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Amex (USA) restricts bonus based on number of accounts opened/closed (June 2018)

Amex (USA) restricts bonus based on number of accounts opened/closed (June 2018)

Old Oct 27, 2019, 9:21 pm
  #391  
 
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Originally Posted by linaseta
I just tried to apply for Amex Delta Gold and got the dreaded message saying I wasnt eligible for the sign up bonus.
I've only ever opened ONE amex card, the Hilton Aspire, this August. No previous history with amex other than that.
I also used the card 2 weeks ago to pre-paid for a week of stay at the Hilton during December.

Any ideas of why I am not eligible for the Delta signup bonus? What have been the data points for declined bonuses? Does Chase applications affect Amex?
How can you work around this or stop this from happening in the future?
Originally Posted by linaseta
oh i see, thanks for uneartching that thread. Still learning to use the search function!
Although i think i figured out what it would have been. Amex 2/90.
If you've only opened one AMEX card previously, it's not 2/90 - that rule states you can only be approved for two AMEX credit card applications within a 90 day period.

The card for which you were denied was only your 2nd AMEX application in 90 days, no? So not 2/90.
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Old Oct 27, 2019, 9:31 pm
  #392  
 
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Originally Posted by Diplomatico
If you've only opened one AMEX card previously, it's not 2/90 - that rule states you can only be approved for two AMEX credit card applications within a 90 day period.

The card for which you were denied was only your 2nd AMEX application in 90 days, no? So not 2/90.

Is the 2/90 rule and the accounts "opened/closed" in the language applicable to credit cards in general or just to Amex cards?
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Old Oct 27, 2019, 9:34 pm
  #393  
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Originally Posted by linaseta
oh i see, thanks for uneartching that thread. Still learning to use the search function!
Although i think i figured out what it would have been. Amex 2/90.
No, the 2/90 is an application rule, not a bonus rule. You weren't denied the card, you were only denied the signup bonus. You can still apply for the card if you want the card despite not getting the signup bonus.

They probably just decided that since you're applying for another Amex card so soon after getting your first one, and only applying for Amex cards with a signup bonus, you're probably mostly interested in the signup bonus, so that's probably why the pop-up. They don't like people (seeming like they're) applying only for the signup bonus. Here's another thread about some other things which they explicitly say they don't like:

Amex USA terms now penalize:abuse,misuse,gaming;1st yr downgrade/close;leaked offers.
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Old Oct 27, 2019, 9:39 pm
  #394  
 
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To add to the data points:

I tried to apply for Amex Delta Gold and got the dreaded message saying I wasnt eligible for the sign up bonus.
I've only ever opened ONE amex card, the Hilton Aspire, this August, which is very much still open. No previous history with amex other than that.
I also used the card 2 weeks ago to pre-pay for a week of stay at the Hilton during December.

Any ideas of why I am not eligible for the signup bonus? Does Chase applications affect Amex?
I opened the Aspire in July and the Hyatt in Aug. Naturally, I stopped putting spend on my Aspire after Sept, as Im trying to meet the 6k on the Hyatt.
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Old Oct 27, 2019, 9:56 pm
  #395  
 
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Originally Posted by linaseta
Is the 2/90 rule and the accounts "opened/closed" in the language applicable to credit cards in general or just to Amex cards?
AMEX cards.
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Old Oct 27, 2019, 10:03 pm
  #396  
 
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Originally Posted by linaseta
To add to the data points:

I tried to apply for Amex Delta Gold and got the dreaded message saying I wasnt eligible for the sign up bonus.
I've only ever opened ONE amex card, the Hilton Aspire, this August, which is very much still open. No previous history with amex other than that.
I also used the card 2 weeks ago to pre-pay for a week of stay at the Hilton during December.

Any ideas of why I am not eligible for the signup bonus? Does Chase applications affect Amex?
I opened the Aspire in July and the Hyatt in Aug. Naturally, I stopped putting spend on my Aspire after Sept, as Im trying to meet the 6k on the Hyatt.
No one knows for certain all of the factors that cause the pop-up, although closing AMEX cards that one has had for less than one year is almost certainly a contributing factor.

In your case, and this is merely conjecture, you have a very short history with AMEX and the one card you do have you basically quit using after you met the MSR for the sign-up bonus.

Some people have reported that increasing spend on their existing AMEX cards coincides with the pop-up disappearing shortly thereafter - that's a theory only, one that hasn't been actually proven, IMO.
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Old Oct 28, 2019, 3:29 pm
  #397  
 
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Here is a relatively worthless datapoint. One month ago my wife attempted to apply for a Hilton card. She received the pop up and we cancelled her application. I’ve used her Everyday card then last 3 weeks to take advantage of some AMEX offers (groceries, Staples, Happy gift cards, BP gas) and today she just applied for the 45k AMEX Green offer and it went through without a hitch.

