lax01

Granted the GF has a CSR so we put some spend there but I didn't really have any problems using my Plat in Italy (because, why bother using the the AMEX Gold card anywhere overseas - the points are the same) in Rome, Florence, Modena or Siena over the past two weeks...

Only had problems at the Central Market in Florence and the private-taxi to FCO where I had to use my Amazon Visa...everywhere else took AMEX

Statman

I can see for miles

Did your international restaurant purchases earn 4x? Would be great if they did. According to the T&C's only U.S. restaurants are supposed to earn 4X.

rasheed

I looked up a Disneyland restaurant mobile transaction, and it looks very similar to a mobile transaction that would be done to add MaxPass for the day on the app (swapped merchant name, but same type of city/state format). My guess is that it is coding as amusement parks (7996) rather than restaurants because I did get 3% on my Synchrony Marvel (which does both restaurants and theme parks as bonus categories). Likely would apply the same on the 4% Savor too. This may be good for some people to know for bonus cards that give higher rewards in that "travel" category. Aside from the mobile app, Disney only applies the 7996 category at the front ticket booths as you saw from your other in-person use throughout the resort.

I do know parks like Universal apply the amusement park category for all stores and food locations inside the park as of a few months ago, but at Universal with AmEx, you are more about the 10% in-park discount (https://www.universalstudioshollywoo...rate-partners/) along with an interesting online ticket purchase AmEx offer.

Happy

I am talking about Sicily which is very different from mainland Italy. Several local restaurants incl one highly recommended by our B&B host for the local favour, (we met great local families dining there and had a good time), dont take any CC. Except 3 lodgings, the rest all only took Cash. Even one took CC payment, asked me to pay cash for the local taxes. This is Sicily we experienced, just fyi.

We did a 9 days driving trip in Sicily post cruise. No idea about other parts of Italy as the last time we were in mainland Italy for travel purpose not just transit, or just ports of call, was in 2017 Spring. Haven't spent anything on all ports of call this year. This time we had transit at Rome upon disembarked a 28 days cruise for an overnight at Hilton FCO. The train tickets were paid with Barclays A+. Then thanks to Italian air controllers staged a strike on our day to fly CAT to MXP our Ryanair flight and all other flights were canceled. We had to scramble to find a way to return to Mainland so not to miss our flight MXP-JFK back to US. Bought tickets on AZ website with CSR to fly CTA-FCO-TRN with CSR. Later cash for bus tickets to Turino city center, and the next day's train to Milan Centrale / MXP was paid with CSR. Not a chance to use AMEX in mainland Italy this trip.

Happy

First of all, the Gold card does not provide any advantage in bonus earning when used overseas. But as I said, it is a moot point even the limitation is annoying because AMEX is definitely less acceptable outside US.

In fact when we were in Australia, each place we went, did not display any card logo at all. But I always ask if the merchant takes CC, based on the experiences in Taiwan in the past. Sure do, they all quickly reply yes, ONLY Visa or MC.

I know in Hong Kong many here dont have issues but then again, many here dont go to the restaurants we go, being the ex Hong Kongers that we are. If your outings are limited in places in Lan Kai Fang and the like, or IFC ICC and at TST, like Ocean Terminal / Harbour City, yes, you can use AMEX virtually anywhere, though it still does not earn you any bonus because the bonus is limited to US establishments.

In reality in Hong Kong there are TONS of places, including some highly recommended places, they only take cash or Octopus.

We dont have problems in Greece, Spain, Japan and South Korea though where the last time we visited / transit was a few years ago.

We had to spend 3 days in Los Angeles because the only available AS saver seats were on the Thanksgiving day so we were like having a "forced" stopover in SoCal. A Chinese restaurant in the Little Saigon area told me they dont take AMEX (to be fair, they do not display the logo). The owner flat out said it was too expensive for them to take AMEX.

Meanwhile, an In-N-Out happily take it.

