Jan 26, 2016, 7:19 pm
Last edit by: ChrisFlyer66
This thread includes all posts for 2016 onwards. The previous 2013- 2014 megathread is here. The 2015 thread is here.
This card is no longer available to new applicants!
Bonus category spending is now capped at $50,000 per year.
Oct 22, 2014 onwards: Many people getting cancellation email from Amex.
Amex may continue to close accounts for excessive spend in bonus categories. 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.
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.
Excessive MS on this card may sever your ties with Amex. Consider factors that may have led to these closures when sharing personal experiences.
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 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)
¹ First '$6,500' is spend on all purchases.
³ 'everyday purchases' refers to U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations & select U.S. drugstores, not all purchases.
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.
This card is no longer available to new applicants!
Bonus category spending is now capped at $50,000 per year.
Oct 22, 2014 onwards: Many people getting cancellation email from Amex.
Amex may continue to close accounts for excessive spend in bonus categories. 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.
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.
Excessive MS on this card may sever your ties with Amex. Consider factors that may have led to these closures when sharing personal experiences.
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 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)
¹ First '$6,500' is spend on all purchases.
³ 'everyday purchases' refers to U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations & select U.S. drugstores, not all purchases.
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 (2016 onwards)[not taking new applications]
Mar 16, 2016, 5:44 pm
#107
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 50
Yup. I got a check for $36 from an account that Amex closed in late '14. I have no idea why. The letter says for 'the value of Reward Dollars that , due to a technical error, we were unable to apply to your account when you earned them'.
In actuality -- they owe me $400 worth of Reward Dollars (1 month worth of spending -- I was able to redeem the 2nd month's worth) that were stranded when they closed my account. No mention of those -- even after a complaint to the CFPB.
In actuality -- they owe me $400 worth of Reward Dollars (1 month worth of spending -- I was able to redeem the 2nd month's worth) that were stranded when they closed my account. No mention of those -- even after a complaint to the CFPB.
Mar 23, 2016, 9:55 am
#110
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 714
The four cc limit per person must be random or this app somehow bypasses it. I was just approved for the Obc this morning and already have a Starwood personal, Starwood business, Hilton and Edp. Decided to apply for the Starwood business for dh and it was rejected. "Unfortunately, we cannot approve your application at this time. According to our records, you currently have the maximum number and type of American Express Card accounts that we allow." He has Hilton, Edp, Obc and Bcp. Guess he'll be letting Hilton go.
Mar 26, 2016, 7:46 am
#111
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 50
Do Serve Loads count towards initial $6500?
I linked my OBC to my Serve VIP and was planning to 'use up' the first $6500 of spending on Serve loads before using the card for 5% spending. I know that I won't get any RDs for Serve loads -- but will this trick get me to the $6500 limit? Re-reading the Amex terms -- I'm starting to have my doubts.
Has anyone tried this?
Has anyone tried this?
Mar 26, 2016, 3:32 pm
#112
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 1,112
I linked my OBC to my Serve VIP and was planning to 'use up' the first $6500 of spending on Serve loads before using the card for 5% spending. I know that I won't get any RDs for Serve loads -- but will this trick get me to the $6500 limit? Re-reading the Amex terms -- I'm starting to have my doubts.
Has anyone tried this?
Has anyone tried this?
Mar 26, 2016, 7:12 pm
#113
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: California
Posts: 264
The rewards shown on my January statement are weird; "Total Qualified Spend This Reward Year" shows the same number as my December statement (the total is under $50k; and I did get rewards, they're just not shown in this total). And I thought my new reward year started with the purchases on my December statement (card anniversary in November), so I should get 1% until I reach $6500, but the statement shows 5%.
My theory is that they had a software glitch a couple months ago that gave some people wrong reward amounts, and the long delay for rewards to post last month was just to give them time to fix the bug and adjust the wrong reward amounts. Now that the bug is fixed, the rewards are back to posting a few days after the statement.
Mar 28, 2016, 9:47 am
#114
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 825
The four cc limit per person must be random or this app somehow bypasses it. I was just approved for the Obc this morning and already have a Starwood personal, Starwood business, Hilton and Edp. Decided to apply for the Starwood business for dh and it was rejected. "Unfortunately, we cannot approve your application at this time. According to our records, you currently have the maximum number and type of American Express Card accounts that we allow." He has Hilton, Edp, Obc and Bcp. Guess he'll be letting Hilton go.
Mar 31, 2016, 9:32 am
#115
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Salt Lake City, UT
Programs: AAdvantage Platinum, DL Diamond 1MM, Hyatt Platinum, SPG Gold, Hilton Diamond, AMEX 2015 Centurion
Posts: 323
This is incorrect...the 4 "lending card" limit includes both personal AND business. There is no specified limit on charge cards. I tried applying for a biz SPG card (while having 4 personal lending cards) and app got cancelled because of limit. I received a call from a rep a day later and offered to close one of my personal cards to get an approval on the biz card.
As far as the OP going over the limit...looks like he lucked out. He's not the first person I've heard of that was able to do this...I'm guessing the OP has an account that was opened before the cap was instituted which allowed him to attain more than 4 cards.
As far as the OP going over the limit...looks like he lucked out. He's not the first person I've heard of that was able to do this...I'm guessing the OP has an account that was opened before the cap was instituted which allowed him to attain more than 4 cards.
Apr 1, 2016, 8:48 am
#116
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 133
Oops
I have a dilemna. According to the wiki and my experience on my first card, this card was supposed to be zero interest for the first 15 months. Just noticed my husband's card has been getting sizeable interest charges on it for the first six months of this card. Should I call and alert them to my many large grocery purchases or eat the $800 dollars or so?
Apr 1, 2016, 9:33 am
#119
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 285