I am actually annoyed...I should have referred her for the 35k $150 offer instead of the 45k $100 offer. Oh well!
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Old Oct 31, 2019, 10:27 pm
  #398  
 
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Datapoint: Opened a Bonvoy Brilliant back in March (2019) and realized I am probably better off with Platinum (maybe...). Applied today and was informed would not be eligible for bonus. Bonvoy used lightly as work travel steered me away from Marriott after about six months.
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Old Nov 1, 2019, 5:57 am
  #399  
 
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The BBP now has a higher referral bonus (15K for referrer and referee) but I tried for SO last night and got the pop-up page saying we're not eligible. How much spend should we put on other cards and about how long should it take to make a difference? I know this is probably highly YMMV.
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Old Nov 1, 2019, 6:27 am
  #400  
 
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Originally Posted by fredc84
The BBP now has a higher referral bonus (15K for referrer and referee) but I tried for SO last night and got the pop-up page saying we're not eligible. How much spend should we put on other cards and about how long should it take to make a difference? I know this is probably highly YMMV.
FWIW my wife was getting the pop up. I started using her cards only with AMEX offers...put about 5 gas charges onto her Blue Business Plus (all with the Exxon 10% AMEX offer), I bought a $100 Happy Gift card on her EveryDay card (1500 MR for $100 purchase), bought groceries ($10 back on $75 purchase offer) and did a Lowes online purchase ($15 of $75 online purchase). Then I applied for the Green card and it went through without the pop up.

About 1 month between getting pop up and not getting pop up.

In fairness we use our AMEX cards a lot but mostly she uses her AU cards on my account. She holds a BBP and ED card in her name.
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Old Nov 1, 2019, 6:32 am
  #401  
 
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Originally Posted by jags86
FWIW my wife was getting the pop up. I started using her cards only with AMEX offers...put about 5 gas charges onto her Blue Business Plus (all with the Exxon 10% AMEX offer), I bought a $100 Happy Gift card on her EveryDay card (1500 MR for $100 purchase), bought groceries ($10 back on $75 purchase offer) and did a Lowes online purchase ($15 of $75 online purchase). Then I applied for the Green card and it went through without the pop up.

About 1 month between getting pop up and not getting pop up.
Thanks. I just looked at the accounts (there's only 2) and the Hilton was an upgrade so we put $3K on it up until late August and the Everyday is used for Amex offers. I'm pretty surprised that wasn't enough. I'll try putting more on it as you advise. Would it help to actually call Amex and ask? Or is this one of those situations where I should definitely NOT ask?
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Old Nov 1, 2019, 6:40 am
  #402  
 
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Originally Posted by fredc84
Thanks. I just looked at the accounts (there's only 2) and the Hilton was an upgrade so we put $3K on it up until late August and the Everyday is used for Amex offers. I'm pretty surprised that wasn't enough. I'll try putting more on it as you advise. Would it help to actually call Amex and ask? Or is this one of those situations where I should definitely NOT ask?
It is highly likely that all calling will do is bring to human attention that youre hunting for bonuses.
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Old Nov 11, 2019, 11:43 pm
  #403  
 
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Originally Posted by williwaw
Datapoint: Opened a Bonvoy Brilliant back in March (2019) and realized I am probably better off with Platinum (maybe...). Applied today and was informed would not be eligible for bonus. Bonvoy used lightly as work travel steered me away from Marriott after about six months.
Shifted $2k in spending to existing AMEX and reapplied two weeks later and the pop up did not happen.
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Old Nov 17, 2019, 1:30 pm
  #404  
 
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Do you guys think that being previously added as a registered cardholder for a now closed card makes you ineligible for a bonus?

I had my former business partner add me as a user for the amex biz gold many years ago, had since log since cancelled it.

I got the dreaded "You will not be eligible for the signup bonus because you have previously had this card, do you still wish to apply?"

Different EIN, different social. Is this normal?

Even weirder I tried applying for some other cards that i'm positive I never had before and I kept getting this message as well.

In the end the only card that didn't give me the message was the new green card, the 35k is kinda weak but I needed a large carry on bag anyways so took advantage of the $150 Away Travel credit, and figured the 3x on travel and restaurants will provide a nice balance to move some awards off my Chase Reserve and get some more MR rewards points, as I usually put that on a sapphire but just overloaded on chase points, and since lost of korean air and united devalutation, i now think MR rewards are more valuable because of ANA.

Do you guys know if there is anyway around this message? Like applying on another computer, incognito, maybe using a slightly different name?

This sucks, I can't take advantage of the juicy 75k on $10k spend on the gold or the fantastic 70k skymiles on $2k spend for the delta platinum *sigh.

Maybe time to move onto Citi now that seems like both Chase and Amex giving me the middle finger.
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Old Nov 17, 2019, 3:03 pm
  #405  
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Originally Posted by PointsPanda
Do you guys think that being previously added as a registered cardholder for a now closed card makes you ineligible for a bonus?....
Holding a supplementary card on another person's account should not disqualify you from earning a bonus on the same card. The fact that the site displayed the same message for various cards which you have not held indicates a technical malfunction. It is possible you are ineligible, but the script was displaying the wrong reason.
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