Here's What Happens When You Ask Amex to Waive Your Annual Fee

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 American Express' cards have annual fees, and some are 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 them will be increasing this year (although their benefits are being enhanced as well).

You could 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.

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:

1. 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.
2. They say yes and waive the annual fee.
3. They offer a reduced annual fee.
4. 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.