
6/11/15 - 8.5k spend - 2nd renewal - offered $100 or 10k MR - deferred on offer (see post #314)
8/18/2015 - 90k spend - 2nd renewal - first two times I called, no offer. Final time I asked explicitly to cancel, was offered $350 statement credit.
12/18/2015 - 10k spend, first renewal. Offered 10k MR, cancelled.
1/6/2016 - 10K spend, about 8 weeks after account opening - offered $50 credit or 7.5K MRs, took MRs.
4/29/2016 - 15k spend, 3 months after opening. No offer other than downgrade to BGR.
6/16/2016 - 15k spend to get signup bonus (in Jan 2016). Minimal spend after. Took a lot of nudging - including explicit request to cancel card -- but was offered 10k MR to keep open. No spend requirement.
9/29/2016 - offered $100, didn't catch whether there was a spend requirement, i canceled as I have a personal Platinum card and the go-go passes weren't worth having two.

Business Gold Rewards
10/10/15 - Offered 10K MR. declined and closed
12/26/15 - Offered 10K MR or $100 Credit, counter offered $150 or 15K MR. They offered me 15K MR..accepted.
1/26/16 - Offered 15k MR, counter offered $150 and 15k MR, offered either but not both. Accepted 15k MR. $20k annual spend. Opened account 1/2015.
2/2/16 Offered 15k MR. Accepted 15k MR. $40k annual spend. Opened account 3/2015.
2/4/16 Offered 15K MR. Accepted 15K. About a $15K annual spend.
3/5/16 Offered 15K MR or $100 credit. Took the 15K MR. Minimal spend.
5/23/16 Offered $50, then $100, then 15k MR. Accepted 15k MR. Also let me change the 3x category in the middle of the year.
6/9/16 7500 MR offer, even pushed for 10k or 15k. Minimal spend. AF just posted. Left as-is, going to wait till closer to 60 day mark.
6/11/16 7500 MR offer, about 30k spend. AF due in two weeks. Took it.
6/20/16 No offer. ~$10k spend. Wanted to close the card anyway so did it.
9/30/16 Offered $50 statement credit. (<$5K spend) That was all. Didn't take it and cancelled card
10/04/16 Offered $50 statement credit or 7,500 points or pay the annual fee of $175 with 17,000 points instead of 25000 points. (<$9K spend) Didn't take it any of them and cancelled card

Personal Platinum
1/11/16 - 5K points immediately, 15K points for 3K spend within three months. $22K spend in 2015.
1/17/16 - 5K points immediately, 10K points for 2K spend within two months. $560 spend in 2015.
1/26/16 - $200 "loyalty credit" without requirements. $18k spend in 2015 (~50k total Amex spend in 2015). Cardholder for 3 years.
1/27/16 - 5K points immediately + 10K points for 2K spend within 60 days, or $100 credit. Took the points.
1/29/16 - 5K points immediately + 10K points for 2K spend within 60 days, or $100 credit. Took the points. Cardholder 3 years; $17k spend last year.
2/3/16 - 5K points now and 10K points after $2K spend in 60 days. Rep had to "dig deep" into my account to find this "unique and very special" offer (Yeah, right). Accepted.
3/31/16 - Only offer was $100 statement credit. $15k spend last year.
04/19/16 - $200 statement credit for being loyal to amex (cardholder for 2 years $65k spend).
4/29/16 Initial offer $200. HUCA 5k MR immediately, 15k MR after 3k spend in 60 days.
8/12/16 - 40K MR immediately. Card holder for 7 year, $55K spend in 2015 (Post #1015)
8/19/16 - 5K points immediately, 15K points for 3K spend within three months or 200$ statement credit. Card holder only for 1 year but amex customer for 8 years
8/19/16 - called before AF hit, offered $200 credit, accepted, not a ton of spend after hitting minimum spend for signup bonus, Amex customer since 2013 with 3 other cards but generally don't spend that much on Amex (maybe $10k/year)
8/25/16 - $200 Statement credit or 20k points for 3k spend within 3 months. Amex for 6 years, plat for 1 year. 40k spend across all amex.
9/9/16 - $200 Statement credit, $20k spent on this last year
9/9/16 - $200 Statement credit. ~$14K spend this year.
9/10/16 - 25k MR (no spend req). $11k in spend last yr. Tough sell from AX.
9/12/16 - 15k points after $2k spend in 3 months. ~$7k in spend
9/21/16 - 25k points or $200, no spend req. ~5k spend
9/29/16 - 25k points, no spend req. ~$20k in spend during past year
10/6/16 - 40k points, no spend req. ~$35k in spend during past year
10/7/16 - 25k points, no spend req. ~$22k T12 spend
10/8/16 - 25k points or $200, no spend req. ~$10k spend during past year
10/17/16 - 25k points or $200, no spend req. ~$5k spend during past year. took the points.
10/29/16 - 25k points or $200, no spend req. ~$11k spend during past year. took the points.
11/14/16 - 25k points or $200, no spend req. ~$15k spend during past year. took the points.
11/19/16 40k points or $400, no spend req. ~$45k spend during past year.

