It’s definitely not just you – if you noticed, anyway 🙂
American Express has “spend trackers” for various things you need to hit spend for, be it a Free Night for $15,000 spent on a Hilton Surpass or Hilton Business card, for MQMs on a Delta Platinum or Reserve (until the end of this year, anyway), or even for the Platinum Card benefit of guest access to the Centurion lounge when you spend $75,000 in a year (please do not do this!).
Well for at least the last month I have noticed that these trackers, which say they are updated daily, are not being updated daily. They are lagging by quite a bit. Perhaps a week or so based on my own experience.
For example, here is the spend tracker on my Hilton Business card today (yes, I want that Free Night Reward!)
But that’s not accurate. And note that right below it (sorry, I cropped it!) It says “Updated Daily”
In fact, I have made $9,377.71 in eligible charges towards this Reward. The below is from my 2023 Spend to Date summary.
The last transaction I made, for $2,288.16, which is from December 9th along with another $250 charge.
So 6 days later, the tracker isn’t showing the truth.
I noticed the same when hitting my Delta MQMs in November and my wife’s Surpass card is also currently having the same issue so I believe it is widespread – although an Amex chat agent had no idea what I was talking about.
I wanted to call this out so that if you are tracking for an award, you don’t accidentally overspend significantly because it’s not up to date. Use your Transaction History – Year to Date Spend – to find the real number. Be sure to subtract any annual fees or cash-equivalent purchases as those won’t count towards the tracker spend!
Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards(R) Points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Plus, receive 20% back in statement credits on eligible purchases made at restaurants worldwide within the first 6 months of Card Membership, up to $100 back. Limited time offer. Offer ends 11/6/24. Terms apply. | How to apply for this offer. | Read our Review of the American Express Rose Gold Card
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You also need to subtract any credits or returns.