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 1820340 times)

Offline 123ablack

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Re: Credit Card Retention Bonuses
« Reply #960 on: September 09, 2012, 02:13:35 AM »
Called to cancel my amex platinum.  Explained that I have cut back on CC spending and travel and dont really need this card.  i am putting $300-$500 on it per month and definitely not worth $450 AF.
They offered a $400 credit, I said that I have decided not to pay for a credit card- not even $50.  SO she offered 50,000 points instead and said I could use 45,000 of them to pay my AF.  I took the points, I assume it's not worth using them to pay my fee?  How much can I sell them for?
BTW, I wasn't playing games, this was all true and I was genuinely surprised.
Holy moly.. You're really lucky for having them offer you $400 or 45k MR points..

I called in for my Premier Gold Rewards and Platinum last week - at least 5 times (+SMs) and got the same negative answer everytime.. They're not able to hand any points or waive any fee.. Transferred me to Membership Rewards team which couldn't/wouldn't give me either..

Which number and which department did you call?


Offline AsherO

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Re: Credit Card Retention Bonuses
« Reply #961 on: September 09, 2012, 02:15:26 AM »
Holy moly.. You're really lucky for having them offer you $400 or 45k MR points..

I called in for my Premier Gold Rewards and Platinum last week - at least 5 times (+SMs) and got the same negative answer everytime.. They're not able to hand any points or waive any fee.. Transferred me to Membership Rewards team which couldn't/wouldn't give me either..

Which number and which department did you call?



When did you enroll, how much did you spend on the card since then?
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Offline 123ablack

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Re: Credit Card Retention Bonuses
« Reply #962 on: September 09, 2012, 02:20:28 AM »
When did you enroll, how much did you spend on the card since then?
Opened both cards in July 2012 and spent about 3k on each (overall).
I Also have a business membership rewards card which I opened back in Spetemeber of 2010 where I spent about 5k to date.

Offline AsherO

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Re: Credit Card Retention Bonuses
« Reply #963 on: September 09, 2012, 02:23:22 AM »
Opened both cards in July 2012 and spent about 3k on each (overall).
I Also have a business membership rewards card which I opened back in Spetemeber of 2010 where I spent about 5k to date.

You're not a big spender, but you should be eligible for a refund of a big fraction of the annual fee back if you cancel/downgrade considering you enrolled recently... If you earned your bonus points, go for it, just make sure you keep one MR card so that you don't lose your MR points.
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Offline Wolf

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Re: Credit Card Retention Bonuses
« Reply #964 on: September 09, 2012, 11:30:20 AM »
Im now 55 days after my Amex delta gold skymiles charged me with $95 annual fee. Called them up to downgrade to the options card that has no fee, they said that card is no longer available, but she right away offered me $95 statement credit to stay with amex being that im a member with delta since 2006.



Offline AJK

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Re: Credit Card Retention Bonuses
« Reply #965 on: September 09, 2012, 11:32:21 AM »
Nice!

+1 - I called once and got shot down, and I've spent a lot more than OP has.
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Offline daganster

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Re: Credit Card Retention Bonuses
« Reply #966 on: September 09, 2012, 12:32:12 PM »
+1 - I called once and got shot down, and I've spent a lot more than OP has.
I guess that they use other parameters other than spending, regardless the op is pretty lucky.

Offline AJK

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Re: Credit Card Retention Bonuses
« Reply #967 on: September 09, 2012, 12:43:39 PM »
Agree.

I imagine they didn't gimme retention b/c I also have plat mb and bgr.
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Offline 123ablack

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Re: Credit Card Retention Bonuses
« Reply #968 on: September 09, 2012, 02:11:28 PM »
You're not a big spender, but you should be eligible for a refund of a big fraction of the annual fee back if you cancel/downgrade considering you enrolled recently... If you earned your bonus points, go for it, just make sure you keep one MR card so that you don't lose your MR points.

CORRECTION: I opened both, the gold and plat back in July of 2011 and already paid the annual fee for the plat last year.

Does that change anything?

Offline daganster

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Re: Credit Card Retention Bonuses
« Reply #969 on: September 09, 2012, 03:03:37 PM »
CORRECTION: I opened both, the gold and plat back in July of 2011 and already paid the annual fee for the plat last year.

Does that change anything?
So you paid 2 annual fees 1 in 2011 and 1 in 2012? If so it makes more sense that they'll wanna keep ya.

