May 21, 2014, 10:21 am
Last edit by: Superorb
These are Amex-network cards, issued and administered by Wells Fargo. American Express acts as the transaction processing network, in the same way that VISA process transactions for other Wells Fargo cards. Amex-network cards do not count against your four credit card limit with American Express, nor will you deal with American Express customer service.
There have been several data points that people on work visas don't qualify, only US citizens and permanent residents do. However some people with visas have also received this card.
If you have some relationship with wells fargo, less verification info is asked so keeping a checking with WF can be a good way to improve your chances.
Wells fargo also restricts CC signup bonuses to 1 per person lifetime. Some people have also reported one per address so YMMV.
You can have both types of Propel cards open simultaneously.
It easily takes 90-120 days after meeting the spend for the bonus to post.
Airline Fee Credit
Once per anniversary year.
It appears that one can wait until after the annual fee is charged, the get a second reimbursement of an airline expenditure, and then cancel to get the annual fee refunded.
Examples of airline related charges that have been reimbursed:
1. Gift cards of most airlines
2. BA award ticket taxes
3. AA award ticket taxes (booked via phone)
4. LH award redeposit fee (charged via phone)
5. Amazon GC through UA shopping app.
Examples of airline related charges that have NOT been reimbursed:
1. AS award date change fee ($125, charged online)
There have been several data points that people on work visas don't qualify, only US citizens and permanent residents do. However some people with visas have also received this card.
If you have some relationship with wells fargo, less verification info is asked so keeping a checking with WF can be a good way to improve your chances.
Wells fargo also restricts CC signup bonuses to 1 per person lifetime. Some people have also reported one per address so YMMV.
You can have both types of Propel cards open simultaneously.
It easily takes 90-120 days after meeting the spend for the bonus to post.
Airline Fee Credit
Once per anniversary year.
It appears that one can wait until after the annual fee is charged, the get a second reimbursement of an airline expenditure, and then cancel to get the annual fee refunded.
Examples of airline related charges that have been reimbursed:
1. Gift cards of most airlines
2. BA award ticket taxes
3. AA award ticket taxes (booked via phone)
4. LH award redeposit fee (charged via phone)
5. Amazon GC through UA shopping app.
Examples of airline related charges that have NOT been reimbursed:
1. AS award date change fee ($125, charged online)
Wells Fargo 40k/$3k-3mo Propel World & 20k/$3k-3mo Propel 365 Amex
May 22, 2015, 11:36 am
#541
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Omaha, NE
Programs: SPG Gold, Marriott Gold, Amex Platinum
Posts: 54
It was a few separate things. The biggest problem was that they were requesting verification of a matching MEID number to that month's bill, but the only number on my phone was an IMEI number, which was almost exactly the same. This is what prompted the 3 way call with Verizon.
Three separate times they sent mailed requests for more information like:
Card statement reflecting payment of monthly bill
Wireless billing statement that corresponds to that payment
Document proving that the phone in question was linked to the account
A call to their office for more information.
May 23, 2015, 5:56 am
#542
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 41
I purchased a southwest gift card in May 2014 and my account was credited just a few days later. Thinking about purchasing another since my account has been open a year and annual fee has not yet posted but I want to make sure that people are still receiving this airline benefit credit on southwest gift cards.
Any recent data points of a 2nd airline credit posting ? If so, from which airline were you able to purchase gift card from ?
May 23, 2015, 2:40 pm
#543
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 161
Be careful about requesting replacement cards
Here is an account of recent interactions with Wells Fargo that may be of use to some.
We could not locate my wife's authorized user card, (had not been in her wallet, so probably misplaced in the house, or in big stack of credit cards).
I called in to request a new card for her. This was a mistake.
It seems that once they hear of a misplaced card, they must cancel the accounts, both cards. It takes 7-10 days for the new cards to get here. They offer expedited delivery, but only for a fee. The representative had first said it was free, but then mentioned a fee, and finally was to submit the request with a request it be waived. (I have an obvious concern that it will not be waived, but it will still be expedited and a fee charged). Time was consumed confirming all recent charges were indeed authorized (as they were).
While I can see how this rule may reduce their losses, it is also a problem for their customers, especially those trying to meet the minimum spending for 40,000 points.
One can easily imagine cases where a misplaced card by a authorized user (who put it in a sock drawer or a similar place) followed by 10 days without the card creates major problems (think traveling spouse who was overseas and planning to use this card for expenses).
