Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Miles&Points > Hotels and Places to Stay > Marriott | Marriott Bonvoy
Reload this Page >

Annual fee retention bonus for Starwood Amex Card (Pre-May, 2019)

Community
Wiki Posts
Search
Old Sep 12, 2014, 8:20 am
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: MDtR-Chicago
Direct Retention number is following.... 1-800-452-3945 (better success in getting a bonus points)

SPG Personal
---------------
9/12 - 3K points offered with no spending-rubu
9/14 - 7k points $110k annual spend
10/3/14 - 7k points $40k spend
10/6 - $50 statement credit (had $27k of YTD spend)
10/8/14 - 3K points or $25 with very little spend. Took points.
10/27/14 no offer except to close.
10/28/14 - 3K points to keep open ($24k spend)
1/15 - 7k points. This in addition to the 7k points I recived in Aug, so 14k points within 5months. Just asked.
1/27/15 - 7k points or $50 statement credit (~$30k spend)
2/8/15 - 7k points or $50 statement credit
2/10/15- 1k points + 500 if I charge $1000 in next month. Canceled.
2/11/15 - 7k points (~$60k spend)
2/15/15 - 3k points ($20k spend)
2/23/15 - 1K points + 500 if I charge $1000 in next month
2/24/15 - 7k points or $50 statement credit (~$90k spend)
3/6/15 - 3k points
3/12/15 - 3k points...yawn. Might cancel
3/16/15- 7k points or $100 statement credit (over $300K spend)
4/3/15 - 1.5k points or $50 statement credit (less than $2k spent YTD)
5/1/15 - no offer
5/2/15 - $100 statement credit or 7K points. ~50K spend.
5/4/15 - 3k points (>100k spend)
5/5/15 - $50 or 100 points with 1K points w/ $1K spend... lol no thx ($65K spent last year)
5/11/15 - $50 or 500 points + 1K points w/ $1K spend (~$90k spend)
5/26/15 - $50 or 500 points + 1K points w/ $1K spend in 90 days (~$30k spend)
5/30/15 - $100 statement credit or 7K points. ~10K spend. Took $100.
6/16/15 - Nada. Was told that an offer is only given every other year. I got 7K last year. (~40k spend)
7/8/15 - $10+K spend last year, offers $25 credit or 500 points + 1K points w/ $1k spend. Will HUCA.
7/13/15 - $9K spend in 1st year; offered and took 7K points, still at $65 AF for the year ahead.
8/20/15 - Offered 10K points or $100...chose the points. 250K annual spend.
9/3/15- Offered 7K points or $50 credit, accepted credit, 30K annual spend
9/26/15 - Offered 10K points took it; 3rd year card member; ~40K spend, 3K retention offers previous years
10/17/15 - Offered 10k points or $100. Chose the points. ~30-40k spend. Have had the card for 3 yrs, first time asking for retention. 15yr amex customer.
1/10/16 - Offered 500 points for $1k spend or $25 credit. Took $25 credit. 12 year amex customer, 1st year of SPG card.
2/1/16 - Offered 10k points to keep the card open, no minimum spending requirements ^ $11000 YTD spending in 2015. Accepted 7k points for retention in Oct 2014.
2/18/16 Offered 10k points to keep the card open, no minimum spending requirements. $100k spending in 2015
3/22/16 - Offered $25. $5k spend last year. Did not accept.
4/3/16 - Offered $25 or 7K points. $25K spend last year. Took points. Same as last year as well
5/25/16 - Offered $25 without any spend, or 1.5k points after $1k spend. Took the $25. About $13k of spend in the last year, but only $900 2016 year to date.
6/14 - offered 500 points now and another 1000 after $1k spend. Took the offer. $5k spend last year.
