Old Jan 8, 14, 2:22 pm
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: TheDapperDon
Bonus category spending is now capped at $50k per year for new accounts. For now, this does not apply to existing cardholders, although Amex may continue to close accounts for excessive spend in bonus categories. This card is less viable as an MS instrument. Consider factors that may have led to these closures when sharing personal experiences.

Oct 22, 2014 onwards: Many people getting cancellation email from Amex. As of Dec 13, 2014, shutdown reports continue. Shutdowns appear to be triggered by spending on the card or upon statement closure, but not always

Some who have been shutdown are reporting back that AMEX is declining new non-OBC card applications due to "unsatisfactory relationship". (However, see here for an example where reconsideration was successful.) It is unclear at this time the length/extent of this Adverse Action/Ban.

Others have succeeded in getting new cards, including new OBCs, but consider your relationship with Amex and how much you value that and this card when deciding how to use it.

There might be some impact with other issuers. If AMEX sends you a cancellation it goes on your record as a cancellation by AMEX, not a cancellation by cardholder. While FICO score does not distinguish between closed by issuer and closed by cardholder, on manual review it may raise questions. However, issuers close cards for benign reasons as well (such as non-use) so unless several cards have been closed it probably won't cause a rejection by itself.

So, if you still feel it is worth it:
Application Link: Copy & paste the following link into a incognito window in Chrome or InPrivate Browsing in IE, Private Session in Firefox. There have been reports of people who got the card in the last couple of months getting shut down because of the rush to spend the initial $6,500.

Do NOT post "Link isn't working" until you have tried it incognito/private browsing and it fails there.

Code:
https://www304.americanexpress.com/credit-card/blue-cash/25330


Up to 5% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations & select U.S. drugstores (Everyday Purchases). Up to 1% Cash Back on other purchases. For your first $6,500¹ spend in a reward year², you will earn 1% on Everyday Purchases³ (5% after 6500), and 0.5% on other purchases (then 1%).

0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months.

Eligible purchases do NOT include fees or interest charges, balance transfers, cash advances, purchases of travelers checks, purchases or reloading of prepaid cards, or purchases of other cash equivalents. Additional terms and restrictions apply. (Presume these T&Cs are standard and that all credit cards state this)

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯
¹ First '$6,500' is spend on all purchases.

² 'Reward year' is the 12 billing periods in a row beginning with the one in which the anniversary of your Card Account occurs.

³ 'everyday purchases' refers to U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations & select U.S. drugstores, not all purchases.

* Read the fine print for 'gas' purchases! Right from AMEX T&C's:
...Everyday Purchases are: ... $400 or less of gasoline at gas stations located in the U.S. (superstores, supermarkets and warehouse clubs that sell gasoline are not considered gas stations)... A >$400 purchase at a gas station will get 5% for the first $400 and 1% thereafter. E.g., for something, say, $503.95, you would earn $21.04 CB [($400*5%)+(103.95*1%)].

5% kicks in immediately after hitting $6500.(mid-statement). In fact, it will even kick in mid-purchase and a portion of the purchase will credit at the higher rate.

* Reward dollars for the previous statement period show up a day or two after the current statement period closes.

* Most cash back redemptions will be applied to your statement within 2–3 days.

* Helpful post regarding moving CL between cards. Thanks lad2

* How to Visually Distinguish the Three Types of Blue Cash Cards:
Blue Cash (old) has a "<" character to the left of the word CASH
Blue Cash Everyday has a circle to the right of the word CASH, with the "Everyday" wording at the back.
Blue Cash Preferred has the word PREFERRED printed vertically on the extreme left side.

If you get the error message "You cannot be logged in. Please contact the number on the back of your card." when trying to redeem Reward Dollars online, it may be because you have too many closed accounts still showing in your scrolling images of cards. Delete the closed ones, then try to redeem again.
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Old Amex Blue (2013-2014)

Old Mar 26, 14, 11:32 am
  #1516  
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Sweet Home Chicago
Programs: Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 638
My closing date is also 3/27. Opened in mid-Jan.
MDWCommuter is offline  
Old Mar 26, 14, 11:34 am
  #1517  
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Programs: Hyatt Globalist No More..., Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond, SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 4,374
So I guess the bigger question is, is anybody's closing date NOT 3/27?? LOL
cdancer20 is offline  
Old Mar 26, 14, 11:35 am
  #1518  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,944
Originally Posted by MDWCommuter
My closing date is also 3/27. Opened in mid-Jan.
My date too, opened end of Dec. So, this is the day they run the rule

