Why You Might Not Be Eligible for an American Express Sign-Up Bonus (And How to Still Earn One)

American Express sign-up bonuses are some of the most valuable in the UK miles and points world. Whether you’re chasing Avios for long-haul flights, Membership Rewards points for flexibility, or hotel points for luxury stays, Amex welcome offers can unlock thousands of pounds of travel value.

However, many applicants are surprised to find they’re not eligible for a bonus, even though they’re approved for the card. The reason almost always comes down to American Express’ 24-month eligibility rules.

Let’s break down why these rules exist, how they work in practice, and what options you still have if you’ve held an Amex card before.

The Key Question American Express Asks

When you apply for a UK American Express card, eligibility for a welcome bonus hinges on one core question:

Have you held a personal American Express card in the last 24 months?

This single rule underpins almost all Amex sign-up bonus decisions for personal cards.

If the answer is no, you are generally treated as a new customer and can access the full advertised bonus on most cards. If the answer is yes, bonus eligibility becomes more restricted, but not always impossible.

Why American Express Has These Restrictions

American Express isn’t trying to penalise loyal customers. Instead, these rules are designed to prevent “bonus cycling”, where customers repeatedly open and close cards purely to earn welcome offers.

By introducing a 24-month look-back period, Amex ensures that bonuses reward either:

• genuinely new cardholders, or

• customers moving into different product families.

For points collectors, understanding these families is crucial.

Personal vs Business Cards: A Critical Distinction

One of the most misunderstood parts of Amex eligibility is the separation between personal and business cards.

• Personal Amex cards only consider your personal card history from the past 24 months.

• Business Amex cards operate under separate rules and do not usually block personal bonuses.

This means many people who already hold personal Amex cards can still earn business card bonuses, provided they have qualifying self-employed or small business income (including side hustles). At the time of writing, there are no restrictions on the Amex Business Gold Card or the Amex Business Platinum Card.

Cards That Usually Block Future Personal Bonuses

If you’ve held most personal American Express cards in the last 24 months, you won’t qualify for a welcome bonus on other mainstream personal cards in the same period.

This commonly affects cards such as:

• Cashback and Cashback Everyday cards

• Nectar Credit Card from American Express

• Marriott Bonvoy American Express

• British Airways American Express (free version)

• American Express Preferred Rewards Gold

• American Express Rewards Credit Card

You can still be approved for these cards, you just won’t receive the introductory points or cashback.

Cards That Can Still Offer a Bonus... Even If You’ve Had Amex Before

Despite the restrictions, there are important exceptions.

Premium Personal Cards

Certain premium cards operate under narrower eligibility rules. For example, you may still qualify for a welcome bonus on the British Airways American Express Premium Plus

Eligibility depends not on any Amex history, but on whether you’ve held specific related cards within the last 24 months. For example, with the British Airways American Express Premium Plus, it states you cannot have held any personal British Airways American Express Card product in the past 24 months. But you could earn the bonus if you had held any other Amex before or currently.

This is why two people with “Amex history” can receive completely different outcomes when applying for the same card.

Business Cards: The Overlooked Opportunity

If you’ve been locked out of personal card bonuses, American Express business cards often remain wide open as long as you have a small business or are self employed.

You may still be eligible for:

• American Express Business Gold

• American Express Business Platinum

• British Airways Accelerating Business Card. This one is a little trickier though as you won't get a bonus if you have previously held any of the above three cards in the last 12 months.

Crucially:

• Business cards do not generally prevent you from earning future personal bonuses

• You do not need to be a limited company, sole traders and side-income earners can qualify

For many points collectors, business cards are the fastest way to keep earning bonuses while waiting out the 24-month clock on the personal cards.

Income Requirements to Be Aware Of

American Express reintroduced minimum income requirements in the UK, assessed on an individual basis rather than household income.

At a high level:

• Premium cards such as The Platinum Card, Business Platinum and BA Premium Plus require higher income thresholds

• Most other personal and business cards have lower minimum income requirements

Meeting the income requirement is separate from bonus eligibility, you must satisfy both.

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Supplementary Cards Don’t Count

Another common misconception:

Being a supplementary cardholder does not affect bonus eligibility.

If you’re an additional cardholder on a partner’s Amex account, you are still considered a new customer when applying in your own name, provided you meet the other criteria.

Starting From Scratch? How to Maximise Amex Bonuses

If you haven’t held any personal American Express card in the last 24 months, you’re in the strongest possible position.

With careful sequencing, it’s possible to earn multiple sign-up bonuses in a relatively short timeframe by:

1. Starting with cards that don’t restrict future premium bonuses

2. Progressing to higher-value cards like Platinum or BA Premium Plus

3. Adding business cards alongside personal cards if eligible

This structured approach is how experienced points collectors extract maximum value from Amex rules, without breaking them.

A Final Important Reminder: Why You Might Not Be Eligible for an American Express Sign-Up Bonus

American Express sign-up rules only affect welcome bonuses, not approval.

You can still:

• Apply for almost any Amex card

• Receive card benefits, perks and ongoing earning

• Access credits, lounge passes and travel insurance

For example, even without a bonus, cards like Preferred Rewards Gold still offer valuable benefits such as lounge access and statement credits.

The Bottom Line

If you’ve held another American Express card recently, missing out on a sign-up bonus can feel frustrating, but it’s rarely the end of the road.

By understanding:

• the 24-month personal card rule

• the separation between personal and business cards

• and which cards operate under different eligibility criteria

You can still earn substantial points, Avios etc with the right strategy. The order you apply matters just as much as the cards themselves.

Helena

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