Jan 8, 2014, 2:22 pm
Last edit by: TheDapperDon
Bonus category spending is now capped at $50k per year for new accounts. For now, this does not apply to existing cardholders, although Amex may continue to close accounts for excessive spend in bonus categories. This card is less viable as an MS instrument. Consider factors that may have led to these closures when sharing personal experiences.
Oct 22, 2014 onwards: Many people getting cancellation email from Amex. As of Dec 13, 2014, shutdown reports continue. Shutdowns appear to be triggered by spending on the card or upon statement closure, but not always
Some who have been shutdown are reporting back that AMEX is declining new non-OBC card applications due to "unsatisfactory relationship". (However, see here for an example where reconsideration was successful.) It is unclear at this time the length/extent of this Adverse Action/Ban.
Others have succeeded in getting new cards, including new OBCs, but consider your relationship with Amex and how much you value that and this card when deciding how to use it.
There might be some impact with other issuers. If AMEX sends you a cancellation it goes on your record as a cancellation by AMEX, not a cancellation by cardholder. While FICO score does not distinguish between closed by issuer and closed by cardholder, on manual review it may raise questions. However, issuers close cards for benign reasons as well (such as non-use) so unless several cards have been closed it probably won't cause a rejection by itself.
So, if you still feel it is worth it:
Application Link: Copy & paste the following link into a incognito window in Chrome or InPrivate Browsing in IE, Private Session in Firefox. There have been reports of people who got the card in the last couple of months getting shut down because of the rush to spend the initial $6,500.
Do NOT post "Link isn't working" until you have tried it incognito/private browsing and it fails there.
Up to 5% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations & select U.S. drugstores (Everyday Purchases). Up to 1% Cash Back on other purchases. For your first $6,500¹ spend in a reward year², you will earn 1% on Everyday Purchases³ (5% after 6500⁴), and 0.5% on other purchases (then 1%).
0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months.
Eligible purchases do NOT include fees or interest charges, balance transfers, cash advances, purchases of travelers checks, purchases or reloading of prepaid cards, or purchases of other cash equivalents. Additional terms and restrictions apply. (Presume these T&Cs are standard and that all credit cards state this)
⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯
¹ First '$6,500' is spend on all purchases.
² 'Reward year' is the 12 billing periods in a row beginning with the one in which the anniversary of your Card Account occurs.
³ 'everyday purchases' refers to U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations & select U.S. drugstores, not all purchases.
* Read the fine print for 'gas' purchases! Right from AMEX T&C's:
...Everyday Purchases are: ... $400 or less of gasoline at gas stations located in the U.S. (superstores, supermarkets and warehouse clubs that sell gasoline are not considered gas stations)... A >$400 purchase at a gas station will get 5% for the first $400 and 1% thereafter. E.g., for something, say, $503.95, you would earn $21.04 CB [($400*5%)+(103.95*1%)].
⁴ 5% kicks in immediately after hitting $6500.(mid-statement). In fact, it will even kick in mid-purchase and a portion of the purchase will credit at the higher rate.
* Reward dollars for the previous statement period show up a day or two after the current statement period closes.
* Most cash back redemptions will be applied to your statement within 2–3 days.
* Helpful post regarding moving CL between cards. Thanks lad2
* How to Visually Distinguish the Three Types of Blue Cash Cards:
Blue Cash (old) has a "<" character to the left of the word CASH
Blue Cash Everyday has a circle to the right of the word CASH, with the "Everyday" wording at the back.
Blue Cash Preferred has the word PREFERRED printed vertically on the extreme left side.
If you get the error message "You cannot be logged in. Please contact the number on the back of your card." when trying to redeem Reward Dollars online, it may be because you have too many closed accounts still showing in your scrolling images of cards. Delete the closed ones, then try to redeem again.
Oct 22, 2014 onwards: Many people getting cancellation email from Amex. As of Dec 13, 2014, shutdown reports continue. Shutdowns appear to be triggered by spending on the card or upon statement closure, but not always
Some who have been shutdown are reporting back that AMEX is declining new non-OBC card applications due to "unsatisfactory relationship". (However, see here for an example where reconsideration was successful.) It is unclear at this time the length/extent of this Adverse Action/Ban.
