Via Miles to Memories, and many other blogs reporting this currently, American Express has now added the “once per lifetime” rule to the terms and conditions of its business card applications. Because this rule was already in place for personal cards, this effectively ends all credit card churning with American Express.
Going forward, I advise against applying for any American Express credit cards unless there is an increased bonus promotion or you receive a targeted offer. Here are a few tips to keep in mind:
- Targeted offers (usually received via postal mail) often do not contain the “once per lifetime” language, and can potentially be churned. Check the terms and conditions carefully if you receive one in the mail.
- Many American Express increased bonus offers are semi-targeted. The links, which I have on my Credit Cards page, will not always show you the best offer when you click on them. Sometimes you need to open them in an incognito window to see the better offer, and sometimes you won’t be able to see the better offer at all, no matter what you try.
Also, for the time being, I’ve removed the direct links to the Platinum and Business Platinum cards on my Credit Cards page. I will continue to do this for any American Express offerings that I consider to be subpar.