6/14/2016 - Offered $25 or 500 SPG points. Asked for Supervisor - Increased offer to $25 plus 3,000 SPG points with no addl. spend.
6/22/16 - Offered $25 or 1500 points (500 immediate + 1000 additional after spending $1K on the card). Didn't want to deal with supervisor so just took the $25. ~$20K spend on the card in 2015
7/4/16 - Called in January and offered nothing. Called again in July offered 7,000 SPG points on $125k spend
7/7/16- Offered $100 or 10000 points on 140K spend. Took the points.
7/13/16 - Offered $50 or 7,000 SPG points, took the points.
8/3/16 - Offered $50 or 7,000 SPG points on 50K spend, took the points.
8/14/16 - nothing on first call; second call offered 2000 SPG points.
8/16/16 - Offered $50 or 7,000 SPG points, $48K spend, took the points.
8/17/2016- 15 yr customer with typical balances ranging from 20-30K, this year about 7K to date. "Nothing to offer you on yr account" Cancelled
8/25/2016 - No offer. Had card for one year, $3.5k spend.
8/29/16 - 3rd year of the card. $25 credit or 500 Starpoints now and 1000 points after $1k spend in 90 days. Took the points offer and kept the card.
9/7/16 - since 2006, $30-40K spend. $95 annual fee. Offered $100 credit. Took it.
10/17/16 - Roughly $15K annual spend for several years. $95 annual fee. Offered $50 credit or 7K SPG points. Took the points.
10/14/16 - $50k annual spend. $95 fee, offered $100 or 7K SPG points. Took the points
10/27/16 - $10K annual spend. With much difficulty, was eventually offered 1500 pts for spending $1000 in 3 mths. (Had been offered 1000 pts by the Indian call centre a few weeks ago which I was dissatisfied with.)
11/03/16 - $200k spend (MS) - $95 fee. Originally offered $50 but didn't jump on it. Offered $100. Took the money.
12/10/16 - third time calling, offered same deal of either 25 towards fee or 1500 SPG points - 500 now, 1k after spending 1k in 3 months. Took the points option. 20k spend YTD, had retention offer 2 years ago
12/23/2016: ~2.5k spend YTD (mostly AMEX Offers). Offers were $25 or 500 pts now and 1k pts after $1k spend in 3 months. The AF was charged several months ago.
1/22/17- $15K spend. Called retention and offered either $80 statement credit or 7,000 SPG points. Took 2nd option. Amex member since 2012.
4/22/17 - ~60K spend. $100 statement credit or 10K SPG points. Took the points.
4/23/2017 - 10K spend. Called the retention number and they offered 100 or 10K. I took 10K and many thx to all of u here!
5/3/2017 - 53k spend. Offered 10K points and took it
5/11/17 - $100 statement credit or 10k points. Took the points.
5/18/2017 ~30000 spend, offered 100 statement credit or 10000 points
5/18/17 - Nada, $0, zilch for an offer. ~$4k spend in past year and first anniversary.
5/22/17 - ~30k Spend. Offered $100 Statement Credit or 10k Points. Took the Points
6/08/2017 - $15k spend annually and was offered either $100 statement credit or 10k points. Took the points
6/13/2017 - Had card for 14 years. Low spend due to using Chase Reserve. No offers told me pay or cancel. No product change available. UPDATE: Called for past 2 days. Nada. Cancelled. bye bye AmEx, Hello CSR.
6/30/2017 - First anniversary, little spend on the card but a significant portfolio of Amex cards. 10k points.
7/14/17 - spent 20k, got 7k points with $1500 spend in 3 months required. Accepted. Last year got nada but had spent very little.
