AMEX Personal SPG retention offer data point(s)...

Called to cancel my personal SPG. Don't use it enough to justify annual fee and doesn't seem to be very MS friendly.

First offer was a $75 statement credit after spending $2k in 3 months. "No thanks."

She asked if I was sure. "Yeah, I think so, thanks though."

Second offer was 7,000 bonus points after spending $500 in 1 month. "I'll take it".

I can't say I've ever had a second offer after denying the first offer...

Since I'm not married to the card, I may try to start MS'ing a little now. If they shut me down, oh well. If not, hey, it's easy 3x Marriott points for my next nights and flights package...Never hurts to ask.
 

notalent

Michael Bolton
Called to cancel my personal SPG. Don't use it enough to justify annual fee and doesn't seem to be very MS friendly.

First offer was a $75 statement credit after spending $2k in 3 months. "No thanks."

She asked if I was sure. "Yeah, I think so, thanks though."

Second offer was 7,000 bonus points after spending $500 in 1 month. "I'll take it".

I can't say I've ever had a second offer after denying the first offer...

Since I'm not married to the card, I may try to start MS'ing a little now. If they shut me down, oh well. If not, hey, it's easy 3x Marriott points for my next nights and flights package...Never hurts to ask.
What number did you call? I called the number on the back of my card yesterday and they basically said OK lets cancel.
 

bjk497

Level 2 Member
What number did you call? I called the number on the back of my card yesterday and they basically said OK lets cancel.
I called number on back. I asked if there was any way to get points or statement credit and was told no so I asked to cancel. I was transferred to somebody else who offered 7K points for $1K spend to prevent cancellation.
 

HariOm

Transcendent Level
Last month I accepted an offer of 7k for $1500 spend in three months. With SPG it's widely reported that you need wait 13 months since prior retention offer. Actually I called after 12 months and the rep said, call back after 13 months, and gave me a specific date to call back, along with his direct extension.
 

36902BRF

Level 2 Member
Funny about somebody saying SPG not being MS friendly. I have pounded that card more than any other this side of WF/OBC (before it was capped). I find SPG points very valuable but then I can see where others might not see it that way. Never done a retention offer on them but likely will given my AF will be due before August and thus I won't get the free night cert and the card will be gutted for spend come 8/1.
 

Panache

Level 2 Member
My SPG business AF is due and I tried getting a retention offer through chat...no dice. Will try phone but is this card worth keeping in light of the SPG/Marriott merger? I don't MS that much on it, too many easier (if not better) 2x/3x/5x options out there.
 

36902BRF

Level 2 Member
My SPG business AF is due and I tried getting a retention offer through chat...no dice. Will try phone but is this card worth keeping in light of the SPG/Marriott merger? I don't MS that much on it, too many easier (if not better) 2x/3x/5x options out there.
Probably depends on you uses and the amount of MS you do. SPG points were extremely valuable to me. My main focus is on travel and on transferable currencies. Pretty much anything above 1.5x is capped in some way or limited to certain spend (2x PRG at grocery stores). And to me 1.25 SPG was more valuable than 1.5 UR or Amex MR. There were so many ways to get bonuses on transfers from SPG to airlines beyond the 25% kicker. Many airlines give out bonuses on transfers from hotel programs. One year I got 167,000 united miles + a 7 night stay in Marriott Cat 5 property for 90k SPG. The hotel cert got me $1500 worth of stay at a hotel. Haven't used the Untied miles yet so cannot comment on the value there. I also got a ton of Alaska miles I think the multiple was 1.65 AS for each SPG by transferring to VX when they got bought out by AS. But it was probably only worth if you are willing to put a lot of spend through. I obviously max out the 5x/3x options where I can. I also do a fair amount of 2x on PRG but Amex MR are more risky to me having been under RAT attention twice so far.
 

SanDiego1K

Level 2 Member
I called today after having received a retention offer 18 months ago. Rep claimed they never make such offers. If the card wasn't good value then I should cancel it.
 

gumercindo

Level 2 Member
I have biz and I am 0-3 on retention offers the past week. My AF just posted last week. Do I keep HUCA or call it a day and cancel?
 

