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.
Oct 17, 2018, 12:55 pm
#646
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 103
Called Amex yesterday inquiring about my rose gold card. Rep said he sees "Work in Progress" and has no updates when it will be shipped. Ordered on Oct 4 in the am ET. Good thing I still have my PRG. ALmost done with the 25k 4x grocery spend for 2018.
Oct 17, 2018, 12:59 pm
#647
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: SFO/TPE
Programs: UA GS slavery, *A Gold, Marriott/SPG Gold, Hilton Gold, Hertz Pres Circle
Posts: 281
Oct 17, 2018, 1:46 pm
#648
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Adelphi, MD
Programs: Korean Air Skypass, ANA Skyweb, Amex Premier Rewards, Chase Sapphire Preferred
Posts: 745
It should be the category that defines it. I had a liquor store purchase with the category "Category: Merchandise & Supplies - Groceries" but description "Package Store Beer" I also had a gas station purchase category as "Category: Transportation - Fuel" and a description of "undefined Unleaded" Both of these received the bonus points. I don't understand why your market didn't qualify.
Last edited by mia; Oct 17, 2018 at 3:15 pm Reason: Please do not quote images.
Oct 17, 2018, 1:52 pm
#649
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,762
Below is what I posted The Bolded part is the "Subcategory" and it is clearly shown as GROCERY STORES, SUP(ERMARKETS)
It still does not earn category bonus.
Pretty sure it goes by the MCC the merchant uses. Who knows what the merchant uses. Since Visa pays 2x as it should be, but AMEX only earns 1x, so AMEX must be using a different criteria to determine what grocery spends would be. What I lose is the additional 2x under the new Gold card earnings. I dont even know if I would keep the PRG turned Gold when my first year fee waived is up next May. If AMEX would prefer to give me targeted offer every 18 to 36 months on the same card, I am all for it. 50K sign up bonus at $2K spend beats any 4x any day!
Last edited by mia; Oct 17, 2018 at 3:16 pm
Oct 17, 2018, 1:58 pm
#650
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: IAD/DCA
Posts: 31,797
are there longer threads discussing coding from long time gold / everyday cardholders ?
Oct 17, 2018, 3:17 pm
#651
Join Date: May 2018
Posts: 18
GC Purchased in Safeway, Albertsons, Vons
So assuming things haven't changed, I remember AMEX not allowing GC purchased to count towards your minimum spend (Please correct me if im wrong). Can anyone verify that GC purached in Safeway, Abertsons or Vons codes properly with AMEX and gives you x4 with this Gold Card?
Oct 17, 2018, 3:38 pm
#652
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,958
I frequently visit a restaurant that is mis-classified as Category: Merchandise & Supplies - Groceries. It should earn bonus points with Everyday or Gold, but it has consistently earned only one point per dollar. They use Square as their payment processor, and the Description field is simply missing from the American Express transaction records. Perhaps "a" problem with some processors is that the MCC information is incomplete?
However, if you scroll back to post 610 you can see that both of the examples posted by PHLondon do include the Description field, suggesting that there may be more than one issue.
Last edited by mia; Oct 17, 2018 at 4:02 pm
Oct 17, 2018, 4:02 pm
#653
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,958
Oct 17, 2018, 4:54 pm
#654
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: EWR
Programs: World of Hyatt, Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors, UA Mileage Plus
Posts: 1,255
Shop Rite grocery store shows up with a 4X modifier.
Shop Rite liquor store shows no modifier.
Both are coded as “Merchandise & Supplies: Groceries”
Shop Rite has no seconday descriptor
Shop Rite liquor store shows “description Package Stores” as a secondary descriptor.
Shop Rite Liquore Stores with Blue Business Plus and the 1x bonus MR AMEX Offer earns 3x at Shop Rite Liquor Store.
Also, another side note, I set my airline as Delta and bought 2x $50 Delta eGift cards. Transactions posted on 10/12 and still have not received reimbursement. Those transactions show up as “Delta Cstar Gftcd” dba “Delta Airlines GC”. Those did not get a 3x multiplier either and were bought on the Delta website.
Man this is getting complicated.
Shop Rite liquor store shows no modifier.
Both are coded as “Merchandise & Supplies: Groceries”
Shop Rite has no seconday descriptor
Shop Rite liquor store shows “description Package Stores” as a secondary descriptor.
Shop Rite Liquore Stores with Blue Business Plus and the 1x bonus MR AMEX Offer earns 3x at Shop Rite Liquor Store.
Also, another side note, I set my airline as Delta and bought 2x $50 Delta eGift cards. Transactions posted on 10/12 and still have not received reimbursement. Those transactions show up as “Delta Cstar Gftcd” dba “Delta Airlines GC”. Those did not get a 3x multiplier either and were bought on the Delta website.
Man this is getting complicated.
Oct 17, 2018, 5:05 pm
#655
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
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...l-only-34.html
Last edited by mia; Oct 17, 2018 at 5:27 pm Reason: Trim quotation
Oct 17, 2018, 5:26 pm
#656
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,958
Oct 17, 2018, 5:41 pm
#657
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,762
You may be on to something, but I think it's more complicated.
I frequently visit a restaurant that is mis-classified as Category: Merchandise & Supplies - Groceries. It should earn bonus points with Everyday or Gold, but it has consistently earned only one point per dollar. They use Square as their payment processor, and the Description field is simply missing from the American Express transaction records. Perhaps "a" problem with some processors is that the MCC information is incomplete?
However, if you scroll back to post 610 you can see that both of the examples posted by PHLondon do include the Description field, suggesting that there may be more than one issue.
I frequently visit a restaurant that is mis-classified as Category: Merchandise & Supplies - Groceries. It should earn bonus points with Everyday or Gold, but it has consistently earned only one point per dollar. They use Square as their payment processor, and the Description field is simply missing from the American Express transaction records. Perhaps "a" problem with some processors is that the MCC information is incomplete?
However, if you scroll back to post 610 you can see that both of the examples posted by PHLondon do include the Description field, suggesting that there may be more than one issue.
The grocer uses regular POS that I cannot tell any difference as what Presidente uses (I am sure you know Presidente as it is from Miami). Yet Presidente earns 2x now 4x while the Broward Fish and Meat only 1x.
There are more factors to it but bottom line is, it would not stop me from shopping there, just like it would not stop you from dining at your restaurant. At least the TD cash card classified it is a grocery store and earns 2x. Good enough to me.
Oct 17, 2018, 6:46 pm
#658
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 20
Uhh...not seeing bonus categories on many of my restaurant purchases. Going to wait and let Amex figure it out. Wonder if this annoyance is gonna make people go back to CSP or CSR.
Oct 17, 2018, 6:58 pm
#659
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,224
Can't even get the 4x on restaurants as I still have not gotten the card...
Oct 17, 2018, 7:02 pm
#660
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: EWR
Programs: World of Hyatt, Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors, UA Mileage Plus
Posts: 1,255