The different number system for authorized users used by American Express deals with this problem nicely, since a lost or misplaced card can be canceled without affecting other cards.
We could not locate my wife's authorized user card, (had not been in her wallet, so probably misplaced in the house, or in big stack of credit cards).
I called in to request a new card for her. This was a mistake.
It seems that once they hear of a misplaced card, they must cancel the accounts, both cards. It takes 7-10 days for the new cards to get here. They offer expedited delivery, but only for a fee. The representative had first said it was free, but then mentioned a fee, and finally was to submit the request with a request it be waived. (I have an obvious concern that it will not be waived, but it will still be expedited and a fee charged). Time was consumed confirming all recent charges were indeed authorized (as they were).
While I can see how this rule may reduce their losses, it is also a problem for their customers, especially those trying to meet the minimum spending for 40,000 points.
One can easily imagine cases where a misplaced card by a authorized user (who put it in a sock drawer or a similar place) followed by 10 days without the card creates major problems (think traveling spouse who was overseas and planning to use this card for expenses).
The different number system for authorized users used by American Express deals with this problem nicely, since a lost or misplaced card can be canceled without affecting other cards.
May 23, 2015, 2:43 pm
#544
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 161
Mechanics of 40,000 points Bonus Program and Serve
In the above reported conversation, I took the opportunity to try to learn more about their program, asking exactly what date I had to make the spending limit, and got an answer of July 8th.
He stated there was then a manual review (looking for cash advances), and if things were right you eventually got your points. I tried to find out what sort of items might present a problem (since if you did not get the points, it would be too late to increase spending in some other way).
He said such questions cold be answered only by their rewards department. I called this and tried to learn more. I got a different date for the required spending, about July 19. This is clearly more than three months (but may be a way of allowing for mail delays so you have had three months to spend).
I asked how close I was (hoping to find out if Serve loads might be a problem). She noted they had earned points, and should qualify. She read me the list of exemption in the terms & conditions,which includes cash advances and said everything that had earned points would qualify, including Serve Enterprises.
Her claim was that they ran the computer only on the specific date mentioned, and it was computerized. Then you would not get the points until a full billing cycle had passed. I pressed, mentioning that when I would have the points might affect whether I could use them for a planned trip, but learned little more. She claimed you could not speed up the process by meeting the spending requirement earlier (using the possibility of paying my taxes with this card), but she claimed it would not speed things up.
Customer Service representative are notoriously uninformed, but even if there is a computerized process, one could easily imagine programs written to look for certain categories of manufactured spending (the first had mentioned utilities, presumably large prepayments, or Serve). Her account may explain the odd report of getting points, but not credit for spending. This could happen if points are given by one computer program, but either another computer program, or a manual review (or some combination of them) determines whether you have met the spending requirements. I could see them deciding not to try to take points away, but deciding not to incur the large cost of 40,000 bonus points.
If anyone has experience recently receiving, or not receiving the 40,000 points, it would be interesting to know what their experience was.
I may decide to be conservative, and use this card for lots of regular spending (i.e. things like groceries and restaurants) where I could earn 5% (or more) by using other cards, rather than expenses where the best I could do would be say 2.675% from a BOA Travel card, or possibly by paying taxes.
He stated there was then a manual review (looking for cash advances), and if things were right you eventually got your points. I tried to find out what sort of items might present a problem (since if you did not get the points, it would be too late to increase spending in some other way).
He said such questions cold be answered only by their rewards department. I called this and tried to learn more. I got a different date for the required spending, about July 19. This is clearly more than three months (but may be a way of allowing for mail delays so you have had three months to spend).
I asked how close I was (hoping to find out if Serve loads might be a problem). She noted they had earned points, and should qualify. She read me the list of exemption in the terms & conditions,which includes cash advances and said everything that had earned points would qualify, including Serve Enterprises.
Her claim was that they ran the computer only on the specific date mentioned, and it was computerized. Then you would not get the points until a full billing cycle had passed. I pressed, mentioning that when I would have the points might affect whether I could use them for a planned trip, but learned little more. She claimed you could not speed up the process by meeting the spending requirement earlier (using the possibility of paying my taxes with this card), but she claimed it would not speed things up.
