Amex Adds New Category Perks To Cards (Temporary)

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Ideally, you get a card because the card offers bonuses for spend in specific categories. For example, you may obtain a card because it receives 5x on travel, 4x on groceries, 3x on cell phone payments, etc. However, what happens when those bonus categories aren’t as valuable?

Over the course of the past few months, consumer behavior has changed dramatically and credit cards companies have taken notice. We are now seeing card issuers “refresh” categories to encourage spending and fend off card cancelations.

Today, Amex released the details concerning new category perks on several cards.

Note: Their press release summary is confusing so I’m going to list the new perks card-by-card.

THE NEW PERKS (CARD-BY-CARD)

Here is how American Express is supporting their card members while they’re running small businesses, dining at home and shopping for their household essentials…

Amex Personal Platinum Card

Personal Platinum Card members will receive:

• Up to $320 in statement credits on select streaming and wireless telephone services purchased directly from US service providers (up to $20 per month on each) from May through December 2020.

Amex Business Platinum Card

Business Platinum Card members will receive:

• Up to $320 in statement credits on wireless telephone services purchased directly from US service providers and US purchases for shipping (up to $20 per month on each) from May through December 2020
• Up to $200 in additional statement credits for US purchases with Dell Technologies, for a total of up to $400 in statement credits in 2020 when added to the existing Shop Dell with Business Platinum benefit (note: you will receive $100 in statement credits between 1 May – 30 June 2020, and another $100 in statement credits between 1 July – 31 December 2020).

Amex Green Card

Green Card members will receive:

• Up to $80 in statement credits on wireless telephone services purchased directly from US service providers (up to $10 per month) from May through December 2020.

Amex Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card members will:

• Now earn 6x Marriott Bonvoy points at US supermarkets on up to $7,500 in eligible purchases from May through July 2020.
• Additionally, Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Consumer Card Members’ eligible purchases at U.S. restaurants, including takeout and delivery, will now qualify toward the $300 Marriott Bonvoy Statement Credit benefit from June through August 2020.

Amex Hilton Card(s)

Both the Hilton Surpass and Hilton Aspire Card members will:

• Earn 12x Honors points at US supermarkets (up to $7,500 in eligible purchases) from May through July 2020.
• The Hilton Aspire Card $250 Hilton resort credit can be used towards eligible purchases at US restaurants, including takeout and delivery from June through August 2020.
• Bonus points earned through eligible purchases on all Hilton Amex cards that post to members’ accounts between 1 May – 31 December 2020 will be considered Base Points and will count towards Elite tier qualification and Lifetime Diamond Status.

Amex Delta Card(s) (Temporary Perks)

Delta Reserve, Delta Platinum, Delta Gold, and Delta Blue will earn:

• 4x SkyMiles at US Supermarkets from May through July 2020.

FINAL STAMP

Again, this pandemic has reshaped how people are spending their money and whether they are even keeping specific credit cards and the industry has taken notice.

Some of the expanded bonus categories will align wonderfully for most people as they are spending more money at the grocery store these days.

One aspect that I do find confusing are the timelines…some are May through July, June through August, etc. How are people supposed to remember those dates if they have multiple cards!? Or perhaps, that was done on purpose??

Regardless, any bonus is better than no bonus particularly if that is the category that you’re spending money in.

Do you consider these positive perks for these cards? Are the bonuses in categories that you will be spending money in?