AMEX Platinum Edge - 15000 points + first year annual fee free!

[blueythecat]

AMEX has released their new offer for this much loved card today - AMEX are now offering 15k bonus points to sign-up and the first year is still annual fee free! REFERRAL LINK

For anyone that doesn't have it, or know about this card, it is probably the most recommend credit card on AFF!! And for good reason, if you'd like to know more my thoughts on this card follow, there are also plenty of posts and threads on how to make the most of this card. One that has a particularly good following is http://www.australianfrequentflyer....rewards/gift-cards-at-supermarkets-48505.html, which covers how to make the most of this cards high earn at supermarkets using gift cards. The http://www.australianfrequentflyer....ress-rewards/new-statement-credits-62256.html also covers the current Statement Credit offers available to AMEX card holders (a good way to save some extra money)

I applied for this card seven months ago, via a referral offer on this forum and was approved instantly. The application for this card was my second AMEX application in the same number of months (the Platinum Charge, was my first) - after a many year hiatus away from AMEX cards. Since I've had this card though, it has easily become the most used card in my wallet and nets me many more points a month than any other card I've ever had. Pity I didn't get on the bandwagon sooner! I also feel that with the recent devaluations of many bank issued Visa and Mastercards, now is very much the right time to make the switch to AMEX cards (and not the bank issued ones).

I guess you've figured out by now that I'm a big fan of this card, but I feel that is with good reason! And whilst you many not agree with my assessment, here are the main reasons I believe this is the best card in the Australian credit card market - any why it should be in your wallet!:

• A free domestic return flight on Virgin Australia each year - nice! (value to me $400+ - easily pays for the annual fee alone (not that there is one for the first year!)) - destinations list can be found here.
• 3 points per $ on grocery spend. This is a great deal! Everyone buys groceries and 3 points per dollar is an excellent earn rate on this spend. If you combine this with judicious gift card purchases from you local supermarket you can really maximise this. There's an excellent thread on that topic here. You can make this 4 points per $ if you have an iDevice and become the AMEX local champion at your local grocery store. At this rate this card is impossible to beat!!!!
• 2 points per dollar on fuel - again like groceries, most people buy fuel - why not earn maximum points for this. Make this 3 / 4 points per $ if you buy fuel gift cards (eg Shell or Caltex) at your supermarket! Nice little earner!
• Points can be transferred to massive variety of partners (ie no FF program "lock in") - Virgin Velocity, Emirates Skywards, Etihad Guest, Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer, Cathy Pacific AsiaMiles and some more valuable ones via SPG(AAdvantage, BA Executive Club, Alaska Airlines & United Miles, among others)
• 15,000 Bonus Membership Rewards Points & no Annual Fee for the first year - via THIS REFERRAL LINK - based on my numbers I value this at $570+ (and you can always cancel the card if you ends up not being for you!)

I've been a perennial churner of credit cards over the years, mainly because I don't think their are many keepers in the Australian credit card market place. With one major exception, the AMEX Platinum Edge, given the free flight pays for the annual fee each year - and its excellent points earn on everyday spend - this card is going to be in my wallet for sometime to come!

UPDATED REFERRAL LINK: No expiry listed at the moment. You'll receive 15,000 Membership Rewards points if you spend $550 in the first two months and NO ANNUAL FEE for the first year - updated referral link HERE!

Quick Card Summary (as per the AMEX site):

• 15,000 Bonus Membership Rewards points, are approved and spend $550 on your new Card within the first 2 months of Card Membership.
• Free domestic return flight every membership year - details can be found HERE
• Earn 3 Membership Rewards points per dollar spent at major supermarkets
• Earn 2 Membership Rewards points per dollar spent at major petrol stations
• Earn 1 Membership Rewards point per dollar spent on all other purchases excluding utilities, insurance (except those issued by American Express), telecommunication providers and government bodies in Australia where you earn 0.5 Membership Rewards points per dollar spent
• When you pay for travel on your card you will receive complimentary comprehensive domestic and international travel insurance

Membership Rewards Transfer Partners (highlights) - :

• Virgin Australia Velocity Points 1:1
• Singapore Airlines Krisflyer Miles 1:1
• Cathay Pacific Asia Miles 1:1
• Malaysia Airlines Enrich Miles 1:1
• Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) Starpoints (Good for AAdvantage, BA Executive Club, United Airlines) 2:1

As I mentioned at the start of this post, with the RBA's changes in interchange fees, already having an effect on the credit card marketplace, now is probably a really good time to consider getting an AMEX card.

