Anybody get waiver of annual fee for second year on Qantas AMEX?

[Sheriff]

Just rang Amex to request a fee waiver on my Ultimate card for the 2nd year. Asked to be transferred to extension xx_x in the cancellation department and spoke to the same person who waived the annual fee last year. Two minutes later I was given the assurance that the annual fee (which is not due for payment until end of August) would be waived as soon as it appears on my account without the need to call again.

 

[beardoc]

Just rang Amex to request a fee waiver on my Ultimate card for the 2nd year. Asked to be transferred to extension xx_x in the cancellation department and spoke to the same person who waived the annual fee last year. Two minutes later I was given the assurance that the annual fee (which is not due for payment until end of August) would be waived as soon as it appears on my account without the need to call again.

Wow - a free flight every year and 1.5 QFF points per dollar for life - it makes me wish I was spending more with them.

I will be interested to see if they do this for your Platinum Credit Card - a free flight every year and 1.5 Membership Rewards points per dollar would be even more valuable.

 

[Sheriff]

This probably going to be an unpopular post, but what is this obsession with getting something for $0?

Why pay an annual fee if you don't have to :?:

Why don't you just get a card that gives you "value for money" and avoid the whole need to spend time on the phone convincing people to give you money back?

I've taken your advice and got myself a free Ultimate card.

Its certainly "value for money"

By the way, thanks for the advice.

 

[Maca44]

It would appear that you only get the free flight with the Qantas Amex Ultimate card 'after' your first card spend on a QANTAS product as set out hereunder, whereas the Plat credit give you the free flight irrespective if you purchase a qf product.

https://www212.americanexpress.com/...toid=e8c255e937e64110VgnVCM100000cef4ad94RCRD

states:-
One domestic Economy return flight between selected Australian capital cities² after your first Card spend every year in Australia on selected Qantas services³.

2. The Qantas domestic return flight in Economy class between selected Australian capital cities is available for booking for Ultimate Cardmembers. All flights are subject to availability and neither American Express nor Qantas guarantee that seats or tickets will be available on the dates or at the times you may wish to fly. Seat availability may be limited to certain dates and/or flights and it may be more difficult to book seats around public holidays, school holidays or special events. Some flights may not have any seats available for redemption. Route availability is subject to change without notice. All travel is subject to the American Express Flight Offer Conditions, Qantas Fare Conditions and Qantas Conditions of Carriage. No Qantas Frequent Flyer points will be awarded for travel on these flights. Subject to Qantas American Express Ultimate card Product Disclosure Statement and Domestic Return Flight Conditions available at americanexpress.com.au/ultimate

3. Selected Qantas products and services are: (a) Qantas passenger flights with a QF flight number purchased on the Qantas merchant account i.e. directly with Qantas or some travel agents, (b) purchases from Qantas Travel shops or (c) purchases from Qantas Holidays. Excludes: Qantas Freight, Jetstar, Qantas branded non-airfare products operated by third parties e.g. Qantas Box Office.

 

[oz_mark]

It would appear that you only get the free flight with the Qantas Amex Ultimate card 'after' your first card spend on a QANTAS product as set out hereunder, whereas the Plat credit give you the free flight irrespective if you purchase a qf product.

There are a couple of differences between the flight offer between the two cards, this is one of them. Another is that there are variations in the city pairs allowed with the Ultimate card having fewer options

 

[AnonymousCoward]

By the way, thanks for the advice.

Why are you thanking me for advice?

I didn't give you any advice, I just asked two questions which you quoted.

I think your "thanks" is misplaced.

 

[Kendall Roy]

Just off the phone to AMEX 'cancellations'.

3rd Year without an Annual Fee thank you Sir

 

[Febs]

I'm currently in the situation where my $195 credit has been applied (for the third year), but the $195 charge hasn't yet.

Anyone had any luck switching to another AMEX and applying the credit to that instead? I'm considering the Platinum AMEX CC, as I've realised I'd rather be earning hotel points (SPG/HH) rather than QFF points at the moment.

(Actually on that note - I presume you can link multiple cards to one MR Ascent account? I already have an Ascent account on my corporate charge card.)

Cheers,
- Febs.

 

[rwatts]

(Actually on that note - I presume you can link multiple cards to one MR Ascent account? I already have an Ascent account on my corporate charge card.)

Cheers,
- Febs.

I have Ascent with my green corporate charge card and did have a gold Amex credit card on the same MR account about a decade ago.