It all depends on one's spend needs - for us, Visa/MC are far more acceptable at places we go. My decision not keeping the Gold is based on US usage that the coding of bonus categories are inconsistent, not agreed with how Visa cards coded, requires the cardholders to check to make sure AMEX to post it or do the right thing to make amend - that is too much hassle to me. Not to mention the AF is hard to offset in our scenario versus the alternative, such as CSR or the no fee TD, are so much easier to earn and to use - both have a guaranteed cash value, and the CSR currency is transferrable just like membership rewards which cash value is 50% less and transfer partners are not superior, now with Aeroplan faces imminent devaluation. So for me, I dont see much incentive for me to pay the $250 fee when my year is up. Hey, there might be another targeted offer down the road, just like this one (3rd 50K bonus in 5 years all first year fee waived).. [img]data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAABAAAAAQCAIAAAC QkWg2AAACj0lEQVQokWNgQAU37r9YeXxzwcryvEWli3etvXbrK QMucPPBS6/NvsIbBeWOyOteMNQ9ZSi9XoGznd+qzuHa7Wfoqo/dviK6T0j3k47zf3fH/x72/z3t/nva/vWy+emlckSfMZdj/+kzCNVXHz4VOS5s89/W5Ji5Wru22+8Ar/8Rnv/Dnf4HKrfq6Ky20r9mz5DNeenmQ6gG0yMmxv+N9dYYiBlL6zQbi +pL+v2P9f+fIGYkpdFkIm4rq9ZnrLTHRDpflYGBgeHcvTuSNyR c/7tKecu4f/JP+J+rWWtkucnNeqeXWplhxP9Cx58h4s5yJre8mMoET129yTDz 6iLt/5oe/738/4eG/0+M+J8e/T838n9+1P/8sP/5gf+zff9nOP+PsfoSLLpYs2vzNIboQ3HChaLCuWKSZfLy5aqSB YqSBSoK5doKFTrihapi+SrSZRoipUq8MVJcXuJufcEMPpv87Uw c3l19v2LiShddl2fnnz4+86g4pijNP+3J2UfPzz/xMPRc1rvkw+337rYels1uDBMuzJB2lfn///+Vq1dDQsP/////////CRMnNjQ2QdiR0bHnzp////+/jKlyw5YJDOce32WwY7h78v7de/e8ffwhitrbO8rLKyHsoKDQ6zduPLv+jEGW4cTtmwwMDAwiHSKW ztb3rz8MCYlA0lAFYUdERt+9ftfRzYU1VRgaD1cePmbwZ1CV1i jKKsa0oaK4SkNGi8GS4eK9h4jIPnT9HIMJg5Ss7I2zt/7//z939rze7r7////fvnBLVl6RQZ1h7xWkpAFNpw+ea2bqMLAxSGvIqahqKCqpyGgqM LAzqGfqX3/wHGeavXrnyaxNS1M7cpM7c2dvXX71HnryBgB12T0ROqyNEgAAA ABJRU5ErkJggg==[/img]

Happy

No, you dont earn 4x internationally. Therefore whether the AMEX is more or less acceptable overseas is for AMEX in general, not really related to the Gold card as I mentioned that the limitation to US only is annoying but it is a moot point due to the poor acceptance we have experienced.

mia

Question about a Supermarket Offer, has been moved:

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...nc-offers.html

RedSun

Stopped by a Cheesecake Factory and ordered 3 pieces of the yummy cakes. Free is always good, kinda.... Try to max out our two Gold cards.

calmasahinducow

... is going on at Amex. I'm having the same 4x issue on restaurants that everyone else is and I called in about it. First rep annotated the wrong charges (i.e. not the ones I told him) and I got a call back saying these weren't eligible for 4x. Second rep from Membership Rewards gave me a BS answer about how not all restaurants were eligible. Seriously, what's happened to customer service there?

hkcj

Are there any data points on dining credit timing? I bought an $11 shake shack gift card in person (I'm trying to be healthy and haven't had a chance to Seamless this month...) and it hasn't been reimbursed yet. I'm wondering if it's because it's a gift card or it just takes some time.

Also, is it per calendar month or per statement month?

qisu

It's per calendar month.
For me, in October my credit posted 3 days after the grubhub charge, in November it was 2 days after the grubhub charge.

hkcj

Welp... I guess we (probably) have a data point that gift cards really don't work!

kesco

Hey there .. REAL dumb question .. what's the process you took to actually get this view? :-)

Adam

sdsearch

Not everyone gets the same user interface:

how to get earned points per transaction display?