Jan 26, 2016, 7:19 pm
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 $6,500ą spend in a reward year˛, you will earn 1% on Everyday Purchasesł (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)
ą First '$6,500' is spend on all purchases.
ł '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 $6,500ą spend in a reward year˛, you will earn 1% on Everyday Purchasesł (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)
ą First '$6,500' is spend on all purchases.
ł '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]
Mar 15, 2017, 2:27 pm
#257
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 284
I recently learned that CB credits don't count towards payment of your statement balance. My account currently shows I owe $500 towards my previous statement, but I have a zero balance on the account.
Does anyone know if I will be charged interest on that $500? Or do I need to make a $500 payment to avoid that outcome (and end up with a balance of -$500).
Thanks in advance!
Does anyone know if I will be charged interest on that $500? Or do I need to make a $500 payment to avoid that outcome (and end up with a balance of -$500).
Thanks in advance!
Mar 15, 2017, 2:43 pm
#258
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 135
I recently learned that CB credits don't count towards payment of your statement balance. My account currently shows I owe $500 towards my previous statement, but I have a zero balance on the account.
Does anyone know if I will be charged interest on that $500? Or do I need to make a $500 payment to avoid that outcome (and end up with a balance of -$500).
Thanks in advance!
Does anyone know if I will be charged interest on that $500? Or do I need to make a $500 payment to avoid that outcome (and end up with a balance of -$500).
Thanks in advance!
Mar 15, 2017, 3:31 pm
#259
Join Date: Oct 2014
Programs: All of them
Posts: 1,664
I recently learned that CB credits don't count towards payment of your statement balance. My account currently shows I owe $500 towards my previous statement, but I have a zero balance on the account.
Does anyone know if I will be charged interest on that $500? Or do I need to make a $500 payment to avoid that outcome (and end up with a balance of -$500).
Thanks in advance!
Does anyone know if I will be charged interest on that $500? Or do I need to make a $500 payment to avoid that outcome (and end up with a balance of -$500).
Thanks in advance!
Mar 15, 2017, 4:22 pm
#260
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: California
Posts: 264
If you are talking about how it looks when you login to see your card summary, just pay attention to the total balance, that is what will be on your upcoming statement. If it is $0, you're good (unless you had a cash advance I think.) Your cash back decreases your balance, but you will still need to pay the minimum payment if you owe one.
My statement balance was $325, with $35 minimum payment. I redeemed $350 rewards (making the balance negative $25). I scheduled a $35 payment on amex's site, pulling from a bank account, but amex cancelled that payment since it exceeds the balance. On my next statement I was not charged any interest or fees.
Maybe for people carrying a balance, paying just with rewards won't count as a minimum payment; but if your balance is $0 (or negative), I think you're good, even if you didn't make any payments other than redeeming rewards.
Mar 15, 2017, 4:44 pm
#261
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 284
Their terms made me think that I needed to pay at least the minimum payment via a method other than redeeming rewards, but in my experience it's not necessary. An example:
My statement balance was $325, with $35 minimum payment. I redeemed $350 rewards (making the balance negative $25). I scheduled a $35 payment on amex's site, pulling from a bank account, but amex cancelled that payment since it exceeds the balance. On my next statement I was not charged any interest or fees.
Maybe for people carrying a balance, paying just with rewards won't count as a minimum payment; but if your balance is $0 (or negative), I think you're good, even if you didn't make any payments other than redeeming rewards.
My statement balance was $325, with $35 minimum payment. I redeemed $350 rewards (making the balance negative $25). I scheduled a $35 payment on amex's site, pulling from a bank account, but amex cancelled that payment since it exceeds the balance. On my next statement I was not charged any interest or fees.
Maybe for people carrying a balance, paying just with rewards won't count as a minimum payment; but if your balance is $0 (or negative), I think you're good, even if you didn't make any payments other than redeeming rewards.
I already made a ~$1500 bank payment for this statement AND have a account balance of zero. Given those two points, I think I'm safe to leave the account as is. I simply cant see how AmEx could charge interest on a zero balance.
Mar 28, 2017, 11:26 am
#262
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 28
Mar 28, 2017, 4:39 pm
#263
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Florida
Posts: 274
Apr 9, 2017, 1:16 pm
#264
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 340
Today, a Reward Year is 12 billing periods in a row beginning with the one that starts
in the calendar month in which your Card account anniversary occurs.
As of June 30, 2017, a Reward Year will begin the day after your Blue Cash account
anniversary date. You can find your Reward Year on your online account or by
calling the number on the back of your Card.
