It sounds like you don't know how credit really works.
Originally Posted by
lexdevil
Our credit ratings are the same, and most of our cards are joint accounts.
No credit rating is the same, even everything you have is jointly owned. At the minimum, AAoA and/or age of the oldest account vary (unless you are married with your husband before you establish credit).
Originally Posted by
lexdevil
My salary is also around twice that of my husband.
Your salary may be a factor for credit applications. But it is not a factor for a prescreened offer.
Originally Posted by
lexdevil
I've got no idea why AmEx is more interested in my husband's business than mine. His spending is quite limited. He does not travel for work. The benefits of the card are of no use to him, and his spending wouldn't make much money for AmEx. If he were to get the card he would almost certainly cancel it after a year.
You misunderstand an important concept - the person who uses a card the most does not mean he/she generates much revenue. Instead, issuers profit from those who generate fees and interests.
Originally Posted by
lexdevil
I, on the other hand, spend well over $100k on travel each year. I travel frequently. I would be a valuable customer, and I would find the card useful enough to hold onto it after the initial year.
How does AMEX know in this case?
Originally Posted by
lexdevil
The fact that I have (and heavily use) both the Chase United Club Card and the Sapphire Reserve, and that I have kept the Club Card for many years, should tell them that I am the kind of customer they are seeking.
A recipient of your credit file does not know what kind of accounts you have.
Originally Posted by
lexdevil
If I were to get the Platinum AmEx, there is a good chance I would cancel one of the two expensive Chase cards, assuming I found the benefits of the Platinum card worthwhile.
How does AMEX know?
Originally Posted by
lexdevil
What could be driving this stupidity? Happily for me, I'm liking the CSR, so I'm not in a huge rush to get the AmEx, but you would think that they might want to compete for my business.
Sorry to say, but I would have to say you are the one, as you have overthought the situation.
It is costly to lurk customers for new cards, which even Chase admitted that publicly. That's why AMEX is holding off the 100K offer to those who have the most potential.
Your thought, in summary, is basically criticizing AMEX not to extend the 100K offer to you. But you seem ignoring the purpose of a prescreened offer - lurking potential customers - those who don't use credit often - to have the card. And your heavy usage with Chase in fact contradicts such purpose. In fact, even in the case of existing customers, issuers tend to have better promotional offers (i.e. bonus points, BT, rate reduction, etc.) to those who don't use the card often rather than those who regularly use the card.
Bottom line - simply because you believe you deserve the 100K offer does not mean AMEX has to agree with you.