Customer Service representative are notoriously uninformed, but even if there is a computerized process, one could easily imagine programs written to look for certain categories of manufactured spending (the first had mentioned utilities, presumably large prepayments, or Serve). Her account may explain the odd report of getting points, but not credit for spending. This could happen if points are given by one computer program, but either another computer program, or a manual review (or some combination of them) determines whether you have met the spending requirements. I could see them deciding not to try to take points away, but deciding not to incur the large cost of 40,000 bonus points.
If anyone has experience recently receiving, or not receiving the 40,000 points, it would be interesting to know what their experience was.
I may decide to be conservative, and use this card for lots of regular spending (i.e. things like groceries and restaurants) where I could earn 5% (or more) by using other cards, rather than expenses where the best I could do would be say 2.675% from a BOA Travel card, or possibly by paying taxes.
May 25, 2015, 10:05 am
#545
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 30
I just wanted to confirm that it is possible to get a second $100 airline credit before your annual fee posts.
My account was opened 5/21/14, and I got various airline fees refunded in July and August last year.
On 5/22/15, I added $100 to my United registry.
On 5/25/15, the $100 credit appeared (and they sent me an email).
My annual fee has not been charged yet.
When logged in to your account, go to 'View Account Profile', and it will tell you what day you opened your account.
My account was opened 5/21/14, and I got various airline fees refunded in July and August last year.
On 5/22/15, I added $100 to my United registry.
On 5/25/15, the $100 credit appeared (and they sent me an email).
My annual fee has not been charged yet.
When logged in to your account, go to 'View Account Profile', and it will tell you what day you opened your account.
May 25, 2015, 11:38 pm
#547
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: LAX, LGB, SNA
Programs: AA EXP OWE, DL DM ST+, AS MVPG, UA, BA, WN CP, Hyatt E, Ritz Plat, HH GM
Posts: 3,185
May 27, 2015, 9:26 am
#549
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: CMH, West Coast
Programs: AA Executive Platinum, oneworld emerald
Posts: 2,741
Data points:
808 FICO, 4 Equifax and 2 TU inquiries in the last two years. 2 recent CC applications this year (one in January, one in March). 2 year old mortgage with WF is only banking relationship. Approved instantly for 8k limit. They pulled Transunion (in Ohio).
Card took about 8 business days to arrive. Flimsy, as others have noted. Connected this card to Serve and did $800 in loads which all counted as purchases. Bought $100 WN e-gift card and reimbursed within 2 days. Everything going quite well with this card so far!
808 FICO, 4 Equifax and 2 TU inquiries in the last two years. 2 recent CC applications this year (one in January, one in March). 2 year old mortgage with WF is only banking relationship. Approved instantly for 8k limit. They pulled Transunion (in Ohio).
Card took about 8 business days to arrive. Flimsy, as others have noted. Connected this card to Serve and did $800 in loads which all counted as purchases. Bought $100 WN e-gift card and reimbursed within 2 days. Everything going quite well with this card so far!
May 27, 2015, 2:31 pm
#551
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Dayton, OH
Programs: CarlsonGold,HHDiamond, SPGGold,ChoiceGold, *Silver, WNCompanionPass, ASMVPGold, HyattDiamond,IHGPlat
Posts: 255
Was that you, winsteven13?
May 29, 2015, 11:50 am
#554
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: SAN
Programs: AA Lifetime Platinum, UA, AS, DL, SPG Gold, HH Diamond
Posts: 1,097
I was told my CSR that you have 90 days from the time the AF get billed to close the card and get your fees refunded. So there is enough time to get another $100 airline credit.
May 29, 2015, 11:57 am
#555
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 127
1. So, I went ahead and called Wells Fargo today about my $100 credit. They said I had used $93 of it, which is true for my first year.
I asked her when the fee would be replenished... and she said in the "12th month" AKA December, according to her, which seems completely wrong based on what everyone is saying here. I opened my card on 5/8/14.
Part of me just wants to buy a $25 gift card and see what happens.
2. Does anyone know if everyones been successful with buying an American Airlines Air gift card with this $100 reimbursement?
I asked her when the fee would be replenished... and she said in the "12th month" AKA December, according to her, which seems completely wrong based on what everyone is saying here. I opened my card on 5/8/14.
Part of me just wants to buy a $25 gift card and see what happens.
2. Does anyone know if everyones been successful with buying an American Airlines Air gift card with this $100 reimbursement?