Topic Wiki

I'm trying to summarize success stories mentioned in this thread.
From @TC610
It never hurts to ask - retention is a big YMMV.  If you don't like the offer given to you when you call for retention, ask for a better one.  Scan through the thread (use the search bar - reading through 130+ pages of posts can be time consuming) to see what others have been offered. Please post what you've got if its better then whats in the WIKI

Citi:
AA
Retention: $95 Statement credit after 5 transactions (no minimum...) in the next 3 months
09/17/2014 $95 refunded no need to make any transactions + 1000 Bonus Points per month for 16 months if made purchases of $1000+
05/12/16 AA Executive: $50 credit every month spend $1500 or 15K Miles for $5K in 5 Months
08/14/17 AA Exec $250 credit for spending $3,000/m * 3m OR 15K Miles for $5K in 3m.

Chase: - Call 800-945-2006.
  • IB/IP
     Retention: 10k UR after 5k spend
  •  IC
     Retention: $50 SC
  • UA (Club)
     Retention: $150 account credit
     Retention: 10k Miles for spending $2000 in 3 months.
  • UA (Presidential)
     Retention: $100 account credit
  • BA
     Retention: 9k Avios for spending $1500 in 3 months
  • Freedom (5x catagories)
     Retention: 2,500 UR

Barclay's:
M&M
Retention: Waived by SMing

Arrival
Retention: 5K miles, for keeping the card open randomly.
AF waived, HUCA

US air:
AF waived

American Express

Seems to be clearly spend related while also no rhyme or reason to who gets offers

 • Business gold:5k-15k/$100 statement credit no spend required.
 • Delta Gold Skymiles - 12.5k Delta miles for paying the annual fee (no extra spending required) or $100 Credit on the account
 • SPG personal: 7k for 1k spend in 3 months.
 • SPG business: 10k no spend.
 • Personal Platinum - 20,000 MR for $3,000 spend in 3 months. (Actually gave me 5,000MR immediately, then 15,000 when I spend the $3k)/up to 50k/$150 SC for 1k spend.
 • Personal Platinum (another data point [zow]) - 30,000 MR for $4,000 spend in 3 months.
 • Business Platinum: 10k no spend/20k for 10k spend/30k no spend +50k for 40k spend

Retention contact numbers:
Citi: 800-444-2568
Chase: 800-945-2006
Amex: 800-452-3945
Barclays: 18664084064 (credit dept)
US Bank:

Click on link to get backdoor numbers for most banks:
http://ficoforums.myfico.com/t5/Credit-Cards/Backdoor-Numbers/td-p/408066
« Last edited by zow on May 19, 2019, 06:47:52 PM »

Author Topic: Credit Card Retention Bonuses  (Read 1819782 times)

Offline Yordai Dooma

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Re: Credit Card Retention Bonuses
« Reply #20 on: January 28, 2010, 11:20:27 AM »
So i called to cancel one of my two personal starwood cards and she looks at my account and says, "Sure i can cancel that for you."
I said, "Just like that??" To which she replied, "well you have two of them...if you only had one i would have kicked and screamed, but i know you still have the other one..."

I kinda expected that to happen, but figured id give it a try. I have to call to cancel my wife's personal and business cards as well, due to the annual fees and will report back if i can get some points out of them to keep us.

Offline Dan

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Re: Credit Card Retention Bonuses
« Reply #21 on: January 28, 2010, 11:30:40 AM »
So i called to cancel one of my two personal starwood cards and she looks at my account and says, "Sure i can cancel that for you."
I said, "Just like that??" To which she replied, "well you have two of them...if you only had one i would have kicked and screamed, but i know you still have the other one..."

I kinda expected that to happen, but figured id give it a try. I have to call to cancel my wife's personal and business cards as well, due to the annual fees and will report back if i can get some points out of them to keep us.
If at first you don't succeed, try, try again...
Save your time, I don't answer PM. Post it in the forum and a dedicated DDF'er will get back to you as soon as possible.

