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)
#931
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Raleigh, NC
Posts: 203
I asked to switch mine from BCP to BC and they only offered the BCE. So my wife got a BC on her own. I am AU. Certainly worth the hard pull and we did several other apps around the same time. We have had the BCP (converted from BC) for about 10 years. My new Hilton Surpass shows the 2004 membership year. My wife's BC shows 2014, but she was only AU on my BC/BCP and hasn't had her own Amex.

#932
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: JFK
Programs: *$ Gold :)
Posts: 1,061
Do you see your purchases' detalization (what exactly you bought) in your posted transactions if go to Statements&Activity->Recent Activity and open details of posted transaction?
Last edited by pier11; Feb 21, 14 at 10:27 am

#933
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 502
They dont even need level 3 data. There is enough neck beards out there who will voluntarily give the info to AmEx and they can easily draw conclusions going forward about others.

#934
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Los Angles
Posts: 2,101
Just a friendly warning to the community. After paying off early and then charging 2x (almost all GCs) of our CL on our second statement (after charging about 50 percent of it on our first statement), we received a professional and firm phone call from AMEX inquiring why we were buying so many GCs and informing us CLs are set for a reason and we are not to exceed it in a 30-day period, even though we were paying it off before the statement closed.
I appreciated the AMEX representative explaining and setting the ground rules. We'll gladly abide. So, while I'm all for testing limits, for us I now know the credit limit is indeed the monthly limit, and I suspect for most everyone else it will be the same. Hope this data point helps.
I appreciated the AMEX representative explaining and setting the ground rules. We'll gladly abide. So, while I'm all for testing limits, for us I now know the credit limit is indeed the monthly limit, and I suspect for most everyone else it will be the same. Hope this data point helps.

#937
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Programs: US/AA, UA, AS, BA, IHG, HGP
Posts: 221
Show's up as gas when you look at the detail, but wholesale and grocery store gas stations are explicitly excluded in the T&C if I remember correctly. I'll be checking my cashback to see what it qualifies as when it posts at the end of this month.

#938
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 486
I tried to switch one of my Blue Amex cards over to the old blue.
Amex would do it but I would have an annual fee attached. I sidestepped as I will not pay an annual fee as I can't MS enough to cover it.
I seem to get the strictest AMEX criteria applied. I have been with them since 2004 but can't seem to get a break.
OK, so here's a question:
IF I applied for this card, causing a hard inquiry, would I at least benefit from the AMEX policy of assigning your oldest seniority account date to the new one? If so, that would really help with my account aging portion of the credit score. Any thoughts?
My credit report card, from "Wise Piggy", says I get A+ for payments, right kind of credit, but a C in credit age.
Amex would do it but I would have an annual fee attached. I sidestepped as I will not pay an annual fee as I can't MS enough to cover it.
I seem to get the strictest AMEX criteria applied. I have been with them since 2004 but can't seem to get a break.
OK, so here's a question:
IF I applied for this card, causing a hard inquiry, would I at least benefit from the AMEX policy of assigning your oldest seniority account date to the new one? If so, that would really help with my account aging portion of the credit score. Any thoughts?
My credit report card, from "Wise Piggy", says I get A+ for payments, right kind of credit, but a C in credit age.

#939
Join Date: Feb 2006
Programs: HH Gold (again), US/UA/DL non-elite, ZE Presidents Circle, WN reluctant no fee convert.
Posts: 1,449

Yes, the discussions have been numerous. Most don't know what I am talking about (old Blue). I did finally get a gal who did and she said I could not upgrade my BC to that. I could upgrade to BCP but the fee would come with it. If I wanted to apply for something else Blue that might benefit me, I would have a new hard inquiry.

#940
Join Date: Feb 2006
Programs: HH Gold (again), US/UA/DL non-elite, ZE Presidents Circle, WN reluctant no fee convert.
Posts: 1,449
And, that card is: my AMEX Preferred Gold. But, I can't spend quick enough for those MRs. Not when I need WN so badly.
You ACTUALLY spend enough to get $75k in profit per year? That is astounding! ^

#943
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 486
Yes, exactly. My point was that if you don't want to do a large amount of MS, this isn't a great card.
$75 profit on this card would hit at $8,850 spend ($6,500*0.01=$65, $2,350*0.05=$117.5, fees for 18 gift cards=$107.1).
Compare that to the BCP where you can get $453 for the same spend ($6000*0.05 + $2350*0.01 + $100 signup -$75 annual fee-$107.1 gift card fees).
For less spend, the differences will be even greater (above a certain point) because a greater percentage of BCP will be at 5% and a lower percentage of the Old Blue Cash will be at 5%. So if your comfort level is, say, one $500 gc/month then you are much better off with the BCP.
$75 profit on this card would hit at $8,850 spend ($6,500*0.01=$65, $2,350*0.05=$117.5, fees for 18 gift cards=$107.1).
Compare that to the BCP where you can get $453 for the same spend ($6000*0.05 + $2350*0.01 + $100 signup -$75 annual fee-$107.1 gift card fees).
For less spend, the differences will be even greater (above a certain point) because a greater percentage of BCP will be at 5% and a lower percentage of the Old Blue Cash will be at 5%. So if your comfort level is, say, one $500 gc/month then you are much better off with the BCP.

#944
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 721
I coulda sworn there was another thread talking about MSing the 1.5% Cap1 at 1500/mo, seems to scale to $18000/yr, anyway 75 / (1500 * (.050 - 0.015)) pays off 75 in 1.4 months oh well...

#945
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 252
Regarding the use of the Rewards Dollars, I just went and redeemed a part of mine. But they don't apply until the next statement.
So basically, you have to wait one extra statement for the RD to post, and then another statement after you use them to deduct from your balance. That is 2 statements in waiting mode. I was aware of the 1 month wait for earning them. But not the one month wait for using them.
This basically makes it hard to keep your Amex CC interest free and using the RD for statement credits. Right now, my BC has a 0% APR, so I am ok just paying the minimum payment, and wait for the RD to deduct from the balance. But after the introductory APR is over, it will get tricky.
What are your best practices to avoid pitfalls in using the RD for balance statements?
So basically, you have to wait one extra statement for the RD to post, and then another statement after you use them to deduct from your balance. That is 2 statements in waiting mode. I was aware of the 1 month wait for earning them. But not the one month wait for using them.
This basically makes it hard to keep your Amex CC interest free and using the RD for statement credits. Right now, my BC has a 0% APR, so I am ok just paying the minimum payment, and wait for the RD to deduct from the balance. But after the introductory APR is over, it will get tricky.
What are your best practices to avoid pitfalls in using the RD for balance statements?
