Documented rule history
Active — last confirmed February 12, 2024Is the American Express Family welcome-offer rule still active? On our documented record it is active, last confirmed February 12, 2024: Morgan Stanley Platinum added to the consumer Platinum family — terms now exclude applicants who have or had the Platinum or Schwab Platinum; Hilton personal, Hilton business, and Delta business cards became the only cards without family language. We have 6 dated, sourced changes on record since 2018. Statuses reflect documented confirmations, not live issuer policy.
Every documented change — newest first
February 12, 2024
Morgan Stanley Platinum added to the consumer Platinum family — terms now exclude applicants who have or had the Platinum or Schwab Platinum; Hilton personal, Hilton business, and Delta business cards became the only cards without family language
Supersedes the earlier state in which Morgan Stanley applicants remained eligible regardless of prior Platinum history.
February 8, 2024
Green card added to the Membership Rewards family — terms now exclude applicants who have or had the Green, Platinum, Morgan Stanley Platinum, Schwab Platinum, or Gold card
Language is "may not be eligible" rather than "not available"; Amex notifies ineligible applicants before processing. Completes a top-down chain in which holding a higher-tier card can block lower-tier bonuses.
October 6, 2023
Gold card added to the Platinum family
Gold card terms began excluding applicants who have or had the Gold, Premier Rewards Gold, or any Platinum version; the Platinum cards' own terms were unchanged, so prior Gold holders remained eligible for Platinum offers.
September 1, 2023
Consumer and Schwab Platinum cards combined into one welcome-offer family
Date approximate (month only). The consumer and Schwab Platinum terms began excluding previous or current holders of any of the three Platinum versions, while Morgan Stanley Platinum applicants remained eligible regardless.
January 1, 2023
Family language added to Delta consumer cards
Year approximate. Frequent Miler describes the Delta family structure as one-directional: holding a lower-tier Delta card does not block a higher-tier bonus, but having held a higher-tier card may block lower-tier bonuses.
August 1, 2018
Cross-issuer SPG/Marriott bonus restrictions documented
Date approximate (month only). TPG documented new welcome-offer limits across the Marriott and SPG card lineups that reference holding or recently earning bonuses on specified cards from the other issuer, using 30-day, 90-day, and 24-month look-backs.
Questions
Yes — active on our documented record, as last confirmed February 12, 2024: Morgan Stanley Platinum added to the consumer Platinum family — terms now exclude applicants who have or had the Platinum or Schwab Platinum; Hilton personal, Hilton business, and Delta business cards became the only cards without family language. Always verify before applying — issuers change unwritten rules without notice.
August 1, 2018: Cross-issuer SPG/Marriott bonus restrictions documented. Since then we have documented 6 changes, each dated and sourced on this page.
February 12, 2024 — Morgan Stanley Platinum added to the consumer Platinum family — terms now exclude applicants who have or had the Platinum or Schwab Platinum; Hilton personal, Hilton business, and Delta business cards became the only cards without family language. Supersedes the earlier state in which Morgan Stanley applicants remained eligible regardless of prior Platinum history.
Application rules are unwritten issuer policy; they change and get enforced without notice, and exceptions exist. Statuses reflect our last documented confirmation, not live issuer policy. Not financial or legal advice.
Bonus Eagle. “American Express Family welcome-offer rule — The Application Rules Record.” bonuseagle.com. https://www.bonuseagle.com/rules/american-express/family-welcome-offer-rule
All American Express rules: the full issuer page.
