AmEx Gift Cards with No Purchase Fee

October 14, 2012 By 9 Comments

I’ve been at the Chicago Seminars this weekend, meeting all the readers (and other bloggers!) that I’ve only known by their screen names. I’ve also learned a few new tricks, some of which require prepaid cards.

American Express Gift Cards promotion image

American Express is known for provided fee-free prepaid cards around the major holidays, available yet again now through January 31 of next year. Use offer code EMOCTCM.

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About Scott Mackenzie

Scott founded HMT while traveling on a budget during graduate school. He stays loyal to United, Alaska, Hyatt, and Starwood.
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  • HikerT

    Since shipping is not waived, you are better off buying $500 Visa GCs at OD and paying a $5 fee vs. paying AMEX $8 for shipping. You’d need to buy $1000+ to come out ahead. Not to mention AMEX is totally clueless when it comes to fulfilling large GC orders, often holding them up indefinitely until you call them asking where your order is. Even if you are buying $1000+ you are better off going thru big crumbs and getting 1.4% cash back which will offset both the fee and the shipping.

    • Scottrick

      Correct. Though I still have yet to actually use my BigCrumbs account. I learned several things from HansMast, but he makes it sound like you’re the real expert!

  • benjim

    does buying this with an amex equal a cash advance?

    • Scottrick

      No. But there might be issues getting it to count as spend. I haven’t tried buying gift cards with an AmEx yet.

    • dj

      on 2 occasions (spg & premier) i called AMEX and they said it would count as spending.

  • PointsObsession

    So what are the new tricks you’ve learned?

    • Scottrick

      HansGolden had a great session on reselling merchandise for miles. I’m not sure if I want to dip my toes in that water yet. My favorite session was Beaubos’s stories about past escapades.

  • NYBanker

    Other than potentially accelerating spend you’d otherwise have to meet a bonus requirement, is there any other advantage to this?

    • Scottrick

      Just the acceleration. I think this is a slightly better deal than buying a card in a store because the maximum value is higher, even if you still have to pay shipping.