Cost justification to renew my Amex Charge Platinum

[fiBer]

Sorry if this has been covered but what are the transfer rates for Westpac Altitude Plat Plus to DJ/SQ/CX etc? This seems like a very good option instead of Amex Plat charge, and then just keep WOW EDR or Citibusiness Gold for non-Amex use.

 

[KLN]

Transfer at 2 for 1. 100,000 Altitude PP Points - transfers at 50,000 SQ and MH

 

[lowan74]

After 15 years using Amex as my primary card product, today I closed my Plat Charge and Plat Credit Cards, generally as a result of the recent changes, but also due to a general degradation of card performance over that period.

The key reasons were:
- Changes to insurance and the changes to points earnings - I had found the insurance very useful in past years
- My spend used to be approx 80% Amex / 20% Visa - over the past year this has been gradually morphing to 50/50, although I still was using Amex wherever possible. I won't compromise product quality just to use Amex, and many retailers I prefer have eliminated or surcharged their Amex acceptance.
- The time available to pay the AMEX card used to be up until the next bill was made up (until 2011), when the Charge Card Ts&Cs changed to impose liquidated damages after 14 days - making cheaper AMEX credit cards and other credit card products more attractive in terms of payment days than this premium product. A small but annoying change.
- Customer service is sporadic with Amex - the business directory online is often inacccurate, and when I have suggested new merchants via this facility, responses in some cases have been received 2-1/2 years after the submission was made. A recent call to Amex resulted in me being told to perform the account change online rather than using the call centre, which I thought was hardly "Platinum service".

I have kept an Amex QF Discovery card open to keep the relationship open with Amex, however don't forsee it getting a lot of use. The staff when I closed the account were very friendly and helpful, suggesting the green charge card as a replacement, however, given the acceptance issue above, I didn't value it at $80/year.

My spend is now with Citibusiness Gold, have been with Citi for a few months and have been very satisfied so far.

Matt

 

[Newk]

Sorry if this has been covered but what are the transfer rates for Westpac Altitude Plat Plus to DJ/SQ/CX etc? This seems like a very good option instead of Amex Plat charge, and then just keep WOW EDR or Citibusiness Gold for non-Amex use.

[TABLE="class: view_statement, width: 1"]
[TR]
[TD="class: ff_search_points"]9,600 Altitude points*[/TD]
[TD="class: ff_equals"]=[/TD]
[TD="class: ff_transferred_points"]60 Air New Zealand Airpoints[/TD]
[TD="class: ff_redeem, align: right"][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: ff_search_points"]10,000 Altitude points*[/TD]
[TD="class: ff_equals"]=[/TD]
[TD="class: ff_transferred_points"]5,000 Asia Miles[/TD]
[TD="class: ff_redeem, align: right"][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: ff_search_points"]10,000 Altitude points*[/TD]
[TD="class: ff_equals"]=[/TD]
[TD="class: ff_transferred_points"]5,000 Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Miles[/TD]
[TD="class: ff_redeem, align: right"][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: ff_search_points"]10,000 Altitude points*[/TD]
[TD="class: ff_equals"]=[/TD]
[TD="class: ff_transferred_points"]5,000 Malaysia Airlines Enrich points[/TD]
[TD="class: ff_redeem, align: right"][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: ff_search_points"]10,000 Altitude points*[/TD]
[TD="class: ff_equals"]=[/TD]
[TD="class: ff_transferred_points"]5,000 Qantas Frequent Flyer Points[/TD]
[TD="class: ff_redeem, align: right"][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: ff_search_points"]10,000 Altitude points*[/TD]
[TD="class: ff_equals"]=[/TD]
[TD="class: ff_transferred_points"]5,000 Velocity Frequent Flyer Points[/TD]
[TD="class: ff_redeem, align: right"][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: ff_calculator_rounding"]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]


Note that only one or two designated business cards will allow the QFF transfer.
I managed to get approved for one of Altitude thingys in about eight minutes on the phone today. Talked to a very helpful CSO in Tasmania. Note though that I have a very strong existing relationship with Westpac

 

[ermen]

I cancelled my Amex Platinum Charge today. Was good whilst it lasted. FWIW, they are also not in a position to negotiate around the annual fee anymore (thought I acknowledge my spend with them has dried up recently...)

I will use my Citi Select Visa going forward.

 

[yohy?!]

i've had both Citi and Amex cards for many years now - the service at Citi is absolute cr@p by comparison to Amex

 

[Foreigner]

Amex could be asked to offer MR points in lieu of fee reduction. Cardholder can think at least some value has been offered whilst paying full fee.

Btw, how much would one equate with, say, 100,000 MR points?

 

[Foreigner]

i've had both Citi and Amex cards for many years now - the service at Citi is absolute cr@p by comparison to Amex

I agree...there's no doubt about that.

 

[ermen]

Well rule of thumb for me is 1c per point so I would jump at 100K MR points. Come to think of it, its pretty silly of me for not asking some points. Would have jumped at half that amount though lol.
But i've moved out of Australia recently too so have not used this card in a while. For overseas transactions, Citi Select is that much better.

 

[sparoz]

$1000 at least. More if you use it to redeem ff points about $5k.

 

[lovestotravel]

You won't be getting 100K points out of Amex in lieu of the annual fee

 

[k3nnis]

Would like to know if anyone negotiated any points out of Amex ...

You won't be getting 100K points out of Amex in lieu of the annual fee

 

[nlagalle]

When i rang they offered nothing whatsoever.. they seem to think what's included is worth the $900.. no exceptions really.

 

[oz_mark]

When i rang they offered nothing whatsoever.. they seem to think what's included is worth the $900.. no exceptions really.

So did you put the card out of its misery?

 

[nlagalle]

So did you put the card out of its misery?

Not yet, my fee was due a couple of days ago. I use the reserve card for work expenses so that alone is $400 if I cancel..

 

[vitagen]

You will get prorata refund so dont worry

Sent from my GT-I9100 using AustFreqFly

 

[flycop]

Just cancelled my Platinum Charge Card. Like most here I got offered nothing and had to ask for the pro rata refund! Not interested at all in keeping me as a customer.
We they asked about why I was cancelling I stated the $900 fee no longer equates to the benefits offered and the changes made, to which the operator agreed...

 

[Deleted member]

Same story my end. Even after 26 years they were happy to wave goodbye without even attempting to keep me as a client


It is I, Leclerc !

 

[KLN]

received a called from someone at AMEX today to ask would i be interested in doing an interview/survey about their MR Program. what i like and don't like about it etc. they will come to me, should take about 45 mins and i'll get paid $120.00 for it.
i've got a spare 45 mins on Friday, 30/11. just think i'll give them a link to this thread really. will be interesting to see what they've got to say though.

 

[Pukka]

received a called from someone at AMEX today to ask would i be interested in doing an interview/survey about their MR Program. what i like and don't like about it etc. they will come to me, should take about 45 mins and i'll get paid $120.00 for it.
i've got a spare 45 mins on Friday, 30/11. just think i'll give them a link to this thread really. will be interesting to see what they've got to say though.

I'd love to tell them what I think but I don't think they'd like it !!

Please tell us how it goes