All About Foreign Credit Cards

[Mr He]

Seems there hasn’t been a thread here on AFF that is all about foreign credit cards. A cardaholic myself, I’m very interested in seeing all kinds of credit cards with different designs and perks (if any), and I bet I’m not the only one. Australian credit cards, generally speaking, are not so exciting when it comes to designs and/or perks. And that’s probably one reason why the thread “Strategy to obtain US Amex” has become one of the longest-running, most-discussed in Credit Cards, Banking & Finance.

I remember the other day when a friend came to my place for dinner and I showed him some of my China-issued UnionPay credit cards, he was impressed by the diverse designs and co-branded options. And among them all, he said he liked the Amazon Kindle co-branded credit card issued by Banks of Communications. Fair enough as that friend loves reading books! I will post it in due time if this thread at least catches someone's eye

Having said that, I would like to start a thread where everyone can share their overseas, non-Australia-issued credit cards. Remember to blur sensitive information though (thanks goodness with more and more issuers beginning to print card numbers on the back it’s now much easier, worry-free to post). I will start with my five Amex US-issued credit/charge cards first.

 

[Mr He]

Looks on Apple Pay.

 

[levelnine]

I'd be interested in knowing how you justify the ongoing fees for the Amex Platinum. I'm about to get it for the sign up bonus, but can't see myself holding onto it from year 2 onwards given the high annual fee and inability to use many of the credits in Australia. Do you get enough use out of it to make it worthwhile to keep?

 

[Mr He]

I'd be interested in knowing how you justify the ongoing fees for the Amex Platinum. I'm about to get it for the sign up bonus, but can't see myself holding onto it from year 2 onwards given the high annual fee and inability to use many of the credits in Australia. Do you get enough use out of it to make it worthwhile to keep?

US$695 is still a lot cheaper compared to AU$1450 charged for the Platinum version here down under. When you think of that, it might make you feel better. If we can justify paying AU$1450 here then why not US$695? But yeah I agree it's a bit hard to justify the ongoing annual fees for the US version. I got the US Platinum card last July, when there was a signup bonus offer of 125,000 MR points, and requested this arty version when the two arty designs became available at the start of this year. It's my second year holding this card, having paid the renewal annual fee mid-year. I haven't done a thorough calculation, but I think I've got at least adequate use out of it, to make it worthwhile so far. I might not renew it next year, and for MR series of cards might only keep the Rose Gold one. I think it necessary to at least hold one Amex US card under the Membership Rewards program, so that we can transfer MR points from Australia to the US when needed.

 

[levelnine]

I think it necessary to at least hold one Amex US card under the Membership Rewards program, so that we can transfer MR points from Australia to the US when needed.

If you want a US Amex card to store MRs without paying any annual fee, the Blue Business Plus is a pretty good option. Doesn't add to 5/24 and has $0 AF. I'll probably open one up to use for times when I'm not holding a Platinum, Gold or Green.

 

[Mr He]

Here comes the Kindle credit card issued by China's Bank of Communications which I mentioned in the original post. (交通银行Kindle优逸白金信用卡|交通银行信用卡)

 

[Marsonline]

I'd be interested in knowing how you justify the ongoing fees for the Amex Platinum. I'm about to get it for the sign up bonus, but can't see myself holding onto it from year 2 onwards given the high annual fee and inability to use many of the credits in Australia. Do you get enough use out of it to make it worthwhile to keep?

I think one of the US bloggers described it as a CC with an Entertainment Book attached to it...

 

[Mr He]

These two cards are issued by China Minsheng Bank. I especially love the Van Gogh one, even more beautiful when you see it in person than its look on Apple Pay. The emperor one is cute, too. That’s Yongzheng Emperor of the Qing Dynasty. Don’t take it political though. Chinese love melodrama about courtly life from its ancient dynasties, particular Qing, as it's the last, most recent dynasty, as evidenced by many popular TV series such as Story of Yanxi Palace, Ruyi’s Royal Love in The Palace (which is available on Prime Video btw), Empresses in the Palace in recent years. OMG why so many palaces in the drama titles?

The Palace Museum (aka the Forbidden City) began selling cultural products online in 2010 and has developed many souvenirs and peripheral products ever since. China Minsheng Bank signed a contract with The Palace Museum Cultural Products and Services and was allowed to issue Palace-themed credit cards in 2017.

 

[Mr He]

I think one of the US bloggers described it as a CC with an Entertainment Book attached to it...

Hah yes "coupon book". Speaking of Entertainment Book, it was so useful years ago but now is hardly relevant, at least to me. I remember I stopped buying EB after it no longer offered the 10% discount on David Jones gift cards.

 

[levelnine]

I have wondered why more Australian banks haven't embraced metal cards. Seems like a gimmick that's popular in the US and leads people to desire those cards more than plastic ones.

