Frequent Miler's latest team challenge, Million Mile Madness, is happening now! Follow us as Greg, Nick, and Stephen compete to earn 1 Million SAS miles by flying 15 airlines before November 23rd. Who will complete the challenge with the most Speed, Affordability, and Style?
25,000 points after $3,000 spend in 3 months. That doesn’t sound like a great offer. Credit card issuers routinely offer 40,000 points or more with similar spend requirements. But, this one is special…
This offer, which is intended for Ameriprise Financial customers is not just a 25,000 point offer. It is, more importantly, a first year free offer for an Amex Platinum card. And… this is big… the first year is free for up to 3 additional authorized users. While other Platinum cards offer more signup bonus points, this is the only one that waives first year fees. And, since Platinum cards cost $450 per year for a single cardholder ($475 for the Mercedes branded card) and $175 more for up to 3 additional users, the “no first year fee” part of the Ameriprise offer is a big deal (up to $625 big). It makes the Platinum card, along with all of its excellent benefits, affordable for almost anyone to try out. Cardholders can get a year’s worth of benefits for free before deciding whether to continue with this card into the future.
$200 Airline Fee Credit times two
The primary cardholder is eligible for up to $200 in airline fee credits per calendar year. Since your first cardmember year would span two calendar years (assuming you sign up mid-year), you could take advantage of this benefit twice. In this way, you can get up to $400 worth of statement credits to cover expenses such as checked bags, in-flight food, change fees, gift cards, award booking fees, and economy plus upgrades.
Additional benefits times four
Most card benefits, beside the airline fee credits, are available not just to the primary cardholder but to all authorized users as well. So, if you get this card for yourself plus up to 3 additional friends and/or family members, all four of you would get:
- $100 Global Entry application reimbursement: Each cardholder can sign up for Global Entry and get the $100 fee reimbursed. This not only speeds up reentry into this country, but also gives you TSA PreCheck so that you can speed through security for domestic flights as well. If you fly more than once or twice a year, I bet you’ll find this well worth the effort of signing up and attending the required interview.
- Airport Lounge benefits: Free access to Amex Centurion Lounges (including up to 2 guests), Delta Sky Clubs, and Airspace Lounges; and you can each enroll in Priority Pass Select at no additional cost.
- Starwood Preferred Guest Gold status: Each cardholder must call 1-800-525-3355 to enroll in this benefit. SPG Gold status benefits include 50% bonus on points earned, 4 pm late checkout, room upgrade when available, and choice of a welcome gift: free premium internet, bonus points, or a free drink. It also entitles you to Delta and Emirates crossover rewards: Earn 1 SPG point for each dollar spent on eligible flights.
- Car rental elite status: Free National Car Rental Executive status. Choose cars from the Executive Aisle rather than the Emerald Aisle for no extra fee.
- The Boingo American Express Preferred Plan: free internet with any Boingo hotspot worldwide for up to 4 devices.
- And more: Please see “Maximizing value from Amex Platinum cards”.
If four people are involved, the perks listed above add up to a pretty amazing signup bonus in aggregate.
Can you qualify?
The offer for this card (found here) is described as “a special offer for Ameriprise Financial clients”. Do you really have to be a client? I’ve heard from many people (including Miles to Memories) in the past who have successfully signed up for this card, and received the signup bonus, despite not being Ameriprise clients. Of course this could change at any time.
As pointed out in this Miles to Memories post, there is explicit language in the terms allowing Amex to cancel your account or switch you to another product if you are not an Ameriprise client. I’ve never heard of this being enforced, but it is something to be aware of:
Your ability to have this Card product is contingent on a relationship between you and Ameriprise Financial, Inc. If no relationship exists, or if your relationship with Ameriprise Financial ends, American Express has the right to cancel your Card account or transfer your account to another American Express Card product that will have different features and benefits.
What if you’ve had other Platinum products?
Amex has a general rule disallowing people from getting a signup bonus for signing up for the same personal card they’ve had before. If you’ve previously owned the regular Platinum card, the Mercedes Platinum card, etc. you might wonder whether you can qualify for this one. Me too. I haven’t heard any recent data points one way or another. That said, my bet is that this is considered a different product and you’ll therefore be eligible for the signup bonus.