Platinum Mercedes Benz
9/30/15 - 5K points immediately, in addition to 15K points for 3K spend within three months. 20K points Total to retain card.

Platinum Ameriprise
7/21/16 Offered $200 or 20k MR. Accepted $200 statement credit to offset the $450 AF for all 4 cards in the account. 35K spent

SPG Personal
12/4/15 - $25 loyalty statement credit
2/3/16 - $25 loyalty statement credit but did allude to a potential bonus when the SPG card goes away; referenced the $200-300 bonus offered to Costco Amex holders being asked to convert to Sams Club Amex products
3/1/16 - $25 loyalty statement credit
6/14/2016 - $25 plus 3,000 SPG points - Had to ask Supv for the addl. 3,000 pts.
7/6/2016 - $25 or 1500 points after $1000 spend. Canceled card. $25k spend last year.
7/15/2016 - $25 loyalty statement credit. HUCA, HUCA, declined, cancelled card. $10K spend last year, less recently.
8/10/2016 - Paltry $25 or 500 points + additional 1000 points after $1000 spend (total of 1500) in 3 months. I have another ~60 days for af to lock in, so will call again in ~30 days. $35k spend last year, but less than $1000 / month this year.
8/16/16 - Offered $50 or 7,000 SPG points, $48K spend, took the points.
8/24/16 - Offered $50 or 7,000 SPG points, $13K spend YTD, took the points.
8/25/16 - $25 loyalty statement credit, $5K YTD spend. HUACA resulted in the same offer (even with a symethic agent that noted my 15 years of membership).
9/13/16 $95 credit with +- $40K spend. Fast & easy
9/17/16 $25 or 1500 SPG points after $1K spend. Cancelled the card
9/17/16 Called after renewal fee posted. Offered 5,000 SPG points - $40K spent on this card.
9/18/16 $50 or 7k. ~$80k spend.
10/1/16 $25 offer ~$15k spend. Cancelled card.
10/7/16 $50 or 7k. ~$76k T12 spend.
10/27/16 ($7K spend in last 12 months, first renewal) $25 statement credit OR 500 Starpoints + 1,000 Starpoints for $1,000 spend in next 3 months
11/11/16 ($4k spend this year) We respect your decision. Goodbye.
12/16/16 Member since 1995, spent $25k in 12 months, was offered 7k points. Love SPG points so didn't enquire about any of the other credits.

SPG OPEN/Business
8/3/15 - called with intent to cancel, $18k spend last year, offered $100 one-time statement credit - accepted.
8/12/15 - called with intent to cancel, $15k spend last year, offered only $50 one-time statement credit - accepted
12/14/15 - called with intent to cancel, $15k spend last year, AF hit 90 days ago with $0 spend since then. Offered $100 one-time statement credit.
1/14/16 - called with intent to cancel or product change to no fee Simply Cash card, $10-12k spend last year, $65 AF hit 30 days ago with $0 spend since then. Offered $100 one-time credit to keep card.
8/29/16 - called to cancel & they didn't offer any retention bonus so we canceled it. Only had min. spend last year.
10/1/16 - retention offered 5K SPG pts.
10/19/16 - offered $25 credit. Spend last year ~$15k.