Panache

Level 2 Member
I got a 3 K offer, no spend. Guess I'll keep it and hope I can MS my way to a 7 night Hotel+Flight Cert.
 

mec

Silver Member
I have biz and I am 0-3 on retention offers the past week. My AF just posted last week. Do I keep HUCA or call it a day and cancel?
I am 0 for 2 now on 20 days before the fee and 10 days after it posted (also a business card). I'm thinking that because I am still MSing the card I should just take my medicine and feel sad.
 

GetawaysRus

Level 2 Member
Called today about my SPG BUSINESS card. I have had this account since 1999 (yes, that's 19 years and I have never bothered AmEx in the past for a retention offer since the SPG points were so valuable prior to the merger with Marriott and the AF years ago used to be pretty reasonable). I do put some spend on the card, although I will admit that much of it is MS.

Offered nothing. Bupkis. Nada. Zip.

My question: I know that when calling Citi (about AA cards), I usually have to say the magic "cancel" word in order to get transferred from a front line phone rep to a "retention specialist." I did not make that threat with the AmEx rep today since I still have a few more weeks before the annual fee will be set in stone and irreversible. With AmEx, do retention offers come from the front line phone reps, or do you have to threaten to cancel and get transferred to a retention specialist (like Citi)?
 

Josh F

Level 2 Member
Charity Forum Mod
Called today about my SPG BUSINESS card. I have had this account since 1999 (yes, that's 19 years and I have never bothered AmEx in the past for a retention offer since the SPG points were so valuable prior to the merger with Marriott and the AF years ago used to be pretty reasonable). I do put some spend on the card, although I will admit that much of it is MS.

Offered nothing. Bupkis. Nada. Zip.

My question: I know that when calling Citi (about AA cards), I usually have to say the magic "cancel" word in order to get transferred from a front line phone rep to a "retention specialist." I did not make that threat with the AmEx rep today since I still have a few more weeks before the annual fee will be set in stone and irreversible. With AmEx, do retention offers come from the front line phone reps, or do you have to threaten to cancel and get transferred to a retention specialist (like Citi)?
I recommend always starting with the front line reps and tell them you want to cancel. From my recollection - sometimes I continue to talk with whoever I'm talking with and sometimes I've been transferred. If you start off with cancellation through the automated voice prompts - you may (in my experience) go through a fully automated cancellation process, without any human contact. Nice and convenient if you want to cancel, not so nice if you're looking for a retention offer
 

36902BRF

Level 2 Member
I had six figures of spend on my SPG Bus a while back and also got nothing and I called several numbers on different days. If you look at FT data points it seems that with the exception of a few months earlier this year where they were giving out 10k points there have not been many real retention offers. I easily got a 7k offer on my personal SPG (this was real SPG not the newer MR points).
 

FlyerDad

Level 2 Member
I received a retention on my SPG personal (7,000) but nothing for my SPG business. Since I have the Chase Marriott card, I don't see the value (even with the free night) so went ahead and cancelled.
 

knick1959

Level 2 Member
Noting all of the bad DP's here, I set out to simply cancel my Wife's SPG card that we've been using and abusing for a long time. I expected an automated process that required no talking to any real person. Instead, I was transferred to a representative. Fortunately I did all this with my wife nearby and she was suddenly thrust into a conversation she wasn't prepared for. She did great!

They asked if this had to do with the merger and she say "yes". They are apparently getting "a lot of that". No surprise here. Anyway, I was shocked for them to offer us 20k after spending 2k. There was an odd specific stipulation that none of the spend could be cash equivalents or gift cards. But we're in. We'll crank out the 2k spend organically and once points post, go to cancel again.
 

bspoke

New Member
I had 6 fig spend on personal spg and received 10k after 3k spend offer. I rarely get any spending offers from Amex, or retention offers. Got nothing for my SPG biz but I was happy with that despite the negative changes to ongoing spending earning rates with the cards.
 
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