This thread starts in 2007 with discussion of Ameriprise ending their relationship with American Express. That's when they launched a MasterCard with free Priority Pass, which was discussed here:
MasterCard World Elite - Ameriprise
...but the American Express cards didn't disappear, and by 2009 (around post 15) you can see the first offer with a fee waiver rather than a bonus. There was briefly a period with -both- a fee waiver and a modest bonus.
Fee waiver in lieu of a bonus could be sustainable if they didn't allow repetitions.
i meant to say its been widely known for 6-8 years. i know hundreds of people that go it back in 2012 after someone sent out an email to an office of traveling consultants and by then people were telling their friends, family, etc
I'd have to look for my old posts but I was able to milk $3k out of the card just from sign up bonus conversion to travelers checks/cash IIRC along with not only first annual fee waived but got the second year, and then 50% off year three, finally nothing in year 4 so I dropped the card