Jul 3, 2019, 8:56 am
Last edit by: rrgg
$50 statement credit for purchases made at Saks. Enrollment required prior to purchase.
Online orders do not charge until shipped. Many items are carried in-stock by Saks and eligible for ShopRunner shipping - data points suggest that these will charge and ship quickly.
However, many other items on Saks(dot)com drop ship from the manufacturer. For these, expected delivery dates may not be reliable, are not guaranteed, and orders cannot be cancelled easily.
If you place an online order close to the end of an Amex credit period, there is a risk that your item may not ship (and Amex will not be charged) until after the end of the credit period.
Note on shipping & billing times: If a product shows that ShopRunner shipping is available, it is shipped by Saks and is likely to ship and bill quickly. If there's no ShopRunner option, it is likely drop-shipped from the manufacturer meaning the shipping date and actual charge date will be further out.
Things known to count for the credit:
- This benefit is available twice a year, once from Jan-Jun and once again from Jul-Dec.
- Use it or lose it, does not rollover or accumulate. There is no "meter" to track how much you've spent. Check your statement for credits.
- Per AMEX CS chat the transaction date is what determines whether a purchase is reimbursed from the Jan-Jun benefit or the Jul-Dec benefit.
- Actual experience from 2019: first-half purchase submitted only 6/27, shipped 6/29, went from pending to posted on 7/1 (but dated as 6/29), credit posted on 7/1, was able to use second $50 credit a week or two later
- Purchases by Additional Card Members (both the $175 Plat-colored and free Gold-colored) will be reimbursed also, but only up to an aggregate $50 per Account.
Online orders do not charge until shipped. Many items are carried in-stock by Saks and eligible for ShopRunner shipping - data points suggest that these will charge and ship quickly.
However, many other items on Saks(dot)com drop ship from the manufacturer. For these, expected delivery dates may not be reliable, are not guaranteed, and orders cannot be cancelled easily.
If you place an online order close to the end of an Amex credit period, there is a risk that your item may not ship (and Amex will not be charged) until after the end of the credit period.
Note on shipping & billing times: If a product shows that ShopRunner shipping is available, it is shipped by Saks and is likely to ship and bill quickly. If there's no ShopRunner option, it is likely drop-shipped from the manufacturer meaning the shipping date and actual charge date will be further out.
Things known to count for the credit:
- Merchandise purchased in Saks stores or online
- Physical gift cards purchased in-store
- Physical gift cards purchased online (min $150)
- e-gift cards (these are fulfilled by a different vendor)
- anything bought at "Saks Off 5th" (however, you can use a Saks gift card at Off 5th...)
$50 credit at Saks 5th Ave every 6 months with Plat card (2018 - 2021)
Sep 11, 2019, 8:23 pm
#511
Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Mexico City
Programs: Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Gold, Marriot Gold, IHG Silver, Choice Platinum, Wyndham Gold
Posts: 3,848
You can only buy gift cards at Saks in the USA or online.
Sep 11, 2019, 8:27 pm
#512
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Miami, Florida
Programs: AA ExPlat, Hyatt Globalist, IHG Spire, Hilton Gold
Posts: 4,009
Sep 11, 2019, 9:23 pm
#513
Moderator: Hyatt; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: WAS
Programs: :rolleyes:, DL DM, Mlife Plat, Caesars Diam, Marriott Tit, UA Gold, Hyatt Glob, invol FT beta tester
Posts: 18,931
... including US territories according to the T&C (just to spell it out). Which, after playing aronud with the store locator, I guess functionally means just Puerto Rico?
Sep 11, 2019, 9:35 pm
#514
Join Date: Aug 2018
Posts: 61
That's one perspective. I view it as "spend $25 of your own money to get 500 AA miles"......that's five cents per mile. I wouldn't buy AA miles at that rate (nor should anyone else.)
No matter how hard I try, I can't make the math work where your example earns 26 AA miles per dollar spent.
No matter how hard I try, I can't make the math work where your example earns 26 AA miles per dollar spent.
Sep 11, 2019, 11:58 pm
#515
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: PHX, SEA
Programs: Avis President's Club, Global Entry, Hilton/Marriott Gold. No more DL/AA status.
Posts: 4,422
Indeed, Moon!
Sep 12, 2019, 8:51 am
#516
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Truth or Consequences, NM
Programs: HH Diamond, Marriott Titanium, Hertz President's Circle, UA Silver, Mobile Passport Unobtanium
Posts: 6,193
It wasn't my math, but it's pretty clear. The AA portal presently pays 2 points per Saks purchase. That's the minimum. I've seen it elevated to 6x or 8x in the past. On a $75 purchase that's an additional 150 points on top of 500 bonus for a transaction north of $75 in the next few days. That's 650 miles total for a purchase that will set you back $25 (plus the $50 SAKS credit). 650 miles divided by $25 is the 26 AA miles per dollar.
That's why it's not "pretty clear".....because it's "pretty wrong."
Sep 12, 2019, 9:02 am
#517
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,956
Sep 12, 2019, 9:06 am
#518
Suspended
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Location: Miami, Florida
Programs: AA ExPlat, Hyatt Globalist, IHG Spire, Hilton Gold
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Sep 12, 2019, 9:08 am
#519
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Truth or Consequences, NM
Programs: HH Diamond, Marriott Titanium, Hertz President's Circle, UA Silver, Mobile Passport Unobtanium
Posts: 6,193
There was $75 spent to earn those bonus points. If you want to make a revisionist argument that "oh, what he meant was it's really 26 AA miles per dollar spent out of pocket", go right ahead. But that isn't how it was originally presented.
Last edited by Diplomatico; Sep 12, 2019 at 9:14 am Reason: Wording
Sep 12, 2019, 9:18 am
#520
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: RSW
Programs: Delta - Silver; UA - Silver; HHonors - Diamond; IHG - Spire Ambassador; Marriott Bonvoy - Titanium
Posts: 14,185
Sep 12, 2019, 10:20 am
#521
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: PHX, SEA
Programs: Avis President's Club, Global Entry, Hilton/Marriott Gold. No more DL/AA status.
Posts: 4,422
One can but the original premise would still be incorrect. Sorry.
There was $75 spent to earn those bonus points. If you want to make a revisionist argument that "oh, what he meant was it's really 26 AA miles per dollar spent out of pocket", go right ahead. But that isn't how it was originally presented.
There was $75 spent to earn those bonus points. If you want to make a revisionist argument that "oh, what he meant was it's really 26 AA miles per dollar spent out of pocket", go right ahead. But that isn't how it was originally presented.
Sep 12, 2019, 10:36 am
#522
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Miami, Florida
Programs: AA ExPlat, Hyatt Globalist, IHG Spire, Hilton Gold
Posts: 4,009
Sep 14, 2019, 11:09 am
#524
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Toronto
Programs: UA 1K, AC MM E75, Marriott LT Ti, IHG Dia Amb, Hyatt Glob
Posts: 15,521
Has anyone tried returning an item that triggered the $50 credit? If yes, was the credit reversed?
Sep 14, 2019, 11:15 am
#525
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Miami, Florida
Programs: AA ExPlat, Hyatt Globalist, IHG Spire, Hilton Gold
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