Here’s why I’m pretty confident about this: The regular Platinum card offer used to have terms that prohibited getting a bonus if you’ve had the Platinum card within the previous 12 months (since then, they’ve changed the language to say that you can’t get the bonus again ever). Under the old terms, I personally signed up for the Platinum Mercedes card one year and the regular Platinum card the next year. And, I received both signup offers. The reason, I’m sure, is that they’re considered separate products. I believe the same to be true for the Ameriprise Platinum card.
If I’m wrong, I expect that you’ll at least get the first year free. And, to me, that’s the real signup bonus.
Want to learn more about miles and points? Subscribe to email updates or check out our podcast on your favorite podcast platform.
[…] like having an Amex Platinum and I had been considering signing up for the Ameriprise version of the Platinum personal card with 25,000 bonus points (now expired) to get a Platinum back in my wallet. But since I was presented with this particular […]
[…] so that I can get the perks and the signup bonus again. I was hoping to see the return of the Ameriprise Platinum 25K offer (this is the one version of the Platinum card that has no first year annual fee), but that offer […]
[…] of a 25k signup bonus, the best time to sign up for the Amex Ameriprise Platinum card is mid-December of any given year. […]
[…] Miler asks could this be the best sign-up offer? Only 25,000 miles/points, but the real crux of the argument is the $450 annual fee waived for the […]
“”$0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $175 for up to three Additional Cards and $175 for each Additional Card after the first three.”
That sounds like it’s gonna cost $175 for the first 3 authorized users? I thought it was free up to the first 3?
That’s the price for the authorized user cards AFTER the first year. Here’s the full text regarding pricing (note that it says “Additional Platinum Cards: $0 introductory fee for the first year”):
Basic Platinum Card: $0 introductory fee for the first year; then $450. Additional Platinum Cards: $0 introductory fee for the first year; then $175 for up to three Additional Platinum Cards and $175 for each Additional Platinum Card after the first three.
Just to add a data point: Under the old terms I’ve received the sign-up bonus for the Delta SkyMiles Gold AmEx (exact same product) *three* times. I don’t think this is normally available if you just go apply on their website, but they sent me direct mailings that did not include the language about not being able to get the sign-up bonus if you’ve had the product before. I even called AmEx the third time just to double-check that I was still eligible for the sign-up bonus and they said, since the offer letter didn’t say I wasn’t, that I was eligible (and I did receive it.) Of course, I really wasn’t just trying to churn the card; I had legitimately decided I didn’t need it anymore, then my travel needs changed to where I did want it again, so that may have played into it. It was also at around a year and a half after I cancelled before they sent me another offer with a sign-up bonus.
Thanks! I’ve heard similar stories from others. Now the trick is to get those direct mailings without the language about having the product before. I check all of the direct mailings I receive and they all include that language!
[…] card offered a 25,000 point signup bonus and no first year fee. I wrote about the offer here: “This may be the single best current signup offer”. The no-first-year-fee part of the offer still exists, but the 25K bonus is gone for now […]
Can authorized users be kids? Less than 5 years old? I want both my kids to be AU so we can get global entry.
I believe that they have to be at least 15. That said, the cardholder can pay for global entry for others. So you can make a friend or relative an authorized user and use their card to buy global entry for one of your kids.
Is this still valid? Can you cancel after first year.
The 25K bonus is no longer available (but will probably reappear next year), but the rest of the features are intact.
Do you know if kids can be authorized users? (<5 years) I want to see if I can get Global Entry reimbursed for them. Thanks!
Thanks for such a great post for this hidden gem – it is exactly perfect for what I’m looking for with these benefits, but being cost sensitive! I applied for myself and wife as an AU and, got a pending response, called reconsideration within and hour and was promptly and politely approved! No questions at all about Ameriprise.
