linaseta

Because this is a no-fee airline card that they gave me instead of cancelling for which i have not received any bonuses? Its not like they are losing any money on it.
That is not reflective of the spending habit I would have on a high-fee general purpose credit card. I mean, they cant realistically expect ppl to put a big spend on a no-fee hotel/airline card. Doesnt seem like a good business strategy to shut out potential big spending due to a no-fee branded card.

And does that mean it is better to cancel a card altogether? they would still have ur spend history on that card cancelled or not, and therefore, could deny u future bonuses based on a closed card? maybe is it better to keep it open so that at least you can remedy that by putting spend on it?

Anyone has data points of being denied bonuses for having a sock-drawered no fee card only?

VegasGambler

It did for me (with a no-fee everyday). I charged $900 to it, waited for the statement to close, and the pop-disappeared.

I'm not sure I follow this logic, but it seems to be the logic that Amex is using.

They would approve you for a different card because the different card has different benefits and didn't bonus categories. Just because your are not using the old one doesn't mean that you won't use the new one.

It's not like I'm going to start using my everyday now that I have the Plat. I spend a decent amount on airfare though, so I will use the Plat (and continue to do so, regularly, even once I have met the spend for the bonus) I'll charge about $20k to $30k of airfare / year to it (and that spend was previously going to my CSR)

Why would they assume that the spend on the everyday card is a predictor of my spend on the Plat? They are completely different cards. By that logic Amex should only have a single card. They have multiple cards because they know that different cards are useful to people with different spending patterns.

linaseta

Do you really have to wait for a credit statement to close or does Amex get a current "screenshot" of ur account?

VegasGambler

I have no clue. I didn't want to have too many aborted applications (I already had two) so I just waited until my statement closed.

RedElmo

No one knows the real answer other than the IT guy programming the logic into the system. But generally if you have one of my cards and don’t use it. Vs someone else who does use it. Who would I trust more?

bgriff

I do have a no-fee Blue card that has been sock-drawered for ages (like, over a decade), which is still open and appears on my Amex.com account. And I have gotten a few bonuses from Amex since the pop-up era began. So having an inactive card is not necessarily a problem. But, it probably helps that I have several other active cards that I put a lot of spend on (high 5 figures each year), and I'm not sure if there's some sort of distinction between a "deep" inactive card and a more recent inactive card. I don't think there was a sign-up bonus on that card when I first got it, but even if there were, Amex would likely have fully written it off by now anyway.

RedElmo

Right. You just said. You spend money with AMEX. if you had Amex card(s) and don’t spend on any of them why would they give you another one. You have 1 out of several that you don’t spend. That’s not an issue.

the person I was quoting I thought said they had one card. And never use it. Now trying to get another. There lies the problem.

bgriff

I think there have also been some cases of people who got the pop-up who do some spend on one or more Amex cards, but also have one or more sock-drawered cards, though. Not sure. And not sure how much "some spend" is for them, either.

Peatisback

Forgive me if this question is in the wrong thread:

Are there any data points on re-obtaining a card product that has been recently 'refreshed' and successfully obtaining the SUB?

I currently have a Delta Platinum card and was considering canceling so that I could re-apply for it in a few months with the 'enhanced' benefits and annual fee. I've had the card for over 10 years, so not sure if I would be denied for the once per lifetime per product limitation.

Anyone have experience?

krazykanuck

You won't get the sign up bonus. This is the current language in the DL Platinum card offer:

This is the same as when Amex refreshed the Green, the Gold, etc.

bgriff

If you had *cancelled* this card 10 years ago (or, the experience seems to be, at least ~7 years ago) it drops out of Amex's history and you would be eligible. But that doesn't work if you got a SUB 10 years ago and just cancel it now.

Every once in a while Amex will send targeted offers that omit the "once in a lifetime" language (I got one when they introduced the new Gold card, despite having had the predecessor Preferred Rewards Gold card a few years ago), but that's not something you can count on getting.

If you haven't had a Reserve card before, you could sign up for that one anew and get the sign-up bonus, with or without cancelling your existing card. If you did cancel your existing card you could then product-change the Reserve into a Platinum after a year. If you are eligible for small business cards, you could also sign up for a new business Platinum or Reserve card (or potentially even both) independent of your existing card.

WrightHI

FWIW, I get DL Gold offers with no lifetime language a few times a year, despite having had the card before and despite not crediting revenue travel to Delta in several years. No guarantees, but I’m guessing your odds of being targeted are pretty good if you cancel and wait a while.

freeflyin

Were you successful using this approach?

freeflyin

"based on your history with credit card balance transfers, American Express welcome offers, introductory APR offers, or the number of Cards you have opened and closed, you are not eligible to receive the welcome offer, intro APRs, and intro plan fees."

My spouse just received this message when applying for her 4th Amex. The others are actively used and have been open for many years.She has no history of opening/closing for bonuses or balance transfers. FICO is 840,so no issue there either.

Ceech Hsu

Been an Amex member since 2003, currently, I have 2 actives cards, Gold and Business Plus. I use both cards every month. Earlier today, I was trying to apply for the Hilton Aspire card, and I got the

"based on your history with credit card balance transfers, American Express welcome offers, introductory APR offers, or the number of Cards you have opened and closed, you are not eligible to receive the welcome offer, intro APRs, and intro plan fees."

I tried Incognito mode on Chrome and I still got the same message. I called Amex rep. and he basically had no explanation. I don't know what else to try to get that welcome bonus.