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.
Dec 11, 2018, 9:21 am
#1006
Join Date: May 2017
Location: USA
Posts: 207
My question was just to see if I should even bother with the last few grand if it won't even count for 2018 and just eats into the 2019 cap.
Dec 11, 2018, 4:01 pm
#1007
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: SFO/TPE
Programs: UA GS slavery, *A Gold, Marriott/SPG Gold, Hilton Gold, Hertz Pres Circle
Posts: 281
DP since my first full October statement closed (a few days ago) and I used the card primarily for restaurants (didn't even attempt to use the card for restaurants in Italy) - MOST of the charges were shown as 4X
The exceptions appear to be (and I believe these would code as 3x on the CSR):
The exceptions appear to be (and I believe these would code as 3x on the CSR):
- Breweries
- Cafes / Coffee Shops
- Restaurants that use Square
- Restaurants that use Toast
Dec 11, 2018, 4:21 pm
#1008
Join Date: Jun 1999
Location: NYC/LA
Programs: DL Plat, AA Plat Pro, Marriott Titanium, IHG Diamond Amb
Posts: 7,481
Other cards I’ve had with dining bonus categories (CSR, the BofA Premium Rewards) never had any issues with Square or Toast/TST, unless the merchant account really was not categoried as a restaurant.
Now that as of next month, with my BofA Platinum Honors designation, I’ll be able to get 5.25% cash back on the BofA Cash Rewards Card on the first $2,500 of dining each quarter, I think that will replace my AMEX Gold next year after my current cardmember year is up.
Dec 12, 2018, 2:57 pm
#1009
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 56
Was approved Sunday night for the Gold card. Assuming it arrives by Saturday, I'd like to use it to pay for a catering order from a local restaurant for a party. However, this is a smaller, neighborhood spot that I believe uses Square to process payments, and I've read about the issue with the 4x bonus posting properly. This restaurant also takes online orders via Caviar. I believe I've read that Caviar orders have received 4x points from Amex. Should I just process the payment that way?
Dec 12, 2018, 5:05 pm
#1010
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 539
The issues with the categorization has been frustrating enough that I don’t think I’ll renew next year. I know other FTers have encouraged the rest of us with these issues to report it to AMEX, but honestly I just don’t have the time or energy to deal with it.
Other cards I’ve had with dining bonus categories (CSR, the BofA Premium Rewards) never had any issues with Square or Toast/TST, unless the merchant account really was not categoried as a restaurant.
Now that as of next month, with my BofA Platinum Honors designation, I’ll be able to get 5.25% cash back on the BofA Cash Rewards Card on the first $2,500 of dining each quarter, I think that will replace my AMEX Gold next year after my current cardmember year is up.
Dec 12, 2018, 6:06 pm
#1011
Join Date: Jun 1999
Location: NYC/LA
Programs: DL Plat, AA Plat Pro, Marriott Titanium, IHG Diamond Amb
Posts: 7,481
Starting Jan. 14, the BofA Cash Rewards card is letting people choose from a number of categories what they want the 3% category to be, one of which is dining (capped at $2,500 of 2% category and 3% category spend each quarter, of course). So with the Platinum Honors bonus, that increases to 5.25%.
Dec 12, 2018, 6:09 pm
#1012
Join Date: Dec 2018
Location: Phoenix
Programs: Hilton Diamond
Posts: 33
Was approved Sunday night for the Gold card. Assuming it arrives by Saturday, I'd like to use it to pay for a catering order from a local restaurant for a party. However, this is a smaller, neighborhood spot that I believe uses Square to process payments, and I've read about the issue with the 4x bonus posting properly. This restaurant also takes online orders via Caviar. I believe I've read that Caviar orders have received 4x points from Amex. Should I just process the payment that way?
Dec 12, 2018, 6:53 pm
#1013
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,223
Was approved Sunday night for the Gold card. Assuming it arrives by Saturday, I'd like to use it to pay for a catering order from a local restaurant for a party. However, this is a smaller, neighborhood spot that I believe uses Square to process payments, and I've read about the issue with the 4x bonus posting properly. This restaurant also takes online orders via Caviar. I believe I've read that Caviar orders have received 4x points from Amex. Should I just process the payment that way?
Dec 12, 2018, 7:51 pm
#1014
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 539
Starting Jan. 14, the BofA Cash Rewards card is letting people choose from a number of categories what they want the 3% category to be, one of which is dining (capped at $2,500 of 2% category and 3% category spend each quarter, of course). So with the Platinum Honors bonus, that increases to 5.25%.
Dec 12, 2018, 9:58 pm
#1015
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,223
UGGHH Just had bougie burgers and beers to the tune of $60 and I see the POS was a brand new handheld Toast (grand opening of bar/restaurant). Paid with AMEX Gold....gonna have to fight AMEX on this one
Dec 14, 2018, 11:01 am
#1016
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 56
Thanks for datapoints on Caviar. Based on what I've read and the replies here, I decided to place the order that way. Even better, when the offers populated for the new card, the $10 on a $40 Caviar purchase offer was there. Nice little stack with the 20% keep-the-tip credit from Amex.
Dec 14, 2018, 2:41 pm
#1017
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: San Diego, CA
Programs: GE, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 15,501
Just as a heads-up, a Jamba Juice location I went to today seems to have switched to a Toast setup. Hopefully there aren't coding or bonus posting problems for those transactions too. 
Dec 14, 2018, 10:25 pm
#1018
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,223
Used a Clover POS unit today at an actual restaurant...will report back on 4x rewards (and will be arguing with AMEX if it doesn't post correctly)
Dec 14, 2018, 10:38 pm
#1019
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: SFO
Programs: Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold, IHG Plat
Posts: 756
As much as I want to complain about the ones that aren't coding, this card has done me more good than not having it at all, mainly due to the 4X groceries that I'm trying to max out before the year end. At least, I think the situation has improved a little bit over that last month as I am seeing some places coding correctly that initially were not giving the bonus.
Dec 15, 2018, 10:15 am
#1020
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: SFO
Posts: 3,878
) on the same transaction. Received 4x and the $10 statement credit.