Anybody get waiver of annual fee for second year on Qantas AMEX?

[mileagemax]

Like many of us, I signed up for the Qantas AMEX Premium Card to get the bonus frequent flyer points with no annual fee for first year. Didn't actually use it much, and the year is up and I don't fancy paying $195 annual fee to keep it.

Called them and got routed to an Indian call centre girl who wouldn't consider a waiver so I told them I would like to close the account. Then got transferred to Australia (funny that) where a guy offered $100 off the fee. Still not happy, want it for free Don't believe in paying for credit cards.

So I asked about other AMEX's with no annual fees and the guy didn't give me much info. I suppose he is paid based on retaining Qantas AMEX customers only.

So I wonder if anyone has managed to get AMEX to waiver the fee completely?

 

[Mal]

On a smiliar vein (prob should be in another thread), what happens to your credit limit when you close an account?

Amex gave me $X on my Plat card, and then gave me $Y on my Qantas card. If I cancel my Qantas card, do I end up with a credit limit of $X+$Y or just $X on my Plat?

 

[LordGarlic]

Like many of us, I signed up for the Qantas AMEX Premium Card to get the bonus frequent flyer points with no annual fee for first year. Didn't actually use it much, and the year is up and I don't fancy paying $195 annual fee to keep it.

Called them and got routed to an Indian call centre girl who wouldn't consider a waiver so I told them I would like to close the account. Then got transferred to Australia (funny that) where a guy offered $100 off the fee. Still not happy, want it for free Don't believe in paying for credit cards.

So I asked about other AMEX's with no annual fees and the guy didn't give me much info. I suppose he is paid based on retaining Qantas AMEX customers only.

So I wonder if anyone has managed to get AMEX to waiver the fee completely?

Yes. I just managed to have my QF Amex annual fees waive last week by a very polite customer officer in Syd after being transferred from the indian call centre. I also hold a CPA Amex which does not have any annual fees. That could be the reason why the QF Amex was waived.

I have also asked if they close off my QF Amex , would they be able to transfer the credit limit to CPA Amex. The answer was YES. However I still retain both the cards as they have waived my annual fees for QF AMEX. Hope that helps...

 

[Febs]

- Called India, transferred to Australia.
- Australian guy said "Have a think about it, call back later if you really want to cancel" (I still had a few weeks). He also gave me a direct number to call (1300 650 897).
- Called back today, got an Indian bloke (though I'm pretty sure he was in Australia), told him why I wanted to cancel.
- He looked at my history, said I've been very puntual with all my payments (ie: paid off in full every month, within a week of the statement date), then asked if I'd be interested in keeping the card, if he credited the $195 annual fee?



I only put about $13k on the QF AMEX, and also have an AMEX corporate charge card (which I did about $65k on).

Cheers,
- Febs.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

I actually gota second card...and later cancelled the first one....to getanother 12 month period.


NOTE that they now say in the fine print that bonus points do not go to people that are existing customers......but they did not have the fine print when I last applied.


I have not received the points though...but have recently lodged aclaim for them which they are reviewing.

So heres hoping.

In the meantime I at least have another 12 month free period

 

[Sheriff]

Like many of us, I signed up for the Qantas AMEX Premium Card to get the bonus frequent flyer points with no annual fee for first year. Didn't actually use it much, and the year is up and I don't fancy paying $195 annual fee to keep it.

Called them and got routed to an Indian call centre girl who wouldn't consider a waiver so I told them I would like to close the account. Then got transferred to Australia (funny that) where a guy offered $100 off the fee. Still not happy, want it for free Don't believe in paying for credit cards.

So I asked about other AMEX's with no annual fees and the guy didn't give me much info. I suppose he is paid based on retaining Qantas AMEX customers only.

So I wonder if anyone has managed to get AMEX to waiver the fee completely?

I also don't believe in paying annual fees. I recently managed to negotiate an annual fee waiver on my QF amex. They initially offered me a $100 David Jones voucher to partially offset the fee which I obviously rejected.Then they offered me a full fee waiver of $195(credit for membership fee) plus supplementary card fee waiver and an increase in credit limit which I happliy accepted. Then cancelled the card and transferred the $195 credit to my previously dumped Amex Rewards Maximiser. Clearly, the annual fee is negotiable.

Good Luck!

Cheers
Sheriff

 

[mileagemax]

Then cancelled the card and transferred the $195 credit to my previously dumped Amex Rewards Maximiser. Clearly, the annual fee is negotiable.

Good Luck!

Cheers
Sheriff

Wow!! You really did well. So they opened up Rewards Maximiser for you over the phone, or you have to do application form, etc all over again? Amazed that they transferred the credit. Does Rewards Maximiser have a annual fee anyway?

