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Old May 31, 2013, 3:32 am
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: mia
For discussion of retention bonuses on Starwood Amex cards, see Annual fee retention bonus for Starwood Amex card.

Retention's department:
(800) 452-3945

Everyday Preferred
10/13/15
2.5K points not to cancel, and 5k points for 1K spend within three months, Total 7.5K points, or in the alternate, a $75 statement credit or gift card.
1/15/16 - 16k spend - first renewal - offered $50, no MR offer - accepted
3/14/16 - 98k spend - first renewal - offered $100 or 15k MR - took the 15k.
11/18/16 -50k spend - first renewal - offered $100 or 15k MR - took the 15k.

Platinum OPEN/Business
6/11/15 - 8.5k spend - 2nd renewal - offered $100 or 10k MR - deferred on offer (see post #314)
8/18/2015 - 90k spend - 2nd renewal - first two times I called, no offer. Final time I asked explicitly to cancel, was offered $350 statement credit.
12/18/2015 - 10k spend, first renewal. Offered 10k MR, cancelled.
1/6/2016 - 10K spend, about 8 weeks after account opening - offered $50 credit or 7.5K MRs, took MRs.
4/29/2016 - 15k spend, 3 months after opening. No offer other than downgrade to BGR.
6/16/2016 - 15k spend to get signup bonus (in Jan 2016). Minimal spend after. Took a lot of nudging - including explicit request to cancel card -- but was offered 10k MR to keep open. No spend requirement.
9/29/2016 - offered $100, didn't catch whether there was a spend requirement, i canceled as I have a personal Platinum card and the go-go passes weren't worth having two.

Business Gold Rewards
10/10/15 - Offered 10K MR. declined and closed
12/26/15 - Offered 10K MR or $100 Credit, counter offered $150 or 15K MR. They offered me 15K MR..accepted.
1/26/16 - Offered 15k MR, counter offered $150 and 15k MR, offered either but not both. Accepted 15k MR. $20k annual spend. Opened account 1/2015.
2/2/16 Offered 15k MR. Accepted 15k MR. $40k annual spend. Opened account 3/2015.
2/4/16 Offered 15K MR. Accepted 15K. About a $15K annual spend.
3/5/16 Offered 15K MR or $100 credit. Took the 15K MR. Minimal spend.
5/23/16 Offered $50, then $100, then 15k MR. Accepted 15k MR. Also let me change the 3x category in the middle of the year.
6/9/16 7500 MR offer, even pushed for 10k or 15k. Minimal spend. AF just posted. Left as-is, going to wait till closer to 60 day mark.
6/11/16 7500 MR offer, about 30k spend. AF due in two weeks. Took it.
6/20/16 No offer. ~$10k spend. Wanted to close the card anyway so did it.
9/30/16 Offered $50 statement credit. (<$5K spend) That was all. Didn't take it and cancelled card
10/04/16 Offered $50 statement credit or 7,500 points or pay the annual fee of $175 with 17,000 points instead of 25000 points. (<$9K spend) Didn't take it any of them and cancelled card