DL Skymiles Platinum OPEN/Business
5/28/15 - called with intent to cancel, card opened 9 months, initial min spend (1.3k) only - offered simply cash open, declined, closed.
03/10/15- the date is date of miles post, do not remember original request date, no offers until reaching the retention department, 15k miles offered with 50k spend
11/4/15 - called to see what retention offer would be $60K spend offered nothing. sm
12/10/15 - Called again to actually cancel, got 25K skymiles. Kept card open. sm
04/26/16 - Called again, 3k bonus as good will to keep open. Will HUCA for 3rd time.
10/23/16 - called to cancel told me they have nothing to offer as I took advantage of the 25K miles last year. Said also they will remove the companion travel cert in my account if I cancel. I have until mid Nov and will call again

Premier Rewards Gold
6/12/15 - 1st renewal. Called 5 days after fee posted stating not happy about losing 15k bonus. Offered 10k MR now and 10k after $3k spend in 60 days. Accepted. $40k spent last year.
11/2/15 - Offered 20K MR. $130K spend in previous year.
1/14/16 - Offered $50 statement credit + $50 credit if meet $500 spend in 60 days. ~$8k spend previous year.
1/21/16 - Offered 5k MR + 15k MR with $3k spend in 60 days or $75 credit + $75 credit if $1k spend in 60 days. ~$25k in spend last year
2/11/16 - Offered 2.5k MR + 5k MR with $1k spend in 60 days or $50 credit + $50 credit if $500 spend in 60 days. ~$25k in spend last year
2/23/16 - Offered 5k MR + 15k MR with $3k spend in 60 days . ~$33k in spend in my first year
4/12/16 - Offered $50 statement credit + $50 credit if meet $500 spend in 60 days. ~$10k spend previous year.
4/22/16 - 1st offer - $50 statement + $50 credit after $500 spend in 60 days. 2nd offer - 2.5k MR + 5k MR with $1k spend in 60 days (took 2nd offer) ~10k spend previous year.
6/9/16 No offers. Minimal spend. AF just posted. Left as-is, going to wait till closer to 60 day mark.
6/26/16 - Offered $175 or 25k MR. $135k spend.
6/20/2016 Phoned and requested transfer to retention dept. After a brief explanation of benefits, I was offered $50 statement credit and $50 additional statement credit after $500 spend in 60 days. Took the offer.
7/25/2015 1st anniversary, 25k spend. Offered upgrade to platinum with 10k + 50k MR. Lengthy talk with Retention who finally offered only 7.5k MR for $1k spend in 92 days. Very disappointed. Declined. HUCA. 2nd call on the 60th day: offered and took the 50+50 offer.
8/19/2016: Presented with 2 offers: (1) $50 statement credit now and $50 statement credit after spending $500 within 60 days (2) 2,500 MR points now, and 5,000 MR points after spending $1,000 within 90 days.
11/2/2016: $100 credit no spend needed

DL Skymiles Gold
6/2015 - Have had card since 1991 and have never asked for a retention offer. $30k spend annually except for the last year with $1k spend. Flat out denied hard for any retention. Paid AF b/c my oldest card.
1/2016 - Have had card for ten years+, usually around $10,000/year spend. Never asked for retention bonus before. Given two choices: 1) 1000 miles immediately and 2000 more miles for $1000 spend in 60 days or 2) $75 statement credit. Took the $75.
5/2016 - Had card for 3 years, never asked for a retention. Spend is probably only around $2K/year. Was not offered any miles or credit.
6/15/2016 - 15k offer. Have had card since 1995. <1k spend last year. Took 15k

DL Skymiles Gold Business
9/24 - under $1k spend in last 12 months, no offer. They said they don't have a retention department.
4/18/2016 - Had card for 1 year with 2K spend. Asked for the nature of my small business, what expenses and travel requirements I have for my business. Given two choices: 1) 7,500 miles immediately to offset $95 AF or 2) switch to a generic no fee Amex. Took the 7,500 miles.


Hilton HHonors Surpass
1/2016 - spend > $40k, 2nd year had card, offered $50 statement credit or 5000 points
4/2016 - Offered $75 statement credit or 10k points. Took the credit.
6/2016 - Offered 500 HH points now and another 1K after spending 1K or $25. Took the $25.
9/2016 - spend > $40k, 2nd year had card, offered $50 statement credit or 5000 points. Took the credit.
11/2016 - Spend $5k on this card, $55k in last year across all Amex accounts. 1st anniversary, offered $25 statement credit or 1,000 points. Cancelled.
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American Express retention offers [2008 - 2016]

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Old Nov 18, 2014, 4:24 pm
  #1501  
Used to be 'g_leyser'
 
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Brandon Johnson International Airport (expect delays)
Programs: AA PlatPro, HH Gold, Bonvoy Gold, IHG Plat, Reno Air MEGA Platinum
Posts: 10,036
My annual fee just posted as I passed the 12 month mark with this card (I have the regular Plat card).

