Frequent Miler's latest team challenge, Million Mile Madness, is almost done! The last two weeks Greg, Nick, and Stephen competed to earn 1 Million SAS miles by flying 15 airlines. But who completed the challenge with the most Speed, Affordability, and Style?
Update 9/20/22 – The Platinum, Gold and Business Gold referral offers are all back, so I’ve added those and re-ranked accordingly.
Over the last couple of years, American Express has been barraging us with unprecedented welcome offers for both the personal and business versions of their Gold and Platinum charge cards.
For years, these cards all had a “once-in-a-lifetime rule,” meaning that you were only eligible for the welcome offer for each card once per lifetime (in practice, this actually meant 5-7 years, then Amex would “forget” that you had the card). Occasionally, a link would come around without the lifetime language (NLL or “No Lifetime Language”), allowing those who’d already had the card to get another one. Historically, these were infrequent, coming around maybe once or twice per year.
That all changed in 2020.
Suddenly, people were getting targeted to “expand their membership” or “bundle their Gold/Platinum cards,” Amex’s spin on “we know that you already have this card, but we want you to sign-up again and we’ll pay you for it.” These were especially common with Business versions of these cards and some people were being targeted mere weeks after completing the spend on the same card. It was madness.
At the same time, Amex started drastically increasing the value of these targeted offers. We used to get excited about seeing 100,000 point offers but now we started seeing 150,000, 180,000…even 250,000 point offers. We developed back issues from constantly picking our jaws off the floor. We’ve unofficially branded it the “points parade,” because these offers just keep on marching past with no end in sight.
But it can be confusing (and exhausting) as well. Keeping track of the offers and which ones have lifetime language while trying to sort through the best options has been difficult for many and we’ve had several folks reach out, asking us to compile them in one spot and give our impressions on which is best.
Here it is.
As an aside, none of the business card offers below are featured on our best offers page. That’s because the offers on that page are the best publicly available ones that we know of. We don’t put targeted offers there, as we want anyone to be able to look at the offers listed and be able to click through. The business offers below are all targeted. Some require trying different browsers and a couple even require calling-in to find out if you’re eligible. Not everyone will be able to get them. That’s why they’re not on the best offers page.
The personal card links ARE on the best offers page, but that’s because they are available via the reservations website Resy or via reader referral links that we collect and cycle through the application page. None of the consumer card offers below are affiliate links.
| Amex App Tips |
1 welcome bonus per lifetime | Better offers may be available. Click for details. | Hard inquiries are combined into 1 when approved same day | You can have max 5 Amex credit cards and 10 Pay Over Time cards |
| Amex is the safest bank for trying your luck at earning a new welcome bonus offer. They don’t usually issue a hard pull when denying your application (and they don’t usually issue a hard pull when approved if you’re an existing Amex cardholder). Plus, they’ll warn you during the application process if you’re not eligible for the bonus. | ||||
| Max 2 credit cards in 90 days, but no known limit for Pay Over Time (charge) cards | ||||
| Check application status here. If denied, call reconsideration: 877-399-3083 (new accountholders); 866-314-0237 (current accountholders) |
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The Offers
NLL – “No Lifetime Language,” TGT – “Targeted,” Fresh Browser – in order to make the offer appear, it will probably be necessary to try different browser configurations.
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Personal Platinum Referral – 150,000 Membership Rewards after $6K spend in 3 months
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Personal Gold Referral – 90,0000 points after $4K in purchases in the first 6 months
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Business Gold Referral – 130,000 Membership Rewards after $10K spend in 3 months (fresh browser, TGT)
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Business Gold – 95,000 Membership Rewards after $10K spend in 3 months, including $1K on authorized user card (NLL, TGT)
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Business Platinum – 155,000 Membership Rewards after $15,000 spend in 3 months, including $1K on authorized user card (NLL, TGT)
- Business Platinum Referral – 150,000 Membership Rewards after $15,000 spend in 3 months.
If you see the message below or see a screen with no offer listed, it means you’re not targeted. If you get a pop-up telling you that you are not eligible for the welcome offer, you aren’t.
