Oct 4, 2018, 1:05 pm
Last edit by: roberto99
Faq amex: https://www.americanexpress.com/us/campaigns/gold-card/gold-update-faqs.html
For existing and new cardholders
For new cardholders (Oct 4 2018 and after)
For existing cardholders (Oct 3 2018 or before)
For existing and new cardholders
- Changes below are effective immediately
- 4x US grocery (25k/calendar year), 4x US dining* (*pervasive reports that many dining transactions are not coding as 4x, including but not limited to those from Square or Toast-based POS systems. Scroll down in thread for more reports and information.)
- $120 dining credit ($10 monthly in certain restaurants)
- No change
- $100 calendar year airline reimbursement
- Other
- $250 AF (see below for existing cardholders)
- No 2x gas (removed, see below for existing cardholders who have it till Oct 2019)
- Metal card (contactless)
- Rose gold card - limited edition until Jan 9 2019
- Regular gold card
For new cardholders (Oct 4 2018 and after)
- You may be able to find targeted/referal 50k/$2k, but first AF is not waived
- Signup bonus: You get 20% off restaurant up to $500 restaurant spend (3 month)
- You do not get 2x gas (only for existing cardholders, see below)
For existing cardholders (Oct 3 2018 or before)
- AF will change to $250 for anniversary dates after April 1 2019
- 2x gas will be removed after Oct 2019
- You can chat/call for the gold/rosegold metal card. AU card will get whatever primary cardholder is getting, cannot be different
Premier Rewards Gold refresh: 4x USA dining, groceries, $10/mon dining credit. $250.
Sep 20, 2018, 4:46 pm
#31
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: BAY AREA
Posts: 1,125
I don't know why AMEX has clowns in their rewards and benefits department.
What use is a "$10/month dining benefit"? $10 will get me a Subway foot-long with a drink, and a cookie. Offer the $120 as the entire amount at the beginning of each year. We go through the same garbage with the Uber credits. Why is it so difficult for AMEX to offer a consumer friendly program like everyone else? I no longer carry carry an AMEX non-co-brand card in my wallet because of things like this.
On another note, I've read on Myfico this card will also be issued as metal rather than plastic after the refresh.
What use is a "$10/month dining benefit"? $10 will get me a Subway foot-long with a drink, and a cookie. Offer the $120 as the entire amount at the beginning of each year. We go through the same garbage with the Uber credits. Why is it so difficult for AMEX to offer a consumer friendly program like everyone else? I no longer carry carry an AMEX non-co-brand card in my wallet because of things like this.
On another note, I've read on Myfico this card will also be issued as metal rather than plastic after the refresh.
Sep 20, 2018, 4:52 pm
#32
Join Date: Mar 2017
Programs: HHonors, TrueBlue, Delta SkyMiles, Hyatt Discoverist, Starwood Preferred Guest, American Airlines.
Posts: 2,035
Sep 20, 2018, 5:01 pm
#33
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: San Diego, CA
Programs: GE, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 15,501
There's a possibility that the credit sticks around but with tighter enforcement and without an AF increase. I mean, technically it's for incidentals (baggage fees, etc.) and not for airline gift cards and such, it's just that there was a lot of leeway in the system before.
Sep 20, 2018, 6:24 pm
#35
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 998
Do you think I would run into issues if I got this card and used it to purchase $100 to $150 Visa or MasterCard gift cards at Safeway so then I can spend them over at Fred Meyer (which currently shows as a warehouse store). I would LOVE 4x on dining and grocery and combined with my platinum would probably put my CSR out of use.... but it's not worth getting for 4x dining if I can't also make use of the grocery. (Shifting my grocery buying away from Fred Meyer isn't an option due to selection of products carried in my area)
My grocery spend would probably only be $350 to $500 a month though, so it should fall in line with "normal" grocery spending and wouldn't be used to abuse the system to be able to spend 10k a month on grocery items or anything.
My grocery spend would probably only be $350 to $500 a month though, so it should fall in line with "normal" grocery spending and wouldn't be used to abuse the system to be able to spend 10k a month on grocery items or anything.
Sep 20, 2018, 6:27 pm
#36
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: EWR/PHL/BWI
Posts: 4,412
Too much speculations on reducing $100 credit, or increasing AF. I do not like the smell of this. If there is such change, it will only speed up my chopping of the PRG.
The $10/month does not really add much and it costs little to AmEx. I would not change my lifestyle just for the $10/month. I did not even know what Grubhub or Seamless was.
The 4x on dining may add some value to some people. But not to the folks who already have Chase CSR or similar.
The $10/month does not really add much and it costs little to AmEx. I would not change my lifestyle just for the $10/month. I did not even know what Grubhub or Seamless was.
The 4x on dining may add some value to some people. But not to the folks who already have Chase CSR or similar.
