Originally Posted by
mnbp
If a card is held more than 12 months, there is no way they'd try to claw back benefits upon card cancellation (unless manufactured spend was involved). Sounds like BS from the Amex retention department to me - who of course are rated by the percentage of callers they are assigned that are "talked out of" cancelling their card during that call.
This sounds to me like the winning response. Once I cancelled an AA affinity card and the Retention Department tried to tell me that I would lose "All my American AAdvantage miles and my balance would fall to zero if I ever canceled that card" I called BS and asked for her supervisor.
Since you won't get back the pro-rated annual fee upon cancellation, if you're still worried just keep the card open and don't use it.
As suggested above - once next years annual fee posts, cancel the card.