Called and asked about retention bonus as I felt the $450 fee was not worth it without lounge benefits, and was offered 50K points. The agent offered to apply 45K of the points to offset the $450 fee right then and there and said you can keep the extra 5K points as a bonus.

I asked if I could just keep the 50K points and use them for something else, and she said "absolutely!"

So I am good with this deal and will keep my card ^

Edited to add: Annual spend of ~$17K
aisleorwindow is offline  
Old Nov 18, 2014, 8:08 pm
  #1502  
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, MLife Gold, Marriott Gold, HHonors Gold, Caesars Diamond, Amex Plat
Posts: 5,938
Originally Posted by aisleorwindow
My annual fee just posted as I passed the 12 month mark with this card (I have the regular Plat card).

Called and asked about retention bonus as I felt the $450 fee was not worth it without lounge benefits, and was offered 50K points. The agent offered to apply 45K of the points to offset the $450 fee right then and there and said you can keep the extra 5K points as a bonus.

I asked if I could just keep the 50K points and use them for something else, and she said "absolutely!"

So I am good with this deal and will keep my card ^

Edited to add: Annual spend of ~$17K
Was this your first year with the card and had you gotten any retention bonus before? I ask b/c I feel like I'm seeing a pattern of 50k MR at first anniversary as retention bonus and then very little, if anything after that. I'll be looking for a retention offer in January but got the 50k on my one year anniv last Jan.
Stgermainparis is offline  
Old Nov 19, 2014, 8:19 am
  #1503  
Used to be 'g_leyser'
 
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Brandon Johnson International Airport (expect delays)
Programs: AA PlatPro, HH Gold, Bonvoy Gold, IHG Plat, Reno Air MEGA Platinum
Posts: 10,036
Originally Posted by Stgermainparis
Was this your first year with the card and had you gotten any retention bonus before?
Yes, it was my first year. No, never had a retention bonus before.
aisleorwindow is offline  
Old Nov 19, 2014, 11:08 am
  #1504  
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: SAN
Programs: HH, UA,
Posts: 41
HH Surpass

I called in to get my annual fee removed or an incentive applied. I felt the representative did her best to help but to no avail. No incentive or waiver of annual fee for the HH Surpass for me. Amex member since '96, spent 40k+ last year on card.
mbodio is offline  
Old Nov 20, 2014, 7:25 am
  #1505  
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: LHR
Programs: BA Gold, Hilton Gold, Hyatt Platinum
Posts: 450
Originally Posted by mbodio
I called in to get my annual fee removed or an incentive applied. I felt the representative did her best to help but to no avail. No incentive or waiver of annual fee for the HH Surpass for me. Amex member since '96, spent 40k+ last year on card.
Thank you for this data point. I've just been approved for the Citi HHonors Reserve so I think I'll be cancelling my Surpass now as the end of my first year approaches. Haven't spent much on it at all...
nickerss is offline  
Old Nov 20, 2014, 3:08 pm
  #1506  
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: MSP
Posts: 81
AmEx Business Gold Retention Offer

Offered 11/20/14, I've had the card for 25 months, spend in the last 12 months of $13.5k. Was offered $100 statement credit or $15k MR points.

I use the card exclusively for shipping/postage (2x pts) and travel booked directly with the airline (3x pts).

I accepted the $15k MR points.
ajoy is offline  
Old Nov 20, 2014, 9:51 pm
  #1507  
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: YVR
Programs: Aeroplan, British Airways, Alaska
Posts: 249
Canadian Amex Aeroplan Platinum

Originally Posted by DanTravel
I had a call from an Amex loyalty person today and I had mentioned about not being sure if I want to continue with the card.

I've had the card for a year, in perfect standing, and my yearly spend is somewhere between $25,000 and $35,000.

She said the best they could offer was 10,000, and I said it wasn't enough for me. She then repeated the benefits of the card and said the best she could do is 15,000 points as that's the max allowed in my profile.