Sep 20, 2018, 6:31 pm
#37
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 600
Do you think I would run into issues if I got this card and used it to purchase $100 to $150 Visa or MasterCard gift cards at Safeway so then I can spend them over at Fred Meyer (which currently shows as a warehouse store). I would LOVE 4x on dining and grocery and combined with my platinum would probably put my CSR out of use.... but it's not worth getting for 4x dining if I can't also make use of the grocery. (Shifting my grocery buying away from Fred Meyer isn't an option due to selection of products carried in my area)
My grocery spend would probably only be $350 to $500 a month though, so it should fall in line with "normal" grocery spending and wouldn't be used to abuse the system to be able to spend 10k a month on grocery items or anything.
My grocery spend would probably only be $350 to $500 a month though, so it should fall in line with "normal" grocery spending and wouldn't be used to abuse the system to be able to spend 10k a month on grocery items or anything.
As a data point, I will sometimes buy a $25 Starbucks gift card when I am at a grocery store when I am checking out because I give the gift card to my dog's groomer as a tip when I take my dog in for her bi-monthly grooming. Never had any issues with getting the points from Amex.
Sep 20, 2018, 6:43 pm
#38
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 998
I think if you buy a few regular groceries at Safeway and toss in a Visa or Mastercard when you are checking out, then I doubt you will see any issues with Amex.
As a data point, I will sometimes buy a $25 Starbucks gift card when I am at a grocery store when I am checking out because I give the gift card to my dog's groomer as a tip when I take my dog in for her bi-monthly grooming. Never had any issues with getting the points from Amex.
As a data point, I will sometimes buy a $25 Starbucks gift card when I am at a grocery store when I am checking out because I give the gift card to my dog's groomer as a tip when I take my dog in for her bi-monthly grooming. Never had any issues with getting the points from Amex.
But again, I totally wouldn't abuse this and would be well within normal grocery spending amounts...
Sep 20, 2018, 7:00 pm
#39
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: IAH
Programs: DL DM, Hyatt Ist-iest, Stariott Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 12,781
You wouldn't run into issues with Amex, but you'll incur a 4-5% transaction fee since the VGC activation fees are ~$5 a card, so I don't see this being worthwhile if you're only buying that small of a gift card.
Sep 20, 2018, 7:14 pm
#41
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,223
Interesting...was thinking of PCing this down to a free card when my AF came up...with 4x restaurants, I'd probably consider keeping it for that alone ... that is assuming all of the other benefits still apply
Sep 20, 2018, 7:21 pm
#42
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: EWR
Programs: World of Hyatt, Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors, UA Mileage Plus
Posts: 1,255
Sep 20, 2018, 7:23 pm
#43
Join Date: Oct 2007
Programs: AA, WN, UA, Bonvoy, Hertz
Posts: 2,491
Why does anyone think offering a $10 per month dining coupon tease to a handful of merchants cost AmEx money? The Saks deal should have indicated that to anyone. My thinking is that AmEx is not paying these merchants or at least, they are paying a very small amount ($2 to $5 if even that) for the $10 value. It is almost no different than the gift card deals sold at Costco or Sam's Club. To correlate this dining coupon to a higher AF is ridiculous. I am not sure if this is smart or not on the AmEx part because they are creating perceived value with almost no cost (well, it depends if the cardholder sees value in the list of restaurants). If AmEx was really serious, they would have not tokenized it at $10 per month.
It does seem interesting for AmEx to put the supermarket limit at $25k. I am not sure how interesting this is for MS (probably doesn't do much if you are serious), but seems way too high for regular spending. That seems like a useless limit from what I can tell.
I like the 4x race (I have to think Savor played a part in AmEx's announcement timing because they are essentially pre-releasing three weeks ahead of schedule). Savor did some expensive events in the past few weeks mostly for celebs.
It does seem interesting for AmEx to put the supermarket limit at $25k. I am not sure how interesting this is for MS (probably doesn't do much if you are serious), but seems way too high for regular spending. That seems like a useless limit from what I can tell.
I like the 4x race (I have to think Savor played a part in AmEx's announcement timing because they are essentially pre-releasing three weeks ahead of schedule). Savor did some expensive events in the past few weeks mostly for celebs.
Sep 20, 2018, 8:16 pm
#44
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,952
American Express is serious about creating an incentive for us to keep the card in our wallets year 'round, not in creating an opportunity to cash out a benefit and put the card away. The cost comes in offering four points per dollar for dining and groceries. The $10 credit is a just a sweetener if we happen to use the card at the restaurants who fund the bonus component, and I daresay that list will grow.
Sep 20, 2018, 8:30 pm
#45
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 300
Can we stop calling it a $120 "dining credit"?
It's $10/mo at GrubHub. It basically offsets the delivery fee and a little bit of the food markup, but it's of no value beyond that, particularly with the way they string it out.
4x on the other hand, makes the card a bit more attractive.
It's $10/mo at GrubHub. It basically offsets the delivery fee and a little bit of the food markup, but it's of no value beyond that, particularly with the way they string it out.
4x on the other hand, makes the card a bit more attractive.