If there are more than 3 purchases greater than $450 at a drug store in this cycle, set FR flag to true
silver6054 is offline  
Old Mar 26, 14, 11:40 am
  #1519  
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: AZ
Programs: AA, UA, US
Posts: 525
Originally Posted by cdancer20
So I guess the bigger question is, is anybody's closing date NOT 3/27?? LOL
mine is not
oohaahouch is offline  
Old Mar 26, 14, 11:44 am
  #1520  
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 58
Originally Posted by cdancer20
So I guess the bigger question is, is anybody's closing date NOT 3/27?? LOL
My statement closing date is on the 7th of every month.

Been a cardholder for over a decade.
IBJanky is offline  
Old Mar 26, 14, 11:57 am
  #1521  
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Chicago
Programs: AA, BA, CX, DL, EK, F9, GA, HA, IB, JL, KE, LH, MH, NH, OS, PG, QR, RJ, SA, TG, UA, VN, WN, ZH
Posts: 927
Originally Posted by oohaahouch
correct, no change in CL ^
Congrats! And thanks for all the updates.
lad2 is offline  
Old Mar 26, 14, 11:57 am
  #1522  
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 920
Mar 27th. Applied late Dec.
hitman1420 is offline  
Old Mar 26, 14, 12:00 pm
  #1523  
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: New Jersey
Programs: Delta P, SPG G, Marriott S, Hertz PC
Posts: 1,007
14th,
maksimfa is offline  
Old Mar 26, 14, 12:04 pm
  #1524  
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Programs: AA Gold
Posts: 190
Originally Posted by oohaahouch
correct, no change in CL ^
Congrats; it's good to get it over with earlier. But like Swintec stated, it does not mean smooth sailing from now on.

So far, it has been only "soft" FRs with no real AA. The real dig and drill wave is yet to come. Or it could be that Amex FR Team has become Mr. Nice and Easy Man all of a sudden.
Henry II is offline  
Old Mar 26, 14, 12:12 pm
  #1525  
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Programs: AA, SPG, MR, UR, Cash Back!
Posts: 606
statement closing date 3/27. lol

edit: who do I contact about rewards? I made 3 pharmacy transactions in the month of January, and only one charge was rewarded with cash back.

1 was a legimate purchase, 2 were for beans. one bean purchase was rewarded while the other 2 show nothing. it was in my january billing cycle.

Last edited by Fuerza; Mar 26, 14 at 12:19 pm
Fuerza is offline  
Old Mar 26, 14, 12:31 pm
  #1526  
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: AZ
Programs: AA, UA, US
Posts: 525
Originally Posted by Henry II
Congrats; it's good to get it over with earlier. But like Swintec stated, it does not mean smooth sailing from now on.

So far, it has been only "soft" FRs with no real AA. The real dig and drill wave is yet to come. Or it could be that Amex FR Team has become Mr. Nice and Easy Man all of a sudden.
What is AA?
oohaahouch is offline  
Old Mar 26, 14, 12:39 pm
  #1527  
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Programs: Marriott Platinum
Posts: 267
Originally Posted by oohaahouch
What is AA?
adverse action
the_jaguar is offline  
Old Mar 26, 14, 12:41 pm
  #1528  
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: JFK
Programs: *$ Gold :)
Posts: 1,061
Originally Posted by lad2
Congrats! And thanks for all the updates.
+1
pier11 is offline  
Old Mar 26, 14, 2:33 pm
  #1529  
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: PVD/BOS
Posts: 879
Originally Posted by Fuerza
statement closing date 3/27. lol

edit: who do I contact about rewards? I made 3 pharmacy transactions in the month of January, and only one charge was rewarded with cash back.

1 was a legimate purchase, 2 were for beans. one bean purchase was rewarded while the other 2 show nothing. it was in my january billing cycle.
Rule #1 of MS - you don't contact anyone.
ashap is offline  
Old Mar 26, 14, 2:41 pm
  #1530  
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: AZ
Programs: AA, UA, US
Posts: 525
Originally Posted by Fuerza
statement closing date 3/27. lol

edit: who do I contact about rewards? I made 3 pharmacy transactions in the month of January, and only one charge was rewarded with cash back.

1 was a legimate purchase, 2 were for beans. one bean purchase was rewarded while the other 2 show nothing. it was in my january billing cycle.
any difference in the 2 purchases i.e. just VR or VR+ something?
oohaahouch is offline  

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