Personal Platinum
1/11/16 - 5K points immediately, 15K points for 3K spend within three months. $22K spend in 2015.
1/17/16 - 5K points immediately, 10K points for 2K spend within two months. $560 spend in 2015.
1/26/16 - $200 "loyalty credit" without requirements. $18k spend in 2015 (~50k total Amex spend in 2015). Cardholder for 3 years.
1/27/16 - 5K points immediately + 10K points for 2K spend within 60 days, or $100 credit. Took the points.
1/29/16 - 5K points immediately + 10K points for 2K spend within 60 days, or $100 credit. Took the points. Cardholder 3 years; $17k spend last year.
2/3/16 - 5K points now and 10K points after $2K spend in 60 days. Rep had to "dig deep" into my account to find this "unique and very special" offer (Yeah, right). Accepted.
3/31/16 - Only offer was $100 statement credit. $15k spend last year.
04/19/16 - $200 statement credit for being loyal to amex (cardholder for 2 years $65k spend).
4/29/16 Initial offer $200. HUCA 5k MR immediately, 15k MR after 3k spend in 60 days.
8/12/16 - 40K MR immediately. Card holder for 7 year, $55K spend in 2015 (Post #1015)
8/19/16 - 5K points immediately, 15K points for 3K spend within three months or 200$ statement credit. Card holder only for 1 year but amex customer for 8 years
8/19/16 - called before AF hit, offered $200 credit, accepted, not a ton of spend after hitting minimum spend for signup bonus, Amex customer since 2013 with 3 other cards but generally don't spend that much on Amex (maybe $10k/year)
8/25/16 - $200 Statement credit or 20k points for 3k spend within 3 months. Amex for 6 years, plat for 1 year. 40k spend across all amex.
9/9/16 - $200 Statement credit, $20k spent on this last year
9/9/16 - $200 Statement credit. ~$14K spend this year.
9/10/16 - 25k MR (no spend req). $11k in spend last yr. Tough sell from AX.
9/12/16 - 15k points after $2k spend in 3 months. ~$7k in spend
9/21/16 - 25k points or $200, no spend req. ~5k spend
9/29/16 - 25k points, no spend req. ~$20k in spend during past year
10/6/16 - 40k points, no spend req. ~$35k in spend during past year
10/7/16 - 25k points, no spend req. ~$22k T12 spend
10/8/16 - 25k points or $200, no spend req. ~$10k spend during past year
10/17/16 - 25k points or $200, no spend req. ~$5k spend during past year. took the points.
10/29/16 - 25k points or $200, no spend req. ~$11k spend during past year. took the points.
11/14/16 - 25k points or $200, no spend req. ~$15k spend during past year. took the points.
11/19/16 40k points or $400, no spend req. ~$45k spend during past year.

Platinum Mercedes Benz
9/30/15 - 5K points immediately, in addition to 15K points for 3K spend within three months. 20K points Total to retain card.

Platinum Ameriprise
7/21/16 Offered $200 or 20k MR. Accepted $200 statement credit to offset the $450 AF for all 4 cards in the account. 35K spent

SPG Personal
12/4/15 - $25 loyalty statement credit
2/3/16 - $25 loyalty statement credit but did allude to a potential bonus when the SPG card goes away; referenced the $200-300 bonus offered to Costco Amex holders being asked to convert to Sams Club Amex products
3/1/16 - $25 loyalty statement credit
6/14/2016 - $25 plus 3,000 SPG points - Had to ask Supv for the addl. 3,000 pts.
7/6/2016 - $25 or 1500 points after $1000 spend. Canceled card. $25k spend last year.
7/15/2016 - $25 loyalty statement credit. HUCA, HUCA, declined, cancelled card. $10K spend last year, less recently.
8/10/2016 - Paltry $25 or 500 points + additional 1000 points after $1000 spend (total of 1500) in 3 months. I have another ~60 days for af to lock in, so will call again in ~30 days. $35k spend last year, but less than $1000 / month this year.
8/16/16 - Offered $50 or 7,000 SPG points, $48K spend, took the points.
8/24/16 - Offered $50 or 7,000 SPG points, $13K spend YTD, took the points.
8/25/16 - $25 loyalty statement credit, $5K YTD spend. HUACA resulted in the same offer (even with a symethic agent that noted my 15 years of membership).
9/13/16 $95 credit with +- $40K spend. Fast & easy
9/17/16 $25 or 1500 SPG points after $1K spend. Cancelled the card
9/17/16 Called after renewal fee posted. Offered 5,000 SPG points - $40K spent on this card.
9/18/16 $50 or 7k. ~$80k spend.
10/1/16 $25 offer ~$15k spend. Cancelled card.
10/7/16 $50 or 7k. ~$76k T12 spend.
10/27/16 ($7K spend in last 12 months, first renewal) $25 statement credit OR 500 Starpoints + 1,000 Starpoints for $1,000 spend in next 3 months
11/11/16 ($4k spend this year) We respect your decision. Goodbye.
12/16/16 Member since 1995, spent $25k in 12 months, was offered 7k points. Love SPG points so didn't enquire about any of the other credits.

