Amex Platinum Card Free Qf Flight

[Maca44]

I assume that many who acquired the American Express Platinum Card have availed themselves of the free Qantas flight between the respective major cities, and I recently booked my return QF flight from Sydney to Perth in May 2007. I was able to get this destination as I obtain the Platinum card prior to Amex taking Perth out of the cities 'into' which east coast pax can fly.

American Express Customer Service actually provided a service, something that QF should aspire to, and had no problems with availability. They had several seats available on most days around the dates I wanted to fly.

It won't worry me after the Platinum card renewal date in May 2007 when Perth is not availabe as I intend to cancel the card by them and would have a rewards maximiser. At least I get a trip to Perth and seeing that Amex has increased the annual fee for the Rewards Maximiser to $192 it works out that I get the return flight to Perth for about $200 (inc taxes etc) which is not too bad.

 

[PaulZ]

I assume that many who acquired the American Express Platinum Card have availed themselves of the free Qantas flight between the respective major cities, and I recently booked my return QF flight from Sydney to Perth in May 2007. I was able to get this destination as I obtain the Platinum card prior to Amex taking Perth out of the cities 'into' which east coast pax can fly.

American Express Customer Service actually provided a service, something that QF should aspire to, and had no problems with availability. They had several seats available on most days around the dates I wanted to fly.

It won't worry me after the Platinum card renewal date in May 2007 when Perth is not availabe as I intend to cancel the card by them and would have a rewards maximiser. At least I get a trip to Perth and seeing that Amex has increased the annual fee for the Rewards Maximiser to $192 it works out that I get the return flight to Perth for about $200 (inc taxes etc) which is not too bad.

I too used the flight from Melbourne - Perth (even though i don't really know when i have to go there yet, just know sometime in 2007. I offered to let the flight lapse for them to waive the annual fee or a large portion of it [surely it costs them more to provide the flight than they get off the annual fee??] but they wouldn't so i just picked a a dummy date late in 2007 and will pay the change fee)


Back to Annual Fees:

If your a reasonably fair spender, ask for a a reduction in annual fee.

They will say no. But...

Well let me tell you the whole story...

I spend well about $160k on the Platinum card and because i wanted to maximise my points, they gave me a fee free rewards maximiser as well. Then they made a mistake and charged be 36 for one of the supplementaries. "Sorry Mr Z, we cannot refund the fee easilly (unless you close the supplementary account), how about you keep the fee and we will give you a $100 DJ's Voucher" Seems stupid they would make such an offer. But Ok i took the voucher.

Then I said i was sick of paying high fees and what could they do with the Platinum Card. Sorry cant reduce the fee, but to keep you happy (afterall you are a very loyal customer), we will give you another $100 DJ's voucher.

It seems rediculous that they wont reduce an annual fee (which costs them nothing) but are happy to give me the vouchers which must cost them at least $150 (??) If not more...

Maybe I was just lucky...