Offline Yordai Dooma

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Re: Credit Card Retention Bonuses
« Reply #22 on: January 28, 2010, 11:38:37 AM »
If at first you don't succeed, try, try again...

I know, but i wasnt going to fight on my second personal card as i dont mind getting rid of it...im not sure how they even approved me for a second personal starwood card if i still had the first one.

Offline Dan

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Re: Credit Card Retention Bonuses
« Reply #23 on: January 28, 2010, 11:39:18 AM »
I know, but i wasnt going to fight on my second personal card as i dont mind getting rid of it...im not sure how they even approved me for a second personal starwood card if i still had the first one.
Sometimes you can get a 2nd, sometimes you can't
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Offline MOSES

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Re: Credit Card Retention Bonuses
« Reply #24 on: January 28, 2010, 07:00:43 PM »
Did you get a bonus on the second one????

Offline Dan

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Re: Credit Card Retention Bonuses
« Reply #25 on: January 28, 2010, 07:34:38 PM »
Did you get a bonus on the second one????
I have.
Save your time, I don't answer PM. Post it in the forum and a dedicated DDF'er will get back to you as soon as possible.

Offline Yordai Dooma

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Re: Credit Card Retention Bonuses
« Reply #26 on: January 28, 2010, 07:54:29 PM »
Dan,

Did you get the points for keeping a personal card ? or a business card?

I just called to cancel a business card and they offered me a $25 credit on the account...i asked for points instead and he said that hes not authorized to give out points for anything. He said they have asked many times to be able to offer points...
Could it be that the business card department is unable to award points as a retention bonus?

Offline MOSES

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Re: Credit Card Retention Bonuses
« Reply #27 on: January 29, 2010, 09:15:08 AM »
I have.
Dan,
In  another thread on this forum you wrote that the only way you have churned the starwood is by closing and reopening it. Now you are saying that you had two open at the same time??!!??

Offline Dan

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Re: Credit Card Retention Bonuses
« Reply #28 on: January 29, 2010, 10:08:45 AM »
Dan,
In  another thread on this forum you wrote that the only way you have churned the starwood is by closing and reopening it. Now you are saying that you had two open at the same time??!!??
A few years ago I was able to get 2 cards at once by a fluke.  My internet connection went down in middle ot the app and somehow I got 2 cards.

I've tried that since then and have never been successful, the 2nd app has always gotten cancelled.

Like with all credit card churning...YMMV.
Save your time, I don't answer PM. Post it in the forum and a dedicated DDF'er will get back to you as soon as possible.

Offline deals

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Re: Credit Card Retention Bonuses
« Reply #29 on: January 29, 2010, 12:43:56 PM »
could you churn the 2 card (not account) in to 1 card

Offline Yordai Dooma

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Re: Credit Card Retention Bonuses
« Reply #30 on: February 01, 2010, 09:49:12 PM »
Has anyone been able to get points awarded as a retention on the SPG business card?

I called 3 times already and wach time was told they dont have the ability to issue points. All three times, i was offered a $25 credit on the card. I have no use for that as we dont use that card anyways and i'd be paying $20 for an annual fee on a card i dont use.

On a separate note, i got 2000 points credit on a personal card and i didn't even try for more as they mentioned they could only do 2000 due to the the 5000 goodwill adjustment i got last week for something else.

Offline marchosch

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Re: Credit Card Retention Bonuses
« Reply #31 on: February 24, 2010, 01:47:55 PM »
I have a amex green card with my first year renewal payment coming up next month. My credit is shot because of my mortgage mods and I need this card for the high charge limit. Any suggestions on how to get them to waive the fee for next year or if its even possible?

Offline Dan

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Re: Credit Card Retention Bonuses
« Reply #32 on: February 24, 2010, 01:57:00 PM »
Has anyone been able to get points awarded as a retention on the SPG business card?

