rewards program question / CC bonuses
 

Has anyone heard of a credit card bonus offer specifying that you must be a new member to their rewards program to be able to get the sign up bonus?

As an example, if i'm already an aa advantage rewards member and go to sign up for one of their cards with a bonus, but the terms and conditions specify you must be a new card member and rewards member.

I was looking at some application (don't recall the exact one) and I think I was probably reading the terms and conditions wrong, but wanted to check if anyone with experience could tell me if they had come across it.

What are you really asking? Many card offers, over the years, have said for "new members only". And sometimes that is ignored by the company. Like CITI AA cards. There are reports that CITI will treat you as a new customer if you haven't applied for the AA card for 18-24 months.

I think the question is is whether you must be a new member of the rewards program, rather than a new credit card customer.

Yes, new member of a rewards program for any CC's. If i go and sign up for all the different rewards programs I didn't want it to come back on me when signing up to get a bonus.