Feb 26, 2016, 9:28 am
Last edit by: beltway
For earlier discussion of the restriction's application to personal cards, see Put a fork in it 5.1.2014: One bonus per personal card per person "lifetime" [USA].
It is essential to read the terms of the specific offer, but in general:
This offer is also not available to applicants who have or have had this product.
If we identify you as currently having an American Express® Card account, you may not be eligible for this welcome bonus offer.
Points will be credited to your Membership Rewards account within 6 - 8 weeks after the spend requirement has been reached.
It is essential to read the terms of the specific offer, but in general:
This offer is also not available to applicants who have or have had this product.
- You can only earn one new account bonus for each card issued by American Express in the USA. We do not know precisely how far back American Express looks to see if you have previously held the same card, but there is anecdotal evidence that the Customer Service database looks back only seven years. This means that if you cancelled a card in 2007 or earlier, and have not held it since, you will probably qualify for a new account bonus in 2015.
- Holding a related card does not disqualify earning a new account bonus. Examples: Green, Gold, and Platinum are each separate products. Delta Gold, Platinum and Reserve are each separate products. The Hilton credit card is a different product than Hilton Surpass.
- Holding a Supplementary Card (authorized user) on someone else's account does not disqualify you from earning a new acount bonus if you open the same card type in your own name.
- As of mid-February 2016, Amex appears to be adding the same restriction to its business card products.
- If you receive a targeted offer, online or through the USPS, for a card which you have previously held you may, or may not, actually receive the bonus. Be certain to save a copy of the offer, and to read and save every screen which appears during the application process.
- Upgrade offers are different from new account offers. You may be offered a bonus to upgrade (for example) a Gold Card to a Platinum Card, and you may be eligible for that bonus even if you previously held a Platinum card. It is still essential to read and save the terms of the offer.
If we identify you as currently having an American Express® Card account, you may not be eligible for this welcome bonus offer.
- This language appeared in the Spring of 2013, a year before the once-in-a lifetime policy was announced. The key term is "may", which gives American Express discretion to award or withhold the bonus.
- To reduce the risk that the automated system will deny a new account bonus, RIGHT click the application link and open the application in a Private or Incognito browser window. American Express will still know that you are a current cardholder, but the system will not flag your application.
Points will be credited to your Membership Rewards account within 6 - 8 weeks after the spend requirement has been reached.
- In practice it is not possible to know when American Express's system will credit a bonus to your rewards account. It may happen immediately after you meet the target spend, or it may happen when the next statement (or the following statement) is generated, or it may take the full eight weeks.
Once-in-a-lifetime bonus policy now applies to both personal & BUSINESS cards [USA].
Mar 3, 2023, 12:57 pm
#376
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,954
The application form does ask for both your personal and business income. The minimum amount that the form will accept is $1,000, and I would use that. They are not much interested in the details of your business, the card is issued to the individual, not to the company.
May 19, 2023, 9:06 pm
#377
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: NYC suburbs
Programs: UA LT Gold (BIS), AA LT Plat (CC SUBs & BD), Hilton Dia (CC), Hyatt Glob (BIB), et. al.
Posts: 3,290
AmEx card subject to 1 “lifetime” SUB, AmEx’s definition of lifetime possibly sometimes being 7 years. Prior account with SUB March 2014 - July 2014. Prior account with SUB denied due to previous account January 2018 - October 2018. (It’s a personal card and I’m still undecided if it should be one of my 5/24.) If “lifetime” for this me and this card is 7 years, would it be 7 years from July 2014 or 7 years from October 2018? Thank you.
May 20, 2023, 6:13 am
#378
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,954
Seven years measured from when the most recent account was closed. It makes no difference whether you received a bonus for that account.
Jul 8, 2023, 3:29 am
#379
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 23
Want to ask: I had Business Platinum a few years ago but it's since been closed. I did get a SUB for it.
Would I qualify for a SUB if I get a Personal Platinum now? Their "Once Per Lifetime Per Product" restriction really depends on how they view products!
Would I qualify for a SUB if I get a Personal Platinum now? Their "Once Per Lifetime Per Product" restriction really depends on how they view products!
Jul 8, 2023, 5:40 am
#380
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: NYC suburbs
Programs: UA LT Gold (BIS), AA LT Plat (CC SUBs & BD), Hilton Dia (CC), Hyatt Glob (BIB), et. al.
Posts: 3,290
Yes, it’s very well documented with many datapoints that biz and personal are “different” products in AmEx’s eyes. Same for personal and Schwab (personal) and Morgan Stanley (personal) plats, you can get a SUB for each. (If your goal is lounge access at lowest cost, could apply for one of them, apply for the next one at 12-13 months, close the first upon approval for the second, wash, rinse, repeat.)
Jul 8, 2023, 5:49 pm
#381
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 23
Yes, it’s very well documented with many datapoints that biz and personal are “different” products in AmEx’s eyes. Same for personal and Schwab (personal) and Morgan Stanley (personal) plats, you can get a SUB for each. (If your goal is lounge access at lowest cost, could apply for one of them, apply for the next one at 12-13 months, close the first upon approval for the second, wash, rinse, repeat.)
Jul 8, 2023, 6:31 pm
#382
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: NYC suburbs
Programs: UA LT Gold (BIS), AA LT Plat (CC SUBs & BD), Hilton Dia (CC), Hyatt Glob (BIB), et. al.
Posts: 3,290
If by “Plain Platinum” you mean “Platinum Card® from American Express”, usually called “plat” or “Plat” or “Platinum” here, then yes, completely different. I’m not a Marriott aficionado and not at all familiar with the details, be aware that there are restrictions for Marriott cards (and SUBS) based on prior AmEx Marriott cards and prior Chase Marriott cards.