Has anyone experienced anything similar and have gotten a bigger retention bonus?

I'm really considering one of TDs new Aeroplan cards. The biggest draw for me with TD is it's still $400 a year (just a little less than Amex when you discount the $200 travel credit), but it offers me emergency travel insurance of 22 days out of the country unlike the 16 offered by Amex. That's a big draw for me since I am regularly out of the country for a minimum of 3 weeks at a time.

Is stick with the platinum for 45,000 bonus points if offered.

Thoughts?
$325K spend and maximum retention offer I could get was 25,000 Aeroplan. Tried HUCA several times and the last agent I spoke with mentioned I had called multiple times and that was the best they could do. Surprised that the Canadian customer service agents kept track of my calls grovelling for points
Sean22mac is offline  
Old Nov 21, 2014, 4:34 pm
  #1508  
 
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Los Angeles, AA Plat 2MM, DL GM
Posts: 131
Personal Platinum, four year membership
Offered 25k MR or $200 credit. Took the credit. Approx $8k spend in 2014.
We switched most of our spending to the Citi Prestige when Amex dropped AC, but with this statement credit and the annual airline reimbursement the Amex Platinum seems worth keeping for a net $50/p.a.
Umbrella is offline  
Old Nov 22, 2014, 9:53 pm
  #1509  
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Programs: HHonors Diamond, Hyatt Diamond, DL Diamond, UA Silver
Posts: 107
is it worth it for me to keep the Amex hhonors surpass card? Besides the lower point bonuses for hotel stays is there anything else different with the non-surpass hhonors card?
calguy32 is offline  
Old Nov 24, 2014, 4:05 pm
  #1510  
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: DCA/RIC
Programs: HH LTD, AA LTG
Posts: 1,015
Originally Posted by calguy32
is it worth it for me to keep the Amex hhonors surpass card? Besides the lower point bonuses for hotel stays is there anything else different with the non-surpass hhonors card?
If you are able to retain your Diamond status through stays/nights the answer is no for you. The primary benefit it offers to others is instant Gold and a path to Diamond for spending 40K on the card.
isle-hawg is offline  
Old Nov 25, 2014, 8:56 pm
  #1511  
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: DEN
Posts: 13
Annual fee just posted on Gold card. $35k spend in last 12 months. I called and asked to speak to an agent about possibly canceling the card, telling her that I didn't think the annual fee was worth it since they were discontinuing the 15,000 point bonus after $30k in spend. She quickly offered 25,000 point bonus if I agreed to keep the card. I accepted without hesitation.

Note: I also have the Platinum card and received 50,000 point retention bonus in August (slightly less spend than the Gold).
milehightcityguy84 is offline  
Old Nov 27, 2014, 2:26 am
  #1512  
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: SAN
Programs: AA Gold, Bonvoy Gold, DL Gold
Posts: 1,197
Ameriprise Amex Plat, first year fee-free, spent $10K, offered 10K MR points plus 5K after 2K in spend over 60 days. Accepted. Took 14 minutes, Citi only takes 3 minutes.
WheelsFirst is offline  
Old Nov 28, 2014, 10:21 am
  #1513  
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: GRU, PHL, NYC
Posts: 85
US PRG: 15k MR points or 100 dollar credit. Took the points. Happy Thanksgiving!
BrazilianGringo is offline  
Old Nov 29, 2014, 11:01 am
  #1514  
Original Member
 
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Tampa, FL
Programs: AAMM & PLT; UA Gold, DL Silver, Marriott LT Titanium Elite, Hilton Diamond, Hertz #1 Gold Club
Posts: 1,591
Hardly used my SPG card last year, but now due to kids sports where I will need one or two day hotel stays for tournaments I was going to keep cards and use more often. Called in and got 1,000 point and an additional 500 if I spend $1,000 within 60 days. Not the best but since I was going to keep the card...

Last edited by jamflyer; Nov 30, 2014 at 2:36 pm
jamflyer is offline  
Old Dec 1, 2014, 9:49 am
  #1515  
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: ORD / MDW
Posts: 49
Called to get retention bonus for Delta Gold. Not much spent on it this year, as I moved away from a Delta hub. Best they could do was offer me 3k miles. NO THANKS
lanac is offline  


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