artemis

Unfortunately AMEX doesn't seem to recognize that. And at least in my case, it is costing them business. There are two AMEX cards I'd add to my wallet right now (and keep for years, I'm not a card churner) if not for this policy. It may not make rational sense (since I'd be holding the cards indefinitely), but knowing I won't get the same signup bonus on those cards as someone who's never done a lick of business with AMEX and who may have no long-term loyalty to the company at all makes me feel like not applying for the cards I feel like AMEX is punishing me for being foolish enough to stick with them for over 25 years.

josephstern

So the spend that would go on these two potential cards - is it currently going on another Amex or a V/MC/D?

artemis

It's going on various VISA cards from Chase and Citibank. Right now AMEX is netting a measly $60/month from me, while Citibank and Chase are getting several thousand per month. My AMEX card is currently a sock drawer card; I don't even carry it in my wallet any more.

flyer4512

If you don't use the Amex cancel it and within a few months you should be able to get the bonus again on a different AMEX card.

That is my plan , I kept the HH AMEX because I use the car rental coverage but after it's getting cancelled soon

artemis

Unfortunately my AMEX Green card is by far the oldest card in my wallet, so I really don't want to cancel it. Otherwise I'd take your advice for sure! And while it's one thing for AMEX to say that as a current MR card holder I'm not eligible for a bonus if I upgraded to a Gold or Platinum card, it's ridiculous for them to deny me the full bonus on SPG or Hilton HHonors cards (neither of which I've ever held before). Guess that's why I have Chase Freedom, CSP, and the UA MileagePlus VISA in my wallet, but no Starwood or Hilton card. Punishing loyal users who are NOT into card churning is backfiring on them.

flyer4512

I don't consider getting different cards ( SPG, HH, DELTA) from Amex churning

My HH Amex is my oldest card also but with the HH point deval and that I can achieve Gold Status by paying $95 a year old the Reserve card ( plus 1 free night a year) I have no reason to spend $20K a year on my HH Amex anymore so I may as well dump it

artemis

Normally I wouldn't either - but it effectively IS churning if AMEX is forcing people to get rid of all their current AMEX cards just to get a bonus on a new and completely unrelated card. And it's stupid. Most other card companies don't regard a hotel VISA card (for example) as the same product as an airline VISA card, and will give a first-time user of the hotel card the full bonus even if that person already holds the airline card associated with that bank. That's certainly how Citibank and Chase are handling their card products. I don't understand why AMEX isn't following that same pattern. Why do they want to discourage their current card holders from trying out new and different AMEX products?

farnorthtrader

Received a targeted 100,000 MR offer for business platinum. Approved in early September, went on chat with AMEX to confirm offer and received confirmation in mid September, processed $10,000 threshold transaction in mid October, did not receive bonus. Statement with transaction posted on Friday, pending base points for transaction posted today, still no bonus. Went back on chat where they told me that I could not get the bonus because I have a gold business AMEX. Pointed them to the previous chat (also have a copy of it myself) and also noted that this platinum is for a sole proprietorship, where my gold is for my LLC. Chat rep has passed it along to the appropriate department for review. Supposed to hear the result within 30 days.

flyer4512

That's BS ! At least I found out before I applied and made the spend.

Does anyone know when AMEX adopted this new policy of no signup bonuses for current AMEX cardholders as I used to see these offers all the time when I logged in.

I have 2 Amex's and need to keep the Delta card until April for free bags then both are going to be cancelled unless the policy changes by then.

Looking over my records, the last Amex card I got was 5/13/13 , it was a Delta Business and I received the signup bonus and had two other AMEX cards open at the time including an Delta personal card.

LETTERBOY

It was fairly recently, within the past few months, IIRC.

Mats

I just filed a complaint through the FTC. I figured I had nothing to lose.

rambo

Another data point:

I have had Amex PRG since Feb 2013 and applied for both SPG Personal and business in late Aug (30K deal).

The 10K first spend bonus posted within a few days of using the card for the first time. The min spending on both the cards were done before the 1st statement closed and I got the 20K spend bonus for the personal card right away but I didn't get the 20K spend bonus for the business card. I was thinking that they were going to deny it. Out of no where, I check my amex online account today and they have posted the 20K bonus (the statement didn't even close).

william142

I signed up for the SPG card with the 30,000 bonus this past August (same one they have ran for a couple years in August 10K after first spend then 20K after spending 5K in 6 months) I called today because my bonus points (20K) have not posted and was told I signed up under an offer of only the initial 10K with no other bonus even though they are always running the 25K bonus promotional.

I gave them some links that I went through to get the offer and they opened up a case on it.

Has anyone else had this problem? It seems like it is pulling teeth to get AMEX to honor their sign-up bonuses.

flyer4512

Reason #1 why I always verify bonuses via SM ( chat now) before I spend a dime on the card.

Good Luck

rjs11

Out of 19 credit cards, the SPG Personal is the only one I've ever had a problem with in terms of the sign-up bonus. It took me weeks to get the additional 15,000 points (signed up for the 25,000 point offer). I would say keep calling and be persistent. I eventually got transferred to a supervisor who had the authority to give me the 15,000 points. Data point: I had never had a SPG card before. Applied for both the personal and business cards in February. Had no problems getting the full 25,000 bonus points on the biz card.

P.s. at least for me, having a CS rep open a case was useless. Nothing was ever done within the 30 day time period. I only got the points because I kept calling in and they could see in their systems all the times I did so. Thus, I probably only got the points because of a "favor".