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

[chowda85]

Made the call to Amex today, offered 60k points to keep the platinum charge card which I did. Fee was due today.

 

[sydneyboi]

Made the call to Amex today, offered 60k points to keep the platinum charge card which I did. Fee was due today.

was the call centre in Australia or OS ?

 

[daft009]

Made the call to Amex today, offered 60k points to keep the platinum charge card which I did. Fee was due today.

And are you on the $1450 or $1200 AF?

 

[chowda85]

Made the call to Amex today, offered 60k points to keep the platinum charge card which I did. Fee was due today.

Just a bit more detail for sharing purposes.

Would have been 5.30pm sydney time (am in Darwin), called numher on back of card and pressed for account info then cancel card. Rep picked up and sounded like it went to Manilla, but when I said I'm wanting to cancel I was then put
through to an Aussie sounding rep.

Talked about wanting to cancel given I see the card as a travel card primarily and due to restrictions no real value and no doubt they would have received many similar calls. I then confirmed when annual fee ($1450) was due (today), then asked about any upcoming offers or personalised offers for me to help offset annual fee. He then asked if I mean a rentention offer to which I replied 'yes sort of'.
Then offered 60k which he claimed equals to about $300 or so, I hinted for more but he said can't, we chit chat a bit more then I accepted the 60k.

 

[mini2]

Called to cancel my Plat Edge today, got offered 60k rentention bonus, yeah nah I'll happily wait 18 months.

 

[lilkid28]

Called to cancel my Plat Edge today, got offered 60k rentention bonus, yeah nah I'll happily wait 18 months.

60k points for Plat Edge $200 AF seems like a very decent deal...

 

[mini2]

60k points for Plat Edge $200 AF seems like a very decent deal...

I'd rather forgo this 60k points now and get a bigger bonus in 18 months' time when I sign up a new card.

 

[lilkid28]

I'd rather forgo this 60k points now and get a bigger bonus in 18 months' time when I sign up a new card.

Fair enough. I thought the same before but I've got way too many points balance now, so I'm happy to keep the card and use it for the statement credits, despite not being as good as previous years.

 

[mini2]

Fair enough. I thought the same before but I've got way too many points balance now, so I'm happy to keep the card and use it for the statement credits, despite not being as good as previous years.

Funny you've mentioned that, my Edge barely got any of the targeted offers since my Plat Charge/Reserve were cancelled. Conincidence?

 

[zenyattamondatta]

I'd rather forgo this 60k points now and get a bigger bonus in 18 months' time when I sign up a new card.

Why not take the 60k points, use the 60k points, and then cancel, thereby only adding on a couple of weeks or so? It's not as though you'll hurt their feelings so much they won't let you sign up again later...

 

[Daver6]

Why not take the 60k points, use the 60k points, and then cancel, thereby only adding on a couple of weeks or so? It's not as though you'll hurt their feelings so much they won't let you sign up again later...

If the annual fee is due, you'll have to pay it to get the points.

 

[bits]

My platinum charge annual fee posted 3 days ago. Called up asking for personalised offer. Got offered, and accepted, 30k points. Was always going to keep the card, so the bonus is, well a bonus

 

[gapmatt]

To those who have called up Amex to ask for an offer, did you have Travel Credit and Amex Points still on your account? I just got my Travel credit renewed until 31 March, and have 2.6M Amex points. Hardly looks like I would cancel the card with these balances.
My card gets renewed from tomorrow, thinking to call up today.

 

[DC3]

To those who have called up Amex to ask for an offer, did you have Travel Credit and Amex Points still on your account?
My card gets renewed from tomorrow, thinking to call up today.

From reports upthread, should you cancel it stays in the magic box (at Manila?) or something. Not a proper cancellation it seems, at that stage. Best to check when calling, but you are meant to be able to reinstate.

 

[Poojou]

To those who have called up Amex to ask for an offer, did you have Travel Credit and Amex Points still on your account? I just got my Travel credit renewed until 31 March, and have 2.6M Amex points. Hardly looks like I would cancel the card with these balances.
My card gets renewed from tomorrow, thinking to call up today.

