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.
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 $6,500ą spend in a reward year˛, you will earn 1% on Everyday Purchasesł (5% after 6500⁴), 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)
⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯
ą First '$6,500' is spend on all purchases.
˛ 'Reward year' is the 12 billing periods in a row beginning with the one in which the anniversary of your Card Account occurs.
ł '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%)].
⁴ 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.
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 $6,500ą spend in a reward year˛, you will earn 1% on Everyday Purchasesł (5% after 6500⁴), 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)
⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯
ą First '$6,500' is spend on all purchases.
˛ 'Reward year' is the 12 billing periods in a row beginning with the one in which the anniversary of your Card Account occurs.
ł '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%)].
⁴ 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.
Old Amex Blue (2013-2014)
#3331
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 72
Hey guys, I already have the Blue Cash Everyday (the new one). If I apply for the old, would having the "new card" impact my application?
Sorry 300 pages is tough to look for an answer to this question
Sorry 300 pages is tough to look for an answer to this question
#3332
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,750
You will still get the Blue Cash but you will not get the 5x according to data points posted in the thread's history.
#3335
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 920
Yea, amex shouldn't have that problem...
Perhaps Happy is mixing this up with Wells Fargo's rule of not getting 5x if you've had a cc in the past with them.
Perhaps Happy is mixing this up with Wells Fargo's rule of not getting 5x if you've had a cc in the past with them.
#3336
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,944
Right. Whether you can PC to the card from BCP or BCE seems to vary (with most people not succeeding, but some do) but once you have the card, you get the 5%
#3337
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 3,688
before you do that, try calling first and depending on the rep, you can do PC from BCP to OB and immediately get 5% CB as long as you've spent $6.5k on your BCP. Just do a HUCA till you get the "right" CSR I had to call 3 times before I found one who said I can do PC from BCE and that time I already had $11K charged to the account so transition was immediate and I got 5% CB from GCs I bought at WAG that statement cycle. I can confirm, it is possible to do PC from BCE to OB depending on the CSR you talk to.
#3338
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: NYC
Programs: SPG, Hyatt, HH, MR, Emirates
Posts: 48
Don't worry about it. I had the same thing happen about 3 months ago. Never got the letter. Tried reallocating credit again recently, and it worked just perfect.
I say try again after a few months. The account you are transferring credit from needs to have been open for at least 12 months, I believe.
I say try again after a few months. The account you are transferring credit from needs to have been open for at least 12 months, I believe.
Thank you.
How about to do the Cl increase on blue cash? How long do I have to wait?
#3339
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,944
before you do that, try calling first and depending on the rep, you can do PC from BCP to OB and immediately get 5% CB as long as you've spent $6.5k on your BCP. Just do a HUCA till you get the "right" CSR I had to call 3 times before I found one who said I can do PC from BCE and that time I already had $11K charged to the account so transition was immediate and I got 5% CB from GCs I bought at WAG that statement cycle. I can confirm, it is possible to do PC from BCE to OB depending on the CSR you talk to.
#3340
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 3,688
before you do that, try calling first and depending on the rep, you can do PC from BCP to OB and immediately get 5% CB as long as you've spent $6.5k on your BCP. Just do a HUCA till you get the "right" CSR I had to call 3 times before I found one who said I can do PC from BCE and that time I already had $11K charged to the account so transition was immediate and I got 5% CB from GCs I bought at WAG that statement cycle. I can confirm, it is possible to do PC from BCE to OB depending on the CSR you talk to.
agharaibeh, since you didn't mention how long you've had your BCE, I cannot guarantee you'll be approved to do a PC to OB whether or not you have met the min spend of $6.5K but it's worth asking because of the huge CB you'll be getting once you're approved for PC. in my case, my CL from BCE was carried over to my new OB account and they gave me an add'l $5K CL. I can't ask for more.
#3341
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: LAX, SNA
Posts: 359
Has anyone used their Amex card to MS outside of their home area and had significant issues? I've never received a fraud alert on my Amex Blue before and would like to avoid it if possible. However, I will be traveling a lot this month and would not like to miss out on the opportunity to MS.
#3342
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,944
Has anyone used their Amex card to MS outside of their home area and had significant issues? I've never received a fraud alert on my Amex Blue before and would like to avoid it if possible. However, I will be traveling a lot this month and would not like to miss out on the opportunity to MS.
A month or so later, I returned to the same WF, and this time no fraud alert.
#3343
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,750
That is good to know. My understanding is, nobody could PC from SPG card since Dec. But it seems from AMEX own cards, the PC process still seems feasible.
#3344
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,750
Only if you could PC it. The success of PC seems to depend on the AMEX policy at the time.
#3345
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: CVG
Programs: Hyatt Giraffe
Posts: 1,664
Has anyone used their Amex card to MS outside of their home area and had significant issues? I've never received a fraud alert on my Amex Blue before and would like to avoid it if possible. However, I will be traveling a lot this month and would not like to miss out on the opportunity to MS.
Well, it certainly didn't work for me. Called Amex, got prompt, talked to agent who said, no worries. Then nothing like going to an unknown CVS and getting the 3rd degree ($5K purchase), finally checking out, and fraud alert. Have to go out to parking lot and recall Amex and they removed the hold.
30 minutes later, had my cards. But... kicker is I must have found one of the original stores that were taken over, but the CC machine was never updated I suppose - billed as Revco... /wave 5%