If you were recently targeted for Amex Delta credit cards with offers that contain no lifetime language, you may be eligible for the welcome bonus again. Even if you have or have had the cards. This latest batch of offers expires today 10/30/2019.
However, if you have 5 active Amex credit cards you probably won’t be able to take advantage of this offer without closing one of your open cards. In this post I’ll discuss how to extend the useful life of that targeted offer, giving you time to close an existing card.
Before getting into that: If you’ve never had a given flavor of the Amex Delta cards, the current round of referral offers expire 1/29/2020. If you’ve never had a given Amex card before, you’d be better off going for it through spousal or friend referral. Because that way you can get the referral and the welcome bonus. Check out this post if you’re having trouble generating a heightened referral for an Amex Delta Business card.
The post that follows relates to those who:
- Have or have had a specific Amex Delta card
- Is targeted for an offer on these cards with no lifetime language
- Has 5 Amex credit cards already -and-
- Wants to buy some time on the targeted Amex Delta offer before closing one of their active Amex credit cards
What no lifetime language offers am I talking about? Targeted Amex Delta no lifetime language offers
The “no lifetime language” offers I’m thinking about right now are the recurring offers for Amex Delta cards that seem to keep coming around. To check if you’re targeted, visit this link and enter your SkyMiles number and last name.
If it says “PLEASE VERIFY THE INFORMATION YOU ENTERED IS CORRECT AND TRY AGAIN” it means you’re not targeted.
What I’ve seen with these offers is that if you’re targeted, it is for a defined period of time. Once that timeframe ends, you will no longer able to apply for the card with no lifetime language. Unless you’re targeted again at some point in the future.
This can create a dilemma if you need to wait before canceling one of your currently open Amex credit cards to “open a slot” for a new card.
Amex 5 Card Limit
Amex generally limits us to 5 active credit cards. This includes personal and business credit cards. It does not include charge cards. It also does not include Amex cards that are issued by another bank but are processed on the Amex network. Being the authorized user on a card does not count towards this limit.
I’ve heard datapoints from time to time of people with more than 5 active Amex charge cards. That’s usually because they were grandfather in through a product change that was forced upon them Or they’re fortunate, confused, or mistaken.
But if you are limited to 5 cards like I am, the following might be helpful.
My experience: Extending the useful life of Amex Delta no lifetime language offers by 60 days
With the current round of Amex Delta targeted no lifetime language offers ending today (10/30/2019) I was conflicted on whether to close one of my active Amex cards to open a slot for a new Delta card. I’m waiting on free night certificates to post on a couple of cards before closing them, and Amex seems to be taking their sweet time.
I figured I’d test whether a targeted no lifetime language offer might skirt Amex’s 5-card limit, so I lobbed in an application after logging in and confirming I was targeted for the Delta cards.
My application went “pending” then a few hours later a new account specialist from Amex called me. She said she couldn’t approve me unless I opened one of my 5 active cards. So no, a targeted “no lifetime language” offer does not skirt Amex’s 5 card limit.
I told the rep I was unsure which of my current open cards I might want to sacrifice for the new Delta card. The rep said that would be no problem. That they’d keep the application open for 60 days.
Since the offer terms say they’re valid if received by 10/30/2019 I think this should give me enough time to lock in the no lifetime language offer and give me time to consider my options as to which card(s) to close.
This approach could also be useful if you were looking to let the first year annual fee post on an existing card before closing it, since Amex tends to not like it when you take a welcome bonus and cancel it within the first year.
The Upshot
Amex’s targeted “no lifetime language” offers on their Delta cards come and go. If targeted and you want to buy some time to close existing Amex credit cards, consider lobbing in an application even if you’re at the 5 card limit. This should give you 60 days and hopefully enough time to close out existing cards when the timing is best for your situation.
One more tip: If you are targeted for the Delta Amex cards, you can apply for the whole family of Amex Delta cards with no lifetime language. Not just the one they seem to be pushing you towards. And you can apply for more than one card when targeted, each with no lifetime language. Just keep in mind that Amex generally won’t approve more than 2 credit cards in a 90 day period.
I thought I’d mention this since today is the last day for this round of offers. But this could be useful in a number of situations, especially if this offer recurs (which it tends to) or we see other variants of no lifetime language offers come around. Like this one (rest in peace).
