Amex - canceling and rejoining a few months later: will you avoid the annual fee?

ad_cska

I currently have the Gold card and am looking to cancel as a year has passed and I'm not interested in paying the annual card membership fee.I know to be eligible for subsequent welcome bonuses with Amex after cancelling a card, you’d have to wait 24 months since your last bonus. What about the first year free waiver? Would you qualify for this if you’ve previously had a free year on the card like me but cancel it and rejoin after a period of time has passed?
Wondering if anyone knows this as I can't find an answer on the Amex website! 
Thanks

MDMD

I’ve done that before but usually left it 6 months and paid no fees. When opening an Amex always go via a cashback website which gives you a small amount extra and is not affected by their rules around intro bonuses.

ad_cska

Great tip, thanks! I wonder if anyone else has any experience in this?

Sandtree

Cashback sites can be ok but the refer a friend bonuses can be more favourable if you value your MR/Avios points and have a partner/friend where you can periodically cross refer each other.

AmEx changes their T&Cs periodically and so you need to read their current rules on introductory bonuses and free first years. It used to be that you had to have not held any AmEx card on the same scheme (ie MR, cashback, avios etc) in the last 6 months to be able to benefit from the introductory bonus again so if you held a Gold MR and Blue MR card just cancelling the Gold for 6 months wouldn't get you the intro bonus again. I believe they made the rules stricter in recent times but as we have more MR points than we need we've stopped doing the annual cancel and reapply via a referral from me for my other half.

Jumblebumble

ad_cska said:

I currently have the Gold card and am looking to cancel as a year has passed and I'm not interested in paying the annual card membership fee.I know to be eligible for subsequent welcome bonuses with Amex after cancelling a card, you’d have to wait 24 months since your last bonus. What about the first year free waiver? Would you qualify for this if you’ve previously had a free year on the card like me but cancel it and rejoin after a period of time has passed?
Wondering if anyone knows this as I can't find an answer on the Amex website! 
Thanks

Just be careful that you do not refer your self from another card as my understanding is that Amex object vigorously to this.

Sandtree

Jumblebumble said:

Just be careful that you do not refer your self from another card as my understanding is that Amex object vigorously to this.

Not sure why they'd object to it because you gain nothing for it... you can only refer people for the class of card you have (cashback, MR, Avios etc) and you only qualify for the bonus if the person thats referred hasnt held that class of card for 24 months. The referrer must also be a current cardholder.

So if you hold an AmEx Gold MR card and refer yourself to a Platinum Chargecard you dont get the bonus MR because you already hold an MR card.

You could attempt to be fraudulant to trick AmEx's system into thinking you arent you by using an alternative spelling of your name etc but then AmEx's issue with you is more fundamentally the fraud than the self referral. 

dcfc67

When i cancelled mine was told i could take a basic fee free AMEX.
I decided against this as i had a major purchase coming up so took a Virgin Mastercard out to get the bonus Virgin Miles.
Useful for seat upgrades or a 1 way flight and use Avios for the return.

I will convert back to AMEX after 2 years get the bonus miles and lounge passes.
Not sure that if you refer your partner for a gold card near the end of your anniversary and they take out a personal not 2nd cardholder account is a way round it.
You cancel and then use their card then cancel that before the years up.

if you get your timings right you could then get your own AMEX and the bonuses within a couple of months of her cards anniversary

Jumblebumble

Sandtree said:

Jumblebumble said:

Just be careful that you do not refer your self from another card as my understanding is that Amex object vigorously to this.

Not sure why they'd object to it because you gain nothing for it... you can only refer people for the class of card you have (cashback, MR, Avios etc) and you only qualify for the bonus if the person thats referred hasnt held that class of card for 24 months. The referrer must also be a current cardholder.

So if you hold an AmEx Gold MR card and refer yourself to a Platinum Chargecard you dont get the bonus MR because you already hold an MR card.

You could attempt to be fraudulant to trick AmEx's system into thinking you arent you by using an alternative spelling of your name etc but then AmEx's issue with you is more fundamentally the fraud than the self referral. 

I disagree 

You can refer from any class off card to any other class of card 
I have done this many times
One just needs to generate  a referral link,    and then select view our other cards when the link is opened

In addition 
The 24 months only applies to the new applicant
https://www.headforpoints.com/2021/01/18/how-does-american-express-refer-a-friend-work/

Do I still get the bonus if my friend fails to hit their qualifying spend, or does not qualify for a bonus?

Yes.

Your bonus as the referrer is not dependent on either:

• the person you referred being eligible to receive a sign-up bonus (due to other Amex products they have currently hold or recently held), or

• the person you referred achieving the qualifying spend required to receive their own bonus

Your friend must, however, be accepted by American Express. You do not receive a bonus if their application is not approved.