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

[qtrungmai]

I just called and into got offered 30k to stay. I guess I already got $500 cashback from amex for merchant fees refund and 80k last year.

O can't expect too much

 

[drd71]

30000 points for me too.

 

[Infrequent traveller]

100K points offered today to keep my Qantas Premium Card. Really low spend on the card (<1k/month). I was surprised -- he said it was 'because I've been a card holder since 2016'.

This made me so jealous...

 

[Actos]

100K points offered today to keep my Qantas Premium Card. Really low spend on the card (<1k/month). I was surprised -- he said it was 'because I've been a card holder since 2016'.

Great stuff. I was on the complete other end of the spectrum.

I had the Velocity Platinum since 2016, putting through roughly 5-10k a month and wasn't offered anything when I cancelled in December. Well, except for "I'm sorry you don't see the benefit in this card anymore" as a goodbye, haha.

 

[ff-jr]

My Velocity Platinum annual fee posts this week. Just called, spoke to O/S call centre, no offer on my account. 10yr member, $35k-$40k annual spend, have never requested or received a retention offer in the past.

Card cancellation processed, and they then tried to sell me on the Essential card.

My 2019 and 2020 free flights were booked and subsequently cancelled because of Covid restrictions both times, and I wasn't re-credited for either (Amex and Virgin both sent me around in circles). Still feeling pretty salty about that.

Ended up accepting the Essential card, and received a offer to upgrade to Explorer this week (40k bonus points) which I accepted.

Was advised to lodge a complaint with AFCA around not being re-credited for 2 years of bonus flights. Amex's response was $700 statement credit + 20k points.

 

[DC3]

How do you guys even get a retention bonus? I called today about my Amex Platinum card and they said the system is not offering any points to retain me, I had this card since 2016 and in the last few years I always asked them about a retention offer when the annual fee is due, but they never offered anything to me and I put through 5k+ each month.

Similar here, a year or two back, although much less spend in that year compared to the year earlier.

When computer said ‘No’, I had no hesitation in cancelling.

 

[NoName]

DJs Platinum cancelled just then with nothing offered to retain. Tried to see if I’d move to the standard DJs card but wasn’t interested. Happy to cancel and start the 18 month eligibility clock ticking.

 

[TravellingSquid]

In Sep 2020 I got 200k bonus points when ringing up to cancel my Amex Explorer. They read me the cancellation terms and conditions and gave me the retention offer straight after that. I was actually going to get rid of the card as it hadn't been used for 6+ months, but the bonus was too good to pass up.

For context, I also have the Amex Platinum Charge and Reserve combo. Regular spend is anywhere between $20-50k / month. Though I've never used the reserve card at all except to claim the travel credit.

Going to try and cancel the Explorer again this year as I really don't use it and want to apply for a mortgage soon. But if they give me the same bonus I'll probably accept and then cancel after renewal since that's still free money.

 

[Daver6]

QF Ultimate card cancellation dance done. 8k points offered and accepted.

 

[vicsta]

Amex Plat Reserve. About 7k a month. Got offered nothing!

 

[Daver6]

Amex Plat Reserve. About 7k a month. Got offered nothing!

Do you have the Plat Charge as well? If so, why would you put anything through the Reserve which has a lower earn rate.

 

[TravellingSquid]

Do you have the Plat Charge as well? If so, why would you put anything through the Reserve which has a lower earn rate.

If your Reserve is under the same online account as the Plat I’m pretty sure it has the same earn rate (ascent premium)

 

[vicsta]

Do you have the Plat Charge as well? If so, why would you put anything through the Reserve which has a lower earn rate.

Nup, only got the Reserve (got it about 10 years ago without the charge! Sadly no incentives to upgrade unless I go without Amex for 12 months)

 

[ChrisFlyer]

If your Reserve is under the same online account as the Plat I’m pretty sure it has the same earn rate (ascent premium)

The points can be credited to Ascent Premium (linked with the same loyalty account as the Plat Charge), but the earning rate of each transaction is determined by the specific earn rate of the card it was made on.

Plat Charge earns 12.5% more points per $1 spent than Reserve (2.25 vs 2 points).

 

[Daver6]

Nup, only got the Reserve (got it about 10 years ago without the charge! Sadly no incentives to upgrade unless I go without Amex for 12 months)

That makes more sense then.

And sorry to tell you, its 18 months the period you need to sit out

 

[TravellingSquid]

The points can be credited to Ascent Premium (linked with the same loyalty account as the Plat Charge), but the earning rate of each transaction is determined by the specific earn rate of the card it was made on.

Plat Charge earns 12.5% more points per $1 spent than Reserve (2.25 vs 2 points).

Yeah you're right, I tested it to confirm and the Reserve only gets the 2 points.

 

[momad]

Just called to cancelled plat charge and was offered either 400 credit back spent at Woolworths or coles or Harris farm/scarfe or deliveroo, or, 10k points.
Very disappointed with the offer. Told them I’ll consider. Leaning towards the 400 credit to bring the annual fee down since 10k equals to 5k KF miles, can’t really travel in the near future and can easily spend 5k for the 10k points.
Will try again and hope for a better offer.

 

[ChrisFlyer]

Just called to cancelled plat charge and was offered either 400 credit back spent at Woolworths or coles or Harris farm/scarfe or deliveroo, or, 10k points.
Very disappointed with the offer. Told them I’ll consider. Leaning towards the 400 credit to bring the annual fee down since 10k equals to 5k KF miles, can’t really travel in the near future and can easily spend 5k for the 10k points.
Will try again and hope for a better offer.

That's such a random offer... 10k points = $50 cashback on the card, so yeah, the $400 supermarket credit is far more (8x more) valuable.

 

[DC3]

Just called to cancelled plat charge and was offered either 400 credit back spent at Woolworths or coles or Harris farm/scarfe or deliveroo, or, 10k points.
Very disappointed with the offer. Told them I’ll consider. Leaning towards the 400 credit to bring the annual fee down ….

Certainly equivalent to receiving $400 off of the AF. Who doesn’t spend on groceries?

Any points offer would need to be 80,000 to match that. Admittedly some are getting massive points offers, but many are doing much worse.

 

[momad]

That's such a random offer... 10k points = $50 cashback on the card, so yeah, the $400 supermarket credit is far more (8x more) valuable.

Thanks for the maths. I will try again to see if they offer me something better. 400 on groceries plus 450 travel credit plus 400 reserve travel credit would help me stomach the annual fee.

Certainly equivalent to receiving $400 off of the AF. Who doesn’t spend on groceries?

Any points offer would need to be 80,000 to match that. Admittedly some are getting massive points offers, but many are doing much worse.

I got nothing last year whereas past few years been getting circa 30-50k before devaluation