Full information to Amex’s one-bonus-per-lifetime restrictions

American Categorical presents rewards bank cards with beneficiant welcome bonuses and beneficial advantages. Whereas Amex would not observe an outlined coverage like Chase’s 5/24 rule, it enforces strict utility and lifelong bonus restrictions.

Not solely does American Categorical restrict the variety of playing cards you’ll be able to have and the way typically you’ll be able to apply, nevertheless it additionally restricts candidates to incomes just one welcome supply per card in a lifetime.

This makes it vital to rigorously select while you apply for a brand new Amex card since doing so might disqualify you from receiving a fair greater welcome supply sooner or later. Here is what it’s essential to find out about Amex’s one-welcome-bonus-per-lifetime coverage.

What’s the Amex once-per-lifetime rule?

Greater than a decade in the past, American Categorical would permit you to earn welcome presents on the very same card a number of occasions. Nevertheless, since 2014, the issuer has clamped down on functions and restricted clients to at least one bonus per card per lifetime, no matter how a lot time had handed since they final utilized for that card.

In different phrases, you’ll be able to apply for The Platinum Card® from American Categorical and earn a welcome supply as soon as and solely as soon as. If you happen to open the supply particulars hyperlink on the cardboard’s utility web page, you may see the next language:

You might not be eligible to obtain a welcome supply when you have or have had this Card, the Platinum Card® from American Categorical Solely for Charles Schwab, the Platinum Card® from American Categorical Solely for Morgan Stanley or earlier variations of those Playing cards. You additionally might not be eligible to obtain a welcome supply based mostly on numerous elements, akin to your historical past with bank card stability transfers, your historical past as an American Categorical Card Member, the variety of bank cards that you’ve got opened and closed and different elements. If you’re not eligible for a welcome supply, we’ll notify you previous to processing your utility so you may have the choice to withdraw your utility.

At the moment, you’ll find out your supply and see if you’re eligible to earn as excessive as 175,000 Membership Rewards factors after spending $8,000 on purchases inside the first six months of card membership. (Welcome presents fluctuate and also you might not be eligible for a suggestion.)

Because of this, in the event you apply for the present supply and obtain a better one at a later date, you may virtually actually be ineligible for it.

The knowledge for The Platinum Card from American Categorical Solely for Charles Schwab and The Platinum Card from American Categorical Solely for Morgan Stanley Card has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or offered by the cardboard issuer.

Expanded card household restrictions

An enlargement to the once-per-lifetime rule is being rolled out throughout some households of Amex bank cards. In follow, in the event you’ve held a higher-tier card, Amex might disqualify you from receiving the welcome supply on a lower-tier card inside the similar household.

Amex appears to be progressively rolling this out to extra merchandise to stop individuals who maintain higher-tier playing cards from making use of for lower-tier playing cards in the identical household for the welcome supply.

The newest addition to this listing is the American Categorical® Inexperienced Card. The welcome supply eligibility phrases state:

You might not be eligible to obtain a welcome supply when you have or have had this Card, the Platinum Card®, the Platinum Card® from American Categorical Solely for Morgan Stanley, the Platinum Card® from American Categorical Solely for Charles Schwab, the American Categorical® Gold Card or earlier variations of those Playing cards. You additionally might not be eligible to obtain a welcome supply based mostly on numerous elements, akin to your historical past with bank card stability transfers, your historical past as an American Categorical Card Member, the variety of bank cards that you’ve got opened and closed and different elements. If you’re not eligible for a welcome supply, we’ll notify you previous to processing your utility so you may have the choice to withdraw your utility.

The knowledge for the Amex Inexperienced Card has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or offered by the cardboard issuer.

Equally, in 2023, American Categorical launched a restriction on the American Categorical® Gold Card. If you happen to’ve had the costlier Amex Platinum card, you will not be eligible for the welcome supply on the Gold card.

Amex additionally launched a household rule on private Delta bank cards that 12 months.

For instance, one of many strictest household guidelines could be discovered on the no-annual-fee Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Categorical Card (see charges and costs): You might not be eligible to obtain a welcome supply when you have or have had the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Categorical Card, the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Categorical Card, the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Categorical Card or earlier variations of those playing cards.

Caveats

There have been stories of individuals getting permitted and incomes the welcome supply once more a number of years later. Moreover, you might be permitted for the bonus if the supply phrases do not embrace the above language about beforehand having the cardboard.

Lastly, American Categorical warns you throughout the on-line card utility course of. If Amex determines that you’re not certified for the cardboard’s welcome supply, you’ll probably see a pop-up field stating so.

Basically, although, the issuer’s one-bonus-per-lifetime rule was applied to discourage candidates from making use of for Amex playing cards solely for the welcome bonuses.

Associated: The very best time to use for these widespread American Categorical playing cards based mostly on supply historical past

What playing cards are affected by this rule?

This rule applies to all Amex playing cards. American Categorical maintains a strict rule of 1 bonus per card for all times, whatever the household of playing cards (cobranded resort and airline, enterprise, cash-back and rewards playing cards).

Though this rule covers all Amex playing cards, you’ll be able to earn a welcome supply on private and enterprise playing cards of the identical kind.