I called 3 times already and wach time was told they dont have the ability to issue points. All three times, i was offered a $25 credit on the card. I have no use for that as we dont use that card anyways and i'd be paying $20 for an annual fee on a card i dont use.

On a separate note, i got 2000 points credit on a personal card and i didn't even try for more as they mentioned they could only do 2000 due to the the 5000 goodwill adjustment i got last week for something else.
$25 credit is pretty good. Do you nevr shop at any of the places with OPEN rebates?

I have a amex green card with my first year renewal payment coming up next month. My credit is shot because of my mortgage mods and I need this card for the high charge limit. Any suggestions on how to get them to waive the fee for next year or if its even possible?

Just call them up once the annual fee hits and try to negotiate a lower fee.
Save your time, I don't answer PM. Post it in the forum and a dedicated DDF'er will get back to you as soon as possible.

Offline kayef

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Re: Credit Card Retention Bonuses
« Reply #33 on: February 24, 2010, 11:14:11 PM »
Do you need to "threaten" to cancel in order to get bonuses or can you just ask them to downgrade to a card without an annual fee?

Offline gozalim

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Re: Credit Card Retention Bonuses
« Reply #34 on: February 25, 2010, 12:24:41 AM »
Do you need to "threaten" to cancel in order to get bonuses or can you just ask them to downgrade to a card without an annual fee?
you can just downgrade (but then you might not get the retention bonus ;-) )

Offline Yordai Dooma

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Re: Credit Card Retention Bonuses
« Reply #35 on: February 26, 2010, 10:34:32 AM »
$25 credit is pretty good. Do you nevr shop at any of the places with OPEN rebates?


Almost never (that i know of). Besides, we plan to just sign up again 30 days later.

Which rebates do you use from OPEN?

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Just got the Citi AA Annual Fee Waived on 2 Cards (Mastercard & Amex)
« Reply #36 on: June 15, 2010, 02:30:17 PM »

My free year just finished, and they no longer consolidate or switch cards, so I spoke to the retention department, and was given an offer of making 5 charges in the next 3 months, and getting an $85 statement credit.

Offline elikay

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Re: Credit Card Retention Bonuses
« Reply #37 on: June 15, 2010, 04:03:19 PM »
I once called to cancel AA (for the third time in one year, I think) and they always offered miles. That time it was like 12:00 AM so the guy in India says one minute while I transfer you to that dep. A minute later he gets back on and says, that department is closed but I got authorization to close the account. I just hung up. Next thing I know, there is a fraud alert on my card. I called another time by DAY to remove that, hung up; called back right away and asked to cancel, got tranferred to retention, and VOILA 3000 miles! I finally cancelled last week when I was told that they can't offer me anymore miles (and my year was almost up, plus I wanted to close some accounts to prepare for my next app for the visa, as I had 2 MCs)

Offline Chaikel

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Re: Credit Card Retention Bonuses
« Reply #38 on: June 16, 2010, 01:52:15 PM »
Chase seems to hate my guts. They once gave me a bad routing number for my checking account. I got a $40 returned payment fee, then they raised my APR to about 35% and they cut the limit on all 4 of my chase cards by over 75%.

I called to threaten to cancel the card in question (Sony, got a few hundred bucks for signing up, but the points aren't that great) and the woman didn't even blink - just canceled it before I could blink.

I just called about my Sapphire preferred, and they actually asked why, but didn't offer anything.

My credit is over 750, I recently asked for an increase on one of my cards (they had lowered it from ~$9k to $1700) and it was denied. I guess they just have notes on their files who they like and who not. It's no big loss, Citi AA just accepted me my $15.5k so I guess they'll be getting my visa/mc business now.
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Re: Credit Card Retention Bonuses
« Reply #39 on: June 16, 2010, 02:00:01 PM »
i find that citi doesnt offer than one retention bonus per year anymore... used to call in every month, but now after once they claim they cant offer anything.   maybe after paying the annual fee theyll offer you again... i never wait that long to find out