Amex Bonvoy Brilliant Change

[rickandcindy23]

I should stop in at a restaurant and buy a gift card or something on the first of every month. I have to see what deals are out there with $10 off your next visit within certain dates. I noticed there are a few already doing that for Christmas gifts.

This change is going to require more thinking than I usually do. Rick knows that we get 3X on Chase Sapphire Reserve for restaurants, and he automatically pulls that card out of his wallet.

 

[fizzlmasta]

I received the dining credit for this month already. Had to go back to transactions to find it. It posted on 23rd for a spend on 20th. I thought it will probably take restaurant charge after 22nd.
Also this was just a Pizza Hut delivery. So I guess fast food counts.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

Since today is the last day of September and sometimes charges for evening restaurants don't hit until the next day, I reloaded $25 to our Starbucks online account. Thanks to this thread, I almost missed it. I presume they are counting on breakage.

I am not going to like having to remember to do this every month vs. paying one $300 MF. This is a devaluation and we will downgrade or dump the card next year after we receive our 85k cert.

We have a 1% account at a credit union in which we need to jump through hoops every month. Was worth it when you couldn't get anything for a bank account. Now with 3 - 4% CDs not worth the effort.

 

[regatta333]

Check the fine print:

The Dining Credit benefit is not valid for the purchase of gift cards or merchandise, or for purchases at non-restaurant merchants including nightclubs, convenience stores, grocery stores, or supermarkets.

 

[dioxide45]

Check the fine print:

The Dining Credit benefit is not valid for the purchase of gift cards or merchandise, or for purchases at non-restaurant merchants including nightclubs, convenience stores, grocery stores, or supermarkets.

In many cases, the card issuer won't know that a gift card purchased at a restaurant is a gift card. They just see it as a regular restaurant charge. They may be trying to ward off issues of people buying gift cards at places like Walmart and Lowes for restaurants.

 

[grrrah]

Yup, they specifically mentioned when I applied for the Bevy that gift cards etc. don't count towards rewards, but I guess it depends on how the restaurant will show the purchase to AMEX if its as a regular purchase vs. giftcards.

I guess I could just use it at every restaurant, but of course I haven't started doing that quite yet. I have to get into that habit. Old habits die hard.

That's exactly what they want you to do instead of bulk charges during, and to stop using their competitor's cards at restaurants.

 

[rickandcindy23]

Yup, they specifically mentioned when I applied for the Bevy that gift cards etc. don't count towards rewards, but I guess it depends on how the restaurant will show the purchase to AMEX if its as a regular purchase vs. giftcards.


That's exactly what they want you to do instead of bulk charges during, and to stop using their competitor's cards at restaurants.

And I am happy to buy at the restaurants we frequent.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

Unless they changed the coding, we've had restaurant credits for Starbuck reloads in the past.

 

[godslaf]

Can confirm: On 9/28, bought a $10 gift card at a restaurant and today 10/1, received a credit for 7.10 (had already spent $17.90 at another restaurant earlier this week, received that credit also).

 

[jabberwocky]

Can anyone remind me whether the Annual fee is charged on the first day of your renewal period or at the end?

My card anniversary date is Dec 26. Given the new fee doesn’t kick in until January 1st it might make sense to keep the card for a year with the new benefits. But if the fee gets charged on the first closing date after the anniversary I’d have to pay the higher fee.

 

[daviator]

Can anyone remind me whether the Annual fee is charged on the first day of your renewal period or at the end?

My card anniversary date is Dec 26. Given the new fee doesn’t kick in until January 1st it might make sense to keep the card for a year with the new benefits. But if the fee gets charged on the first closing date after the anniversary I’d have to pay the higher fee.

The annual fee comes at the beginning of the renewal period.

 

[fizzlmasta]

What would be the multiple for points for hotel spend or MF with this new bump to Platinum status.

 

[dioxide45]

What would be the multiple for points for hotel spend or MF with this new bump to Platinum status.

Your Bonvoy status does not change the number of points you earn from Credit Card spend multipliers.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

Thanks all for letting me know the credit started in September. I was able to load $25 onto our Starbucks account on my phone on Sept 30 and the Brilliant credit came through today. Didn't need to leave the house.

The mid-Sept change to the dining credit is strange. I bet there was a lot of breakage for Sept. where people didn't realize the credit started (like me).

 

[fizzlmasta]

Your Bonvoy status does not change the number of points you earn from Credit Card spend multipliers.

Isn’t there a platinum vs good etc bonus point difference? I thought there was something to it. Like 6x but then 10 from bonvoy and bonus for elite status etc.

 

[fizzlmasta]

Your Bonvoy status does not change the number of points you earn from Credit Card spend multipliers.

This is what I was looking for

“All Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program members earn an additional 10X points on Marriott purchases on top of their credit card rewards rates, but with Platinum Elite status, you can add an additional 50 percent to that member rate and get 15X points on top of your card’s rate. That boosts your total rewards rate on Marriott purchases to 21X points with the Bonvoy Brilliant, versus 16X points total with the Boundless card.”