I received my new statement and saw the new change above. Could anyone
in the calendar month in which your Card account anniversary occurs.
As of June 30, 2017, a Reward Year will begin the day after your Blue Cash account
anniversary date. You can find your Reward Year on your online account or by
calling the number on the back of your Card.
I received my new statement and saw the new change above. Could anyone
Jun 5, 2017, 6:04 pm
#265
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 5
I recently read of a holder of Amex Blue Cash Preferred receiving a recent notice from Amex:
Effective July 01 2017 Gift Card Purchases and Reloads (and other "money equivalent" transactions) do not qualify for the normal 6% rewards.
Has anyone received this notice for this card or perhaps it's only a matter of time.
Effective July 01 2017 Gift Card Purchases and Reloads (and other "money equivalent" transactions) do not qualify for the normal 6% rewards.
Has anyone received this notice for this card or perhaps it's only a matter of time.
Jun 6, 2017, 4:08 am
#266
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Gulf Coast of FL
Posts: 115
I recently read of a holder of Amex Blue Cash Preferred receiving a recent notice from Amex:
Effective July 01 2017 Gift Card Purchases and Reloads (and other "money equivalent" transactions) do not qualify for the normal 6% rewards.
Has anyone received this notice for this card or perhaps it's only a matter of time.
Effective July 01 2017 Gift Card Purchases and Reloads (and other "money equivalent" transactions) do not qualify for the normal 6% rewards.
Has anyone received this notice for this card or perhaps it's only a matter of time.
*deep breath* I mean no, I haven't seen anything similar for Old Blue.
Jun 6, 2017, 4:37 am
#267
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Land of the parrots and parrotheads
Programs: Several dozen
Posts: 4,820
Oh yea of little faith! A cash advance, for example, would still post interest even if the account was paid in full and had a zero balance the next day. Banksters are nothing if not creative. Afterall, who else could dream up negative interest rates for savings accounts? 
Jun 6, 2017, 5:34 am
#268
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: IAD
Posts: 60
I recently read of a holder of Amex Blue Cash Preferred receiving a recent notice from Amex:
Effective July 01 2017 Gift Card Purchases and Reloads (and other "money equivalent" transactions) do not qualify for the normal 6% rewards.
Has anyone received this notice for this card or perhaps it's only a matter of time.
Effective July 01 2017 Gift Card Purchases and Reloads (and other "money equivalent" transactions) do not qualify for the normal 6% rewards.
Has anyone received this notice for this card or perhaps it's only a matter of time.
Jun 6, 2017, 4:48 pm
#269
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 3,688
we don't have BCP and didn't get the message effective July 1 2017 on our BCE's last statement.
Hopefully, this won't affect OBC because I'm sure that once your acct is flagged, they know if you bought VGCs based on my FR experience in 2014. That was pre-RAT days, I'm expecting there will be those assigned just to scrutinize purchases on the 5% categories. IME, they didn't ask what I bought since they already knew; I must've given the right answer to their questions and submitted what they asked for, that's why I passed the FR.
We have reached the cap on our OBCs and if our accounts get the message (anytime soon) that VGCs won't get 5% anymore even if bought from qualified merchants, I will just use the account for great sync offers.
Hopefully, this won't affect OBC because I'm sure that once your acct is flagged, they know if you bought VGCs based on my FR experience in 2014. That was pre-RAT days, I'm expecting there will be those assigned just to scrutinize purchases on the 5% categories. IME, they didn't ask what I bought since they already knew; I must've given the right answer to their questions and submitted what they asked for, that's why I passed the FR.
We have reached the cap on our OBCs and if our accounts get the message (anytime soon) that VGCs won't get 5% anymore even if bought from qualified merchants, I will just use the account for great sync offers.
Jun 6, 2017, 7:00 pm
#270
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: EWN/OAJ/RDU/ILM (Formerly BTV)
Programs: HH D i a m o n d !!!
Posts: 356
I recently read of a holder of Amex Blue Cash Preferred receiving a recent notice from Amex:
Effective July 01 2017 Gift Card Purchases and Reloads (and other "money equivalent" transactions) do not qualify for the normal 6% rewards.
Has anyone received this notice for this card or perhaps it's only a matter of time.
Effective July 01 2017 Gift Card Purchases and Reloads (and other "money equivalent" transactions) do not qualify for the normal 6% rewards.
Has anyone received this notice for this card or perhaps it's only a matter of time.