Last edit by: ChrisFlyer66
This thread includes all posts for 2016 onwards. The previous 2013- 2014 megathread is here. The 2015 thread is here.
This card is no longer available to new applicants!
Bonus category spending is now capped at $50,000 per year.
Oct 22, 2014 onwards: Many people getting cancellation email from Amex.
Amex may continue to close accounts for excessive spend in bonus categories. 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.
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.
Excessive MS on this card may sever your ties with Amex. Consider factors that may have led to these closures when sharing personal experiences.
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.
³ 'everyday purchases' refers to U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations & select U.S. drugstores, not all purchases.
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.
This card is no longer available to new applicants!
Bonus category spending is now capped at $50,000 per year.
Oct 22, 2014 onwards: Many people getting cancellation email from Amex.
Amex may continue to close accounts for excessive spend in bonus categories. 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.
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.
Excessive MS on this card may sever your ties with Amex. Consider factors that may have led to these closures when sharing personal experiences.
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.
³ 'everyday purchases' refers to U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations & select U.S. drugstores, not all purchases.
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 (2016 onwards)[not taking new applications]
#168
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: SLC
Posts: 97
Has yours been corrected?
#169
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Cambridge, MA
Programs: AAdvantage EXP
Posts: 278
I got a letter saying that rewards dollars have been manually added to my account, and the total seems correct now. Hopefully the underlying problem has been fixed, but I'll have to wait until my next statement to know for sure.
#170
Join Date: Oct 2014
Programs: All of them
Posts: 1,664
I just got done talking to CSRs about this very issue. Spent my $6500 in last statement, and after that kept getting only 1%. The clueless CSR said he'll open an investigation.
Turns out the underlying problem hasn't been fixed, they'll just manually have to add points now?
Turns out the underlying problem hasn't been fixed, they'll just manually have to add points now?
#171
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: a hotel room, somewhere...
Posts: 962
I haven't read of an OBC shutdown this year anywhere- has anyone seen anything to contradict that? Seems OBC must be off Amex's radar with the $50k cap.
I ask because, tragically, i did not max this out last year on 2 cards with lower limits. I live overseas (thanks to MS) over 1/2 the year and was hesitant to cycle credit limits in the less than 3 months i spent in an MS friendly state the past year. Anniversary just passed on both and i'm contemplating doing a couple of big months (>3x CL) to make a dent in the $50k quickly.
I imagine many have moved big CL's on OBC to other cards given the cap- hoping a few people will chime in if they're hitting this hard (relative to CL) to get to the $50k (well, $56.5k) quickly to get it out of your money clip the remainder of the year.
thanks.
I ask because, tragically, i did not max this out last year on 2 cards with lower limits. I live overseas (thanks to MS) over 1/2 the year and was hesitant to cycle credit limits in the less than 3 months i spent in an MS friendly state the past year. Anniversary just passed on both and i'm contemplating doing a couple of big months (>3x CL) to make a dent in the $50k quickly.
I imagine many have moved big CL's on OBC to other cards given the cap- hoping a few people will chime in if they're hitting this hard (relative to CL) to get to the $50k (well, $56.5k) quickly to get it out of your money clip the remainder of the year.
thanks.
#172
Join Date: Oct 2014
Programs: All of them
Posts: 1,664
I haven't read of an OBC shutdown this year anywhere- has anyone seen anything to contradict that? Seems OBC must be off Amex's radar with the $50k cap.
I ask because, tragically, i did not max this out last year on 2 cards with lower limits. I live overseas (thanks to MS) over 1/2 the year and was hesitant to cycle credit limits in the less than 3 months i spent in an MS friendly state the past year. Anniversary just passed on both and i'm contemplating doing a couple of big months (>3x CL) to make a dent in the $50k quickly.
I imagine many have moved big CL's on OBC to other cards given the cap- hoping a few people will chime in if they're hitting this hard (relative to CL) to get to the $50k (well, $56.5k) quickly to get it out of your money clip the remainder of the year.
thanks.
I ask because, tragically, i did not max this out last year on 2 cards with lower limits. I live overseas (thanks to MS) over 1/2 the year and was hesitant to cycle credit limits in the less than 3 months i spent in an MS friendly state the past year. Anniversary just passed on both and i'm contemplating doing a couple of big months (>3x CL) to make a dent in the $50k quickly.
I imagine many have moved big CL's on OBC to other cards given the cap- hoping a few people will chime in if they're hitting this hard (relative to CL) to get to the $50k (well, $56.5k) quickly to get it out of your money clip the remainder of the year.
thanks.
#173
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: BOS
Posts: 105
No shutdowns, but I've only gotten 1x on my card so far, despite meeting the spend requirement. The CSRs are saying they're investigating it but no end in sight. Turns out it's been happening to a lot of people and then they randomly get an email about missing points. So it's become a PITA and unreliable card to use.
For me, this timeframe (around May) coincided with my membership anniversary anyway so I was expecting the 1x while I cycled thru the initial $6500... So I never really noticed anything unusual, now everything is back to 5x.
I'm assuming you didn' t just reach your anniversary cycle?
#174
Join Date: Oct 2014
Programs: All of them
Posts: 1,664
Strange, I got a letter saying that due to some technical problems points were not rewarded properly and that it'll be adjusted...
For me, this timeframe (around May) coincided with my membership anniversary anyway so I was expecting the 1x while I cycled thru the initial $6500... So I never really noticed anything unusual, now everything is back to 5x.
I'm assuming you didn' t just reach your anniversary cycle?
For me, this timeframe (around May) coincided with my membership anniversary anyway so I was expecting the 1x while I cycled thru the initial $6500... So I never really noticed anything unusual, now everything is back to 5x.
I'm assuming you didn' t just reach your anniversary cycle?
Update: Just got off the phone with them, turns out a lot of people have been complaining and they're "looking into it" lol. And looks like I did get 5x in my 2nd statement since I have about $75 pending, so anyone using this card just wait until statement closes after spending 6500 and then start using again, and it should work.
Last edited by littlewinglet; Jul 25, 2016 at 7:28 am
#175
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 1,273
Dr. of Credit sent out a tweet yesterday, asking if anyone had gotten a letter saying their OBC card was being automatically converted to a different Blue card (Preferred, I think). Has anyone here received such a notice (or heard about it)?