10,000 bonus points per 20 transactions

[zan5hin]

I need a bit of assistance. I have never had an AMEX before. I'm going RTW with Oneworld so I'm with AAdvantage and want to use SPG to convert to AA miles. I believe I need to join the "ascent" membership rewards program to do this?

What is the cheapest card I can get? I'd like to join today so I can get onto this offer ASAP.

 

[LordGarlic]

I'd entered all 3, starting with the EARNPOINTS that I was sent in the mail, then the MYBONUS and finally the MYREWARD.

I called amex today, she tried to get me to tell her a number that was on the card I received.. told her I didn't have it in front of me.

I'm now enrolled only in the MYREWARD bonus.

Ohh no.....sounds like AMEX is clamping down on this promotion.

 

[QF WP]

Just got off the phone from Membership Rewards and the CS girl advised me that they tranaction matched the offers to all accounts - if you have been a low transaction account, you have been offered MYREWARD; if you have been a moderate transacter you have been offered MYBONUS and if you were a high transacter you have been offered EARNPOINTS. So given that I have been a high tranacter, I had originally signed up for EARNPOINTS and then had found out about MYBONUS, so I signed up for that as well. She could see both offers in my account, so we discussed which one would suit me (it seems they have some personal ability to switch offers). I explained that 10T/5K points would suit me better than 20T/10K points - so she changed my offer to MYBONUS.

Yes, the main goal for Amex was to increase usage of their cards. To me this makes sense with the disconnect from Qantas.

Thanks to Amex in advance for the bonus points - I certainly have more respect for the way in which they explained everything to me and I'll spend on their card wherever I can. But I'm not about to try to do multiple tranactions to pay bills etc - mybe because I've happy with my lot and see no reason for trying to go beyond the sensible boundaries.

 

[simongr]

So what is the consensus opinion then - call them up or wait and see? I dont expect to get all three but now I have registered for all three - which one will kick in?

As a high user I guess they would offer me earnpoints as I average 40 transactions per month....

 

[Matt_r]

So what is the consensus opinion then - call them up or wait and see? I dont expect to get all three but now I have registered for all three - which one will kick in?

I think the last one you signed up for, that's what happened for me.

 

[opusman]

Well I have signed up for all three, and not called them - and I have just got my first 5000 bonus points from the 'myrewards' one.

So I would say it's not worth calling them. The bonus points rate is the same for all three offers, the only difference is the size of each transaction block. At the worst case you'll get the 5000 per 5, and in the very best case you'll get points for all three. Note that the 5000 per 5 offer points seem to come through almost immediately whereas the other two offers were points in 8-10 weeks.

 

[Matt_r]

The bonus points rate is the same for all three offers, the only difference is the size of each transaction block

Isn't MYREWARD 5k for 5?
EARNPOINTS is 10k for 20
MYBONUS is 5k for 10.

MYREWARD is twice as good as the other two.

 

[opusman]

Oops, you're right. My maths ain't what it used to be

 

[simongr]

Did you sign up for myrewards last?

 

[Matt_r]

Did you sign up for myrewards last?

Yes. Earnpoints -> mybonus -> myreward. Called amex and they said I was on myreward.

 

[oz_mark]

I am going to stick with MYBONUS, which is what I was targetted for. So, now I know I am a moderate transactor.

(Nicer that what Westpac labelled me - BOZO, which means someone worth below zero to them )

 

[DTM1]

thanks everybody !

have just logged on and registered, and I don't even know if I ever received the actual offer in the mail !

 

[zan5hin]

HSBC has a gold card with no annual fee which let's me join Ascent. Will I be able to log in via the AMEX website and end the MYREWARD code after getting the HSBC card?

American Express: Additional Features | HSBC Australia

Thanks in advance.

 

[futaris]

Yes. It appears to use Membership Rewards, so it should be eligible. Noone knows if new cardholders will be eligible for the promo though.

 

[LordGarlic]

HSBC has a gold card with no annual fee which let's me join Ascent. Will I be able to log in via the AMEX website and end the MYREWARD code after getting the HSBC card?

American Express: Additional Features | HSBC Australia

Thanks in advance.

There is a $80 joining fee for ascent which is equivalent to the annual fee

 

[zan5hin]

Yeah, it's $80, but if I went through AMEX directly the green card is $80 annual fee plus $80 for Ascent rewards.

I called up AMEX and the guy said I wouldn't be able to us the MYREWARD code on a new card, so I guess it's 50/50 whether it would work or not, unless someone has prior experience about an offer code not working on a new cards.

 

[futaris]

You can usually get it free through an association, e.g. APESMA.

 

[KateMayo]

The current terms and conditions for Ascent state this:

2. To redeem Membership Rewards points for points in an airline rewards partner program or frequent guest partner program, you must be enrolled in Membership Rewards Ascent, and be a member of the respective partner program. (Please note: Points redemptions for points in the Qantas Frequent Flyer program are not available to Cardmembers that have joined Membership Rewards Ascent since 1 August 2008.) (My bolding.)

So it appears that joining now to take advantage of this offer won't work.

 

[oz_mark]

Yeah, it's $80, but if I went through AMEX directly the green card is $80 annual fee plus $80 for Ascent rewards.

I called up AMEX and the guy said I wouldn't be able to us the MYREWARD code on a new card, so I guess it's 50/50 whether it would work or not, unless someone has prior experience about an offer code not working on a new cards.

As far as I am aware there has only ever been a handful of codes, so I wouldn't think there are too many war stories around of people signing up for them with a new card.

 

[oz_mark]

The current terms and conditions for Ascent state this:

2. To redeem Membership Rewards points for points in an airline rewards partner program or frequent guest partner program, you must be enrolled in Membership Rewards Ascent, and be a member of the respective partner program. (Please note: Points redemptions for points in the Qantas Frequent Flyer program are not available to Cardmembers that have joined Membership Rewards Ascent since 1 August 2008.) (My bolding.)

So it appears that joining now to take advantage of this offer won't work.

If the intention was to get QFF points, then indeed, yoo would not be able to do this. But there are other airline options to choose from. I dare say thay there will be some ->SPG->AA transfers going on!