Key Card Details
| Card Name w Details & Review (no offer) |
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FM Mini Review: This card is absolutely loaded with high end perks. Depending upon your situation, those perks may be worth the annual fee or much more. $695 Annual Fee Earning rate: 5X points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel ✦ 5X points for prepaid hotels booked through American Express Travel Card Info: Amex Pay Over Time Card issued by Amex. This card has no foreign currency conversion fees. Noteworthy perks: Up to $200 a year in statement credits for incidental fees at one qualifying airline per calendar year ✦ $200 prepaid hotel credit per calendar year valid on Fine Hotels & Resorts and The Hotel Collection bookings ✦ Up to $20 per month rebate for Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and/or The Wall Street Journal ✦ Up to $120 Global Entry/TSA Precheck fee reimbursement.✦ $15 monthly Uber or Uber Eats credit ($20 in December, use it or lose it each month) ✦ $199 CLEAR (R) Plus fee credit per calendar year ✦ $12.95 (+tax) monthly credit for Walmart+ monthly membership subscription credit when you pay with Platinum card ✦ Up to $100 in credits annually for purchases at Saks Fifth Avenue (up to $50 in credits semi-annually) ✦ Priority Pass membership (Lounges only) with 2 guests and other airport lounge benefits (Centurion and Delta) ✦ Rental car elite status ✦ Marriott Gold status ✦ Hilton Honors Gold status Enrollement required for some benefits. Terms Apply. (Rates & Fees) See also: Amex Platinum Guide |
| Card Name w Details & Review (no offer) |
|---|
FM Mini Review: This card offers an awesome return on US supermarket and worldwide dining spend, putting it at or near the top-of-class in both categories. Dining credits and Uber / Uber Eats credits go a long way towards reducing the sting of this card's annual fee. $325 Annual Fee Earning rate: 3X points for flights booked with airlines or on amextravel.com ✦ 4x points at US Supermarkets (up to $25K in purchases, then 1x) ✦ 4x at restaurants worldwide ✦ 1X points on other purchases. Terms apply. (Rates & Fees) Card Info: Amex Pay Over Time Card issued by Amex. This card has no foreign currency conversion fees. Noteworthy perks: Up to $10 in statement credits monthly with participating dining partners (Goldbelly, Wine.com, Five Guys, Seamless/Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory) ✦ $10 monthly Uber or Uber Eats credit (use it or lose it each month - must select Amex card as payment method to redeem) ✦ $100 hotel credit on qualifying charges on stays of 2 nights or longer, plus a room upgrade upon arrival, if available with The Hotel Collection at americanexpress.com/hc ✦ Enrollment required for select benefits. |
| Card Name w Details & Review (no offer) |
|---|
FM Mini Review: This card is absolutely loaded with high end perks. Depending upon your situation, those perks may be worth the annual fee or much more. Click here for our complete card review $695 Annual Fee Earning rate: 5X flights and prepaid hotels at AmexTravel.com ✦ 1.5X points per dollar on eligible purchases of $5000 or more (on up to $2 million of those purchases per year) ✦ 1.5x on US construction/hardware stores, US electronic goods, and US shipping ✦ 1X elsewhere ✦ Terms apply. Card Info: Amex Pay Over Time Card issued by Amex. This card has no foreign currency conversion fees. Noteworthy perks: Select one qualifying airline and receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year for qualifying charges ✦ Up to $400 a year in statement credits for Dell purchases ($200, twice-yearly) ✦ Up to $120 in wireless services credits per year ($10 per month) ✦ Up to $120 Global Entry/TSA Precheck fee reimbursement.✦ Priority Pass membership (Lounges only) with 2 guests and other airport lounge benefits (Centurion and Delta) ✦ Rental car elite status ✦ Marriott Gold status ✦ Hilton Gold status. ✦ $199 CLEAR fee reimbursement annually ✦ 35% Airline Bonus: Get 35% points back after you Pay With Points for flights with your selected airline (or premium cabin with any airline). Enrollment required for select benefits See also: Amex Platinum Guide |
| Card Name w Details & Review (no offer) |
|---|
FM Mini Review: This card may be a keeper for those who use the monthly credits, but keep only if you also make good use of one or two 4X categories. Click here for our complete card review $375 Annual Fee Earning rate: Earn 4X in combined purchases in the two eligible categories where your business spends the most each month (capped at $150K spend per calendar year, then 1x): Electronic goods retailers or software and cloud system providers in the U.S. ✦U.S. purchases at restaurants ✦Monthly wireless telephone service charges made directly from a wireless telephone service provider in the U.S. ✦ U.S. purchases for advertising in select media ✦ U.S. purchases at gas stations ✦ Transit purchases including trains, taxicabs, rideshare services, ferries, tolls, parking, buses, and subways. ✦ 3x on eligible purchases through AmexTravel.com ✦ 1x on all other purchases. Terms apply. Base: 1X (1.55%) Travel: 3X (4.65%) Dine: 4X (6.2%) Gas: 4X (6.2%) Shop: 4X (6.2%) Phone: 4X (6.2%) Biz: 4X (6.2%) Card Info: Amex Pay Over Time Card issued by Amex. This card has no foreign currency conversion fees. Noteworthy perks: Earn up to $20 in statement credits each month for eligible purchases at FedEx, Grubhub, and office supply stores. Enrollment required. ✦ Monthly Walmart+ Membership credit after you use the card to pay for one monthly Walmart+ membership ✦ Terms Apply. (Rates & Fees) |
Quick Thoughts
The top two positions are all lifetime language offers, meaning that they aren’t available to folks who have had the card within the last 4-7 years. If that’s NOT you, then these should be the place to start. The consumer Platinum offer is terrific and would qualify as the best offer available on a personal card right now.
The 150K referral offer is the current standard, in my opinion. Although it’s a referral offer, this is what you’ll find listed on the Best Offers page as we collect working reader referrals via our Frequent Miler Insiders Facebook page and cycle them through. Membership Rewards are valued at 1.55 cents per point in our most recent reasonable redemption values (RRV), making this welcome offer worth $2400, including the 6,000 points from the minimum spend. That’s a whopping 40% return. If you haven’t gotten this card and are eligible, why haven’t you gotten this card?