SPG OPEN/Business
8/3/15 - called with intent to cancel, $18k spend last year, offered $100 one-time statement credit - accepted.
8/12/15 - called with intent to cancel, $15k spend last year, offered only $50 one-time statement credit - accepted
12/14/15 - called with intent to cancel, $15k spend last year, AF hit 90 days ago with $0 spend since then. Offered $100 one-time statement credit.
1/14/16 - called with intent to cancel or product change to no fee Simply Cash card, $10-12k spend last year, $65 AF hit 30 days ago with $0 spend since then. Offered $100 one-time credit to keep card.
8/29/16 - called to cancel & they didn't offer any retention bonus so we canceled it. Only had min. spend last year.
10/1/16 - retention offered 5K SPG pts.
10/19/16 - offered $25 credit. Spend last year ~$15k.

DL Skymiles Platinum OPEN/Business
5/28/15 - called with intent to cancel, card opened 9 months, initial min spend (1.3k) only - offered simply cash open, declined, closed.
03/10/15- the date is date of miles post, do not remember original request date, no offers until reaching the retention department, 15k miles offered with 50k spend
11/4/15 - called to see what retention offer would be $60K spend offered nothing. sm
12/10/15 - Called again to actually cancel, got 25K skymiles. Kept card open. sm
04/26/16 - Called again, 3k bonus as good will to keep open. Will HUCA for 3rd time.
10/23/16 - called to cancel told me they have nothing to offer as I took advantage of the 25K miles last year. Said also they will remove the companion travel cert in my account if I cancel. I have until mid Nov and will call again

Premier Rewards Gold
6/12/15 - 1st renewal. Called 5 days after fee posted stating not happy about losing 15k bonus. Offered 10k MR now and 10k after $3k spend in 60 days. Accepted. $40k spent last year.
11/2/15 - Offered 20K MR. $130K spend in previous year.
1/14/16 - Offered $50 statement credit + $50 credit if meet $500 spend in 60 days. ~$8k spend previous year.
1/21/16 - Offered 5k MR + 15k MR with $3k spend in 60 days or $75 credit + $75 credit if $1k spend in 60 days. ~$25k in spend last year
2/11/16 - Offered 2.5k MR + 5k MR with $1k spend in 60 days or $50 credit + $50 credit if $500 spend in 60 days. ~$25k in spend last year
2/23/16 - Offered 5k MR + 15k MR with $3k spend in 60 days . ~$33k in spend in my first year
4/12/16 - Offered $50 statement credit + $50 credit if meet $500 spend in 60 days. ~$10k spend previous year.
4/22/16 - 1st offer - $50 statement + $50 credit after $500 spend in 60 days. 2nd offer - 2.5k MR + 5k MR with $1k spend in 60 days (took 2nd offer) ~10k spend previous year.
6/9/16 No offers. Minimal spend. AF just posted. Left as-is, going to wait till closer to 60 day mark.
6/26/16 - Offered $175 or 25k MR. $135k spend.
6/20/2016 Phoned and requested transfer to retention dept. After a brief explanation of benefits, I was offered $50 statement credit and $50 additional statement credit after $500 spend in 60 days. Took the offer.
7/25/2015 1st anniversary, 25k spend. Offered upgrade to platinum with 10k + 50k MR. Lengthy talk with Retention who finally offered only 7.5k MR for $1k spend in 92 days. Very disappointed. Declined. HUCA. 2nd call on the 60th day: offered and took the 50+50 offer.
8/19/2016: Presented with 2 offers: (1) $50 statement credit now and $50 statement credit after spending $500 within 60 days (2) 2,500 MR points now, and 5,000 MR points after spending $1,000 within 90 days.
11/2/2016: $100 credit no spend needed

DL Skymiles Gold
6/2015 - Have had card since 1991 and have never asked for a retention offer. $30k spend annually except for the last year with $1k spend. Flat out denied hard for any retention. Paid AF b/c my oldest card.
1/2016 - Have had card for ten years+, usually around $10,000/year spend. Never asked for retention bonus before. Given two choices: 1) 1000 miles immediately and 2000 more miles for $1000 spend in 60 days or 2) $75 statement credit. Took the $75.
5/2016 - Had card for 3 years, never asked for a retention. Spend is probably only around $2K/year. Was not offered any miles or credit.
6/15/2016 - 15k offer. Have had card since 1995. <1k spend last year. Took 15k

DL Skymiles Gold Business
9/24 - under $1k spend in last 12 months, no offer. They said they don't have a retention department.
4/18/2016 - Had card for 1 year with 2K spend. Asked for the nature of my small business, what expenses and travel requirements I have for my business. Given two choices: 1) 7,500 miles immediately to offset $95 AF or 2) switch to a generic no fee Amex. Took the 7,500 miles.