For instance, the American Categorical Gold Card and American Categorical® Enterprise Gold Card are from the identical card household, however one is a private card and the opposite a enterprise card. Amex lets you earn the welcome supply for every card — so long as you may have by no means been a cardholder of both card prior to now.

Nevertheless, this is applicable to rebranded or up to date playing cards. For a few years, the Amex Gold was referred to as the Premier Rewards Gold Card. New Amex Gold cardholders might not be eligible for the bonus on the cardboard if they’d the Premier Rewards Gold Card.

You might not be eligible to obtain a welcome supply when you have or have had this Card, the Premier Rewards Gold Card.

The knowledge for the Premier Rewards Gold Card has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or offered by the cardboard issuer.

Associated: Bank card showdown: Amex Gold vs. Amex Enterprise Gold

What number of Amex playing cards can I’ve?

Formally, American Categorical doesn’t have a cap on the variety of playing cards you’ll be able to have. Nevertheless, the unofficial coverage from Amex says that almost all cardmembers can be restricted to at most 5 Amex client and enterprise bank cards.

They’re going to even be restricted to 10 Amex playing cards with no preset spending restrict. This class contains the Amex Gold and Amex Platinum. No preset spending restrict means your spending restrict is versatile, not like a conventional card with a set restrict. The quantity you’ll be able to spend adapts based mostly on elements, akin to your buy, cost and credit score historical past.

For instance, TPG senior editorial director Nick Ewen has the next American Categorical playing cards presently open:

The knowledge for the Hilton Honors Aspire has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or offered by the cardboard issuer.

Since 5 of the seven are bank cards, he has reached his cap on bank cards with Amex.

Associated: Chase’s 5/24 rule: Every little thing it’s essential to know

How do I do know if I qualify for an Amex welcome supply?

Monitoring which Amex playing cards you may have utilized for prior to now offers you a greater thought of whether or not you’re eligible for a sure card’s welcome bonus or not. In case your organizational abilities aren’t as much as par, don’t be concerned — American Categorical has a welcome bonus qualification instrument to warn candidates if they’re ineligible for one. Here is the way it works:

While you apply for an American Categorical card that you’ve got already had prior to now, you may obtain the next message earlier than your credit score is pulled:

As a result of you may have or have had The Platinum Card, you aren’t eligible to obtain the welcome supply.

We have now not but carried out a credit score verify. Would you continue to wish to proceed?

In essence, in the event you assume you had a card earlier than and thus will not be positive in the event you’re eligible for the welcome supply, Amex ought to provide you with a warning with a pop-up message while you apply.

There’s a potential exception to the rule for Amex welcome presents. Sometimes, you may see the verbiage famous above on the touchdown web page of an utility:

Welcome supply not obtainable to candidates who’ve or have had this Card.

In case your card utility doesn’t embrace this restrictive language, however you may have had the cardboard prior to now, this might imply that you’ve got been focused for the cardboard by American Categorical and are eligible for the supply. Verify your electronic mail for focused presents or log into your American Categorical account and search for preapproved presents with no lifetime language.

Earlier than submitting your utility, verify for the Amex pop-up alerting you to welcome supply ineligibility. Taking a screenshot simply earlier than clicking apply can be a good suggestion. That might assist in the event you run into points receiving the bonus after you meet relevant spending necessities.

Different Amex welcome supply restrictions

Though American Categorical has restricted welcome presents to at least one bonus per lifetime per card, cardholders can nonetheless apply and get permitted for a card with out the welcome supply. The language within the supply phrases highlights the ineligibility of the welcome supply, nevertheless it usually would not limit approval.

Nevertheless, it is also price mentioning the extra verbiage from the above screenshot:

You additionally might not be eligible to obtain a welcome supply based mostly on numerous elements, akin to your historical past with bank card stability transfers, your historical past as an American Categorical Card Member, the variety of bank cards that you’ve got opened and closed and different elements. If you’re not eligible for a welcome supply, we’ll notify you previous to processing your utility so you may have the choice to withdraw your utility.

This overly broad assertion retains Amex’s capacity to make use of further elements out of your credit score report and historical past with the issuer to find out in the event you qualify for a suggestion. This should not affect most candidates, however in the event you’ve proven a sample of opening playing cards, incomes welcome bonuses after which canceling these playing cards after only one 12 months, that may very well be a pink flag.

Given the big selection of American Categorical card choices and once-per-lifetime restrictions, you must time your functions strategically to make sure you get the very best potential welcome bonus.

Associated: The last word information to bank card utility restrictions

Backside line

American Categorical has a powerful portfolio of playing cards with beneficiant welcome presents for first-time candidates. Whereas Amex’s lifetime rule is restrictive, sure exceptions and focused presents should still permit you to earn repeat bonuses.

Together with the welcome bonus qualification instrument, Amex makes it simple for candidates to trace and perceive their eligibility for welcome bonuses on American Categorical playing cards.

Associated: American Categorical Gold vs. American Categorical Platinum

For charges and costs of the Delta SkyMiles Amex Blue Card, click on right here.