Amex Platinum Charge - 300,000 MR points for $3k spend

[sudoer]

A new referral offer has popped up in my Amex account, offering 300,000 Amex Membership Rewards points to anyone who successfully signs up using my personal link. Unlike the recent 200k points offer which spanned over two years, this deal is 300k in the first year after $3000 spend.

The card needs no introduction, but a quick run down of the major benefits:

- No preset spending limit and uncapped earning at a rate of 2.25 MR points per dollar spent
- Shop Small promotion offering a total of 5.25 MR points per dollar at eligible merchants (capped at 40k points, until 31 Mar 2022)
- Elite status with major hotel chains including Hilton, Marriott, Radisson and Accor
- $450 travel credit with Amex Travel
- Accor Plus membership including a free night certificate, and up to 50% off your bill at Accor restaurants, and 'red hot' deals (which does offer some excellent savings)
- Access to special deals/perks via Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts, The Hotel Collection, and International Airfare Program
- Access to over 1000 lounges globally, including Virgin Australia lounges, American Express lounges, Priority Pass, Plaza Premium, Delta Skyclub
- 2 x $75 annual credits to use with NET-A-PORTER / MR PORTER
- Up to 4 free supplementary cards for family or friends

The card has a hefty $1450 annual fee, but you could decide to use the 300,000 MR bonus to pay for $1500 worth of statement charges, effectively reducing the card to no annual fee while giving you 12 months of the above benefits.

You could alternatively choose to use the 300,000 points with an industry leading range of airline and hotel transfer partners to get far more than $1500 value.

There's no set end date for the offer, Amex can change or withdraw it at any time. I suspect they are running this as an interim promotion following the removal of the AFR benefit until a replacement benefit is announced (expected in the next 3-4 weeks)

Link: http://amex.com.au/refer/sCOTTBbYRD?CPID=999999537

I will also earn 100,000 MR for successful referrals.

 

[lilkid28]

Very nice offer, might want to emphasise that the usual exclusion applies for anyone who has held an Amex card in the last 18 months.

 

[blacksultan]

Are they strict With the income requirement ? What is min income required ?

 

[sudoer]

Are they strict With the income requirement ? What is min income required ?

Listed minimum income is $100k, I don't know how strict they are. I know Amex ask for both yours and your partner's incomes, so I think there is some wiggle room depending on personal circumstances.

 

[blacksultan]

Listed minimum income is $100k, I don't know how strict they are. I know Amex ask for both yours and your partner's incomes, so I think there is some wiggle room depending on personal circumstances.

From recent experience they don’t ask for household income any more and also ask for payslips ,only for applicant.

 

[kamchatsky]

If it wasn’t for the hideous annual fee, it would have been a very good offer.

 

[Mr_Orange]

You could alternatively choose to use the 300,000 points with an industry leading range of airline and hotel transfer partners to get far more than $1500 value.

That's not really the case at the moment given the lack of travel!

 

[NoName]

When are the bonus points credited for this card? Is it immediately after the transaction that takes you above the spend threshold? If so then wouldn’t it be possible to make the spend, repay the balance, transfer the points out and cancel prior to the annual fee being charged at the end of the first statement period? Unsure if charge cards work differently in this respect but MrsNoName and a good friend of mine both did just this (plus using the travel credit) for the Explorer card recently.

 

[blacksultan]

When are the bonus points credited for this card? Is it immediately after the transaction that takes you above the spend threshold? If so then wouldn’t it be possible to make the spend, repay the balance, transfer the points out and cancel prior to the annual fee being charged at the end of the first statement period? Unsure if charge cards work differently in this respect but MrsNoName and a good friend of mine both did just this (plus using the travel credit) for the Explorer card recently.

Usually Amex do not refund fee if benefits including sub have been received and used. One could even transfer to us Amex to take advantage of arbitrage .

 

[NoName]

Usually Amex do not refund fee if benefits including sub have been received and used. One could even transfer to us Amex to take advantage of arbitrage .

The annual fee (for their credit cards at least) is not charged until the end of the first statement. My recent experience has been you can use all the benefits, transfer out the points and cancel before the fee is even charged.