Amex "I'm going to cancel my card" - bonus points given thread.

[jbmemories]

Called today to cancel my Explorer card as I recently got approved for the Platinum. Got put through to the cancellation team who cancelled and offered to reinstate for 80k points to "help with the annual fee".

Previously putting through ~7k a month but next to nothing now that everything is on the Platinum. Guess I will keep the Explorer Card for another year...

Did you decide to apply for the Platinum with no bonus or was it signed up by P2 for platinum (to get the 150k/225k bonus) and you were added as a supplementary/additional user?

 

[liamsal]

Called to cancel Velocity Platinum and old mate cancelled it straight away (after the standard snappy T&C spiel) - oops. I asked if I could receive a credit for my annual fee which was charged in June and was told no as it had been too long since it was charged (haven’t used any benefits). Asked for a retention offer and was told 40k. Accepted as I didn’t want to forfeit my free flight.

FWIW the agent told me my annual spend was around 85k and therefore the retention offer was 40k points. Not sure how much weight the spend plays on the offer but thought I’d mention it anyway.

 

[Kangol]

Good to know, thanks.
When I signed up, it included a $450 travel credit which is now not on offer.
I'll see what I can get when my annual fee is due.

Called, annual fee is due in about a fortnight (wasn't exactly sure of the date, but later realised it's the same date as the charge of the previous year - not when the card account is opened/activated).
Asked about the $450 travel credit and if another one is given next year, they advised no - it's just a one-off welcome offer.
I then asked to cancel, the same guy put me on hold and went to "process a review".
Came back saying that no points could be offered, but he would try again in a week and call me back.

Yes. I did use the Dell discounts (2x$100) and the 2 lounge passes so that was something. They would need to pay me to use the Australian subscription

How soon before or after your annual fee was due to be charged did you call?

 

[GlobalT]

Hi All,
I called to cancel the card, and told no retention can be offered from Amex. Asked about if I cancel the card and see if retention offer would pop then decide to reinstate the card, and was told once card is cancel its permanently cancel.
Seems to be different story depends on who you talk to?

I have got my platinum renewal coming up in 2 weeks and spoke to two different people this morning and told them I was reviewing all my my cards at the moment got the same line - "sorry but under Australian credit law, we cannot offer you any kind of bonus or retention offer to stop you cancelling the card" and "sorry, we do not do that anymore". Do I need to actually go through the process of cancelling before they will make an offer?

 

[QF029]

I called up to cancel my Plat Charge card today. Unlike previous years there was no retention offer and it's now closed.

The agent did want to explain the benefits but I told him no need, I understood them.

Interestingly I didn't get put through to a separate department to cancel after I told the robot what I wanted. Perhaps I should have fished harder to points but I'm happy to close - I would have 2 years ago but both years had big retention offers.

 

[_TheTraveller_]

I have got my platinum renewal coming up in 2 weeks and spoke to two different people this morning and told them I was reviewing all my my cards at the moment got the same line - "sorry but under Australian credit law, we cannot offer you any kind of bonus or retention offer to stop you cancelling the card" and "sorry, we do not do that anymore". Do I need to actually go through the process of cancelling before they will make an offer?

You need to ask to cancel then they'll give you a retention bonus. Also, I've heard people have better results after the AF land.

 

[QF029]

You need to ask to cancel then they'll give you a retention bonus. Also, I've heard people have better results after the AF land.

My AF has landed. In 2021 I was offered 150k points and 180k points in 2022. This year I was offered nothing so either my luck ran out or there's a change in policy.

 

[GlobalT]

My AF has landed. In 2021 I was offered 150k points and 180k points in 2022. This year I was offered nothing so either my luck ran out or there's a change in policy.

It is starting to appear as though there has been a change in policy. It would be interesting to hear from anyone who has been successful in the past couple of weeks in actually receiving a retention bonus of some kind.

 

[Kangol]

My AF has landed. In 2021 I was offered 150k points and 180k points in 2022. This year I was offered nothing so either my luck ran out or there's a change in policy.

Did you get a refund of the AF?

 

[_TheTraveller_]

It is starting to appear as though there has been a change in policy. It would be interesting to hear from anyone who has been successful in the past couple of weeks in actually receiving a retention bonus of some kind.

In the previous page it looks like there's a few people who received retention bonuses. But yeah the algorithm AmEx uses is a bit of a black hole. I got 50K as a retention bonus for <10-15K spend on the card

 

[QF029]

Did you get a refund of the AF?

I didn't explicitly ask, I just assumed that would be the case although it's still showing as outstanding (I'd paid the balance less the AF) which was due in a couple of days.

I'll call back to confirm.

 

[Daver6]

We really need a sticky note on this thread about the process. The same questions keep getting asked over and over again.

In short. Credit card you need to cancel before they can offer anything. Charge card you don't need to cancel to receive an inducement to keep the card.

It seems you have more luck with a retention bonus after the annual fee has posted. If you cancel within 30 days (or perhaps the same month, I don't quite recall) the annual fee will be refunded (assuming you haven't used flights/credits).

 

[GlobalT]

We really need a sticky note on this thread about the process. The same questions keep getting asked over and over again.

In short. Credit card you need to cancel before they can offer anything. Charge card you don't need to cancel to receive an inducement to keep the card.

It seems you have more luck with a retention bonus after the annual fee has posted. If you cancel within 30 days (or perhaps the same month, I don't quite recall) the annual fee will be refunded (assuming you haven't used flights/credits).

It might be a good idea to sticky note the process but I have the charge card with companion credit card (member since 07 with significant annual travel spend pre COVID) and was told twice today, that retention offers cannot be made and both referenced the credit legislation. When I tried to explore further what they could offer, one of them tried to convert me to the Gold card and the other said it just wasn't possible to offer me anything if I was planning on cancelling the card. I will think about cancelling after the AF appears in a couple of weeks to see if that makes any difference.

 

[_TheTraveller_]

It might be a good idea to sticky note the process but I have the charge card with companion credit card (member since 07 with significant annual travel spend pre COVID) and was told twice today, that retention offers cannot be made and both referenced the credit legislation. When I tried to explore further what they could offer, one of them tried to convert me to the Gold card and the other said it just wasn't possible to offer me anything if I was planning on cancelling the card. I will think about cancelling after the AF appears in a couple of weeks to see if that makes any difference.

I actually think there might be changes to the charge card retention bonus mechanism. I had a good laugh with a chap on the phone a few weeks back when I fishing for a bonus and told him to go straight to cancellation and skip the pleasantries and he agreed. Similarly, last year the CS rep kept saying that we won't see until I cancel so I did and was offered a retention bonus.

 

[bbqwer]

I got 70k bonus points 1 week ago. Plat Charge

 

[GlobalT]

I got 70k bonus points 1 week ago. Plat Charge

So it appears the retention bonus might still be alive . Did you mention you were thinking of cancelling or did you have to cancel first and was this pre or post the annual fee appearing on your statement?

 

[tlam]

So it appears the retention bonus might still be alive . Did you mention you were thinking of cancelling or did you have to cancel first and was this pre or post the annual fee appearing on your statement?

Plat charge is exempted and is not affected by new rules and regulations.

 

[zqsn5678]

Can anyone confirm the credit/charge card/account can be reinstate during the same phone conversation?

 

[Daver6]

Can anyone confirm the credit/charge card/account can be reinstate during the same phone conversation?

It's been mentioned at least 50 times in this thread that it can be reinstated.

 

[Mr H]

It's been mentioned at least 50 times in this thread that it can be reinstated.

At least 51 times with your post. And since I have quoted your post, at least 52 times now.