Welcome to a regular feature on the Renés Points blog. This blog series covers in a “rookie” way either a Delta or travel related theme and attempts to break down to a basic level each topic. You can read up on all the previous posts HERE. Now on to this featured topic.
The above is my statement of spend from my latest Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. You will notice I have reached both the $30,000 spend goal as well as the $60,000 spend goal for the year resulting in two 15,000 bonus MQM awards as well as two 15,000 SkyMiles awards. (See Rates and Fees)
But there is one glaring problem with the above numbers: the yearly fee!
You see Amex, when you look at the POSTED TOTAL, includes the yearly fee as part of your running spend number. But….
IT DOES NOT COUNT FOR BONUS SPEND!
Errr what? Wait… Are you telling me that Amex posts I have spent some total and it, in reality, is lower than what is posted online or on my statement?
Yep! And every single year I get readers who spend only a dollar or two over the 60k spend goal and do NOT get the second bonus because the annual fee did not count! (See Rates and Fees)
But that is not fair? That is dirty! Amex says it counts on my statement but it does not count at the end of the year when it really matters! Really?
Really! And I agree! It is really nasty, but as we know with so many things travel posted things may not always jive with reality on the ground.
But I am reading this post in January / February and now I am stuck because I am short now!
I feel for you. Amex is unlikely to budge. You have learned a nasty lesson. Next year be sure you overspend AT LEAST by the annual fee. Notice what I overspent (in the shot at top of post) to make sure I was all set and I did well before the 1st of the year. Please do the same! – Rene
To see the rates and fees for the American Express cards featured above, please visit the following links:
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card (See Rates and Fees)
Responses are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
Only an idiot wouldn’t realize this.
@Gene – Many each year are fooled by Amex from their misleading posted spend numbers. Beyond that, I do not consider blog readers fools!
@Rene: I second what you said.
It’s very easy to see how much you have spent, it’s in very easy to understand language on every statement. I used that information from my previous statement to spend exactly, to the dollar, what I needed to spend to get my next MQM boost on my Platinum card before moving my spending to another card.
@Barry – You do get they include the yearly fee in the running total but it does not count.