Significant Change To Amex Reward Gold Card t&c From July

I have just received a letter from American Express notifying me of a rise in the annual charge on the American Express Preferred Rewards Gold Card to £140 and, most significantly, that additional points will no longer be earned on general travel items. This changes to additional points only for direct bookings with airlines, on foreign exchange and on direct spend with American Express. Changes happen on 22nd July 2015.

I will be considering what to do. Though the ability to swap into almost any reward scheme is advantageous, the increased cost and loss of around 1000 points a month is something to think about.

I'd read about these changes a coup,e of weeks ago on Head for Points.

Are they still doing it free for the first year? Is it a wash and rinse card? I seem to recall we've done it a few times.

I'd read about these changes a coup,e of weeks ago on Head for Points.

Must have missed that. Sometimes my HFP emails are treated as spam and are diverted accordingly.

Are they still doing it free for the first year? Is it a wash and rinse card? I seem to recall we've done it a few times.

Yep it is still free for the first year and a fair 'wash and rinse card' - I like that expression and may steal it

The doubling up of points is the reason I keep mine going. With the cut in the travel bonus, I'm in the same position as Paul - to keep it or not to keep it .. that is the question

I plan to wash and rinse as marshy so eloquently put it. Trigger the bonus in the first 3 months then move on to another card, quite probably the BA premium Amex to start building up for the 2-4-1 voucher.

Just a reminder that if you have held any card that you can earn Avios or BAEC on you will not get any bonus or sign up miles until after you have cancelled said card for six months.LInda

Just a reminder that if you have held any card that you can earn Avios or BAEC on you will not get any bonus or sign up miles until after you have cancelled said card for six months.LInda

According to Raffles at HFP, you can apply for a Gold card, which is a charge card, and a credit card such as the BA card and collect both bonuses without the six month gap being required, and from what I've read of the rules on the Amex website, this seems to be the interpretation as one is a membership rewards earning card and the other an Avios earning card. You can't collect another MR bonus if you've held a MR earning card such as gold or platinum in the previous six months.

Yes Sorry Bretty should have clarified that it was only cc that this ruling applied to and not charge cards. WE have had to wait to re do our BA cards as having had a Lloyds Avios earning one, the six months is up now so have applied lets hope they let it go through. I was also worried as we are supplementary cardholders on each as well, and reading the t&c's thats ok. You have to be so darned careful with these terms and conditions. LInda

It certainly is a "Wash and Go" card. We keep the Amex Gold card in regular use after the bonus point target is reached for the double points on petrol and groceries. With the changes we will instead use our BA Amex Premoium Plus credit card, as this genertaes 1.5 Avios per pound spent. In view of the Amex Gold changes we will also get 2 BA cards and generate two 241 vouchers a year.

The upshot of this is that we will probably stop collecting Virgin FC miles after cashing in our current hoard and invest solely in Avios (which we largely do anyway). The 241 vouchers are too good a deal to pass up.