 

[tschwa2]

This is what I was looking for

“All Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program members earn an additional 10X points on Marriott purchases on top of their credit card rewards rates, but with Platinum Elite status, you can add an additional 50 percent to that member rate and get 15X points on top of your card’s rate. That boosts your total rewards rate on Marriott purchases to 21X points with the Bonvoy Brilliant, versus 16X points total with the Boundless card.”

But I don't think you get the 10X for paying MF's You only get the 6x's for the credit card. It is coded as a Marriott charge but you aren't booking through Marriott.com. It would be like spending at the restaurant (when the restaurant is operated by Marriott and not a 3rd party) but not as a part of your stay that is being charged to your room. If you were spending at marriott.com on the stays you would get the multiplier plus the 10X's plus the 6X's credit card. Chase or Amex is giving you the 6x's points for using the card with Vistana or Marriott. You are not getting the 10X's or the 10x's from Marriott for paying your MF's for the stay. You get the elite nights only and if you don't pay using the Bonvoy branded card you get no bonvoy points for MF's.

The elite multiplier would be in effect booking a paid stay through marriott.com.

 

[fizzlmasta]

But I don't think you get the 10X for paying MF's You only get the 6x's for the credit card. It is coded as a Marriott charge but you aren't booking through Marriott.com. It would be like spending at the restaurant (when the restaurant is operated by Marriott and not a 3rd party) but not as a part of your stay that is being charged to your room. If you were spending at marriott.com on the stays you would get the multiplier plus the 10X's plus the 6X's credit card. Chase or Amex is giving you the 6x's points for using the card with Vistana or Marriott. You are not getting the 10X's or the 10x's from Marriott for paying your MF's for the stay. You get the elite nights only and if you don't pay using the Bonvoy branded card you get no bonvoy points for MF's.

Ok. That makes sense. Thank you for explaining. I was just a bit confused

 

[pchung6]

I was able to “kind of” used the credit on Sep 30. Combined with the 50% off code for Uber Eats, I spent $21 on some fancy boba drinks delivered to my house. Unfortunately, only $21 was posted on Sep 30. The $4 tips didn’t post until Oct 2nd,, so $4 was counted on Oct dining quota.

 

[skibummer]

But I don't think you get the 10X for paying MF's You only get the 6x's for the credit card. It is coded as a Marriott charge but you aren't booking through Marriott.com. It would be like spending at the restaurant (when the restaurant is operated by Marriott and not a 3rd party) but not as a part of your stay that is being charged to your room. If you were spending at marriott.com on the stays you would get the multiplier plus the 10X's plus the 6X's credit card. Chase or Amex is giving you the 6x's points for using the card with Vistana or Marriott. You are not getting the 10X's or the 10x's from Marriott for paying your MF's for the stay. You get the elite nights only and if you don't pay using the Bonvoy branded card you get no bonvoy points for MF's.

The elite multiplier would be in effect booking a paid stay through marriott.com.

You are correct. Paying MFs get the 6X points, only charges while staying as a registered guest earn the 10X. If you aren’t staying at a hotel and just go to one and use the restaurant on property you will get 6X, not 10X. If you are a guest and bill to room you will get 10X on the restaurant charges and the hotel charges.

 

[skibummer]

The annual fee comes at the beginning of the renewal period.

You can cancel the card and receive a full refund/credit of the annual fee if you cancel within 30 days of the statement date with the annual fee charged. If you go past 30 days you get no refund. Amex use to prorate the annual fee, but stopped that several years ago. Example: If your annual fee shows up on your Dec 17 statement you have 30 days from Dec 17 to cancel the card and get a full refund of the annual fee. You still can use the benefits of the card in Jan of the next year and they don’t claw those back. That’s why it’s always good to open an Amex card in Dec as it gives you a double dip option on the first annual fee and on the last year you have the card. Great for Amex Platinum with some of the bigger credits like the $200 FH&R and the $200 airline incidental credit. Best use I have found for the Amex Platinum airline incidental credit is buying two $100 United Travel Bank credits (good for 5 years). Those don’t get coded as gift cards. Also works for the $250 Amex Hilton Aspire airline incidental credit.

 

[dioxide45]

This is what I was looking for

“All Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program members earn an additional 10X points on Marriott purchases on top of their credit card rewards rates, but with Platinum Elite status, you can add an additional 50 percent to that member rate and get 15X points on top of your card’s rate. That boosts your total rewards rate on Marriott purchases to 21X points with the Bonvoy Brilliant, versus 16X points total with the Boundless card.”

What you are referring to there are additional points from Bonvoy, not from the credit card multiplier.

 

[regatta333]

If you do not renew, do you still get the free night?

 

[rickandcindy23]

Check the fine print:

The Dining Credit benefit is not valid for the purchase of gift cards or merchandise, or for purchases at non-restaurant merchants including nightclubs, convenience stores, grocery stores, or supermarkets.

It worked for our neighborhood Longhorn Steakhouse. I already got the credit.

 

[dioxide45]

If you do not renew, do you still get the free night?

Why would they continue to give you the free night if you no longer have the card?