Others have succeeded in getting new cards, including new OBCs, but consider your relationship with Amex and how much you value that and this card when deciding how to use it.
There might be some impact with other issuers. If AMEX sends you a cancellation it goes on your record as a cancellation by AMEX, not a cancellation by cardholder. While FICO score does not distinguish between closed by issuer and closed by cardholder, on manual review it may raise questions. However, issuers close cards for benign reasons as well (such as non-use) so unless several cards have been closed it probably won't cause a rejection by itself.
So, if you still feel it is worth it:
Application Link: Copy & paste the following link into a incognito window in Chrome or InPrivate Browsing in IE, Private Session in Firefox. There have been reports of people who got the card in the last couple of months getting shut down because of the rush to spend the initial $6,500.
Do NOT post "Link isn't working" until you have tried it incognito/private browsing and it fails there.
Code:
https://www304.americanexpress.com/credit-card/blue-cash/25330
Up to 5% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations & select U.S. drugstores (Everyday Purchases). Up to 1% Cash Back on other purchases. For your first $6,500¹ spend in a reward year², you will earn 1% on Everyday Purchases³ (5% after 6500⁴), and 0.5% on other purchases (then 1%).
0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months.
Eligible purchases do NOT include fees or interest charges, balance transfers, cash advances, purchases of travelers checks, purchases or reloading of prepaid cards, or purchases of other cash equivalents. Additional terms and restrictions apply. (Presume these T&Cs are standard and that all credit cards state this)
⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯
¹ First '$6,500' is spend on all purchases.
² 'Reward year' is the 12 billing periods in a row beginning with the one in which the anniversary of your Card Account occurs.
³ 'everyday purchases' refers to U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations & select U.S. drugstores, not all purchases.
* Read the fine print for 'gas' purchases! Right from AMEX T&C's:
...Everyday Purchases are: ... $400 or less of gasoline at gas stations located in the U.S. (superstores, supermarkets and warehouse clubs that sell gasoline are not considered gas stations)... A >$400 purchase at a gas station will get 5% for the first $400 and 1% thereafter. E.g., for something, say, $503.95, you would earn $21.04 CB [($400*5%)+(103.95*1%)].
⁴ 5% kicks in immediately after hitting $6500.(mid-statement). In fact, it will even kick in mid-purchase and a portion of the purchase will credit at the higher rate.
* Reward dollars for the previous statement period show up a day or two after the current statement period closes.
* Most cash back redemptions will be applied to your statement within 2–3 days.
* Helpful post regarding moving CL between cards. Thanks lad2
* How to Visually Distinguish the Three Types of Blue Cash Cards:
Blue Cash (old) has a "<" character to the left of the word CASH
Blue Cash Everyday has a circle to the right of the word CASH, with the "Everyday" wording at the back.
Blue Cash Preferred has the word PREFERRED printed vertically on the extreme left side.
If you get the error message "You cannot be logged in. Please contact the number on the back of your card." when trying to redeem Reward Dollars online, it may be because you have too many closed accounts still showing in your scrolling images of cards. Delete the closed ones, then try to redeem again.
Old Amex Blue (2013-2014)
Dec 5, 2014, 7:47 am
#5942
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 84
How do they explain letting HH's feast on that troth for years then suddenly cut it off?
Dec 5, 2014, 7:49 am
#5943
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,944
I think "yes", for your current reward year, until they send a notice of change. I just got the card, and the T&Cs that came with it, dated Nov 23 include: "For each dollar of eligible purchases in excess of $6,500 in that same reward year, you will receive a reward of 5% on Everyday Purchases and a reward of 1% on all other eligible purchases." So no mention of the cap, and "each dollar" is pretty clear.