Offline 123ablack

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Re: Credit Card Retention Bonuses
« Reply #970 on: September 09, 2012, 05:07:55 PM »
So you paid 2 annual fees 1 in 2011 and 1 in 2012? If so it makes more sense that they'll wanna keep ya.

And that's why I called 5-6 times + SMs all with negative responses :'(

Offline Gottago

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Re: Credit Card Retention Bonuses
« Reply #971 on: September 09, 2012, 06:53:34 PM »
I opened the platinum last August because of the 100,000 point promo, which of course I missed.  I got 25,000 points for signup + $1000 in 3 months.  I put less than $500 on the card each month and pay the same day that my bill comes.  She did say that paying on time was a big reason for them to keep me.
We also had a really friendly conversation about my scaling back on credit card spending and my new baby (who she heard in the background). BTW I called the number on back of my card to cancel and they transferred me to an account manager.
I guess I got lucky and HKBH just wanted me to have some more $ in 5772.

Offline 123ablack

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Re: Credit Card Retention Bonuses
« Reply #972 on: September 09, 2012, 09:12:29 PM »
I opened the platinum last August because of the 100,000 point promo, which of course I missed.  I got 25,000 points for signup + $1000 in 3 months.  I put less than $500 on the card each month and pay the same day that my bill comes.  She did say that paying on time was a big reason for them to keep me.
We also had a really friendly conversation about my scaling back on credit card spending and my new baby (who she heard in the background). BTW I called the number on back of my card to cancel and they transferred me to an account manager.
I guess I got lucky and HKBH just wanted me to have some more $ in 5772.

Well put and well done!

Shanah Tova!


Offline Galitzyaner

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Re: Credit Card Retention Bonuses
« Reply #973 on: September 11, 2012, 05:56:14 PM »
Who/which Dept would be the best to call to try my luck with closing a Amex PRG?
No heavy spending other than the initial bonus-required $3k, maybe a few thousand more...

Where do I have my best luck getting a bonus, before I cancel the card (I ain't paying $175 for nothin').

Offline Dan

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Re: Credit Card Retention Bonuses
« Reply #974 on: September 12, 2012, 01:14:08 AM »
Ink Bold Exclusives: 5,000 points.  The rep started saying 10,000 points but then said 5K was the best she could do :P
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Credit Card Retention Bonuses
« Reply #975 on: September 12, 2012, 01:27:51 AM »
Good to hear Hopefully I'll get something when I try in 2 weeks :)

Offline AsherO

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Re: Credit Card Retention Bonuses
« Reply #976 on: September 12, 2012, 03:08:16 AM »
Ink Bold Exclusives: 5,000 points.  The rep started saying 10,000 points but then said 5K was the best she could do :P

Can't believe you let her get way with that and didn't get the full 10k "which she initially offered". :P

Something tells me you'd probably prefer to hold onto that card with the (no-longer-available) 20% exclusives bonus, though the retention bonus definitely helps mitigate the annual fee.
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Offline 123ablack

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Re: Credit Card Retention Bonuses
« Reply #977 on: September 12, 2012, 12:52:13 PM »
I'm about to cancel my Platinum (or downgrade to Zinc) today.
I signed up for
• $200 AA gift cards (already got the credits)
• Priority Club
• Hertz Elite
• Avis Elite
• National Elite

Now I wanna do the SPG gold Status and I have 2 SPG accounts (1 business and one personal), can I get SPG to add gold status to both SPG accounts, or can request it for both SPG accounts (the platinum is a personal one).

Also, any other elite status matches (Hyatt, Marriott, Hilton, Etc) that I can take advantage of while I still have the platinum?



Offline Dan

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Re: Credit Card Retention Bonuses
« Reply #978 on: September 12, 2012, 03:57:37 PM »
Can't believe you let her get way with that and didn't get the full 10k "which she initially offered". :P

Something tells me you'd probably prefer to hold onto that card with the (no-longer-available) 20% exclusives bonus, though the retention bonus definitely helps mitigate the annual fee.
Believe me, I tried.
Maybe I'll SM them.
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Offline Galitzyaner

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Re: Credit Card Retention Bonuses
« Reply #979 on: September 12, 2012, 11:37:21 PM »
Who/which Dept would be the best to call to try my luck  to get a retention when closing a Amex PRG?
No heavy spending other than the initial bonus-required $3k, maybe a few thousand more...

Where do I have my best luck getting a bonus, before I cancel the card (I ain't paying $175 for nothin').
Bump.