Hilton HHonors Surpass
1/2016 - spend > $40k, 2nd year had card, offered $50 statement credit or 5000 points
4/2016 - Offered $75 statement credit or 10k points. Took the credit.
6/2016 - Offered 500 HH points now and another 1K after spending 1K or $25. Took the $25.
9/2016 - spend > $40k, 2nd year had card, offered $50 statement credit or 5000 points. Took the credit.
11/2016 - Spend $5k on this card, $55k in last year across all Amex accounts. 1st anniversary, offered $25 statement credit or 1,000 points. Cancelled.
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American Express retention offers [2008 - 2016]

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Old Oct 7, 2016, 6:55 pm
  #2806  
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: JFK
Programs: AA Platinum
Posts: 325
SPG Personal
$4k spend
$95 AF posted in September

Called saying I wanted to either cancel or PC, depending on my options. Agent didn't budge: PC not allowed, either cancel or don't. Will HUCA next week with a different tactic.

Doubtful I can get $95 value out of it in 2017, but I'm loath to cancel because I have a charge currently under dispute...
Richard Berg is offline  
Old Oct 7, 2016, 7:54 pm
  #2807  
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: SLC
Posts: 97
SPG Personal, just over $5k spend, $95 fee about to post.
I was offered just a $25 credit.

Closed it.
MauiKauaiOahu is offline  
Old Oct 8, 2016, 1:53 am
  #2808  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: IAH
Programs: DL DM, Hyatt Ist-iest, Stariott Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 12,790
Originally Posted by lotrbfme
Ok so many DP lately about good retention bonuses makes me thing amex is losing a lot of customers lately and investors are upset about this, therefore they are losing money with their retention bonuses but at least not looking less appealing in the short term to investors...
I disagree with nearly everything you have said. If anything, I think Amex is offering good retention bonuses as a proactive measure. If you go back into the wiki you can see similar offers in January as what's being offered now. Nobody knew about the CSR or Prestige devaluation in January.
krazykanuck is offline  
Old Oct 8, 2016, 2:17 pm
  #2809  
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
 
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Berkeley, CA USA
Programs: Piggly Wiggly "Shop the Pig!" Preferred Shopper
Posts: 57,075
Originally Posted by krazykanuck
I disagree with nearly everything you have said. If anything, I think Amex is offering good retention bonuses as a proactive measure. If you go back into the wiki you can see similar offers in January as what's being offered now. Nobody knew about the CSR or Prestige devaluation in January.
You may be right, but the 40,000 MR retention offer on my wife's personal Plat two days ago surprised me. We'll see in the coming weeks if Amex has upped a certain tier of offers from 25,000 to 40,000.
dhuey is offline  
Old Oct 8, 2016, 3:32 pm
  #2810  
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: RIC
Programs: AA Exec Plat, Delta Plat, Bonvoy Platinum, Honors Diamond, WOH Globalist
Posts: 126
SPG Personal, first renewal, about 47k spend in a year. I called the number on the back of the card. First rep said she couldn't offer anything; was connected to a "retention specialist" that offered $25 off or 2500 points (1000 right away, 1500 with $1000 spend in 3 months). I took the money credit. Presently under a promotion to get 5,000 bonus points with $5,000 spend in the next 3 months, so added incentive to keep the card.
pubsmeister is offline  
Old Oct 8, 2016, 6:11 pm
  #2811  
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 320
Offered either $200 off the membership fee or 25,000 bonus MR points on Amex Platinum card. Annual fee hit on 9/8. Took the bonus points. Didn't have to beg or plead, and mentioned Chase Sapphire Reserve card... Annual spend last year was only $10k
britinva79 is offline  
Old Oct 9, 2016, 12:01 am
  #2812  
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: SEA
Programs: AS MVP, Hhonors Gold, National Executive, Identity Gold, MLife Gold
Posts: 2,687
Originally Posted by britinva79
Annual fee hit on 9/8.
Seems odd that they'd offer anything in this scenario. Per other threads, I don't think they provide prorated refunds of that fee anymore, so basically they shouldn't really care if you're a cardholder for the next 11m or not But kudos to you for getting that ^
OverThereTooMuch is offline  
Old Oct 9, 2016, 6:57 am
  #2813  
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 320
I was at exactly 30 days from when the statement closed so I could have still gotten my annual fee back so it makes sense that they didn't want to lose the $450. Anyways I'm quite pleased with my 5 minute phone call, would I have preferred 40K like someone else but this will do.

