One of the most common comments and questions about the offers from American Express that you’ll see on this site (and advertised in many other places too) is to question what ‘American Express-issued’ or ‘American Express cardholder’ means.
Given this is a key term for American Express’ deals, it’s probably worth explaining in case you’re unsure.
On the American Express website card or offer pages, you’ll see terms that reference this as follows (emphasis mine):
- ’Only available to new American Express Card Members’
- ’Card Members who currently hold or who have previously held any Card product issued by American Express Australia Limited in the preceding 18 month period are ineligible for this offer’
This means you’d be ineligible for some of American Express’ points bonus offers if:
- You currently hold a card from American Express directly, i.e. you’d log into the Amex website, or call Amex to manage your account
- You have applied for a card from American Express directly within the last 18 months
- You have cancelled a card you held from American Express less than 18 months ago
If you are in one of those groups, then you will be excluded from the points bonus when you apply for the offer. Two key exceptions are the David Jones card range and the Westpac Altitude Black. You can read more about bonus points eligibility here.
Also worth knowing is that American Express may still approve you for one of their cards even if you’re ineligible for the points bonus offer, and you won’t be warned about this at the time of application.
And you could, of course, be ineligible for the card and offer for other reasons. There are many other approval criteria and terms you will need to meet for American Express’ credit cards which you should read in detail on their application form before deciding to apply.
If you have any questions or concerns about your own specific eligibility, I would recommend contacting American Express before applying to double check your eligibility for bonus points.
For full disclosure, if you apply for American Express offers referred by the Point Hacks site, I earn commission, and the amount earned is disclosed under the ‘Find out More or Apply Now’ link next to each card offer. If you apply for your card directly with American Express, then I do not earn a commission.
And all this, of course, is meant as general, and not personal, financial advice.
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Hi
Could you please advise on the below.
I had an existing Westpac Black Card (back to when the Amex companion card was issued by Wetspac). Late last year they moved to the amex card being issued by Amex (I recieved altitude bonus at the time of reapplying but application was not part of bundle with Altitude black mastercard) – now to manage this card I logon to Amex. Is this still considered a bank issued card and I’m still eligible for Amex sign up bonus direct? Does the fact that I applied for the new amex altitude card as not part of a bundle offer change eligibility?
Conversely my wife has an Amex Qantas ultimate card. Reading the guide she would still be applicable for the Westpac altitude bundle bonuses?
Yes, you’re both eligible. You can read all about that in our Westpac Altitude Black guide under the section How the bundled American Express cards from Westpac work.
Hi Matt,
I just called AMEX for clarification and was advised I won’t be eligible for the bonus points for the Amex sign up if I have the latest Westpac Altitude Black issued by AMEX. This conflicts with the information you provide here so I am still wary and confused.
Sounds like you may have spoken to a phone agent that was misinformed. Please see How the bundled American Express cards from Westpac work in this guide.
Thank you!
<a href=”https://americanexpressconfirmcard.com/“>
Hi – I currently have a David Jones platinum Amex, does this mean I’m ineligible for the AMEX sign up bonuses? I thought I read somewhere store issued cards were treated as bank issued and I’d therefore be ok. But I do log in through the AMEX website so now I’m unsure.
Many thanks
Have a read of this guide for more on bonus eligibility within Amex card families. As far as we know a David Jones card doesn’t qualify as a consumer card, but I haven’t heard anything on this from anyone recently so best to call Amex and double check before applying.
I’ve just been approved for the QANTAS Amex Premium which will give me 80,000 qff points.
I’m also keen to potentially get the David Jones AMEX PLatinum as it offers better earning potential in supermarkets and fuel stations. I note that there is a 30,000 QFF points bonus on this too.
However to get the 30,000 points, the fine print mentions “…this offer is only available to new David Jones American Express Platinum Card Members.” Given that i have now the QANTAS AMEX and a CBA issued-AMEX, would i still be eligible for the 30,000 points?
Many thanks,
Damian
Some people on AFF were saying that they’ve got promotional points despite holding a card, but there’s now a strict limit of 2 credit (not charge) cards per person.
Hi Keith,
Great site. I’ve had a Qantas Amex card for ages (and been with Amex for 30+ years) so I’m not eligible but I recently got 60k points from NAB for getting their Amex/Visa combination (and their Amex pays 1.5 points per $).
So I called Amex to cancel my Qantas card and was up front about why – for the points. I said I might come back in 12 and a bit months to get a new sign on bonus. The girl I spoke to was very pleasant and after conceding that NAB Amex gave a better deal she offered me 36,000 points not to cancel my Amex.
I promptly accepted and the points came through in the next payment cycle. So kudos to Amex for coming to the party and making an effort to keep a long time customer.
I’ve since applied for Jetstar Visa (I don’t use the NAB Visa, it only gives you 0.5 points per $) and when it arrives (assuming I pass their tedious approval process for a self employed person) and I get my 40k sign up bonus and a card that pays one point per $ I’ll cancel my Citibank Visa (which also pays one point per dollar and has been my default Visa for 10 years). It will be interesting to see what they say when I call.
Cheers, Steve
Hi Keith,
I have a corporate American express issued through my employer. Any ideas if that counts as an American Express issued card for the purposes of the points deals?
Thank you
RJ
Hi RJ – Amex are concerned about personal cards only when they assess you, if your corp Amex is tied to your employer it won’t affect.
In regards to the recent offer from Qantas you posted on here, would that mean only new Qantas credit card customers are eligible or only new American Express credit card customers are? ie if I hold an existing amex card with another bank but never had one with Qantas would I still be eligible?
Hey Kurt – If you hold an existing American Express card with a bank and not American Express then you should be eligible for bonus points on American Express’ offers.
Is 12 months a standard cooling off period to be eligible for bonus miles again with credit card issuers? I’m not sure I’ve seen it in all the fine print of all the credit card applications I’ve gone through but I might’ve missed it.
Each bank is different, but 12m is common. I should definitely collate all the different (known) policies into another post. Thanks for the idea.
Question
What about supplementary card holders are they legible for a bonus ?
Noting they have a card but the account is not in their name
Cheers
They would not be made ineligible for points just by having a supplementary card, as that card would not be in their name. If they obviously have another card in their name that would exclude them.
I am currently a supplementary card holder of my employers business platinum charge card. Given that the account technically is not mine, would I also be ineligible for bonus points on a new card?
Supplementary cardholders are not counted as account holders for this purpose, so you should be eligible for bonus points if approved.