Massive Change when Applying for American Express Business Credit Cards

It looks like the time has come where American Express has clamped down on card members applying for Business credit cards again and again. Up until now, you were able to re-apply for a Business credit card and receive the sign up bonus as long as you were not currently a card member and had not had the card within the past 12 months. This meant that if you closed your credit card for some reason and a year or so later decided you wanted it again, you were eligible for whatever sign up bonus they were offering at the time. Moving forward, the have changed and now state “Welcome bonus offer not available to applicants who have or have had this product.” This is the same language that Amex Personal cards have had for close to two years.

This is an unfortunate change and hopefully it is not the language that sticks for the next few decades, but for now, it is what it is. This means you need to be extra careful when applying for an American Express credit card – either personal or business. I recommend waiting to apply for a card when there is a really good sign up offer! Just remember though, some cards have multiple versions and you are eligible to receive the sign up bonus for both versions since they are difference products – for example, the Amex EveryDay and Amex EveryDay Preferred. You can also apply for both the personal and business version of the same card and be eligible for the sign up bonus on both since they are different products as well – for example, Amex Starwood Preferred Guest Personal card and Amex Starwood Preferred Guest Business card.

Here is a list of the popular American Express credit cards:

Personal Amex Cards

• American Express® Premier Rewards Gold Card 
• The Platinum Card® from American Express
• American Express EveryDay
• American Express EveryDay Preferred
• Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express
• Gold Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card from American Express
• Platinum Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card from American Express

Business Amex Cards;

• The Business Gold Rewards Card from American Express OPEN
• The Business Platinum® Card from American Express OPEN
• SimplyCash® Business Card from American Express
• Starwood Preferred Guest® Business Credit Card from American Express OPEN
• Gold Delta SkyMiles® Business Credit Card from American Express:

*Terms Apply

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