In December 2006 AMEX ran an incredible promotion (which I wrote about extensively on this site) in which they offered a $250 rebate for each of 4 different business cards opened.
The cards offered were the Platinum business credit card (no annual fee), the Delta business credit card (no fee for first year, then $85), the Gold business charge card (no fee for first year, then $125), and the prestigious and benefit-laden Platinum business charge card (Was $300/year at the time, now at $395/year).
Unfortunately AMEX lost everyone’s original applications and requested that people reapply.
Originally I had applied for all 4 cards, but after the lost application fiasco I only reapplied for the platinum charge card, which is never offered for the first year for free.
I expected to have to pay $50 to carry the card for a year ($300 annual fee, less $250 rebate)
The $250 rebate posted immediately upon opening the card, what never did post was the charge card’s $300 annual fee for the first year! Sweet!
Fast forward to August 2007, I received a letter from AMEX apologizing for losing my original application, and offering a $130 credit if I would call them back to apply for a card. (I didn’t)
In September 2007 there was a present waiting for me in my Platinum charge card account to the tune of $130-more free money!
After I was hit with the $395 annual fee last month I was planning on closing the account. Luckily I was busy traveling and pushed that off! While I was enjoying what I thought would be the final fruits of my Platinum charge card at one of Continental’s excellent President Clubs, Shmuel Raigorodsky asked me if I had received another $250 from my AMEX card.
Another $250?!?
Lo and behold, there it was in my account, another $250 present from AMEX-This is the card that never stops giving!
Since then I have received dozens of giddy emails from people who have also received the $250 bonuses. The luckiest ones were the people that got the no annual fee card, but I’m quite content with the $250 subsidy off my platinum charge card.
I’m just glad that I don’t have any money invested in AXP…