When I asked last week if I could have a platinum credit card on that Ascent account the answer was that it would be a new account and I would not be able therefore to transfer to Qantas from a platinum card. I will certainly ask again though because unusually this person on the (Ultimate card) phone did not seem as confident as they usually are.

Obviously I would like to retire the corporate card - which at $5 per year has served me well but these days I have to pay for Ascent.

Richard.

 

[austrider]

Just wondering - has anyone got similar "luck" with the Pt credit card? (ie not QF Ultimate) I just called and they denied any knowledge of fee waiver based on spending for the Pt credit card. However, I did not press on to speak to the cancellation department. My average annual spend is around $50k.

Should I call back during the week and insist on speaking to someone in the cancellations department?

 

[asdfghjkl32]

I thought it's always free, isn't it?

 

[BigKahunaBurger]

Just wondering - has anyone got similar "luck" with the Pt credit card? (ie not QF Ultimate) I just called and they denied any knowledge of fee waiver based on spending for the Pt credit card. However, I did not press on to speak to the cancellation department. My average annual spend is around $50k.

Should I call back during the week and insist on speaking to someone in the cancellations department?

I had the same issue yesterday, but my card is QF Ultimate - told that the offer I had last year (when upgraded from Gold CC) was for first year fee of $192 and then $395 each subsequent year (in actual fact, the offer was fee free in first year, but they didn't believe this at first and i had to send them a copy of the offer letter!) - in any case, the person on the phone denied that the fee could be waived based on spend.

So, similar to Austrider, keen to understand if this is just because I didn't go all the way through to cancellations?

Spend in last 12 months has been around $75k.

 

[FL360]

My friend who has lower income than me
got offered a Plat with chip as a replacement card,
with same fee free arrangements.

However I am only offered the same Gold with chip replacements only.

It is strange because I spend more money on the card than her,
and I have higher income than her. But she have a Citibank savings account with her may be that's the reason ? (Because Citibank knows her assets).

 

[austrider]

My friend who has lower income than me
got offered a Plat with chip as a replacement card,
with same fee free arrangements.

However I am only offered the same Gold with chip replacements only.

It is strange because I spend more money on the card than her,
and I have higher income than her. But she have a Citibank savings account with her may be that's the reason ? (Because Citibank knows her assets).

Err... I think you were meant to post here:

Citibank upgrading fee free Gold to fee free Platinum - Page 12 - The Australian Frequent Flyer Online Community

This thread is about AMEX (QF Amex or stock Pt). There's a separate thread with Citibank cards.

Btw I think "Citibank knows her assets" didn't come out quite right....

 

[Febs]

Thread bump...

I'm currently in the situation where my $195 credit has been applied (for the third year), but the $195 charge hasn't yet.

Haven't put a single transaction through this card since November last year (so maybe $2,000 total since my last fee waiver), so I rang up to cancel it. Sure enough - fee waived for a 4th year in a row.

(I will start to use it again, once my Earth Plat promo period runs out).

Cheers,
- Febs.

 

[medhead]

(I will start to use it again, once my Earth Plat promo period runs out).

Cheers,
- Febs.

what promo is that?

 

[Febs]

what promo is that?

1/2 price annual fee for the first year ($125) + some free points...20,000 or 30,000 from memory.

Cheers,
- Febs.

 

[medhead]

1/2 price annual fee for the first year ($125) + some free points...20,000 or 30,000 from memory.

Cheers,
- Febs.

Cool. Was worried I missed a promo :shock:

 

[Sheriff]

I thought it's always free, isn't it?

It is.

The annual fee was due to be posted to my account early September so I made the annual call to the Amex cancellation department today to discuss the possibility of fee waiver on my Ultimate Qantas card. I made no cancellation threats, simply stated the reasons why I thought I deserved a fee waiver.

Sixty seconds later : FEE WAIVED.

Beware: DON'T pay credit card annual fees !!

 

[Flashback]

It is.

The annual fee was due to be posted to my account early September so I made the annual call to the Amex cancellation department today to discuss the possibility of fee waiver on my Ultimate Qantas card. I made no cancellation threats, simply stated the reasons why I thought I deserved a fee waiver.

Sixty seconds later : FEE WAIVED.

Beware: DON'T pay credit card annual fees !!

Do you get a free flight with the Ultimate? I have the Plat CC which comes with a free flight (PER-MEL/SYD-PER) so not sure I could get them to waive the fee.