Amex "I'm going to cancel my card" - bonus points given thread.

[boomy]

QF has plenty of redemption options but they just come with +$$$.

Agree but without status getting long haul availability on QF is very hard. If one is not at least WP and looking for long haul J/F redemptions they better go with KF.

 

[woomp001]

Um, you are just moving from VA cough to QF cough?

Hmmmm.. I just booked a MEL LAX return award seat in business, only 4 weeks out, on Qantas, using 180K AM's... I always had heard that business redemption's were virtually impossible to the US!!

I had just about given up after looking for 3 months on VA..

And then found something via QF in 10 minutes.......

So suddenly, perhaps QF not looking so bad?
Also, consider what will happen to availability on KF as 100 Billion points are suddenly lobbed across??


VA is amazing for domestic redemption's...

But big point balances are never about domestic!

 

[Dr Ralph]

I just booked a MEL LAX return award seat in business, only 4 weeks out, on Qantas, using 180K AM's... I always had heard that business redemption's were virtually impossible to the US!!

Not virtually to impossible. Difficult, I would say is the better description.

Book 1 year out or 1 month out and you'll have a good chance. Anything in between much less likely.

I fly to the US multiple times a year on Qantas points in J all on points and have no status.

Conversely I've never been able to use Velocity points to make any type of reward booking.

 

[Chicken]

Hmmmm.. I just booked a MEL LAX return award seat in business, only 4 weeks out, on Qantas, using 180K AM's... I always had heard that business redemption's were virtually impossible to the US!!

I could hardly get anything from QF on long haul.

I had just about given up after looking for 3 months on VA..

So VA is the same.

So suddenly, perhaps QF not looking so bad?

Do you have status with QF?

Another thing which happens, is QF asks for points, then add another $500 or $600 for a ticket to Singapore / Hong Kong. A cash ticket in Y return is $500! I may as well pay cash and sit in Y then upgrade to exit row? Why even bother with the QF frequent flyer program?

Also, consider what will happen to availability on KF as 100 Billion points are suddenly lobbed across??

Singapore is a big program, with people from around the world. Australia is a very small pond. You are overestimating the importance of Australians on the world stage

VA is amazing for domestic redemption's...

But big point balances are never about domestic!

Exactly. Domestic is so cheap, and for only a few hours, I just pay cash and get whatever seat I can. Often my 1 way bus trip from home to office within Sydney takes longer than flying from SYD to MEL.

 

[Chicken]

Not virtually to impossible. Difficult, I would say is the better description.

Book 1 year out or 1 month out and you'll have a good chance.

So people can do this. I can't.

 

[andye]

.....Singapore is a big program, with people from around the world. Australia is a very small pond. You are overestimating the importance of Australians on the world stage...

I still think premium availability will go down Au-SIN with so many millions of transfers (and above-averagely engaged members) looking to redeem over 4 years.
Suspect SIN-Rest of the World will be less affected

 

[SOPOOR]

I still think premium availability will go down Au-SIN with so many millions of transfers (and above-averagely engaged members) looking to redeem over 4 years.
Suspect SIN-Rest of the World will be less affected

that means that potentially or most likely in roughly 2-3 years time when peoples point are scheduled to expire that were going to have a last minute panic and rush to redeem flights and possibly extend,

double whammy

 

[Mr_Orange]

Agree but without status getting long haul availability on QF is very hard. If one is not at least WP and looking for long haul J/F redemptions they better go with KF.

On QF metal, yes, but on EK not so. I booked a J rtn to London 7 days prior to travel on EK metal with QF points.

 

[Chicken]

Hmmmm.. I just booked a MEL LAX return award seat in business, only 4 weeks out, on Qantas

I booked a J rtn to London 7 days prior to travel on EK metal with QF points.

I can't just turn up to my manager and go

"hey, I'm gonna go to the theatre in London next Monday, and go clubbing in Berlin next Friday, see you in 3 weeks!"

Jesus, what sort of money making jobs you people do?!

 

[Mr_Orange]

I can't just turn up to my manager and go

"hey, I'm gonna go to the theatre in London next Monday, and go clubbing in Berlin next Friday, see you in 3 weeks!"

Think about it for a minute, and you will realise that there are circumstances where that kind of notice is perfectly acceptable to an employer.

Jesus, what sort of money making jobs you people do?!

For a points booking, the +$$$ are the same whether you book 353 days prior or 1 day prior, so income has nothing to do with the timing of the booking.

 

[SOPOOR]

I can't just turn up to my manager and go

"hey, I'm gonna go to the theatre in London next Monday, and go clubbing in Berlin next Friday, see you in 3 weeks!"

Jesus, what sort of money making jobs you people do?!

thats the choice you make in life

 

[Chicken]

For a points booking, the +$$$ are the same whether you book 353 days prior or 1 day prior, so income has nothing to do with the timing of the booking.

What I mean is, what sort of work can you just go "I'm not coming in next week!"

thats the choice you make in life

My contract states I could be fired with 1 hour notice. Thanks for the support!

 

[SOPOOR]

What I mean is, what sort of work can you just go "I'm not coming in next week!"



My contract states I could be fired with 1 hour notice. Thanks for the support!

you could sleep with the boss, or the boss' wife!
thatll get you out earlier than an hour!
(not coming from personal experience)

 

[Mr_Orange]

What I mean is, what sort of work can you just go "I'm not coming in next week!"

It's not about your work, but more about the reason for the short notice travel. Hint: it's not to go to the theatre or some other leisure activity.

 

[Isochronous]

I tried calling twice but no luck - just a flat 'there is no offer on your account'.

 

[jkbaus]

you could sleep with the boss, or the boss' wife!
thatll get you out earlier than an hour!
(not coming from personal experience)

Or the husband of the boss.

 

[implsv]

I tried the cancelling trick today. Went through with cancellation then got told no offers on account. Called back later to ask whether account can be reinstated to be advise no, would have to reapply again. Told them not to worry about it.

This was on a DJ's Amex card.

Bye Bye Amex!

 

[33kft]

I tried the cancelling trick today. Went through with cancellation then got told no offers on account.

Not sure that has been the trick for some time now. The trick is instead to explain that you are deciding whether or not the card account is providing you with any benefit. Drop the c word and it seems you end up with a cancelled card and nothing to show for it.

 

[Revolutionary String]

Exactly, and there's been a fair amount of data to suggest that the "cancelling the card" trick has been cooked since the beginning of the year.

 

[Mr_Orange]

I just called to express my disappointment with the devaluation and asked about a retention offer (I did not mention cancelling the card). Nothing available for me, so I cancelled.

I am now officially Amex-free.