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 1820516 times)

Offline Thingywingy

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Re: Credit Card Retention Bonuses
« Reply #260 on: October 10, 2011, 04:19:19 PM »
Well you probably have some magical way to spend $2000 in a month! I was hoping for account credit of at least half.
I am sometimes accused of overthinking things. I am still mulling over whether that accusation has merit.

Offline Thingywingy

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Re: Credit Card Retention Bonuses
« Reply #261 on: October 10, 2011, 04:24:08 PM »
For clarity: $85/5000 = is 1.7 cents $85/10000=.0085
I didn't mention but I have United Card so no gain outside of Bonus Points.
I am sometimes accused of overthinking things. I am still mulling over whether that accusation has merit.

Offline Thingywingy

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Re: Credit Card Retention Bonuses
« Reply #262 on: October 10, 2011, 07:04:20 PM »
Anybody out here get statement credit? Any advice? Are certain times better?
I am sometimes accused of overthinking things. I am still mulling over whether that accusation has merit.

Offline dealvr

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Re: Credit Card Retention Bonuses
« Reply #263 on: October 10, 2011, 07:13:56 PM »
TD Classic Travel Visa- Called and said I wasn't getting enough value for the card and didn't want to pay the $19 annual fee. The rep gave me 10000 points and waved the fee. (The initial signup bonus was only 2000!)
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Offline Avid Reader

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Re: Credit Card Retention Bonuses
« Reply #264 on: October 10, 2011, 07:14:42 PM »
TD Classic Travel Visa- Called and said I wasn't getting enough value for the card and didn't want to pay the $19 annual fee. The rep gave me 10000 points and waved the fee. (The initial signup bonus was only 2000!)
Pretty good! What kind of points are they?

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Re: Credit Card Retention Bonuses
« Reply #265 on: October 10, 2011, 07:20:46 PM »
Pretty good! What kind of points are they?

Statement credits that can be applied to travel-related purchses (Like Cap1 Venture does), probably 1cpp in value.
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chase continental one pass plus
« Reply #266 on: October 11, 2011, 05:55:39 PM »
I did not want to keep my chase continental one pass plus card open for the second year until I called retentions. They gave me $150 to help pay the $85 fee and keep my card open for the second year  ;D basically I made $65
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Offline AsherO

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Re: Credit Card Retention Bonuses
« Reply #267 on: October 11, 2011, 06:06:52 PM »
I did not want to keep my chase continental one pass plus card open for the second year until I called retentions. They gave me $150 to help pay the $85 fee and keep my card open for the second year  ;D basically I made $65

Sweet. I guess the sweet-talking runs in the family... ;)
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Offline yid

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Re: Credit Card Retention Bonuses
« Reply #268 on: October 11, 2011, 06:33:50 PM »
I just called Chase. All they offered was 5000 co points or 10000 if I spend $2000. Pretty weak if you ask me! Has anyone found a difference from one rep to another?
I did not want to keep my chase continental one pass plus card open for the second year until I called retentions. They gave me $150 to help pay the $85 fee and keep my card open for the second year  ;D basically I made $65
did you use the card? i have an annual fee due on a Co card that i only made one purchase on. Do i have any chance of a retention bonus?

Offline AsherO

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Re: Credit Card Retention Bonuses
« Reply #269 on: October 11, 2011, 06:36:55 PM »
did you use the card? i have an annual fee due on a Co card that i only made one purchase on. Do i have any chance of a retention bonus?

I think so, you can say you're not using it, so you're considering cancelling it.
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Offline Shmelly

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Re: Credit Card Retention Bonuses
« Reply #270 on: November 02, 2011, 11:23:13 AM »
How much do you spend on it per year?
Why not switch to Sapphire Preferred?

I'm getting hit with the Chase Continental fee on 12/1. I'm taking your advice and getting the Sapphire Preferred for spending instead, as I don't hit the $25K threshold.

My question is, should I first cancel the Continental card (hoping for a retention bonus), and then apply for the Sapphire, OR apply for the Sapphire now and then cancel the Continental?
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Offline myb821

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Re: Credit Card Retention Bonuses
« Reply #271 on: November 02, 2011, 11:23:57 AM »
I'm getting hit with the Chase Continental fee on 12/1. I'm taking your advice and getting the Sapphire Preferred for spending instead, as I don't hit the $25K threshold.

