If you are aiming at SPG points and Marriott reward package, you should get one DJ AMEX card. These are the basics:
- you would get a sign up bonus for 30,000 Membership Rewards Points, which could be redeemed 230 dollar gift card in David Jones. But this is the worst way to use it. One of the best way to use is to transfer to SPG hotel program. You can redeem it from 450 dollar to 1000+ dollar depending on how, where and when you use it. I will talk into the details later.
- You will get 3 MR per dollar spend at Supermarkets and Petrol Stations / 2 MR per dollar spend at David Jones / 1 MR everywhere else. This is better than Explorer card which only get 2 MR at the Supermarket and also better than the Edge card which only get 2 MR at the petrol. Every dollar spend at supermarket and gas station will get the highest SPG point in the world (1 dollar spent=1.5 SPG). The AMEX SPG Card in US, Japan and Canada can only get 1 SPG per dollar and that is US dollar. The the DJ Card is highly effective on getting SPG points.
- Free giftwrapping with David Jones, easy to use and save money and time on holidays.
- Free delivery on online orders and shopping in David Jones stores. If you are buying something big and heavy such like set of plates, glasses, vase and coffee machine, and if you buy it during Boxing Day, Free delivery is there for you. You just tell the salesman “delivery”during check out. I just used it this Boxing Day when we got a whole set of kitchenware from DJ. We didn’t drive that day since parking all day will cost at least 40 dollars and no parking bay available after 11:00 am.
- return to David Jones is extremely easy when you paid with you AMEX DJ Card based on my personal experience. I had both bought and returned to DJ using AMEX DJ card and other credit cards. It was totally different.
- retention offer: easy to get another 20,000 points at the beginning of second year
- Annual Fee: $99
Annual Fee is nothing because you could get a lot from this card. I transferred all my membership reward point to SPG and Marriott program.
David Jones membership rewards converting to Starwood Preferred Guest points(SPG) is 2 to 1. Therefore, 30,000 sign up bonus is equal to 15,000 Starwood Preferred Guest Points=45,000 Marriott reward Points=worth at least 450 dollar if you buy points directly from the SPG.
With 40,000 Marriott points you could get a free stay in Pier One Sydney Harbour which Bar price goes from 450 dollar to 600 dollar depending on time.
If you would like to watch the Tennis Australia Open in Melbourne next week. The Marriott Melbourne Bar price now is around 600 dollar per night, but still you can get it within 40,000 Marriott points. There was plenty of room available at the beginning of January. If you redeem four nights with Marriott hotel, you get the fifth night for free. That means you will get five nights for only 160,000 Marriott points.
This is not the end of story. But if you use the point on developing country. It will triple the value of the points. The 40,000 point hotel in Developed country you can get it only for 10,000 points in developing country. For example, in Beijing you get free night in JW Marriott, Marriott and Renaissance hotel around 10,000 to 15,000. The sign up bonus will give you three to five nights in five Star hotels in one of the major modern city in the world which is worth 1,000+ dollar. And most of the SPG and Marriott Hotel in developing country is luxurious and built less in ten years.
The value of the points varies from how you use it (gift card, airline program and hotel program) and varies from when and where you use it. Pay with points when the price is high and pay with cash when price is low.
The platinum DJ card have the same SPG rate at Supermarket and Petrol Station, but it has 400 dollar annual fee. So the 99 dollar annual fee for the AMEX DJ is most reasonable.
You get 10,000 point extra I receive a 20,000 referral bonus points for your successful application.
My referral link is
PM me if you are interested. I will share more info on how to get the retention offer and save more money with DJ AMEX once you finished the application.