 

[Mr He]

Today I’m going to share an interesting co-branded credit card. It’s the McDonald’s CC issued by China Citic Bank. The news release regarding its launching ceremony is still available on the website of McDonald’s China (中信银行携手麦当劳推出联名卡 | 热点更新 | 麦当劳官网). Anyone holding the card could enjoy some perks at McDonald’s restaurants worldwide for a limited time, and I still remember I would try my best to visit Macca's once a week to enjoy a $5 cashback around 2019. That’s pre-pandemic. They later made the restaurant-related benefits exclusive to cardholders in mainland China, and I have hardly used the card since 2020.

There’re three options for this card, i.e., Visa, Master, UnionPay. And I only have the Visa one.

 

[Mr He]

Here comes another. The Costco co-branded credit card issued by Ping An Bank. Which can serve as my Costco membership card and therefore save me the annual membership fee. But I have a confession to make: I’ve never visited Costco so far, mostly due to my current stage of life and family size. I tend to think Costco is more of a family (and a big family!) SUPER supermarket. I’m happy with Coles and Woolies, plus they have loyalty programs! Points-savvy AFFers would agree here?

PS: It's so much more effortless to post a card in the form of Apple Pay! You don't have to take a photo of the physical card (and worry about not taking it well as you're certainly not a photographer) , and don't have to add a watermark or whatever.

 

[Mr He]

I’m a huge fan of Liven, a company that’s been there for quite a few years but somehow has always stayed a bit low-key, not known by many. I particularly like its Foodollars program. Some participating restaurants would offer “$1 for $1 Packages” in a very generous way. Take Calia in Melbourne for example. It recently ran the promotion of “Buy $200 Get $200”, “Buy $1888 Get $1888” or even “Buy $2000 Get $2000"!

I only bought $200 using my Amex US-issued Rose Gold card (the $1888 or $2000 ones are just too crazy), got $400 in my Foodollars balance, plus a 20% statement credit from Amex. I didn’t know that Liven transactions can trigger this on my Rose Gold card, so it’s surely a nice surprise!

 

[blacksultan]

I’m a huge fan of Liven, a company that’s been there for quite a few years but somehow has always stayed a bit low-key, not known by many. I particularly like its Foodollars program. Some participating restaurants would offer “$1 for $1 Packages” in a very generous way. Take Calia in Melbourne for example. It recently ran the promotion of “Buy $200 Get $200”, “Buy $1888 Get $1888” or even “Buy $2000 Get $2000"!

I only bought $200 using my Amex US-issued Rose Gold card (the $1888 or $2000 ones are just too crazy), got $400 in my Foodollars balance, plus a 20% statement credit from Amex. I didn’t know that Liven transactions can trigger this on my Rose Gold card, so it’s surely a nice surprise!

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Most of the food order / delivery apps like liven , eat club are coded as bonus category merchants .

 

[foxypanda]

i've always wondered, if holding a foreign cc, eg US amex and so forth. Do they block the card or cancel it, if the majority of your spending is not in the US?

 

[http_x92]

i've always wondered, if holding a foreign cc, eg US amex and so forth. Do they block the card or cancel it, if the majority of your spending is not in the US?

No problems with my US Amex for over half a year, I kept using it at places where Amex is accepted in Australia.

 

[levelnine]

i've always wondered, if holding a foreign cc, eg US amex and so forth. Do they block the card or cancel it, if the majority of your spending is not in the US?

Depends on the issuer.

Citi can be a pain as their fraud detection can be very sensitive, but Amex and Chase are perfectly fine once set up — occasionally you'll get a fraud block early on, but after that is cleared with a phone call you're good to go.

 

[Mr He]

Used up the US$300 annual credit of the Amex Marriott Bonvoy card at the restaurants in Sheraton Melbourne and W Melbourne this year.

(Interestingly the transaction descriptions on the Amex app and the website are different)​

Overall I prefer Lollo at W over Little Colins St Kitchen at Sheraton. Lollo is much bigger, more lively, with a more attentive service. Food is slightly better than Sheraton’s too, with the menus designed more for sharing. I had two friends visiting from Sydney, and I took them to Lollo on the last night, before they headed to the airport for a late night flight.


Sheraton hasn’t brought back its buffet yet, and the restaurant was so quiet on the night we dined there. Took almost no photos of the food/drink, as the light was a bit too dim. I like its oysters, bread of the day, and steak though.

 

[Mr He]

The Amex Marriott Bonvoy credit card had a change of design today. The annual fee is now $US650; previously it was US$450. It comes with enhanced perks and benefits though - now giving a complimentary Platinum Elite status with Marriott Bonvoy instead of Gold.

 

[Viridis]

…… but that’s more than the cost for a Platinum card. Unless they’ve upped that too