Of course, they also have the ability to change benefits as they wish, but usually (with for example adding the cap to BCP) they gave you the current reward year on old terms. (Did they do the same with the BCE, or was it just BCP because of the fee)
Of course, they also have the ability to change benefits as they wish, but usually (with for example adding the cap to BCP) they gave you the current reward year on old terms. (Did they do the same with the BCE, or was it just BCP because of the fee)
Dec 5, 2014, 7:51 am
#5944
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,944
That is what happened with capping the BCP. Some HH (such as MM) got it just before the cap and had a heavy year while others were capped. But that had an AF which might have different contract impacts.
Dec 5, 2014, 7:56 am
#5945
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 1,710
Also I think the difference is with BCP there weren't lots of closures prior to the cap. Here there have been so whether you are subject to the new terms or not, may make no effective difference. Amex may just close you if you go hog wild. There is nothing so far here to suggest that the new limits makes they more tolerant of moderate to heavy MS on (potentially) uncapped cards. I would say whether capped or not exceeding the new caps by any margin would likely result in AA. But who knows.
Dec 5, 2014, 8:10 am
#5946
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,944
Also I think the difference is with BCP there weren't lots of closures prior to the cap. Here there have been so whether you are subject to the new terms or not, may make no effective difference. Amex may just close you if you go hog wild. There is nothing so far here to suggest that the new limits makes they more tolerant of moderate to heavy MS on (potentially) uncapped cards. I would say whether capped or not exceeding the new caps by any margin would likely result in AA. But who knows.
Dec 5, 2014, 8:16 am
#5947
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 1,259
I've always relied on the T/C at rewarddollars.americanexpress.com (click "reward dollars summary" under the search box at the top of the page), and as of this morning it still shows as unlimited 5% above $6500. I suppose a change is coming.
50K cap is the same as Chase imposes on Ink 5x categories, which is the same as 5% cash back when redeemed for statement credits. So it seems reasonable, esp since OBC is still fee free. Now, if only Amex would allow 5x MR as well as 5% on the same categories, up to $50K!!
So, the burning question is, did anyone get SHUT DOWN for earning LESS than $2500 in rewards, the new cap?
50K cap is the same as Chase imposes on Ink 5x categories, which is the same as 5% cash back when redeemed for statement credits. So it seems reasonable, esp since OBC is still fee free. Now, if only Amex would allow 5x MR as well as 5% on the same categories, up to $50K!!
So, the burning question is, did anyone get SHUT DOWN for earning LESS than $2500 in rewards, the new cap?
Last edited by bangkokiscool; Dec 5, 2014 at 8:31 am
Dec 5, 2014, 8:23 am
#5948
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Down South, The Desert
Programs: Marriot Rewards, Southwest Rapid rewards, Emerald Club, Avis Preferred
Posts: 1,871
Dec 5, 2014, 8:25 am
#5949
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: PHL ILG
Posts: 87
I'm EXTREMELY happy that AMEX is providing us with at least some criteria. Although it stinks that you'll only be able to squeeze $2,500 out of this card at least we know how to avoid shutdown.
50k is the limit: RD > $2.5k/yr = shutdown.
50k is the limit: RD > $2.5k/yr = shutdown.
Dec 5, 2014, 8:39 am
#5951
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Los Angles
Posts: 2,101
I've always relied on the T/C at rewarddollars.americanexpress.com (click "reward dollars summary" under the search box at the top of the page), and as of this morning it still shows as unlimited 5% above $6500. I suppose a change is coming.
50K cap is the same as Chase imposes on Ink 5x categories, which is the same as 5% cash back when redeemed for statement credits. So it seems reasonable, esp since OBC is still fee free.
50K cap is the same as Chase imposes on Ink 5x categories, which is the same as 5% cash back when redeemed for statement credits. So it seems reasonable, esp since OBC is still fee free.
Dec 5, 2014, 9:04 am
#5954
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 1,710
That is a pretty silly statement given that 1) the shutdowns were for rewards abuse in Amex's words and 2) this limit is clearly put in place to limit awards "abuse". They are clearly related. That doesn't mean everybody who exceeded the limit is going to be closed or that even all heavy hitters are closed at this point.