Felixishim

I am a DM used to have a Amex delta plat after the annual fee increased to 195 and when AF come due I asked for a retention offer. It's funny how it went because I really show no intention of canceling the card but rather say that I just think that the New AF Is too high and I spend a decent amount of money as a 19 year old. I would like to get some spending offers that if I spend a certain amount in a period of time I can get some extra miles to offset the fees. Showing that I have intention to use the card more.

Agent was really friendly and review my account and such. He lead me to say that or implied that I'm intended to cancel the card so that he can give me offer I believe. He said: so you're thinking of canceling the card right?

So again I said that I just think the new fee is too hefty. He asked again and as soon as I said yes he proceed and look for offers.

When he came back, he tried to sell me the card benefits and I shut it down by saying that I'm a DM and I already get all the benefits the card provided simply being a DM. Spend above 50k last year. Then he just say alright I can give 15k additional miles in this instance no spending or anything required. Is that ok? said yes right away ( already paid annual fee and first time calling for retention, was gonna keep the card anyways so I was pretty happy) (personally value SM pretty high actually at the 2cent value- book 25k one way first from SEA-JFK on any routing... SDC to SEA-LAX-JFK + flexibility of award being PM+, score)

Few months ago I upgraded my card to reserve (in plans as needed the extra MQM from the upgrade + almost at 25k spend so wanted more mqm as don't think I will hit 50k this year but 30k).
Weeks later received a mail from Amex customer services saying after reviewing my account they decided to waive my annual fee for the Reserve card. Have anyone experience this?

On the mail they said they would not give a prorated refund for the Amex plat and charge me the portion of fee for the remaining of the year for Reserve which they usually do. And they waive only applies to the basic card member so if I have additional card holder their annual fee will still hit.

I have not seen this reported so I'm just curious is it often that they do this.

<a href='http://postimg.cc/image/hsv3jubxj/' target='_blank'><img src='http://s23.postimg.cc/hsv3jubxj/image.jpg' border='0' alt="image" /></a>
link for the letter: http://postimg.cc/image/hsv3jubxj/

CabinCaptive

Never heard of a proactive fee waiver. Maybe the Costco loss is going to be a big one for them and they want to keep high spend consumers.

DiverDave

An interesting thought. It does turn out that Costco accounts for 8% of Amex spend.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/...0LG1LO20150212

David

Felixishim

that's why i am a bit confused, i have never heard of it. i requested my membership agreement show my account number and delta reserve yet annual fee stayed at $150

DLERT

Interesting - the Delta Amexco RESERVE card annual fee is $450 ?
You have a savings of $300 a year ?

Personal note - seeing the direction the SkyMiles is going requiring more
miles to do more I am thinking of my Reserve renewal and going to the
Amexco Platinum with greater opportunities to use points instead of miles.
I have the Executive (Lifetime) SC membership so the SC is not an issue.

I too am taken aback by the Costco Amexco relationship.
I understand that Costco maybe still planning on taking the Amexco card
but will not have any promotional sales ties and perks !

Visa MasterCard and Discover are taken in a great many places I shop
but no Amexco - something about the merchant handling fees being too
high or something else !

Time for Amexco to review its overall business if it wants to maintain its
premiere cardly status.
There are a whole slug fest of competing cards that offer more in the long
run with cash back always everytime on everything - so it becomes a
matter not so much what is in your wallet but the overall worth of the
promos bennies of having it to use for everyday transactions.

Decisions decisions decisions - - - and confusion confusion confusion !
And then partial prorated discounts applied against upgrades ?

rucksack

Besides increased ability to earn MQMs, the major difference between Platinum and Reserve is the Sky Club membership. I'm speculating here, but it's possible that AmEx's agreement with Delta is such that they pay a smaller share of the annual fee revenue to Delta if the cardholder already has access to Sky Club. Since the OP is a DM, s/he would already have access to Sky Club and therefore AmEx might be able to profitably offer the card at a lower rate.

sethb

If that were the case, they'd offer the Reserve cheaper to anyone who already has a Platinum Amex (which also has SkyClub access). They haven't, at least not to me.

Felixishim

Updated with the letter at the link in post

Felixishim

I suspect that they may be able to do it for DM coz it is a DL co-branded card.

AMEX may have saved some money for people who has AMEX Plat and AMEX DL Reserve but AMEX are keeping those money and DL is as well

pleasantsn

I spoke with Costco recently about the Amex. I had an issue with autorenewal, as my Amex expiration had changed so Costco didn't charge my membership fee. I went in to set up autorenewal again, and was only allowed to pay for this year because "Starting next year, we will only accept Visa"

DLERT

My recent visit to Costco confirmed that they are discontinuing AMEXCO and going with VISA.
The person I spoke with made the candid statement that all unauthorized
persons use when they are not authorized to speak for the company ---
Bluntly put don't subscribe to Costco membership - you do not have to be
a member to walk in the warehouse and window shop. Find something of
interest that has significant savings over buying it somewhere else then
apply for the membership at that time and buy the item (Membership fee
and cost of item should be at or less than the best local price).
I frequently shop Wal*Mart's Sams Club and do the same window shop
and will either subscribe to their card or pay the % fee. One thing nice about
Sams Club is frequently they have a good neighbor weekend with an open
house buying privileges - you just pay the % overhead fee and no membership
is required.
Sometimes the door people ask for your card - just say you are going to the
pharmacy or optical department (no card required). Not finding a price or
what you are looking for just walk-out and exit - no sale-no card needed.

Felixishim

Student can now get Sam membership for 5 bucks

45-25 for the amex offer

$15 Sams gift card for student.

cubachao

I have the plat card, opened before the annual fee increased to 195. However, my annual fee post this year was still 150..... Anyone else has the same experience? Also, when I open this account(45k open bonus), Delta actually posted twice, I got 90 k for open this card, plus I always get target amex offer on this card( my other amex never get any good offers)
Looks really strange but I am keeping this card even I don't travel on delta that much!

Felixishim

Same here. It has not increase my annual fee. They charged me 150 ānd gāve me 15k miles

cubachao

That was nice, I was only offer 3k bonus miles after 5 calls. how much did you spend on the card last year. I only had 3k on my card!