Earlier this year American Express announced plans to refresh up to 40 cards globally this year. In May there was a rumor that American Express would be increasing the annual fee on the Gold card to $325 ($75 increase). During the Q2 earnings called CEO Stephen Squeri stated that “…we look forward to announcing our refreshed U.S. Consumer Gold Card in the coming weeks”. I suspect a few things out of this refresh:
- Limited time white gold card (this was leaked already on the American Express production server)
- Annual fee increase (almost all refreshes have included a fee increase)
- Introduction of resy credits (Squeri mentioned the growth of resy alongside his comments regarding this card)
Some additional rumors can be found here, they include:
- $50 semi annual Resy credit
- $7 monthly Dunkin donuts credit
- Restaurants 4x limited to $50,000 per year
- Removing milk bar and shake shack from the food credit but adding 5 guys
contrary to other people I actually find this refresh a clear net positive. I will easily use up the $50 resy credit, so it’s a net $25 annual fee for Dunks credit. I live in the northeast so it’s pretty easy to use it up.
a few resy restaurants in my area that aren’t $$$$.
dunkin credit is trash. $10 dining credit is trash.
Hopefully they’ll increase the Corporate Advantage discount to match. The current structure is the only reason the card makes sense in our household. The increases and changes do’t make sense at all.
Anyone knows what happens to everyone who just had their annual fee? Do they switch everyone to the new benefits right away or they switch them slowly once you pay the renew with the new annual fee?
Likely the new credits and benefits will apply to all current and new cards, as it has in the past.
Right away.
Benefits right away and your next renewal you will have to pay the higher fee.
With increasing fees and bad incentives, Amex belongs in my pop-up jail.
Too soon to tell if this will count as a “new product” for lifetime purposes?
It won’t.
For several years I’ve been trying to figure if I’m beating the fees with the Gold with the point multipliers and using the various credits. I think I’m heading towards dropping this card after this cycle. I have the Blue Business Plus and without the fee it is probably a better deal.
I did it my first year with 100K on referrals but this year I couldnt refer a single one. With these changes that would be even worse.
I was going to drop it but got a 15K retention, so good for one more year
WTF …..if the Dunkin Donuts credit is the reason for the $75 AF, that is BS. The Resy thing is absolutely useless to me. I don’t care the Shake Shack thing since I use it for Grubhub. Good thing my AF come ups tomorrow to lock in the $250 AF for 1 more year but after next year, I will probably drop this card.
Our shake shack is within walking distance, but we don’t care their burgers.
Now FIVE GUYS. We need to drive 20 minutes to get there, and I think that’s even more overpriced mediocre burger chain.
P2 still has the Gold, but she’s getting tired of tracking the coupon book. This is going to be a good chance to drop it.
Tell me how you got your P2 to mind the coupons
I’ll keep it one more year if I can pay one more at $250. If that Dunkin’ Donuts isn’t a joke, it’s the last insult.
Take some Folgers, hot water, add a few cigarette butts and 15 tablespoons of sugar and you get Dunkin coffee