My question is, should I first cancel the Continental card (hoping for a retention bonus), and then apply for the Sapphire, OR apply for the Sapphire now and then cancel the Continental?
u can call to cancel and see what they will give u and then choose not to cancel

Offline Dan

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Re: Credit Card Retention Bonuses
« Reply #272 on: November 02, 2011, 11:27:19 AM »
u can call to cancel and see what they will give u and then choose not to cancel
+1.  You'll want the card as leverage for the SP, but you can always feel them out without canceling.
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Offline AsherO

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Re: Credit Card Retention Bonuses
« Reply #273 on: November 02, 2011, 11:28:12 AM »
u can call to cancel and see what they will give u and then choose not to cancel

+1

Either way, if you're considering closing the CO, keep in open until you apply for the SP, so you can use it as leverage with Recon (move over part of the credit line or close the card and move over the entire CL).

+1.  You'll want the card as leverage for the SP, but you can always feel them out without canceling.

You beat me to it :)
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Offline Shmelly

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Re: Credit Card Retention Bonuses
« Reply #274 on: November 02, 2011, 12:40:18 PM »
What kinda leverage will I have? I'm sure I'll qualify for the SP anyway, so will the "leverage" you guys are referring to merely help me get a higher credit line? (Not even sure what Recon means).

Regardless, I'm getting the drift that I should apply for SP now online, and then call to cancel CO once I get SP - correct?
You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. - Dr. Seuss

Offline AsherO

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Re: Credit Card Retention Bonuses
« Reply #275 on: November 02, 2011, 12:42:44 PM »
What kinda leverage will I have? I'm sure I'll qualify for the SP anyway, so will the "leverage" you guys are referring to merely help me get a higher credit line? (Not even sure what Recon means).

Regardless, I'm getting the drift that I should apply for SP now online, and then call to cancel CO once I get SP - correct?

Do a search in the CC forum for Recon, and read up a bit. When you get rejected by Chase, you can oftentimes overturn the rejection by offering to move over a credit line and/or close a card.
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Offline Shmelly

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Re: Credit Card Retention Bonuses
« Reply #276 on: November 02, 2011, 01:57:28 PM »
Just read up a bunch on Recon, thanks for the heads-up. Quite the learning experience for me today (if you cant tell, I'm fairly new to all this).

But are you saying that Chase may reject for SP because I already have CO from them (in addition to the BP card I have from Chase)? I have 25K combined CL on my 2 Chase cards + an additional 20K from various other non-Chase cards
« Last Edit: November 02, 2011, 02:14:21 PM by Shmelly »
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Offline AsherO

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Re: Credit Card Retention Bonuses
« Reply #277 on: November 02, 2011, 02:13:08 PM »
Are you saying that Chase may reject for SP because I already have CO from them (in addition to the BP card I have from Chase)?

What I'm saying is: If Chase isn't eager to extend credit to you, they'll decline you and give you a chance to overturn that by calling their reconsideration department.
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Re: Credit Card Retention Bonuses
« Reply #278 on: November 02, 2011, 03:57:04 PM »
Just read up a bunch on Recon, thanks for the heads-up. Quite the learning experience for me today (if you cant tell, I'm fairly new to all this).

But are you saying that Chase may reject for SP because I already have CO from them (in addition to the BP card I have from Chase)? I have 25K combined CL on my 2 Chase cards + an additional 20K from various other non-Chase cards
The 20K from nonchase cards won't help you with chase. The 25K Chase credit will help.

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Re: Credit Card Retention Bonuses
« Reply #279 on: November 06, 2011, 01:25:25 PM »
I'm getting hit with the Chase Continental fee on 12/1. I'm taking your advice and getting the Sapphire Preferred for spending instead, as I don't hit the $25K threshold.

My question is, should I first cancel the Continental card (hoping for a retention bonus), and then apply for the Sapphire, OR apply for the Sapphire now and then cancel the Continental?


I just SM chase and told them i was thiking of cancelling my chase continental card and they issued me 10k Points!!!