Amex (USA) refuses to honor signup bonus [Consolidated]
#61
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Kansas City, MO
Programs: AA Gold
Posts: 3,648
If American Express sees this it can be rewarded with a retention bonus, rather than a new account bonus. American Express is a mass market company. I think it is unrealistic to expect them to waive the published requirements for a new account bonus based on your individual history.
I do not think it unrealistic for a company to take individual looks at customer history in making business decisions. That is what companies with good customer service do. That's what I do in my business. I don't lump all of my customers together under one policy.
I think it would be more cost effective for AX to offer something to longtime customers to keep them rather than have them put a year's worth of business spending on a competitor's card.
#62
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Denver • DEN-APA
Programs: AF Platinum, EK Gold, AA EXP, UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 21,602
I have have never been offered a retention bonus each time a card comes up for renewal. I call and ask each time. In the past, when it is turned down I would cancel the card, wait for the next bonus offer, and open up a new card account. I have them spaced apart so that I always have had at least 1 AX card open to retain my MR points. Looks like this won't work anymore, that one has to transfer the MR points, close the account, wait 12 months of being AX free with no AX card use and then open new cards and start the process all over again.
I do not think it unrealistic for a company to take individual looks at customer history in making business decisions. That is what companies with good customer service do. That's what I do in my business. I don't lump all of my customers together under one policy.
I think it would be more cost effective for AX to offer something to longtime customers to keep them rather than have them put a year's worth of business spending on a competitor's card.
I do not think it unrealistic for a company to take individual looks at customer history in making business decisions. That is what companies with good customer service do. That's what I do in my business. I don't lump all of my customers together under one policy.
I think it would be more cost effective for AX to offer something to longtime customers to keep them rather than have them put a year's worth of business spending on a competitor's card.
#63
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,958
Loyalty is properly rewarded through a retention bonus, not through the opportunity to cancel and reapply. See these reports:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...n-bonuses.html
#64
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: LAX
Programs: UA Silver, AA, WN, DL
Posts: 4,091
I pulled out copies of the mailing I received in Dec. 2012 with the offer of 75K bonus MR points upon approval of the card and $5k spend in 3 months. Nowhere on my documentation is there anything about not being eligible for the bonus if you have or had another AX product in the last 12 months. The bonus terms show up on 3 separate pieces of parer with no disclaimer on any of them.
If AX chooses to stick to their guns, you are the customer; and you can walk away and never be their customer again if you are truly fed up with them. You can even try to file a claim should you be hell-bent on making it into a legal issue.
That said, whether you will be at a greater loss than AX is open to interpretation.
#65
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 1
I also just cancelled my american express card because they did not honor my 30,000 miles for spending $500 in the first 3 months. They said I had one of their cards last year. Believe me, I have never had an Amex card before. It is to weird and not accepted everywhere. Never again. Bogus promo. I have learned my lesson.
#66
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,958
https://www.annualcreditreport.com/cra/index.jsp
#67
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 83
Does anyone know how AMEX considers applications for business credit cards? Is it based on Federal Tax Number or SS number? I have a single business that my brother and I run. Can we both apply separately for Business Gold Rewards and have the signup bonus or will it only be one card per business?
#68
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Kansas City, MO
Programs: AA Gold
Posts: 3,648
Does anyone know how AMEX considers applications for business credit cards? Is it based on Federal Tax Number or SS number? I have a single business that my brother and I run. Can we both apply separately for Business Gold Rewards and have the signup bonus or will it only be one card per business?
I guess AX's use of the term "business credit card" is meaningless. Whether you get a BRG card or PRG card, they are both personal cards. You should both be able to get the signup bonus even though the business is in both of your names. That's IF AX will honor the bonus which they don't seem to be doing a lot these days.
#69
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: YVR
Posts: 1,465
Met the $3,000 spend and still zero bonus points on Canadian Amex Platinum. I had a Gold, which I cancelled as soon as I received the Platinum. I though the limitation preventing existing cardholders from getting signup bonuses did not apply to Canadian Amex. Certainly nothing in that regard was mentioned in T&C. What should I do? Wait and see, maybe bonus posts later? I though it should post immediately with the transaction pushing the total spend over $3,000.
#70
Thanks!
-S
#71
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Upper Sternistan
Posts: 10,044
Pretty sure it's not a problem. Is yours even a biz card?
#72
No. It's personal, but I assume the same T&Cs govern for personal card bonuses as well (i.e. can't have held a green, gold, plat card in the past X months, etc.).
Anyway, glad to hear that it shouldn't be a problem. Thanks! ^
-S
Anyway, glad to hear that it shouldn't be a problem. Thanks! ^
-S
#73
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Kansas City, MO
Programs: AA Gold
Posts: 3,648
Would having a Starwood AX disqualify you from any signup bonuses under these new T & C's? Are we going to have to go cold turkey and have no AX card at all for 12 months if we ever want to get a sign up bonus again?
Last edited by susiesan; May 25, 2013 at 12:03 pm
#74
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,762
Do SPG pts similar to AMEX Membership Reward pts? No!
#75
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: AL
Programs: AA Plat Pro, DL Sil, UA Sil, Hyatt Global, MR Amb, Hilton Diamond, National Exec, Hertz Pres
Posts: 477
Does anyone know how AMEX considers applications for business credit cards? Is it based on Federal Tax Number or SS number? I have a single business that my brother and I run. Can we both apply separately for Business Gold Rewards and have the signup bonus or will it only be one card per business?
I guess AX's use of the term "business credit card" is meaningless. Whether you get a BRG card or PRG card, they are both personal cards. You should both be able to get the signup bonus even though the business is in both of your names. That's IF AX will honor the bonus which they don't seem to be doing a lot these days.