Should I keep AMEX Gold for another year?

[Anonymous]

Rakuten dining reward is not for every one.

For starter, its an iOS only app. Then the restaurent in the network... lets just say they aren't cheap. And lastly, you can get reward through reward network already (AA dining, delta dining, southwest dining, etc).

[Anonymous]

I definitely feel you, I'll be having to make this decision next March/April when the new $250 AF hits. Fortunately I already planned ahead and got the ED w/25K MR SUB. Sure it's nothing special, but it's no AF versus $250 fi they both stay SD'd. That said, I will miss Gold as I use it for Dining and some higher end purchases due to the coverages etc. Also use it for light travel.  But ever since the AA GC issues, I haven't been able to justify the increased fee. Just yet.

I'm still hopeful that I'll find a reason to keep it before April. It would be nice if the Rakuten perks would work here for dining like other have reported. Unfortunatle my area isn't up on all this new age stuff. lol  I only have two otions for GrubHub credit, which nets me about $70ish annual savings versus the full $120. Along with the 10K MR retention this past year, which is worth $100 give or take? 

If the option to pay with points were worth more that would be nice in offsetting the AF.  Really it's not the card's fault, it's just that I haven't been able to use the card the way I fully intended that past two years. Life has a way of happening differently than planned. 

[redpat]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Rakuten dining reward is not for every one.

For starter, its an iOS only app. Then the restaurent in the network... lets just say they aren't cheap. And lastly, you can get reward through reward network already (AA dining, delta dining, southwest dining, etc).

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True about the reward network, but 5x MR points are far better than AA, Delta, United, SW, Marriott and Hilton points.  Also, IDK where you eat but in my area their is a many off them and all reasonable, in fact one of our favorite is on it which is 1 or 2 times a week either for dinner of drinks.  

I would think andriod wouldn't be far behind.  Apple has always had the edge over andriod, imo.

[Anonymous]

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@Anonymous wrote:

I definitely feel you, I'll be having to make this decision next March/April when the new $250 AF hits. Fortunately I already planned ahead and got the ED w/25K MR SUB. Sure it's nothing special, but it's no AF versus $250 fi they both stay SD'd. That said, I will miss Gold as I use it for Dining and some higher end purchases due to the coverages etc. Also use it for light travel.  But ever since the AA GC issues, I haven't been able to justify the increased fee. Just yet.

I'm still hopeful that I'll find a reason to keep it before April. It would be nice if the Rakuten perks would work here for dining like other have reported. Unfortunatle my area isn't up on all this new age stuff. lol  I only have two otions for GrubHub credit, which nets me about $70ish annual savings versus the full $120. Along with the 10K MR retention this past year, which is worth $100 give or take? 

If the option to pay with points were worth more that would be nice in offsetting the AF.  Really it's not the card's fault, it's just that I haven't been able to use the card the way I fully intended that past two years. Life has a way of happening differently than planned. 

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Right! Not to mention it shouldn't be an nuisance just to use up all of the credits just to say you at least broke even. I think I'm going to just close mine as I don't feel the 250$ is beneficial long term. I'll just be content with getting 4.5% back on groceries and 4%/4.5% back at dining going forward which isn't a bad trade off.

[Anonymous]

I guess one just has to check RN restaurants first to see if it makes sense for them. Its a no for me, but its probably YMMV.

[UncleB]

I'll be having this same discussion with myself (LOL) in the spring as well.

I'm actually hoping they're doing something good with the Green, since I would like to keep a charge card.  For those like myself who can't use the airline credit the Gold is a tough sell at $250/year, though.

The only thing that redeems the Amex Gold for me (for now) is that after I use the restaurant credit (Grubhub) the AF is effectively $130, which is what I would pay for a Green card and an AU anyway.

[Anonymous]

I  have actually contemplated downgrading to the Green just to keep the account age. Then upgrade to Gold at a later date if my situation changes. So I've been hoping for a nice Green refresh, w/o much of an AF increase. 

[staticvoidmain]

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@Anonymous wrote:

1. split delta trip into two one way trips and book as two trips, for each trip, use 50-100 GC and pay the remainder (<100) with gold, should trigger credit.

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Have you tested this past mid-2019? I thought the GC trick stopped working completely around a couple of months ago? There might be a chance the GC trick could work but only if you buy it from SkyClub lounges.

[Anonymous]

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@staticvoidmain wrote:

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@Anonymous wrote:

1. split delta trip into two one way trips and book as two trips, for each trip, use 50-100 GC and pay the remainder (<100) with gold, should trigger credit.

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Have you tested this past mid-2019? I thought the GC trick stopped working completely around a couple of months ago? There might be a chance the GC trick could work but only if you buy it from SkyClub lounges.

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There are plenty of affirmative DP on FT forums. https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/american-express-membership-rewards/1739932-airline-fee-250-200-100-reimbursement-reports-dl-only-142.html

[UncleB]

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@staticvoidmain wrote:

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@Anonymous wrote:

1. split delta trip into two one way trips and book as two trips, for each trip, use 50-100 GC and pay the remainder (<100) with gold, should trigger credit.

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Have you tested this past mid-2019? I thought the GC trick stopped working completely around a couple of months ago? There might be a chance the GC trick could work but only if you buy it from SkyClub lounges.

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This is different from the old 'trick'; in this case it's paying the remainder of the flight that triggers the credit, not the purchase of the GC.  The GC is only needed to get the balance due to under $100.