Amex No Lifetime Language Offers
Among Amex's many rules for granting credit cards and welcome offers is the famous “once per lifetime” rule. Generally, Amex will only grant you a welcome offer once for each of its cards. This rule is actually written in the offer terms for Amex credit card applications. But Amex often publishes credit card offers that do not include this language. We refer to these offers as Amex “no lifetime language” or “NLL” offers. No lifetime language offers can lead to some confusion, so let's set the record straight.
American Express' Once Per Lifetime Rule Explained
Typically, the offer terms for American Express cards state that the welcome offer is not available if you have or have had the card for which you are applying. Below is an example of lifetime language highlighted from an Amex card application:
The language above is referred to as “lifetime language” because it is not limited to any specific period of time. This differs from other bank's rules, like Chase Sapphire cards for example, where you are ineligible for a sign-up bonus if you've received a bonus for a Sapphire card in the last 48 months.
So if you open a card such as The Platinum Card from American Express with a welcome offer for 100,000 Membership Rewards and later see an offer for 125,000 points, Amex will not grant you those 125,000 points even if you are approved for the new card. This rule applies even if you close the earlier card with which you earned the earlier welcome offer.
The Amex Pop-Up
If you do apply for an offer that has lifetime language and you've already earned a welcome offer for that card, you will likely receive a pop-up with the following message:
If you are interested in more information about the Amex pop-up, and how to try to get out of pop-up jail, then you can read our full guide on it.
No Lifetime Language Offers
To get around Amex's “once per lifetime” rule, we can take advantage of no lifetime language offers. Amex often publishes card offers that do not contain the lifetime language quoted above. No lifetime language offers (or NLL) appear in many different forms. Sometimes Amex sends them via email. Other times, they appear as pop-ups when you log into your Amex account. And on occasion, Amex even mails these offers via snail mail. We try to share them whenever they come around too.
Here is a screenshot of an application for the Business Platinum Card from American Express with no lifetime language:
The Confusion With American Express NLL Offers
No lifetime language offers only apply retroactively. They do not exempt you from the once per lifetime rule going forward. That is a big point of confusion for people just starting out.
What this means is that if you apply for an Amex credit card for the first time by using a no lifetime language offer, it still counts against you. That is your once per lifetime welcome offer EVEN if it didn't have the lifetime language it in. Moving forward, you will have to rely on other no lifetime language offers to earn a welcome offer for that card again.
An Example
For example, let's say you've never had the American Express Gold Card(review) and you want to open for one for the first time. You do not need to find a no lifetime language offer because you have never had this card before. But, once you open a Gold card, you will only be able to earn a welcome offer for a second (or third or fourth) Gold card by applying through a NLL offer. This is the case regardless of what type of offer you applied with the first time.
So what does this all mean? If you're considering opening an Amex card that you haven't had before, you do not need to worry about lifetime language. Just make sure you get the best welcome offer you can find, regardless of whether the offer has lifetime language.
No Lifetime Language Offers & The Family Rules
Another thing that trips people up is the newer family rules on Amex personal cards. They wonder if a no lifetime language offer from American Express gets them around these. Well, it does and it doesn't. Confusing, right?
The Amex family rules only care if you have had the card in question before. Whether you had the card from a public welcome offer, a no lifetime language offer, upgraded into the card or downgraded into the card in question, it does not matter. All that matters is that you have had the card before (or currently have it). For example, if you have had the Platinum card then you can not get the Gold card (most of the time) any longer. I say most of the time because some people can still get around the family rule because they grabbed the card that disqualifies them a long time ago etc. Your mileage may vary a bit here.
On the other side of things, the no lifetime language offer supersedes the family rule for the card you are applying for. Just like a NLL offer gets around the once per lifetime rule, it is also the code breaker for a family rule. So if you were not eligible for a card because of family rules, it should still get you approved with a welcome offer attached.
To recap, grabbing a no lifetime language card offer can still hurt you on future applications if you get them out of order. However, a NLL offer can get around the family rules if you were ineligible for the card already that has the offer. You can read our full family rule decoder post here.
Understanding Amex No Lifetime Language Offers: ToP Thoughts
Amex's once per lifetime rule can be quite draconian. Thankfully, Amex publishes plenty of offers without lifetime language that allow us to earn welcome offers more than once for the same card product. Understanding Amex's once per lifetime rule, and being able to spot lifetime language in credit card offer terms, is important to help you rack up valuable Membership Rewards.
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