7/21/17 - Spouse's card; <$3,000 spend in 3rd year; she called in to cancel, they offered $100 credit (no strings); she is keeping the card
8/24/17 - Little spend, usually on Amex offers only. Most spend goes to Biz version. No offers available. Kept the card since I make up for the AF on Amex offers.
9/16/2017 - $20K per year; $50 credit or 10,000 points for $2K spend in 3 months - took latter
9/16/2017 - $6k/yr. 7 yrs holding card. $100 credit no strings. Accepted. Calendar reminder set to cancel next year.
9/18/2017 30 year Amex history, $34K spend, offered and took $95 credit
10/1/2017 13 years with this card, min annual spend for last 2 years, no offer so moved cl to DL Plat AMEX and closed SPG.
10/3/2017 12 year amex history, probably 6 with SPG card, $15-20K annual spend. Annual fee hit account back in June but forgot to call until today. Offered 7K bonus points for $1000 in spend over 90 days. Accepted
10/10/2017 Offered 10K SPG points for $3k spend over 3 months. Offer accepted!
10/13/2017 Offered 10K SPG points for $3k spend over 3 months. Original offer by SPG and Accepted. Took me less than 5 minutes.
10/26/17 Offered $100 credit for $2500 spend in next three months and declined! Fee isn't until early January so didn't have much leverage. Said if you offer me a point deal I'd commit to the spend, but no dice. Will call back when annual fee hits.
12/22/17 30-year member. $10k spend. Offered $100 credit for $2k spend in 3 months or 10k SPG points for $3k spend in 3 months.
1/17/18: Personal Card. Offered 7000 SPG points for $1,500 spend in 3 months. Took offer.
2/23/2018: 7k points for 1k spend in 90 days. 7.5k annual spend
3/27/2018: 7k points for 1k spend in 90 days. Took offer.
3/30/2018: no retention offer. Got 10k last year, minimal spend since then. Would not allow product change.
4/13/2018: 7k points for $1.5k spend in 3 months
4/20/2018: 7k points for $1k Spend in 1 month. Accepted.
4/26/2018: 7k points for $500 spend in 1 month. Accepted.
4/28/2018: 10k points for $1k spend in 1 month. Accepted.
5/1/2018: 40$ to offset annual fee. Accepted
5/6/2018: 7k points for $500 spend in 1 month. Rejected.
5/9/2018: 7K points for $500 spend in 1 month. Accepted. ($15K spend in 2017)
5/22/2018: 7k points for $500 spend in 1 month. Accepted. First renewal, ~$6k on card over first year, no activity for 4 months.
6/8/2018: 7k points for $500 spend in 1 month. Accepted.
7/25/18: $100 statement credit after $2500 spend in 3 months. Accepted.
7/30/18: $75 statement credit after $2000 spend in 3 months. Accepted.
8/24/18: Offered $100 statement credit after $2500 spend or 30k points after $3000 spend in 3 months. Took the points.
9/4/18: 20k points for $2k in 3mo offer Received and accepted.
9/6/18: $75 statement credit or 20K points after $2K spend, took the points.
9/20/18: $95 fee waived, no other offers - accepted
1/31/19: $75 statement credit or 20K points after $2K spend, took the points.
2/1/19 No offer, not even Af waiver for the first time since I've had the card.
4/3/19: No offer
4/3/19: 20K points after $2K spend. A nice deal. Card remained open after taking the points.
5/1/2019: 20K points after $2K spend. A nice deal. Card remained open after taking the points.
5/18/2019: 20k points after $2k spend in 3 months