Ya from my understanding (and thanks DC3 - magic Box is catching on!) - the cancellation is one of those they trigger it but it goes back immediately. You'll have to quadruple check if you only have one card tho (I have multiple cards - so am a lot more cavalier about these things)

Also, it appears that the experience is pretty random across everyone also, so YMMV!!

Good luck

 

[gapmatt]

Just wanted to share my encounter regarding cancelling my Platinum charge card.

Called up Amex just before and pressed the options to get to cancellations. A lady based in Australia picked up and I mentioned I was thinking to cancel my card for a number of reasons. She transferred me through to their Cancellation team, I was surprised they were based in Australia after reading above posts many are in Manila. Told the guy I was thinking to cancel due to no travel benefits being used, but if he could waive the annual fee that would be good. He said AMEX have a blanket policy on not waiving annual fees, but he could offer me 150k in points to which I accepted. Phone call with him only took a matter of minutes and was simple, and at no point did I tell him to actually cancel the card.

Grateful for the offer and I just hope travel can reopen ASAP again so I can actually use the points.

 

[DC3]

Just wanted to share my encounter regarding cancelling my Platinum charge card.

Called up Amex just before and pressed the options to get to cancellations. A lady based in Australia picked up and I mentioned I was thinking to cancel my card for a number of reasons. She transferred me through to their Cancellation team, I was surprised they were based in Australia after reading above posts many are in Manila. Told the guy I was thinking to cancel due to no travel benefits being used, but if he could waive the annual fee that would be good. He said AMEX have a blanket policy on not waiving annual fees, but he could offer me 150k in points to which I accepted. Phone call with him only took a matter of minutes and was simple, and at no point did I tell him to actually cancel the card.

Grateful for the offer and I just hope travel can reopen ASAP again so I can actually use the points.

Yes, the Plat Charge card is a bit different. When I held the Plat Charge card, the calls were usually answered in Oz (mornings M-F, after 9.00am Sydney time was best) the overflow may well have gone to Manila. A perk of the Plat Charge I’d say. Expect Manila to answer with the lesser cards. My Reserve and Edge calls would usually go to Manila.

Also, the Plat Charge does not need to be cancelled for the offer. The cancellation dance only applies to credit cards, not Charge cards.

I was always relieved when Oz answered, as the whole thing seemed much easier.

 

[sydneyboi]

Thank you for your experiences here, so I called up today spoke to a lovely lady in Sydney she was really helpful and listens to my case,
I forgot that I had THREE travel credits sitting there from cancelled flight and my 2021 ones,
I was offered and accepted 50K points to keep the card for 2021, I'm happy with that as my 2020 spending has dropped a lot due to covid etc....so yeah ...hopefully international borders will open up soon,

 

[sambo]

My Plat Charge renewal is due tomorrow. Called up last week, spoke with offshore agent, and explained I wasn't getting value from the card currently (owing to no international travel) and hence asked if they could please lower the annual fee. Got told no, so I suggested it would make more sense for me to just cancel the card and re-apply in 12 months and get the signup bonus again. Asked if there were any retention bonus on offer to avoid this. Got put through to retention team agent in AU, re-told my story, and about 40 seconds into the call she offered me 190K points to not cancel. Accepted the offer, and was told to expect the points in my account within 2-4 days. Total call duration under 4 minutes!

Very surprised and pleased to get this offer given others recent experiences I've see in this thread.

 

[DC3]

My Plat Charge renewal is due tomorrow. Called up last week, spoke with offshore agent, and explained I wasn't getting value from the card currently (owing to no international travel) and hence asked if they could please lower the annual fee. Got told no, so I suggested it would make more sense for me to just cancel the card and re-apply in 12 months and get the signup bonus again. Asked if there were any retention bonus on offer to avoid this. Got put through to retention team agent in AU, re-told my story, and about 40 seconds into the call she offered me 190K points to not cancel. Accepted the offer, and was told to expect the points in my account within 2-4 days. Total call duration under 4 minutes!

Very surprised and pleased to get this offer given others recent experiences I've see in this thread.

Amex seems to run hot and cold on this. Good for some, but not for others.