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]

Old Dec 13, 2011, 9:46 am
  #31  
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 158
I'm not looking for a statement credit. I don't really mind paying the fee, I just know they'll give a points bonus for hanging onto the card sometimes.

Honestly, now that I have my Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, that PRG Gold is not quite as interesting . . .
Palaimo is offline  
Old Dec 30, 2011, 1:10 pm
  #32  
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Los Angeles
Programs: Hyatt, Hilton, Marriott // WN, AA, BA, UA, AS // Avis
Posts: 1,314
Well, called to cancel my AMEX Premier Gold card today, and as expected, no retention bonuses offered.

It's ok, as unless they were willing to completely waive the $175 fee due next week, I wasnt going to stick around after the fiasco with not awarding me points for added AU's a few months ago.

Still got my other AMEX cards, and besides, most of my spend has been shifted to other cards for a few months now.

Overall, I still love AMEX, but their MR program just doesnt have the value for me that it once did.

Darn, those 33 points still left in the account gonna be lost lol.
rajuabju is offline  
Old Dec 31, 2011, 12:09 pm
  #33  
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: West
Posts: 3,357
Originally Posted by some dude
On $500k/year spend on a personal Platinum Charge Card I was offered $400 statement credit (slightly less than the $450 annual fee).

I reluctantly accepted.
On this type of spend why in a world would you need a sucker to lick on?
1Newflyer is offline  
Old Dec 31, 2011, 12:20 pm
  #34  
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: West
Posts: 3,357
Originally Posted by rajuabju
Well, called to cancel my AMEX Premier Gold card today, and as expected, no retention bonuses offered.

...............

Darn, those 33 points still left in the account gonna be lost lol.
Do you know what would have happen if you had a point deficient account instead of points left in. In other words a negative point balance as a result of a return and refund. Would they cancel the card or asked you to pay for it, if so do you how much they charge for points in this situation??

Or this situation;I get the sign-in bonus after a minimum spend in the time specified. I redeem the points, then I get credit for a return and a negative point balance. Continue using the card with points being posted reducing the point balance. Is this acceptable way to prolong the time to have the minimum spend satisfied (not doing it on purpose just happens).
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Old Dec 31, 2011, 7:57 pm
  #35  
mia
Moderator
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,949
Originally Posted by 1Newflyer
...do you how much they charge for points
In the USA the price is $25 per 1,000 points.
mia is online now  
Old Dec 31, 2011, 10:53 pm
  #36  
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: West
Posts: 3,357
Originally Posted by mia
In the USA the price is $25 per 1,000 points.
Expensive.
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Old Jan 1, 2012, 10:42 am
  #37  
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Los Angeles
Programs: Hyatt, Hilton, Marriott // WN, AA, BA, UA, AS // Avis
Posts: 1,314
I also realized that my 33 points dont disappear since I have the Amex Blue card... they just got downgraded from the "main" MR program to MR express.

If in the future I get another gold or plat card, they can again become transferable to partners.
rajuabju is offline  
Old Jan 2, 2012, 2:58 pm
  #38  
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 8
Less spend here, but I called up the other day and was passed from orig. customer service rep to retention department. Did not threaten to close account, just told rep that I was budgeting spending next year and was not eager to pay $450 annual fee, especially now that Continental/United is not a program partner. Was offered $400 statement credit. Asked for MR miles and was offered 50,000 which I accepted.
Cannae is offline  
Old Jan 2, 2012, 3:12 pm
  #39  
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: West
Posts: 3,357
Originally Posted by Cannae
Less spend here, but I called up the other day and was passed from orig. customer service rep to retention department. Did not threaten to close account, just told rep that I was budgeting spending next year and was not eager to pay $450 annual fee, especially now that Continental/United is not a program partner. Was offered $400 statement credit. Asked for MR miles and was offered 50,000 which I accepted.
Did you get both, $ 400 and 50 000 miles ?
1Newflyer is offline  
Old Jan 2, 2012, 5:40 pm
  #40  
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 27
Originally Posted by Cannae
Less spend here, but I called up the other day and was passed from orig. customer service rep to retention department. Did not threaten to close account, just told rep that I was budgeting spending next year and was not eager to pay $450 annual fee, especially now that Continental/United is not a program partner. Was offered $400 statement credit. Asked for MR miles and was offered 50,000 which I accepted.
what's your yearly spend if you don't mind?
trublu is offline  
Old Jan 2, 2012, 5:47 pm
  #41  
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 211
Originally Posted by trublu
what's your yearly spend if you don't mind?
I'm curious as to this as well. Maybe we should start a dedicated retentions thread? where people put their card, how long they've had the card (in years), annual spend on the card, what they asked for, and what they were offered
ayodeji13 is offline  
Old Jan 2, 2012, 7:20 pm
  #42  
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 8
Originally Posted by 1Newflyer
Did you get both, $ 400 and 50 000 miles ?
Received the option of 50,000 miles or $400 each of which is the "maximum retention bonus" I was informed. ~$100k/yr in spend on Amex Platinum. Member since '06
Cannae is offline  
Old Jan 2, 2012, 7:55 pm
  #43  
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 198
Originally Posted by mia
In the USA the price is $25 per 1,000 points.
How do we purchase 1,000 points per $25 on the AMEX website? I have done it a few times in the past but can't figure it out right now on the membership rewards page. Can anyone help?
BAmemberUSD2009 is offline  
Old Jan 2, 2012, 8:51 pm
  #44  
mia
Moderator
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,949
Originally Posted by BAmemberUSD2009
How do we purchase 1,000 points per $25 on the AMEX website?
This can no longer be done online, it must be requested by telephone while redeeming points.

Discussion in this thread:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...e-anymore.html
mia is online now  
Old Jan 3, 2012, 12:27 pm
  #45  
formerly known as daveland
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: NY, NY, USA
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Marriott LTP, Delta Platinum, Hilton Honors Diamond, Wyndham Diamond
Posts: 2,969
Has the tide turned in favor of calling being the best way to try for retention credit again? The last couple of years a Secure Message using the Social Media subject seemed the way to go, but after receiving this gem of a reply to my Secure Message, that appears no longer the case:

Although we appreciate your loyalty we do not issue any type of compensation for the Membership fee. We do however offer Cards that have no fee at all. Perhaps one of those would suit your needs better. Please visit americanexpress.com to view our fee free products.

-- Noting of course I've received such "compensation for the Membership fee" nearly all of the 10 years I've had my business cards with them (there were a few years they didn't grant when spend was low). I also get truly agitated by replies like this - anyone at Amex can see I've been issued these credits before, so why lie and say they don't exist?
MilesTalk is offline  

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