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 $6,500 spend in a reward year, you will earn 1% on Everyday Purchases (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)
⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯
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.
'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 23 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 $6,500 spend in a reward year, you will earn 1% on Everyday Purchases (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)
⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯
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.
'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 23 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)
#46
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,944
But a cap, withdrawal of drug store, or forced conversion to BCE are all possible outcomes...
#47
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: PHL based
Programs: USAir, UA, AA, BA, Hyatt, HHonors, SPG, Marriott, IHG
Posts: 356
Just applied and was instantly approved... this card changes the structure of the VR game a great deal.... points just became significantly cheaper for my 30k a month in spend....
#48
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 920
Data Point.
Applied in chrome incognito and approved automatically:
- 3 chase inquires and 1 TU inquiry in the past 3 months.
Although I already have an Amex account under email #1, I was asked to make a new Amex account since I used email #2 to apply (whoops!). Anybody know if this will be trouble?
Applied in chrome incognito and approved automatically:
- 3 chase inquires and 1 TU inquiry in the past 3 months.
Although I already have an Amex account under email #1, I was asked to make a new Amex account since I used email #2 to apply (whoops!). Anybody know if this will be trouble?
Last edited by hitman1420; Dec 30, 2013 at 3:14 pm
#49
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,944
It replaces the expiring Citi 5x TYP, for as long as this lasts. (Slightly worse with the initial $6,500, better because TY Points are a pain)
#50
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 809
Data Point.
Applied in chrome incognito and approved automatically:
- 3 chase inquires and 1 TU inquiry in the past 3 months.
Although I already have an Amex account, I was asked to make a new Amex account since I used another email account by accident. Anybody know if this will be trouble?
Applied in chrome incognito and approved automatically:
- 3 chase inquires and 1 TU inquiry in the past 3 months.
Although I already have an Amex account, I was asked to make a new Amex account since I used another email account by accident. Anybody know if this will be trouble?
#51
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: WI
Posts: 181
Can you possess both the current BCP and the old version of the card simultaneously?
Also, are you guys that are applying at all worried about the (seemingly high) risk of this version of the card being pulled by Amex very soon, and thereby wasting a hard pull?
I wonder what Amex will do with the old versions of the card for people who already have BCE/BCP, assuming you can currently possess both.
Also, are you guys that are applying at all worried about the (seemingly high) risk of this version of the card being pulled by Amex very soon, and thereby wasting a hard pull?
I wonder what Amex will do with the old versions of the card for people who already have BCE/BCP, assuming you can currently possess both.
#52
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,944
Can you possess both the current BCP and the old version of the card simultaneously? Yes
Also, are you guys that are applying at all worried about the (seemingly high) risk of this version of the card being pulled by Amex very soon, and thereby wasting a hard pull? Hard Pulls aren't a big deal. With backdating, AAoA increase can more than make up for it. But yes, this card may not last
I wonder what Amex will do with the old versions of the card for people who already have BCE/BCP, assuming you can currently possess both.
Also, are you guys that are applying at all worried about the (seemingly high) risk of this version of the card being pulled by Amex very soon, and thereby wasting a hard pull? Hard Pulls aren't a big deal. With backdating, AAoA increase can more than make up for it. But yes, this card may not last
I wonder what Amex will do with the old versions of the card for people who already have BCE/BCP, assuming you can currently possess both.
#53
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
#55
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 137
People who have converted their BCE to this Card. Which number did you call to get this done? Please Help.
#56
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 137
I currently have the Blue Cash Everyday. Asked for the 'Blue Cash' and explicitly mentioned the rewards structure and how it fit my needs better (that's a bit of an understatement). He didn't have to speak to a supervisor or anything. New card is on the way in the mail.
#58
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 920
IMHO, I think Amex may have put this back up by accident and will pull it down again, but will honor those who applied, thus grandfathering us in to an awesome 5%
#59
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: ORD
Posts: 700
For those that applied and received the pending message. How long did it take before you received the approval email?
TIA
TIA