Originally Posted by OverThereTooMuch
Seems odd that they'd offer anything in this scenario. Per other threads, I don't think they provide prorated refunds of that fee anymore, so basically they shouldn't really care if you're a cardholder for the next 11m or not But kudos to you for getting that ^
britinva79 is offline  
Old Oct 9, 2016, 8:15 am
  #2814  
 
Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 495
Originally Posted by jakemalloy
Cancelling due to deceptive email practices used on my wife.
Could you be more specific? The statement is vague, otherwise.
edealinfo12345 is offline  
Old Oct 9, 2016, 8:18 am
  #2815  
 
Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 495
Originally Posted by Richard Berg
Doubtful I can get $95 value out of it in 2017, but I'm loath to cancel because I have a charge currently under dispute...
Pardon my French. but the the rep. likely knew that they had you by the khanuas
edealinfo12345 is offline  
Old Oct 9, 2016, 11:05 am
  #2816  
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: California
Programs: AA EXP, lowly UA 1K; Hyatt Diamond, SPG Gold, Hilton Gold; National EC, Hertz PC
Posts: 2,214
Plat Biz -- Nada. Total spend on the card last year was basically nil.

Didn't even transfer to retentions department. First guy who answered phone was able to cancel. Annual fee posted two days ago when statement closed. He tried to tell me that he could only refund 11/12s of the annual fee since the first month is the period it posts in. I told him that was ridiculous as the annual fee posted two days ago on the account. After a brief wait on hold he agreed to do a manual adjustment in addition to the prorated annual fee to effectively reverse it all.
adambadam is offline  
Old Oct 9, 2016, 1:16 pm
  #2817  
mia
Moderator
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,955
Originally Posted by adambadam
...He tried to tell me that he could only refund 11/12s of the annual fee since the first month is the period it posts in..
American Express no longer prorates annual fees, it's all or nothing as announced here:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...er-2016-a.html

Last edited by mia; Oct 9, 2016 at 1:19 pm Reason: Remove final sentence after verifying that policy applies to both personal and Business cards.
mia is offline  
Old Oct 10, 2016, 8:56 am
  #2818  
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 50
AF posted on 9/15 for Amex Plat Personal, ±$8k in the past year, first renewal. Called retentions today and was immediately offered either $200 SC or 25k points. Took the points.

Odd to me that they are so generous. Even if I just spent the points on gift cards, and used the airline credit, I'm breaking even on the AF. Maybe this is why centurion lounges are so crowded...
klepton is offline  
Old Oct 10, 2016, 11:29 am
  #2819  
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: Marriott Plat, Hilton Gold, UA Silver
Posts: 2,272
Amex Personal Plat. I called in after having card for a year. I spent a little over min spend requirement, but had spend on other amex cards. Offer was $150 credit or 20k points. There was a spend requirement to get that, but I cut them off before finding out what it was. Anything less than 25k points was going to be a card closure for me and that is what I did. Have most of these benefits with other cards.
Red259 is offline  
Old Oct 11, 2016, 11:25 am
  #2820  
jk2
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,516
SPG Business, first renewal. Was offered 3000 points, no credit statement is available. Spent $22K.
jk2 is offline  


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