The consumer Gold referral offer of 90,000 MR after $4K spend is another bell-ringer, yielding a minimum return of 94,000 MR. This would be valued at about ~$1500 according to RRV, a 38% return on spend. Wowza. This can go up even more though, as the Gold has the best spending categories of all these cards, with 4x on groceries and dining. If you can do even half of the spend in those two categories, you’ll end up with 100,000 MR on only $4K spend. This is another instance where we curate working reader links, so you can find it on our Best Offers page.
After that, we head into the NLL business card offers, which are the wild west right now. My wife and I have been getting new cards every 1-2 months and just keep getting targeted for more. My favorite right now (and the one I used a couple of days ago) is the 155K offer. It’s simple and it seems to be almost universally accessible with a great ratio of points/spend, at ~10.3/1, effectively giving you a 16% rate of return on $15,000.
Keep in mind that both the Business Platinum Dell and the various airline credits reset on the calendar year. This means that in the first year of card membership, you can get at least 3x Dell credits and 2x airline incidentals, adding an additional ~$200-400 in first year value if you only pay the annual fee once and cancel after the first year. While the various perks and credits on Amex cards can feel a little “coupon booky,” I find it pretty easy to get full advantage of these two without much effort.
Let us know if you see a better offer that’s not included here, if you’ve signed-up for one (or more) of these offers and, most importantly, if you agree or disagree with the rankings!
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[…] My spouse and I are in 4/24, so it is vitally tempting for every of us to select up considered one of these to earn some straightforward AAdvantage miles whereas we wait request extra Amex Playing cards. […]
What will be really great is you update this in late Nov/early Dec so we can triple dip the DELL/SW offers!
Was just lucky enough to have a surprise in the snail-mailbox today – 250k points for $30k spend over 6 months…. Awesome start to the week!
Any news / finds on increased offers for the Schwab / MS versions of the Platinum (currently have the vanilla Platinum)?
Are the referral bonus caps of 55k MR per card or per account (if you hold more than one Amex card can you earn 55k referral bonus per card)?
Also interested in this question
Are there any links/offers with the 0% intro APR for the first year? Haven’t been able to find that anywhere in any of the links anymore.
The Personal Plat Resy offer is currently $6k in 6 months (not 3) and 10x on dining on up to $25k in the first 6.
How come the 150k Amex 10x for restaurants AND 15x small business offer wasn’t on this list? I believe this was given in January 2022
It’s dead. It’s now 125k & 10x at restaurants via Resy.
Darn, waited too long. the 260k and the 170k biz plat offer are both dead.
Nice summary Tim. Do you know if using link for the 260k biz platinum offer is ok?
Even in your previous post about it you heeded “ But be cautious. These sorts of links can be dangerous and there have been reports of them leading to an Amex shutdown. “
When I click on the link AND login my account the offer is there. Does that mean I’m ok or should I call in?
Also for the authorized user card in order to get the additional 10k is there a charge for that additional card? Thanks.
I don’t think anyone knows really… I think we are all just fumbling along together until the bubble pops (speaking as someone who just bit on the 170K offer link)… or doesn’t pop.
Calling in is pointless and/or counterproductive. Pointless because in the most famous recent serial shutdown, cards were instigated over the phone by a genuine Amex rep gone rogue. Counterproductive because non-rogue reps are often more clueless than we are, plus a non-rogue, non-clueless rep could put eyes on your account(s), and who among us really wants that?
I have a personal platinum and am thinking about getting a gold. My question: I have the platinum on my Uber account, will I get the $10 per month Uber benefit for the Gold if I don’t have the gold card attached to the Uber account?
You can attach multiple cards to your Uber account and consolidate those credits, meaning you’d end up with $25/month total. You can do that with P2 cards as well, if you’re in that situation.
We get $30 a month for P1+P2. Also, the Audible seems to be cumulative, meaning you get 1 for each card or 12 a year and they don’t have to be used each month.
Nice summary; getting a lot of business platinum offers too! Does anyone know how many business platinums you can get with Amex and how much time between applications?
I don’t know how many, at least 5 I can vouch for, will try for #6 soon.
Looks like you need to wait 91 days between apps.
Also, 2 x 150,000 or 160,000 is much better than a 260,000 offer.
I’m pretty much in the same boat as Cal. Thanks for the data points. The 91 day information is particularly salient. I have 2 x Biz Platinum and have closed 2 this year and a few days ago got an invite for another at 160,000 that is sorely tempting. My 2 that I have from this year show activity starting early March and mid-June so maybe waiting until I’m past the 91 days would keep things more low key.
I found option #8 worked for me, 91 days spot on.
Are those all for the same business? I have a biz plat for my main business but have a separate DBA that I don’t have any Amex cards for… wondering if I should still wait 91 days between apps if I’m applying for a separate business?
Mine are for the same business. I think you still have to wait. They don’t seem to care about which businesses or how many you have. I used to have two businesses.