--------------
SPG Business
---------------
1/19/2015 - $100 Statement credit (didn't ask if points were available) $14k spend
8/6/2015 - $9K spend in 1st year; offered and accepted $50 statement credit.
8/24/2015 - $30k annual spend. 2nd anniversary. Offered 10k points, statement credit was not an option available to me. Took the points.
9/8/2015 - $51k annual spend. 2nd anniversary. No offers at all. I did get a $50 statement credit last year though.
09/20/2015 - $50 statement credit (on $65 card)
9/22/2015- $100 Statement credit. Didn't ask about points. 6K Spend.
9/25/2015 - $5k spend in the first year. No offers. I cancelled.
10/2/2015 - $35K annual spend. 2nd anniversary. Offered $100 statement credit.
10/6/2015 - $8k spend over last 12 months, much of it at Target for Redcard reloads. Offered and accepted $100 statement credit. More details here.
11/30/2015: $15k spend in past year, offered $100 statement credit. Accepted. My AF was a couple months ago and was told there were no offers when I called initially.
12/14/2015 - $100 Statement Credit. $15k spend since 2014 AF, but $0 spend since 9/14/15 when AF hit (90 days ago). I asked how much prorated fee if I cancelled. He said "$71, or I can just give you $100".
6/10/16: No offer. Less than $2k spend in past year.
7/19/16: No offer on first call but $25 statement credit after HUCA. Only 3k in spend in last 12 months. Accepted offer.
8/14/16: no offer on 2 calls. $3000 spend in the last year.
8/28/16: Offered $25 on first call, bringing fee down to $40. Keeping card.
10/10/16: Offered $25 first call by calling # above. Accepted
10/16/16 - Offered $25 first call, same offer HUCA two weeks later. $20k spend YTD. Accepted. (Received $100 offer in 2015 for $14k spend)
10/3116: seldom use this card-was NOT offered any bonus to keep card
11/3/16 - No offer. $135k spend. I'll wait a couple of weeks and try again.
12/10/16: No offer... $60k spend. $95 annual fee was just posted. said they offered me $100 last year, nothing to offer now. will try again in the near future. called again (03/05/2017), spent 70k in 2017 so far, still no offer
1/19/17: No offer after multiple tries. Approx. $10K spend. Closed card
2/8/17 Had card replaced due to fraud January, $35K spend 2016, Fee due March, called about another matter and offered $95 credit and 6K points.
2/28/17: Called twice after $95 fee posted for SPG Biz card. $120k spend in 2016. After several years of getting offers, none were forthcoming. Card closed.
3/5/17: Called retention no in wiki after 2 unsuccessful attempts on regular no. Offered $25 credit and I took it. Had not charged anything the whole year but used Club lounge access many times with family.
4/13/17: first renewal, fee posted - 6k spend prior 12mo - retention line in wiki called - $25 credit offered, closed
4/22/17 - ~10K spend. Called 3x over a couple of weeks, no offers.
5/22/17 - ~20k Spend. Offered $25 Statement Credit. Closed account.
7/21/17 - ~$10k spend. No offers, keeping card since I have the $65 AF still.
7/21/17 - ~$150k spend. Took $50 credit.
8/23/17 - ~$30k spend. Offered $25 credit off of $65 AF. Accepted.
8/30/17: Virtually no spend. No offers. Kept card because of the lounge access benefit.
10/2/17- ~10k Spend. Offered $25 Statement Credit.
10/14/17 - $30K+ spend. No offers. Rep mentioned $25 credit in 2016 is the reason. Canceled card.
10/23/17: Second annual fee posted October 1; paid first year AF in 2016 without requesting a retention offer; ~$10K spend; received $25 statement credit offer; no points offers available
12/22/17 - ~10k Spend. Offered $25 Statement Credit. Rep mentioned no points offer avail, only the $25 statement credit.
4/13/17 - Basically no spend other than what was needed on card open. Overall AmEx member for 18 years, but this card for only one. Offered 10k points for no spend. Took it.
3/13/2018: Offered 10,000 SPG points & accepted. Pts will be posted in 8-12 weeks. Didn't ask for further offers. Card since 2013. $80k spending in 2017, annual fee was charged in September. Last yr received $95 credit.
4/12/2018: 2nd call. Offered 5K SPG points, no minimum spend. No further offers. Accepted. ~20K spend in 2017. Last year no offers, multiple calls.
4/18/2018: AF posted 4/17. 1st call no offer, ~100K spend in first year.
4/26/2018. AF just posted. Essentially no spend over last year. Offered 10K points with no spending requirement. Accepted.
4/27/2018: AF posted 4/26. $8k spend in past year. No offer on first call 4/27. Plan to call again in 2 and 4 weeks (then cancel); will update wiki with results.
4/28/2018: AF Posted 4/13. Minimal spend beyond what was needed to get new account bonus. No offer, card cancelled.
4/28/2018: AF date in Aug; ~40k annual spend (all SPG hotels); offered 5k starpoints + another 5k after 2k in spend within 30 days (Total 10K for 2k spend); accepted, will re-evaluate in Aug
4/28/20218: AF posted 4/17. just called...no offer, closed the card to free up one Amex slot for applying for other cards.
4/30/2018: 10k no requirements
4/30/2018: AF posted 4/20/18, first renewal. Spent $43K in last 12 months. No offer.
5/4/2018 First renewal, minimum spend, no offer.
8/2/2018: AF posted 7/16, ~$10k spend past year, no offer.
8/3/2018: AF posted in July, offered 20,000 starpoints for $2000 in spend in 3 months.
10/11/18: AF posted 9/16, pays today (10/11). Spent $793 YTD in 2018. No offer. Closed card. Had been open for 5 years.
10/12/18: AF in January, Offered 10k immediately with a further 20k points after spending $6,000. Kept card open.
12/18/18: AF in any day now. Called twice and each time was offered nothing.
1/11/19: AF on Dec 26, called and nothing was offered, closed the card.
5/18/2019: 5k points now plus 10k points after $1k spend in 3 months
Print Wikipost

