American Express cards are known for a few things. They generally have excellent travel and purchase protections. They offer lots of benefits and targeted offers. And many of Amex's cards have annual fees... some on the higher end. Credit cards with annual fees can be worth it, as they offer better perks and benefits.
For example, the $695 annual fee that comes with The Platinum Card® from American Express is one of the highest in the entire industry (see rates and fees). American Express offers several Delta cobranded cards and recently announced that all of the annual fees on these cards will be increasing this year (although their benefits are being enhanced as well).
You can always call and ask American Express to waive or reduce your annual fee. While there's no guarantee it will work, here's a guide to the process, and what we know about consumers who have attempted it previously.
How to ask for a credit card fee waiver
However you're able to contact American Express (email, live chat, mail, etc.), the hands-down best way to ask for a fee waiver is to call. Immediately ask to speak to the retention department. Explain your situation and that the annual fee doesn't make sense to pay anymore. You can certainly say that you'll close the card if something isn't done about the fee, but be prepared to follow through if they don't agree.
Ratings Methodology
The Platinum Card® from American Express
Apply Now for The Platinum Card® from American Express
OnAmerican Express'Secure Website.
Terms apply
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.5 stars equals Best.4 stars equals Excellent.3 stars equals Good.2 stars equals Fair.1 star equals Poor.We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.5 stars equals Best.4 stars equals Excellent.3 stars equals Good.2 stars equals Fair.1 star equals Poor.We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Credit Score:Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Poor
Fair
Good
Excellent
300-579
580-669
670-739
740-850
Apply Now for The Platinum Card® from American Express
OnAmerican Express'Secure Website.
Terms apply
Credit ScoreFalling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Intro APR
Purchases: n/a
Balance Transfers: n/a
APR
See Pay Over Time APR
RewardsEarn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. Earn 1X Membership Rewards® Points on other purchases. Terms and limitations apply.
1X-5X Membership Rewards® Points
Annual Fee
$695
Welcome OfferEarn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
80,000
This luxury travel card has some of the most prestigious perks you'll find — access to over 1,400 airport lounges, elite status with Hilton and Marriott Bonvoy, and spending credits worth over $1,500 in value every year. Just be ready for the hefty annual fee, which can be offset in the first year with a welcome bonus worth $800 in points. Terms apply.
- Big welcome offer
- Substantial spending credits
- Airport lounge access
- Hotel benefits
- Flexible travel points
- Annual fee
- Limited bonus categories
- Spending credits can be complicated to manage
- Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum, Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu.
- Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
- $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings with American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
- $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peaco*ck, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
- The American Express Global Lounge Collection® can provide an escape at the airport. With complimentary access to more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more airport lounge options than any other credit card issuer on the market. As of 03/2023.
- $155 Walmart+ Credit: Save on eligible delivery fees, shipping, and more with a Walmart+ membership. Use your Platinum Card® to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership and get up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes back on one membership (excluding Plus Ups) each month.
- $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card®.
- $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only. Terms Apply.
- $189 CLEAR® Plus Credit: CLEAR® Plus helps to get you to your gate faster at 50+ airports nationwide and get up to $189 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Card. CLEARLanes are available at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues.
- Receive either a $100 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 year period for TSA PreCheck® application fee for a 5-year plan only (through a TSA PreCheck® official enrollment provider), when charged to your Platinum Card®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
- Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card®. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- Unlock access to exclusive reservations and special dining experiences with Global Dining Access by Resy when you add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile.
- $695 annual fee.
- Terms Apply.
Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply.Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.Trip delay and cancellation insurance and cell phone protection underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.Extended warranty, purchase protection, car rental insurance, and baggage insurance underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
For example, you might say that you enjoy using the card but aren't getting enough value out of its benefits. Maybe your card comes with airport lounge access, like The Platinum Card® from American Express (terms apply). But the Centurion lounges have been so full the last few times you went, you couldn't even get in to use them (this has certainly happened to me). If you have one of the Delta cards, maybe explain that although the fee is increasing, none of the "enhanced" benefits appeal to you.
If you spend a lot of money on the card, point that out. American Express might be willing to go the extra mile to retain someone who spends tens of thousands of dollars each year on one of its cards.
There are a bunch of different ways to go, but the point is don't just simply call and ask the company to waive the fee -- say why it's in its best interest to keep you as a cardmember and why it should waive or lower the annual fee for you.
What could happen?
When you ask for a fee waiver, there are a few different possible outcomes -- it's not necessarily a simple yes or no question. Here's what could happen:
- The representative says no. This is the worst they can do, and if this happens, you can decide if you want to close the card.
- They say yes and waive the annual fee.
- They offer a reduced annual fee.
- They don't waive the fee but offer some other retention offer. For example, you still pay the fee, but get 20,000 rewards points after meeting a spending target.
Are people actually successful?
Not surprisingly, American Express doesn't discuss whether it waives annual fees if asked, or what other retention efforts it makes. But we have some idea how it goes based on sources around the web. In general, you're more likely to get a favorable outcome if you've been a loyal customer for a long time, or if you spend a lot of money on the card.
For example, student-focused financial website LendEDU claims that Amex doesn't typically waive the entire annual fee, it's known to offer bonus points or a partial fee reduction. A reporter from CNBC recently wrote about her personal experience and received a bonus point-based retention offer. Other sources also indicate that a retention offer is the most likely outcome, not a full fee waiver. But you'll never know until you ask.
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