Aus. Financial Review benefit gone. (Replaced with The Australian)

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Annual fee came up and called to cancel and transferred to retention team and told them about the diminishing benefits of the card blah blah...got some points to keep for another year.
At the end, I asked her it's not just the AFR being replaced but Shangri-la status and Priority Pass restaurant credits being removed so is there anything in the pipeline on new benefits and she said that they have organised something in the back end and although she can't say what it is or provide a timeline, they've been briefed on something coming and "it's something exciting and you're going to love it" (her words). So maybe The Australian wasn't the "exciting news" the email was alluding to but I'm scared when they sound this excited though given the number of "enhancements" the card has had over the years...
 
JFi said:
Annual fee came up and called to cancel and transferred to retention team and told them about the diminishing benefits of the card blah blah...got some points to keep for another year.
At the end, I asked her it's not just the AFR being replaced but Shangri-la status and Priority Pass restaurant credits being removed so is there anything in the pipeline on new benefits and she said that they have organised something in the back end and although she can't say what it is or provide a timeline, they've been briefed on something coming and "it's something exciting and you're going to love it" (her words). So maybe The Australian wasn't the "exciting news" the email was alluding to but I'm scared when they sound this excited though given the number of "enhancements" the card has had over the years...
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I've been told they're hoping to allow us to use the travel credits towards hotels booked via FHR towards the end of this year. While this would be a welcome addition, I really hope that isn't the "something exciting" she was talking about.
 
JFi said:
… she said that they have organised something in the back end and although she can't say what it is or provide a timeline, they've been briefed on something coming and "it's something exciting and you're going to love it" (her words). So maybe The Australian wasn't the "exciting news" the email was alluding to but I'm scared when they sound this excited though given the number of "enhancements" the card has had over the years...
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Yes, the back end. I’ve lost track of the number of times that I heard about the back end in Manila. They would never put me through to the mysterious back end so as I could speak directly to resolve issues. Some magic box in the back end. 🤣
 
Daver6 said:
I've been told they're hoping to allow us to use the travel credits towards hotels booked via FHR towards the end of this year. While this would be a welcome addition, I really hope that isn't the "something exciting" she was talking about.
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Actually, this is already possible. I'm just about to make my booking. You can now choose to Pay Now or Pay at Hotel and choosing Pay Now, you can use the travel credit. Agree, it's good but hopefully there's something more.
 
JFi said:
Actually, this is already possible. I'm just about to make my booking. You can now choose to Pay Now or Pay at Hotel and choosing Pay Now, you can use the travel credit. Agree, it's good but hopefully there's something more.
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Oh wow. That's great news that it's finally happened. Can also use points for payment (I assume poor value).

Given the bookings are cancellable up to 48 hours (I think) prior to check-in, I wonder what happens to the travel credit if you do cancel? And whether it's like the airfare refunds where the new expiry date is 12 months from the refund date.
 
1450 is a lot to pay unless you monetise the benefits. For me valuing the AFR at the normal subscription rate means part of my AF may be tax deductible. Notwithstanding that, staying at an expensive Accor hotel, using the travel credits and travelling on Virgin when a Qantas LG status combined with AFR meant value of greater than 1450. No AFR makes a big dent in that value proposition. If you have lots of MR and are thinking of dropping out of Platinum, remember to transfer the ones to QFF you want to because won’t get to do that on Gold.
 
I enjoy some of the perks I wouldn't otherwise necessarily pay for (e.g. AFR) but it's the actual cash benefit that I assess when deciding to renew each year.

I'm still getting good value, but I fear changes in future that would easily tip the scale, e.g. removing the $400 TC for existing Reserve credit card holders.

I also appreciated the $400 targeted supermarket promo last year, but I can't count on it.

Between the two travel credits, the Accor night (was last at Sofitel Darling Harbour), and two stays through Fine Hotels in the last few months, I feel I've sufficiently derived my cash back, but at the end of the day, I need to do convincingly better than breaking even to justify the initial outlay in hopes I'll get it all back.

Being based in Melbourne, having QF status and Amex Platinum means no matter what airline I fly domestically, I have lounge access at least on departure, which is a fun little perk, albeit a tad underwhelming in the current Rex Lounge.

