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Once-in-a-lifetime bonus policy now applies to both personal & BUSINESS cards [USA].

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Old Feb 26, 16, 9:28 am
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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.
  • 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.
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Once-in-a-lifetime bonus policy now applies to both personal & BUSINESS cards [USA].

   
Old Mar 2, 16, 9:54 pm
  #31  
 
Join Date: May 2015
Location: LAX, BUR
Programs: AS,AA,JB, HH Gold, Starriott Titanium Elite, Hyatt Explorist, Global Entry
Posts: 1,896
FRom DoC, I had to paste the link in a private browser.

https://www262.americanexpress.com/d...t-card/spg-286

Starwood Preferred Guest® Business Credit Card

LIMITED-TIME OFFER

Get 35,000 bonus Starpoints® after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases within the first 3 months. Offer ends 03/30/2016.†

Welcome bonus offer not available to applicants who have or have had this product.
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Old Mar 2, 16, 9:57 pm
  #32  
 
Join Date: May 2015
Location: LAX, BUR
Programs: AS,AA,JB, HH Gold, Starriott Titanium Elite, Hyatt Explorist, Global Entry
Posts: 1,896
This is earlier than usual due to the uncertainty of the cards future with the Marriott deal it would appear.
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Old Mar 2, 16, 10:03 pm
  #33  
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Programs: Hyatt Glb, MR Plat
Posts: 2,525
Damnit, the 25k 12 month link looks gone.. Was hoping still there in addition to 35k
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Old Mar 2, 16, 10:17 pm
  #34  
 
Join Date: May 2015
Location: LAX, BUR
Programs: AS,AA,JB, HH Gold, Starriott Titanium Elite, Hyatt Explorist, Global Entry
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If you have not had both you can get the other one.
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Old Mar 3, 16, 5:52 am
  #35  
mia
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Join Date: Jun 2003
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Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
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Originally Posted by StatusChallenged
Looks like with the 35,000 bonus points, you lose the 12 month bonus language now...
Originally Posted by frudd38
Damnit, the 25k 12 month link looks gone.. Was hoping still there in addition to 35k
Yes, it appears that when American Express updated the offer from 25,000 to 35,000 points the terms were also replaced.
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Old Mar 3, 16, 6:08 am
  #36  
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 7,764
Originally Posted by mia
Yes, it appears that when American Express updated the offer from 25,000 to 35,000 points the terms were also replaced.
Wretched news indeed. The party's over, or very nearly so.
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Old Mar 3, 16, 7:01 am
  #37  
mia
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Join Date: Jun 2003
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Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
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Wait! I can still display the 25,000 point Business card offer with 12 month language following these steps:

  1. Click: https://www262.americanexpress.com/a...pg/100/spg-241
  2. Look: The URL of the loaded page must end with "241". If it has advanced to a higher number you will not see the 12-month language.
  3. Click: [Learn more]
  4. Look: The URL of the loaded page must end with "241".
  5. Click: [Apply]
  6. Check: The terms of the offer. No guarantee this will work.
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Old Mar 3, 16, 7:07 am
  #38  
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Originally Posted by mia
Wait! I can still display the 25,000 point Business card offer with 12 month language following these steps:

  1. Click: https://www262.americanexpress.com/a...pg/100/spg-241
  2. Look: The URL of the loaded page must end with "241". If it has advanced to a higher number you will not see the 12-month language.
  3. Click: [Learn more]
  4. Look: The URL of the loaded page must end with "241".
  5. Click: [Apply]
  6. Check: The terms of the offer. No guarantee this will work.
mia, any tricks for the business gold rewards w/ 12 month language?
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Old Mar 3, 16, 7:10 am
  #39  
mia
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend; Moderator: American Express, Capital One, Citi, Chase, Credit Card Programs, Diners Club, Signatures
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 47,196
Originally Posted by TMM1982
mia, any tricks for the business gold rewards w/ 12 month language?
Not that I have found.
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Old Mar 3, 16, 7:38 am
  #40  
mia
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Join Date: Jun 2003
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Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 47,196
Originally Posted by mia
Not that I have found.
I have found a few offers for BRG which have no exclusion language in the landing page terms, but the lifetime exclusion language appears on the actual application.
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Old Mar 3, 16, 7:44 am
  #41  
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Programs: AA, Hyatt, Marriott, Hilton
Posts: 497
what about for referrals?
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Old Mar 3, 16, 9:25 am
  #42  
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: ATL
Programs: DL PM, SPG Plat
Posts: 882
I have a question related to Upgrade Offers... Per the wiki:

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.

I presume that the reverse does not hold true? If I held a Gold Card and accepted an upgrade to a Platinum card in the past, then I can not apply for a Platinum card and receive a first time bonus, can I?
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Old Mar 3, 16, 9:37 am
  #43  
mia
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend; Moderator: American Express, Capital One, Citi, Chase, Credit Card Programs, Diners Club, Signatures
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
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Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 47,196
Originally Posted by FederalFlyer
...If I held a Gold Card and accepted an upgrade to a Platinum card in the past, then I can not apply for a Platinum card and receive a first time bonus, can I?
A literal reading of the terms says no, because you have "had" a Platinum card, and there is no reason to think American Express' records would show otherwise. However, there are several versions of Platinum. Have you had all of these:

  • Personal
  • Business
  • Ameriprise personal (no bonus points, but first year free)
  • Mercedes Benz personal (Annual fee $475 rather than $450)
  • Morgan Stanley personal (requires qualifying MS account)

It appears there will soon be a Charles Schwab personal Platinum, so even if you have had all of those there may be another opportunity.
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Old Mar 3, 16, 11:42 am
  #44  
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: ATL
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Originally Posted by mia
A literal reading of the terms says no...
Yes, this is my thinking as well. Although I was hoping to be wrong!

Originally Posted by mia
However, there are several versions of Platinum.
Good point. I've had the personal and business, but not the Mercedes Benz yet. Thanks.
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Old Mar 3, 16, 6:08 pm
  #45  
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Programs: Hyatt Glb, MR Plat
Posts: 2,525
Originally Posted by mia
Wait! I can still display the 25,000 point Business card offer with 12 month language following these steps:

  1. Click: https://www262.americanexpress.com/a...pg/100/spg-241
  2. Look: The URL of the loaded page must end with "241". If it has advanced to a higher number you will not see the 12-month language.
  3. Click: [Learn more]
  4. Look: The URL of the loaded page must end with "241".
  5. Click: [Apply]
  6. Check: The terms of the offer. No guarantee this will work.
Thank you! Worth a shot, but I'm guessing Amex could still override it regardless what the application says.
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