Question: If I choose Southwest as my airline, will I get statement credits for up to $200 per year for charges like taxes on FF flights, and $12 express boarding charges, cumulative until I hit $200? I assume any Southwest Gift Cards have to be purchased directly for the airline, in $50 or $100 increments? Thanks Greg
I haven’t tried Southwest as the selected airline, but yes the charges you listed should work. Yes, for the gift card trick to work it would have to be sold directly by Southwest
I got this product and added two authorized users, but I don’t see the benefits (lounge & TSA Pre) under either of their listed account benefits? I do see, it clearly say Global Entry/TSA Pre is reimbursed in T&C, but I dont see lounge access?
Any idea/updates as to if the additional benefits apply to authorized users? Thank you.
Yes, most benefits do apply to authorized users. The main benefit that does not apply is the $200 statement credit for airline fees: you get that once across all cards, not once per card. Lounge access applies to all cards.
Not Priority Pass… AmEx registration says I’m not eligible. I assume I can still get in the Centurion Lounges, but it doesn’t look like the authorized uses are getting anything else.
It does mention in the footnotes of the application that authorized users are eligible for the $100 Global Entry fee reimbursement, so I’ll see how that goes.
Have you tried calling Amex about this? If this is true, this would be a big unadvertised change. It could just be a system glitch that has prevented you from registering for Priority Pass?
I didn’t call yet, as I was kind of scared off by one of the comments above about AmEx saying you have to call Ameriprise (I have no relationship with Ameriprise).
I guess I don’t want to call any unnecessary attention to myself 🙂 Getting a free year, free additional card, 25K, Global Entry, etc. seems pretty good to me and I hate to be one of those people that call in and screw things up for myself and possibly others!
I suppose until I find that I NEED Priority Pass on my card I’ll just wait it out to be safe, but I can confirm the others that have said it isn’t as easy as enrolling online for additional cardmembers.
What is the easiest way to trigger the $200 airline credit? Purchasing giftcards from where? I’m surprised award fees don’t count as an eligible purchase.
Award fees aren’t supposed to count, but they do in my experience. Many people simply buy gift cards, but what I do is this:
1. Register my card with Delta as the preferred airline
2. Book a Delta award that has high fees (less than $250, though)
3. Amex reimburses the fees, up to $200 in a calendar year.
4. If I don’t need the award, after all, I cancel it to get my miles and fees back. I have Delta Platinum status, so cancellations are free.
I got this card this month and the bonus and the perks (mainly airline credit). I also got my wife a card as an authorized user, but whejn I tried to register her for any of the additional free items (Airline credit, Priority Pass, Gogo) the website says she’s not eligible.
What’s this about?
Just chatted with Amex – the authorized user needs to call Ameriprise for the benefits !!
Are you sure? That doesn’t sound right.
I’m an authorized user and when I tried to register online for Priority Pass it said I was not eligible.
It has been about a year since I got this card, but I was able to order the Priority Pass card for my wife and son’s authorized user accounts. The airline credit doesn’t apply to the authorized user account.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but you have to be flying on Delta in order to use your platinum card to enter a Delta Sky Club. If not flying on Delta, you have to pay to get in. The cost of which should be refunded back to you via your $200 airline fee credit, provided you choose Delta as your airline before being charged. This is not nearly as good as the Citi AA Executive card, which allows you entry into Admirals Clubs regardless of which airline you’re flying on.
That’s correct you do have to be flying Deta to use the Delta SkyClub benefit.
I received my card and was excited for the “Free National Car Rental Executive status” benefit. I don’t see that anywhere. Where can I find additional info on how that works. I’ll need a rental car next month and there doesn’t seem to be a good “points” option for rental cars….meaning the value of the points is more when used on other things.
Go to this site to enroll in National Executive status (among other things): https://www.americanexpress.com/us/credit-cards/benefits/view-all/platinum
.
I recommend going through each of the benefits that require enrollment and signing up (some, such as SPG Gold status, require calling)
National does not show up on this page for me. I used the Ameriprise application link from your site, signed up and got approved.
I received the card but don’t see anything that mentions Enterprise (or even Ameriprise). Should I? By all indications it is just an AmEx Platinum, however on the fees page it does say no annual fee the first year. It doesn’t mention free additional cardholders for the first year; in fact, it mentions $175 for up to 3 additional.
I did add my husband’s name on the app though and apparently his card is on the way. I wonder if they’re going to try to charge $175 for it…
Anyone else have this/these issues?