AMEX : 250 bonus points per $20 spent

[sampson]

25000 points will have a retail value of at least $1000 for me.

After 5k/5t, you must've been a billionaire

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Well 98 up. So only 2 to go before the 25K maximum is reached.

If not today, then tomorrow as I have two bills that I can pay online, but was just waiting for my statement date to tick over so that I get the extra months before I have to pay for it.


Must say that the GFC is clearly over with more generous promos starting to re-emerge in the second half of this year.

With Amex 25 K here, say 25K for DSE (by New Year), 30K from Vodafone =80K.

I am likely to get the Plat Charge Card, but which costs $900 (though reports say some have got it for $600 with points, but when I have called Amex have said it is discount or points and not both) to "buy" 75,000 (though gets Insurance + MEL Cairns or NZ flight). Normally I don't "buy" points but it seems to stack up in this instance.

The Insurance is worth more to me as by getting the Sup cards my 19 Old daughter and wife are both covered if they travel separately to me, which my daughter definitely will. Normally that would mean, as it did in July, that I had to buy a second policy to cover my daughter. So that is say worth $500-600 (some would say more as they rate the insurance better than say the 12 month TDI policies etc). Add in a return to Cairns and that is $900.

So that is 155K, effectively for free.


For Eurrpe in July I did not take advantage of the HotelClub 10 point bonus as apartments made a lot more sense than hotels for our party of 5. But for Thailand this Xmas, I will pick up say 25-40K.

Adding to the 150K I recently gained as a bonus for shifting points to SQ, that will be an 330-345K within 6 months, on top of what I would normally garner pointswise from Credit Cards, flights etc.


So two extra J returns to Europe.

I might top this up with two (wife and I) Edge cards too for the two Virgin flights and 40K to get another third of a J to Europe....



Not sure if I will "buy" the ANZ and Everyday cards to get 36,000 points for $ 190 odd or not yet (or 72,000 if I get one for my wife as well) as I am just treating QFF as a place to stickplile FF points that I cannot get the SQ, and given what I currently have at SQ and am earning the QF points will not be burnt for some time yet. Long-term goal is some RTW J Redemptions (though I need longer than my current annual leave to make good use of such a trip).

1 QFF points is to me also worth a lot less than a SQ Krisflyer point.

 

[delfredo]

With Amex 25 K here, say 25K for DSE, 30K from Vodafone =80K.

Adding to the 150K I recently gained as a bonus for shifting points to SQ, that will be an 330-345K within 6 months, on top of what I would normally garner pointswise from Credit Cards, flights etc.

Looks like you're doing very well there. What do you buy at DSE? I can't find anything there that interests me given their prices.

Also, how did you get 150K bonus points by transferring to SQ? Can you please elaborate?

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Looks like you're doing very well there. What do you buy at DSE? I can't find anything there that interests me given their prices.

1/ DSE pricematch. So find a good price elsewhere and then buy at DSE.

ie my daughter wanted as a Birthday present two SIM 3 add-ons which were $50 each. JB HiFi last Monday brought out a special where they were $24 and $29. So off to DSE to pick them up at the reduced price.

2/ My 25K estimate will be $5K spend up to Dec 31 and will include giftcards.

Also, how did you get 150K bonus points by transferring to SQ? Can you please elaborate?

10% bonus on transferring points.

 

[vet]

From the sound of things, you'll need to change your moniker to "Lovestravellingeverywhere'

With Qantass describing its incidents as 'minor', I think I'll transfer these Amex bonuses to Velocity for 25% extra. Minor enginering issue my a55.

I'm getting the Amex frequent traveller insurance as well if, as you say, it covers family members on the same holiday as me.

Enjoy your bonii

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Ta....I love a good Points Run.

I'm getting the Amex frequent traveller insurance as well if, as you say, it covers family members on the same holiday as me.

Plus as pointed out by another forumite in another thread, it covers family members NOT travelling with you, as long as they get a Plat Charge sup card. Big plus for me.

 

[sampson]

To get that Amex Frequent Traveller Policy, Troy at Amex/Mondial had to trick his computer into accepting a policy which'll start in 2011 when my TID cover expires.

Covers the family on the same trips with moi. The rate was comparable to other policies that jumped as soon as I ticked 'skiing' as an activity.

Whilst a large chunk of the holiday is on Amex cc or ff points, lots isn't so I'm not risking an insurer using the 'is the holiday paid for on our card'. And there's 250 bonuses under the 250-fer-$20 promo + 10,000 bonuses for buying Annual Frequent Cover + 25% Velocity bonus = a nice 12,812 points for something I feel comfortable having 'just in case'.

 

[kpc]

I've just completed my 98th $20 or more transaction, and there are still 18 days to go before the promotion period ends. For those that have already completed 100 transactions, does the Hopscotch points bonus stop suddenly on the 101th transaction, or is the "AMEX programming" a bit slow and the Hopscotch points bonus continues to post for a while after?

 

[lovetravellingoz]

. For those that have already completed 100 transactions, does the Hopscotch points bonus stop suddenly on the 101th transaction,

As posted earlier in the thread it stops exactly on your 100th.

I racked mine up some time back and no further have occurred.