Annual fee retention bonus for Starwood Amex Card (Pre-May, 2019)

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Dec 30, 2015, 11:37 am
  #826  
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 19
Originally Posted by travellingcari
I'd go with the latter. No reason to use up all the points unless you have a trip use for them in Q1. Closing/changing the AMEX won't affect the SPG account other than losing that points earnign mechanism. Can confirm that as a friend closed her SPG AMEX in favor of a different card (don't recall which, not AMEX though) and still actively uses her SPG account
Thanks! I would rather just keep the points for now. The increased fee plus the Marriott thing just pushes me over the edge.
emilymad is offline  
Old Dec 30, 2015, 9:01 pm
  #827  
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,310
Had the card for nine years, wouldn't budge on the fee whatsoever. Finally cancelled it.
Jesperss is offline  
Old Dec 31, 2015, 1:05 pm
  #828  
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: PHL
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, AA Gold, FB Gold, ITA Volare Executive
Posts: 3,294
Originally Posted by Biggie Fries
No traction whatsoever. I'm no fan of Boingo; I have many other no-Forex fee cards; and I'm guessing that the merger with Marriott is going to drive down the value of the SPG points. Yes, I like the Amex Offers, and I suppose across a couple of cards (including spouse as AU) I do get more than $95 a year. But the Amex offers are hit and miss, fun when you get them, but a bit of work. Are they really worth $95 in sunk cost?

I'm telling myself that if there is no love by next week, time to let this one go.
Finally called to cancel. This time got the $25 or 500pts+1000pts offers. Took the $25, since this puts the fee back at $70 ... and because we had hit this card hard for Amex Offers ($205 in Nov and Dec), so why cut off my nose to spite my face?

Of course, I might have gotten some of those Amex Offers off of another card had I not had this one, but why bother myself with alternative facts when I'm busy rationalizing having kept the card at $70 AF?
Biggie Fries is offline  
Old Jan 1, 2016, 2:11 pm
  #829  
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Programs: IHG Spire Elite; Hyatt Platinum; SPG Preferred+; Club Carlson Gold; SW CP
Posts: 674
Originally Posted by Biggie Fries
Finally called to cancel. This time got the $25 or 500pts+1000pts offers. Took the $25, since this puts the fee back at $70 ... and because we had hit this card hard for Amex Offers ($205 in Nov and Dec), so why cut off my nose to spite my face?

Of course, I might have gotten some of those Amex Offers off of another card had I not had this one, but why bother myself with alternative facts when I'm busy rationalizing having kept the card at $70 AF?
Haha...yes, sometimes we rationalize quite well, right? The AMEX offers have been lucrative for me lately also so I understand keeping the card even at a $70 net AF.
meecal is offline  
Old Jan 4, 2016, 3:56 pm
  #830  
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 825
Originally Posted by exarkun
This is my first anniversary and my membership fee just posted as a $65 charge, probably because I never paid the fee the first year?

I just called for retention and was given the poor offer of $25 credit or 500 points + 1K points w/ $1k spend
I'll call again...
Called back and got the same offer again.

Have others been successful in getting different offers with more calls?
exarkun is offline  
Old Jan 4, 2016, 6:48 pm
  #831  
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Southwest Colorado
Programs: AA/United/HH/Marriott/SPG/Club Carlson
Posts: 15
My first anniversary with the SPG Amex personal card was this past Dec 2nd, just called now as the $65 AF hit on 12-28. Had appx $3k spend on the card in 2015.

