May 15, 2014, 7:38 am
Last edit by: mia
Please report the results of USA-issued personal card applications submitted on, or after, May 1, 2014.
Please include:
Background:
American Express now includes this language in USA issued personal card applications:
The first sentence was introduced in 2013, but the have had language in the second sentence is new in April 2014. A literal reading is that an individual may earn only one new account bonus per card product in a lifetime, but American Express practice frequently deviates from published policy. See this thread for discussion:
Put a fork in it 5.1.2014: One bonus per card per person "lifetime" [USA]
Considerations:
Please include:
- If and when you previously held the same card,
- If your application was automatically approved,
- If the approval notice confirmed the bonus,
- When the bonus posted,
- Any discussion with American Express required to obtain the bonus or denial.
Background:
American Express now includes this language in USA issued personal card applications:
If we identify you as currently having an American Express® Card account, you may not be eligible for this welcome bonus offer. This offer is also not available to applicants who have or have had this product
Put a fork in it 5.1.2014: One bonus per card per person "lifetime" [USA]
Considerations:
- These terms appear only in personal card applications. No need to report Business or Corporate card application results.
- Holding a supplementary card (Authorized User) on someone else's account does not disqualify you from earning a bonus if applying for the same card in your own name.
- When the features of a card change American Express may consider it to be a new product, and you may be eligible for a bonus even if you held the previous version. Sometimes the refreshed card is given a new name, but not always.
- Holding any version of the personal Platinum charge card which participates in Membership Rewards may disqualify you from earning a bonus for opening any other personal Platinum charge card. Includes co-branded versions offered with: Ameriprise, Fidelity, Goldman Sachs, Mercedes, or Morgan Stanley.
Report USA personal application bonus results here, beginning 5.1.2014
Jun 15, 2014, 7:39 am
#31
Join Date: May 2011
Programs: AA, SPG, HERTZ, BA, UA, CO, JB
Posts: 289
My first purchase, 5/5, 10k, 5/12. Closing date, 5/30.
I think another point to take away from this is possibly that a product conversion may cause them to not see that I had this product within 12 months. Though I am not sure if it'll be the same for lifetime limit as they may be able to see more in that case.
I think another point to take away from this is possibly that a product conversion may cause them to not see that I had this product within 12 months. Though I am not sure if it'll be the same for lifetime limit as they may be able to see more in that case.
Last edited by mia; Jun 15, 2014 at 4:21 pm
Jun 17, 2014, 6:07 pm
#32
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,762
5.01.2014 Applied. Instant approval
5.06.2014 Card received. Activated. $1,000 spent.
5.11.2014 10,000 bonus points posted: AmexEveryDay $1K/10K MR
At time of application I had four open USA-issued American Express cards. American Express did "identify" me as an existing cardholder, my Member Since date is the same as on my other cards.
The bonus points never appeared in the Pending category.
5.06.2014 Card received. Activated. $1,000 spent.
5.11.2014 10,000 bonus points posted: AmexEveryDay $1K/10K MR
At time of application I had four open USA-issued American Express cards. American Express did "identify" me as an existing cardholder, my Member Since date is the same as on my other cards.
The bonus points never appeared in the Pending category.
Applied 4/7 with incognito. instant approval. at registration AMEX immediately recognized me and auto-linked the card to the membership reward account where the other card was brg.
Met spend 4/14.
No sight of the 10K bonus as of today - 2nd statement closed on 6.15. Only the earned and 20% bonus posted.
Every chat and phone rep insisted it would eventually automatically posted after 6 to 8 weeks time frame, albeit everyone told me the account was attached to the offer and I did meet the spend to earn it. I do not look forward to chasing this - all they would do is to open an investigation then come back to tell me not eligible.
UPDATE
At 10 weeks mark after failure with a phone rep who lied about opening an investigation but failed to give me a reference number, I turned to Chat and got a competent chat rep who was willing to help. After conferred with his supervisor a few times upon my insistence to get the bonus into Pending stage, his supervisor finally agreed and the bonus was issued as available.