As per all AMEX referral offers the referrer earns a bonus for anyone who signs up using their link (10k points in this case) - and the referee earns an extra bonus over what is available via the publicly advertised offer (5k points in this case).For anyone who would like to apply for the 15k points and no annual fee for the first year offer, My Referral link is HERE. To anyone kind enough to use my link, my heart felt thanks!

Finally, as always, whilst this is an excellent deal, you need to take your own financial circumstances into account before applying for any credit card. Whilst the chase for points can be addictive, don't put your personal finances at risk in the process - it's not worth it!

 

[prozac]

I have held this card for some years now and it has provided a number of business "J" international return flights just through ordinary modest household everyday spend. I cannot speak highly enough about it.

This is my link if you are interested in applying for the card - http://www.amex.com.au/refer/pieter4fZj[/URLNew Link HERE

Conditions as in above post, you receive 15,000 Membership Rewards points if you are approved for an American Express® Platinum Edge Credit Card and spend $550 in their first 2 months of Card Membership. I receive 10,000 points if you are approved.

My referral link -
http://www.amex.com.au/refer/pieter4fZj[/URLNew Link HERE

Good luck.

 

[prozac]

In the past few weeks I have managed around $300 in credit-backs to my Edge account via some very nice offers from Amex merchants. I still have around 5 current offers that I consider useful and will likely fulfill for further credits. There really is no other game in town that is this useful.

 

[GalaxyNexus]

It seems that they've upped the referral bonus on this card. Referrer now gets 30k points per referee (previously 20k?) while referee gets 15k points upon spending 550$.

http://amex.com.au/refer/andrikHnl6

 

[prozac]

It seems that they've upped the referral bonus on this card. Referrer now gets 30k points per referee (previously 20k?) while referee gets 15k points upon spending 550$.

These are the new conditions;

Refer your friends by 31 July 2016 and for each friend who applies using your referral link by 15 August 2016 and is approved, you will earn 30,000 Membership Rewards points. You can earn up to 200,000 points in July by referring friends.
They receive 15,000 Membership Rewards points if they are approved for a American Express® Platinum Edge Credit Card and spend $550 in their first 2 months of Card Membership

That is a turnaround that the referrer now gets the lions share of points.
The conditions seem a little ambiguous. You need to refer your friend by 31 July, but they do not need to apply until 15 August?

My referral link - New Link HERE

 

[Haplo]

They have bumped up the referral to 30k so I'll post my link below too - I guess i'll queue behind the posters above me

referral link

One thing missed by the people above is that you can buy Woolworth gift card via entertainment book and you get both 5% discount and also the triple points earn so in effect a 8% discount if you value MR at 1 cents each.

 

[prozac]

Important to alert new card applicants that the fee free membership no longer applies to any new referrals. The conditions are now simply 15,000 bonus Membership Rewards points on approval.
New Link HERE

Edit: Fee Free Year still applies as pointed out by mmchow below.

 

[mmchow]

Important to alert new card applicants that the fee free membership no longer applies to any new referrals. The conditions are now simply 15,000 bonus Membership Rewards points on approval.
New Link HERE

Confused. Annual fee free for the first year from what I can see.

 

[junbugging]

Important to alert new card applicants that the fee free membership no longer applies to any new referrals. The conditions are now simply 15,000 bonus Membership Rewards points on approval.

Even your own link says:

No annual fee for the first year ($195 p.a. thereafter)

 

[JessicaTam]

[mod hat]
Posts that do not satisfy the referral guidelines have been deleted.