Asked about any offers or ways to offset the AF with Starwood Points or a credit and was only able to get the offer for 500 pts now and 1000 pts later after $1k spend in 60 days.

Was repeatedly told how lucky I was as the AF just went up to $95.

Decided to take the offer as it gets me closer to the bonus transfer threshold I need for AA. So that's that.
billydee is offline  
Old Jan 5, 2016, 9:38 pm
  #832  
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 530
nvm. nvm.
runb4fun is offline  
Old Jan 7, 2016, 1:17 pm
  #833  
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: DCA/IAD
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, OW Emerald, HH Diamond, PC Platinum, SPG Gold, Emerald Club Executive
Posts: 216
No Can Do

$50k/yr spend although I do pay it off every month. I received a retention bonus last year so they said there was nothing they can do this year.

I decided to cancel, especially with the unknowns around what will happen with the Marriott merger.
EmAAx is offline  
Old Jan 8, 2016, 2:26 pm
  #834  
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: ny shanghai
Programs: spg plat
Posts: 4
business card here. member since 2014.

I did $324k in purchases on this card last year, no retention bonus at all! the guy on the phone simply said there is no offer prompt up for my account.

I need the credit line, they give me 67k, $95 is cheaper than keeping the amex gold.
dawhim is offline  
Old Jan 14, 2016, 6:11 pm
  #835  
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Texas, USA
Programs: SPG Gold, Hilton Diamond, Club Carlson Gold, Hyatt Explorist, BA Bronze, BW Diamond Elite
Posts: 31
Originally Posted by dawhim
business card here. member since 2014.

I did $324k in purchases on this card last year, no retention bonus at all! the guy on the phone simply said there is no offer prompt up for my account.

I need the credit line, they give me 67k, $95 is cheaper than keeping the amex gold.
Why not downgrade to blue or Simply Cash?
jmanEB04 is offline  
Old Jan 15, 2016, 3:16 pm
  #836  
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Programs: Marriott - Titanium, AA - Lifetime Gold
Posts: 333
Originally Posted by jmanEB04
Why not downgrade to blue or Simply Cash?
Is a "downgrade" an option.

I was told you need to cancel SPG AmEx and then re-apply for the new card.

How do you just transfer the card to a new no fee card?
Duke5150 is offline  
Old Jan 15, 2016, 4:36 pm
  #837  
Suspended
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: New York, NY
Programs: Delta - Gold; Starwood - Platinum; HHonors - Diamond & Avis Preferred
Posts: 10,869
Originally Posted by Duke5150
Is a "downgrade" an option.

I was told you need to cancel SPG AmEx and then re-apply for the new card.

How do you just transfer the card to a new no fee card?
I'm sure there will be answers here, but as an FYI, check out the American Express forum of FlyerTalk.
KENNECTED is offline  
Old Jan 17, 2016, 6:08 pm
  #838  
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 50
Called today, AF posted on 12/18. About $30k spending per year for the past 5 years since getting the card.

Offered $25 or 500+1000 points for spending $1k in 60 days. I accepted the $25 credit.
klepton is offline  
Old Jan 21, 2016, 8:02 pm
  #839  
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: YYZ, HKG, MFM
Programs: AC35K, AS MVP, WS Gold, ITA EP, Marriott Plat, Hyatt-Explorist, IHG Diamond
Posts: 2,019
I was offered 3000 spg points for 13.5K spending for the Canadian Personal SPG card. Asked for extra 1000 points, but agent said no. I was going to keep the card anyway, so I took the points.
Jma12 is offline  
Old Jan 22, 2016, 12:52 pm
  #840  
jix
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: YYZ, NYC
Programs: Marriott Gold, JGC, IHG Platinum, Hilton Gold, AC 25K
Posts: 1,025
Originally Posted by Jma12
I was offered 3000 spg points for 13.5K spending for the Canadian Personal SPG card. Asked for extra 1000 points, but agent said no. I was going to keep the card anyway, so I took the points.
Which number did you call for the Canadian SPG card for the retention offer? Is it the 1-800-452-3945 listed above?
jix is offline  


Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.