Waived AF's with CC's? When and why?

[Anonymous]

I've read in random threads here and there that people got their AF waived for certain credit cards.  Some made it sound super simple with a phone call.  My question is when and why are some of the reasons AF's get waived, and is there any consistency amongst which cards do this?

When comparing two similar cards outside of the AF, for example the Amex BCE and BCP, I would think that the "deal breaker" for most on the BCP would simply be the AF if they are sort of on the fence between the two.  However, if it's possible to get the AF waived (I don't know that it is) I could certainly see more people considering AF cards.  Any feedback on this topic would be very insightful.  Thank you.

[DoroLucky]

Great thread!

I've only been able to get CAP1 to waive the AF on my QS1 card since they never have an offer to upgrade it to the regular QS with no AF. They've basically told me to call them every time it shows up to have them waive it.

So I too would like to know because I want a waiver on my Venture smh. If not, I will combine with my QS1 and part ways. I am not attached and frankly, I'll find another travel card without an AF.

[becontent]

I was ready to close my AA Citi card in January, so I gave them a call and explained that I didn't need the card, etc.  The rep basically gave me a choice to spend 1k within 3 months and the annual fee would be reversed.  She already knew that I was cancelling because of the fee.  I just used the card for normal spend and within a month after the statement cut, I saw the reversal.  The following month, they raised my CL as well.  Others have posted that they received miles in light of the fee... 

Capital One - waived it one year... I since pc'd to a no af card. 

Amex - I attempted once a couple years ago, but they gave me a fat "no." 

I initially started signing up for AF cards, then switched my strategy to no-AF cards.  I realized the AF cards like Hilton, CSP, Amex PRG, etc., were giving me greater values than the AF itself, even after the first year.  I downgraded my DW's BCP to the BCE since we started using more points/miles cards in light of cash back cards.  If we couldn't downgrade, then we would've canceled.  I'm sure others have tons of information to contribute...

[Anonymous]

Interesting... so waived AF's can range from a flat out "no" to a "call us any time it shows up and we'll waive it." 

[Anonymous]

In all fairness, it's a crap shoot....

There can't be a 'guildline' maybe a 'guessline' but that's it.....

Think cable company or cell phone provider, the standard company line is 'NO' but we all know 'some' wheels will get oil.

Sometimes it's the squeaky one

Sometimes the one threatening to walk out that door

Sometimes it's an overzealous CSR

It's like trying to find out EXACTLY how to get 6 months Free HBO from DirecTV...sometimes there no rhyme or reason.

I've gotten AF waived easily and I've been ticked the freak off in not getting it waive AND I've been given HALF off....HALF

which ticked me the crap off knowing darn well other ppl have gotten the fee waived ( of course I took the freaking half off

just to allow the card to age one more year)

At present the only cards I have w/ AF are from Cap-1

one at $14.50 (will cancel prior the next AF)

$39 ( They won't even talk about it till it's due, as the card isn't a year old)

So it's poss that it will PC prior to the one year mark

I don't SCREAM to loud b/c they gave 'luv' at a time I needed it + the cash back more than paid for the AF

They can get it ONE year (in my book) but year 2 we gotta talk

[Kevin86475391]

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@Anonymous wrote:

I've read in random threads here and there that people got their AF waived for certain credit cards.  Some made it sound super simple with a phone call.  My question is when and why are some of the reasons AF's get waived, and is there any consistency amongst which cards do this?

When comparing two similar cards outside of the AF, for example the Amex BCE and BCP, I would think that the "deal breaker" for most on the BCP would simply be the AF if they are sort of on the fence between the two.  However, if it's possible to get the AF waived (I don't know that it is) I could certainly see more people considering AF cards.  Any feedback on this topic would be very insightful.  Thank you.

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This is my speculation, but my expectations would be that it's possible to get an AF waived if the lender offers an almost identical product that has an AF with the only real difference being the AF. So for example it makes sense to me that Cap 1 would waive AFs on a QS1 since they also offer the no AF QS. On the other hand it makes sense that cards like the BCP wouldn't be eligible to have their AFs waived because in essence the 'whole point' of the BCP is that it's an amped up BCE that allows people to earn higher rewards by paying an AF. From Amex's POV it makes sense to say no and encourage people to get the BCE if they want to avoid the AF.

I think the gray area is cards that don't have a non-AF twin (like the QS1/QS) or a non-AF little brother (BCP/BCE). If it's just a card that has an AF and there's no similar non-AF product, then I think it's going to be very much a YMMV situation where certain credit card companies and CSRs will be more accommodating to certain customers.

[Anonymous]

That makes sense.  I guess the question then would be if anyone has gotten their AF waived with the BCP or another similar card that has an AF that is identical to another card without the AF and lesser rewards.  I guess I'll do some searching on here regarding the BCP since it's a fairly common card, at least talked a lot about on this forum and see what people say regarding the AF.

[UncleB]

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@Anonymous wrote:

That makes sense.  I guess the question then would be if anyone has gotten their AF waived with the BCP or another similar card that has an AF that is identical to another card without the AF and lesser rewards.  I guess I'll do some searching on here regarding the BCP since it's a fairly common card, at least talked a lot about on this forum and see what people say regarding the AF.

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+1

I've never seen a thread where someone said they got a BCP AF waived... I have seen a thread or two where someone with an Amex Platinum got the AF waived, but they were "high value members" (i.e. they spend tons of money on the card). 

In my own personal dealings with Amex, when I requested for my Green card to be closed they didn't even try to talk me out of it.  (As a courtesy, they did want to make sure nothing was 'wrong', which was a nice gesture.)

It's very possible I simply missed a thread the last time I searched for info on the BCP.  If you find a thread where someone got a BCP fee waived, definitely come back here and let us know... I'm genuinely curious. 

[Anonymous]

The only time I got an annual fee waived was on my 1st Financial card. This is a sub-prime card if ever there was one (it was my first card so it stays open). A while back the bank instituted a $95 annual fee. Not knowing better, I paid it a couple years. After I found some better cards I called up to cancel. They told me that I didn't have to pay the annual fee if I didn't want to (duh), and I said the only way I'd keep the card open is if the annual fee could be waived permanently because I don't want to have to call in every year. Done.

When it comes to my rewards cards, I highly doubt I'll ever get an AF waived. This is pure speculation, but I suspect banks prioritize waiving the AF for customers who they make a certain level of profit off of. I suspect that by optimizing rewards earning across my cards I'm a rather unprofitable consumer, so I pay the annual fee. I'd like to see the correlation between those who use rewards cards for everyday (non-bonus) spending and those that get AFs waived.

[Anonymous]

There are cards where as a matter of policu they never (or at least hardly ever) waive, such as the CSP.   And BCP may well be another example because of the BCE.  Others like Citi AA are almost automatic.

FlyerTalk has threads on retention offers for some issuers (e.g. Citi, http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/citi-thankyou-rewards/1739967-citi-retention-offer-reports-all-cards....

ETA: the wiki there for Amex (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/american-express-membership-rewards/1646864-american-express-retentio... does show some offers for the Everyday Preferred:

10/13/15
2.5K points not to cancel, and 5k points for 1K spend within three months, Total 7.5K points, or in the alternate, a $75 statement credit or gift card.
1/15/16 - 16k spend - first renewal - offered $50, no MR offer - accepted
3/14/16 - 98k spend - first renewal - offered $100 or 15k MR - took the 15k.

So maybe they could do it for the BCP, but unlikely that people have 98K spend on that card!