The guidelines can be found here: Posting Guidelines **** PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING IN THIS FORUM ****

In short, please specify what the benefit is for you as well as the person using the referral link.
[/mod hat]

 

[prozac]

Confused. Annual fee free for the first year from what I can see.

Thanks for finding that mmchow. I was concerned about misrepresenting the referral and did not see the small print down the page.

That's odd, in previous program incarnations it was listed in the left hand column along with the bonus points, but not any more.

Now it is listed 2/3 of the way down the page under "World Class Service".
Is this where you see it as well?

The card has 12 months free membership and 15,000 bonus Membership Rewards points.
It also comes with the usual international travel insurances for emergency health, luggage, money, personal liability and hire car excess, travel inconvenience amongst other things. Please read the pds.

Please see New Link HERE, and note that the referrer (me) also receives 30,000 MR points for the referral. This is up from 10,000 MR points previously.

Thank you also junbugging.

 

[wchiri]

<redacted>

for anyone that needs a referral link!!!

 

[subichow]

I wish I had a nice story to tell you all about why you should choose my referral link over others.. but sadly I don't haha!

What I can tell you is that using my link would be the same as previously mentioned - ie 15000MR points for you and although it doesn't say it in the side bar information, if you read the conditions it says the annual fee is waved for the first year.

My bonus would be a handy 30000MR points which I could put towards my first reward flight in almost 10 years

Cheers anyone that uses it!

http://amex.com.au/refer/sujoycbTv6

 

[nat000]

If anyone would like to use my link it would be greatly appreciated

<redacted>

 

[digpomi]

It is a great card, especially with first 1 year free and 15000 bonus points. Thanks in advance to anyone who uses my referral link below(As you know, I will receive 30000 MR points if you click through the link)

http://amex.com.au/refer/paramvwUYt?CPID=null

 

[yoyo]

This is especially good for people living in Perth as they can fly for free to the east coast. Everyone should have this card, no reason not to get it and amex are usually pretty quick and easy on the approval especially compared to the anz card I recently applied for.

Here is my link:
http://amex.com.au/refer/yhollahpO1

I will receive bonus points for referring you so thank you in advance

 

[Holysmoke]

Great card, please use this referral link to get the 15,000 bonus points: <redacted>

 

[speightsah]

I'm sure most people on AFF already have this card, as it is such good value. If not though, why not do you AFF friends a favour and apply now. AMEX changed this deal yesterday (was fee free for the first year), the annual fee is back to the usual $195/yr - it's still a great deal though as the 15,000 bonus points are easily worth $330+.

There's some great reviews on this card in this thread and around these forums, with it earning 3pts per $ at the supermarket and 2pts per $ at the petrol bowser it's almost impossible to beat for your everyday spend! If you're spending say $250 a week on food and $100 a week on petrol that adds up to 50k points per year. Or almost 70k if you are the amex local champion at your locals!! Top value!

For anyone wanting this great card, I'd like to offer my referral link. Did I mention this card comes with a free return flight each year?? The list of locations can be found here.

To anyone kind enough to use my link, thanks a lot, the bonus points will be put to good use for a family reunion in the UK next year. If I can accumulate enough points I'm hoping to fly premium economy!

PS - I forgot to mention in my previous post that the referrer, me in this case, gets 30,000 bonus points (as of today - AMEX can of course change this, so if this concerns you please confirm this prior to applying) from anyone using my referral. Thanks for bringing it to my attention mods

 

[risaka]

Just letting you guys know the referral links as of today (05/07) now includes the $195 annual fee however the annual fee still offsets the free Virgin domestic flight.

Here is my referral link below if anyone would like to support my point chasing goal =)

<redacted>

 

[JessicaTam]

[mod hat]
Posts that do not satisfy the referral guidelines have been deleted.

The guidelines can be found here: Posting Guidelines **** PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING IN THIS FORUM ****

In short, please specify what the benefit is for you as well as the person using the referral link.
[/mod hat]

It is disappointing that I have to repeat myself.