If you have any cards with any annual fees it’s always a good idea to call in and ask for a retention offer before paying that annual fee or cancelling the card. Normally you can just say something along the lines of ‘I’m thinking of cancelling this card because I don’t get enough value to justify the annual fee’ and then the phone representative will come back with an offer or two. The upside to this is that you can get these offers even if you have no real intention of cancelling the card.
MtM shared a story where somebody asked for a retention offer, the representative stated that no offers were available. The cardholder then asked for the card to be cancelled and during the shut down process a pop up appeared letting the phone representative offer a $100 statement credit. The downside to this sort of change is that you have to actually be willing to cancel the card to check to see if you have any retention offers.
To be honest I’m a bit surprised that credit card issuers haven’t done something like this sooner. It’s a relatively easy way to cut costs and in the long term your retention rate is going to stay the same regardless.
Got $35 statement credit for Hyatt Card. The representative also claimed that anniversary night issued this year would expire 12/31/21 but that is not the case in my Hyatt account.
No retention on IHG card
Got $35 retention offer for Chase Southwest Rapid Rewards. It’s not much but the annual fee is $69 dollars and you also get 3000 RR points. So decided to take the offer.
I called in to ask for the offer – I got the 1st annual fee hit my account on 1st July.
No retention on ihg select card when calling in today.
No retention to close Ink Preferred today. Closed instead of downgraded.
Called thrice this week regarding the annual fee on CSP that posted last week. All three times I was told there is no retention offers been offered by Chase during this time and my only options are either a downgrade or cancelation. Guess Chase is playing the hard game when it comes to retention.
closed united explorer business yesterday which I didn’t use after getting SUB
no retention
I closed my SW Biz Premier today and was not offered anything. I asked. I also spoke to 2 agents an no pop-up came up with an offer. But hey, I already got my 6k anniversary miles so that’s cool.
I closed my united biz by SM last month. Did not want the card enough (next year’s club passes) to sit on hold. Was freeing up some credit by closing anyways, so I could apply for a different card. Guess that’s not happening now, though.
I have a lot of travel cards. I spend a lot. I do NOT want to waste money on useless fees.
Hotels are forbidden in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey etc by Govoners orders laws except for essential employees military etc
Hotels in New York City must be used to Quarantine anyone that tests positive for Corona Viruses.
I do NOT see hotel’s coming back anytime soon.
Appreciate those regional insights. Shorted MAR (Marriott).
I called a few weeks ago for Chase Marriott Biz, and didn’t get any retention offer, despite there being a number of past Flyertalk DPs about retention offers for the card. Although, I didn’t go all the way for them to read the terms. Will attempt again later this week..