When I asked about changing to other AMEX, he told me to go to the website and go through application form process. I was hoping they could do it over the phone. I thought they can and then I just sign new terms and conditions.

 

[mileagemax]

I actually gota second card...and later cancelled the first one....to getanother 12 month period.

Haha... Same thought did cross my mind before. Even if the terms and conditions allowed, I worry about if it would affect how AMEX treat me in the future. I am pretty sure they score and record notes on customer behavior. Didn't want to take advantage of them too much. Maybe I am too soft, but afterall they have the power of reporting what they choose to the credit bureau.

Hope it works for you!

 

[Sheriff]

Wow!! You really did well. So they opened up Rewards Maximiser for you over the phone, or you have to do application form, etc all over again? Amazed that they transferred the credit. Does Rewards Maximiser have a annual fee anyway?

When I asked about changing to other AMEX, he told me to go to the website and go through application form process. I was hoping they could do it over the phone. I thought they can and then I just sign new terms and conditions.

It's actually quite easy, all in the same phone call.

No, you don't have to reapply for the card again. All they do is reactivate the existing inactive Rewards Maximiser account on file, then they transfer all the information from the account you're closing across to reactivated account. If you've never had a Rewards Maximiser account in the past then you do have to apply for the card.

Hope this is helpful??

Cheers
Sheriff

 

[mileagemax]

It's actually quite easy, all in the same phone call.

No, you don't have to reapply for the card again. All they do is reactivate the existing inactive Rewards Maximiser account on file, then they transfer all the information from the account you're closing across to reactivated account. If you've never had a Rewards Maximiser account in the past then you do have to apply for the card.

Hope this is helpful??

Cheers
Sheriff

Thanks for the info. Actually I had a Gold Credit Card before I got the Qantas one. Maybe I should just ask for them to reactivate that one but I think it had a fee if spend less than $7000 per year, but actually I don't remember they ever charging the fee even though I didn't spend that much.

 

[mileagemax]

Oh another thing... anybody have link to no annual fee Gold AMEX? Can only seem to find the one that says spend $7000 and then free.

Thanks!

 

[Febs]

Oh another thing... anybody have link to no annual fee Gold AMEX? Can only seem to find the one that says spend $7000 and then free.

Thanks!

This one?
Rewards Maximiser Gold Credit Card - American Express Australia

 

[Tiki]

This one?
Rewards Maximiser Gold Credit Card - American Express Australia

I have this one too, not the QF one. Has anyone ever managed to get this fee waived? I got mine in Aug last year so the fee will probably be on my next statement-Sept 4.

 

[Sheriff]

I have this one too, not the QF one. Has anyone ever managed to get this fee waived? I got mine in Aug last year so the fee will probably be on my next statement-Sept 4.

Yes. I managed to get an annual fee waiver on my QF Amex, then closed my account and transfered the $195 credit over to my Rewards Maximiser account to offset the $192 annual fee. I also got a supplementary card at no charge, a saving of $35.

Cheers
Sheriff

 

[Tiki]

So your actual refund went through on the QF Amex. I am asking about getting the refund through on a Rewards Maximizer card.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Tiki.....perhaps resign....and have your partner get one so that you start another free year



I don't know what your yearly AMEX spend is..but if you have to pay the $190 odd you have to spend $13000 odd just to break even...so even though I know from your previous posts that you want to earn points in AMEX itself maybe now is the time to reconsider????

 

[Alanslegal]

It appears that Amex are using discretion to reduce fees, provide a nominal gift voucher OR extending the waiver for an additional year however I was more interested in getting the fees waived permanently!

Has anyobody been succesful in getting this Amex Premium Card annual fees waived for good?

 

[Sheriff]

So your actual refund went through on the QF Amex. I am asking about getting the refund through on a Rewards Maximizer card.

My aim was to reactivate my Rewards Maximiser card for a second year with no annual fee.

I've achieved my goal.


Cheers
Sheriff

 

[Tiki]

I don't really want to cancel it but I am worried if I call up and pretend to cancel it they might call my bluff and actually do it.

I put everything possible on the card for the points. Next year, we have the USA trip and we are saving up for a new car (Hyundai Getz or Toyota Yaris) and would like to use the card to charge as much as possible of the car after we have saved enough money to pay it off at the end of the month.

My objective in keeping this card is to get enough points by just everyday living, annual trips and big ticket items like the car so in 2009, we will have enough PC or Starwood points for a few free days in an overwater bungalow in Bora Bora-value is over $1000 USD a night.

 

[opusman]

I don't really want to cancel it but I am worried if I call up and pretend to cancel it they might call my bluff and actually do it.

You can generally get a cancelled account reactivated within 6 months without having to go through the application process again.