Last edited by Happy; Jun 26, 2014 at 1:20 pm
Jun 23, 2014, 4:48 pm
#33
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 26
AMEX SPG
I do not expect the same to be true for the remaining 15,000 pts but I will not call & harass AMEX for taking more time posting them if that happens to be the case ... rather I am just grateful I was approved a 2nd time round & have so far received the 10,000 .
Last edited by mia; Jun 29, 2014 at 1:00 pm
Jun 29, 2014, 11:50 am
#34
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania
Programs: Milege+, SkyMiles, AAdvantage, HHonors Diamond, Marriott Gold
Posts: 1,685
I received an email offer for PRG 25K for 2K spend, but I already hold the Plat Card. Email has the "may not receive" language in T&C. Should I apply or wait for a targeted offer? When I get a targeted offer, the "may not receive language" is not in it. I also get a snail mail copy of the offer with an RSVP code.
Last edited by eajusa; Jun 29, 2014 at 1:37 pm
Jul 11, 2014, 6:34 pm
#35
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: MSP
Programs: Delta SkyMiles, Marriott Bonvoy, Virgin Atlantic FlyingClub, Hilton HHonors, World of Hyatt
Posts: 105
Applied for a second SPG card after 2 years of not having the card on 6/24. Statement closed on 7/8. No signup bonus. Chatted with a rep both on the phone and on chat who both confirmed that since it was my 2nd card in my lifetime that I would not get the bonus. No huge deal for me but sort of a bummer. So I guess the once in a lifetime is true.
Jul 15, 2014, 6:50 am
#36
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: On strike
Posts: 8,135
Yes: the policy is real, and it's unspectacular.
DW previously held SPG personal Amex (2/2012 to 3/2013). Applied in June 2014 with same-day (not instant) approval; approval notice conspicuously omitted any reference to bonus.
Made test purchase upon receipt of card. First billing period has now closed & only points for spend have posted, with no bonus.
DW previously held SPG personal Amex (2/2012 to 3/2013). Applied in June 2014 with same-day (not instant) approval; approval notice conspicuously omitted any reference to bonus.
Made test purchase upon receipt of card. First billing period has now closed & only points for spend have posted, with no bonus.
Nov 2, 2014, 11:16 pm
#37
Join Date: Mar 2011
Programs: HHonors, SPG, ClubCarlson, AAdvantage, BA Avios, US Dividend Miles, UA MileagePlus, Delta SkyPesos
Posts: 137
Yes: the policy is real, and it's unspectacular.
DW previously held SPG personal Amex (2/2012 to 3/2013). Applied in June 2014 with same-day (not instant) approval; approval notice conspicuously omitted any reference to bonus.
Made test purchase upon receipt of card. First billing period has now closed & only points for spend have posted, with no bonus.
DW previously held SPG personal Amex (2/2012 to 3/2013). Applied in June 2014 with same-day (not instant) approval; approval notice conspicuously omitted any reference to bonus.
Made test purchase upon receipt of card. First billing period has now closed & only points for spend have posted, with no bonus.
That said, I discussed in the Citi HHonors (no fee) thread that I was able to get another bonus on no fee HHonors Amex. As I said in the Citi thread on 8/25, "For the details, I opened my original HHonors Amex in early 2011, upgraded to Surpass in Spring 2013, and cancelled in January 2014. Now, as far as the new Amex, I opened it on 8/13, Amex rush delivered it to me by 8/15, and I met the spend on 8/16. Bonus points were posted to my account on 8/22." http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/citi-...l#post23418648
Seems like the new Amex policy is hit or miss. Perhaps, due to the Surpass conversion, they read my former account as a Surpass and ignore original no fee card account. Or, like Citi, they don't give a rats about dolling out HHonors points, due to how cheaply they can be acquired.
Last edited by LowFlyOver; Nov 2, 2014 at 11:52 pm
Nov 3, 2014, 5:50 am
#38
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,954
Or, because they compete directly against Citi, both issuing HHonors co-branded cards in the USA, American Express has an unpublished exception to their policy.