Back to the topic: like most media organisations, there will be the occasional article in The Australian I will enjoy, but on the balance, it's not for me, and though I'd never planned to appreciate it, in the end I was reading AFR daily and will miss it, which makes its removal ironically even more painful --- missing something you didn't know you even wanted.
 
After 20 years of membership cancelled mine in January. COVID aside the gradual stripping of a lot of the travel perks as well as devaluation of ATO payments meant that for the price not worth it - particularly as I have been able to get the travel upgrades etc directly from the hotels or airlines through status. Always nice to have in the wallet however pretty expensive "status symbol" although my wife likes to keep her expired one in her purse! :)
 
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Wilo2 said:
I lost my respect for the AFR when the toxic place I work for came as "one of the best places to work in Australia" in the AFR this year - no problem if the subscription to AFR is lost now
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And welcome to AFF.
 
sudoer said:
Not a huge issue for me but this may have been a valuable perk for some. Hope the "exciting news" coming soon is something decent..
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This has gone from being value for money to NO VALUE!
It's almost insulting to substitute the AFR with the Australian, and the WSJ, unbelievable for Australian businesses.
I pay $1750 per year for the business card and I won't be replacing it when it expires in December.
The AFR was the last straw, this in addition to no support from the so called account manager, it's just deplorable!!!
 
I object to being put through to a call centre when phoning Platinum now. Really gives me the sh#ts!
 
I actually like the Australian: it has a better combination of thoughtful left-wing (Nikki Savva, Peter van Onselen) and thoughtful right-wing (Greg Sheridan, Chris Kenny) views and commentary than other media organisations. And I'm a bit of a leftie (and a Union member too) who's no rabid conservative. I just hold the quaint view that no matter what my politics, I should be open to reading, and engaging with, the views of intelligent, thoughtful people who I happen to disagree with. Other media organisations such as the ABC (which I also get my news from) write off The Australian as right-wing trash; but in my experience that's a highly unfair criticism.

As for the other Amex platinum benefits, I appreciated the $400 everyday credit, which Amex has provided for two years running. And my wife and young adult children, who all have supplementary cards, LOVE the fact that they can use the Virgin lounges even when they're not travelling with me. I've also gotten probably $600-$700 worth of Accor benefits this year.

My Union membership also gives me the Platinum card for $1200/year rather than $1450.

So for me it's a no-brainer. I'm keeping my card, for the time being at least.
 
Human said:
I actually like the Australian: it has a better combination of thoughtful left-wing (Nikki Savva, Peter van Onselen) and thoughtful right-wing (Greg Sheridan, Chris Kenny) views and commentary than other media organisations. And I'm a bit of a leftie (and a Union member too) who's no rabid conservative. I just hold the quaint view that no matter what my politics, I should be open to reading, and engaging with, the views of intelligent, thoughtful people who I happen to disagree with. Other media organisations such as the ABC (which I also get my news from) write off The Australian as right-wing trash; but in my experience that's a highly unfair criticism.

As for the other Amex platinum benefits, I appreciated the $400 everyday credit, which Amex has provided for two years running. And my wife and young adult children, who all have supplementary cards, LOVE the fact that they can use the Virgin lounges even when they're not travelling with me. I've also gotten probably $600-$700 worth of Accor benefits this year.

My Union membership also gives me the Platinum card for $1200/year rather than $1450.

So for me it's a no-brainer. I'm keeping my card, for the time being at least.
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I don’t have an objection to The Australian per se - it’s just that is less value than the AFR subscription that concerns me. As someone mentioned, you can get the Australian for a year for $25(?) if you’re a student.
 
Anyone think AFR will have some kind of special offer for those of us wanting to continue on with their AFR subscription?
 
That’s what they told me when I called them to subscribe. We’ve only got a couple of days until service is cut off and no announcements yet. Starting to look increasingly less likely.
 
sjf said:
Anyone think AFR will have some kind of special offer for those of us wanting to continue on with their AFR subscription?
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Yep, 50% off for first 6 months. Email came out today.
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sjf said:
Anyone think AFR will have some kind of special offer for those of us wanting to continue on with their AFR subscription?
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Yep, 50% off for first 6 months. Email came out today.
 
sambo said:
Yep, 50% off for first 6 months. Email came out today.
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Yep, 50% off for first 6 months. Email came out today.
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Ahh thanks received that same email a couple of hours after my post.
 
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