"Enhancements" to MR earn on Platinum Card, Reserve & Centurian

[Insaneous]

Interesting... i have a Engineers Aus Plat Reserve Card. Just got a letter telling my earn rate will change from 1.5 MR points to the 3/2/1/0.5 structure, from 14 Feb 2013.

However i'm pretty sure my actuall earn rate has been some wierd mix (mostly 1 per $1, but 1.5 for foreign...???) since october. I just assumed it was under new structure, as i think it kicked in for everyone in October anyway.

Not sure if I should ring up and try to claim 1.5 for all my points, it appears whatever previous notice they sent didnt cover Eng Aus card.

 

[moa999]

Per other thread called yest to cancel Plat Charge (keeping Reserve) and no attempt to keep me whatsoever, didnt even ask why dropping.

Seems very weird strategy - free bonuses to random people who may/may not leave, yet nothing for someone who has decided to leave

 

[TonyHancock]

Seems very weird strategy - free bonuses to random people who may/may not leave, yet nothing for someone who has decided to leave

It would seem unlikely that the free bonuses are random, but more likely to be targeted at customers who fit Amex's preferred spend pattern. Having said that Amex is a touch bizarre sometimes.

 

[Brooke01]

Hi all,

Just to add to this. All my points under the new structure seemed to be running smoothly - getting the right allocation etc. Noticed today that my last two visits to my local MCDonalds (where previously I was getting 3pts per $) had reverted back to 1pt per $ through my Centurion card.

I have emailed my RM to see if something has changed. Not really a huge deal - and he will probably be mortified that I use my Centurion card to purchase MCDonalds - LOL ! But if I am entitled to the points - I would like them.

So, might be a good idea to keep checking your points allocation just to make sure....

Cheers,

Brooke

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Hi all,................Noticed today that my last two visits to my local MCDonalds (where previously I was getting 3pts per $) had reverted back to 1pt per $ through my Centurion card...............Not really a huge deal - and he will probably be mortified that I use my Centurion card to purchase MCDonalds - LOL !

Hell I thought that is hilarious too..................Cent at Maccas - yeah that'll work - I wonder how many Cents they see a week?

 

[k3nnis]

I use my plat charge card at maccas with no shame lol

 

[Brooke01]

Hell I thought that is hilarious too..................Cent at Maccas - yeah that'll work - I wonder how many Cents they see a week?

Yeah, I know right - and they don't even give me a free upgrade when I use it ! LOL

I am sure once my RM reads my email and sees "Centurion" and "McDonalds" in the same sentence - he will immediately drop everything that he is doing to reply to my "high spending" query !

I guess I am just trying to highlight that there still seems to be some "teething problems" with the new points system.

 

[Ricardo]

I use my plat charge card at maccas with no shame lol

And the KFC Tuesday chicken special ....

 

[k3nnis]

I haven't tried at kfc yet. Will give it a go next time.

 

[greenfrog86]

My friend uses his Cent at McDonalds too... If you've got it, you'd might as well use it!

 

[Flying Fox]

And the KFC Tuesday chicken special ....

I received x3 points for KFC last week.

When looking at my points I was just reminded that if I spend <$1.00 I get 0 points.

 

[Chicken]

Just discovered! How can AmEx cut so much benefits and points from us, when they are charging so much more than Visa MasterCard?


As part of a NSW Government requirement ......
Surcharge rates are determined on a cost-recovery basis only ......
Payments made on VISA and Mastercard will attract 0.40% and American Express 2.75%.

Didn't they just cut government payments from 1.5 point to 0.5 point???

 

[anat0l]

Didn't they just cut government payments from 1.5 point to 0.5 point???

I guess they were mostly covering off people who were churning out points through payments to the ATO; even a 2.75% extra charge would be worth the points drawn in (but I think the surcharge was not this large).

 

[Chicken]

I guess they were mostly covering off people who were churning out points through payments to the ATO; even a 2.75% extra charge would be worth the points drawn in (but I think the surcharge was not this large).

If they are charging ATO a lot less, then they should specify 0.5 point for ATO, not 0.5 point for everything government, like CityRail / State Transit Authority.

 

[kpc]

The offer is 1 bonus point per $1 for a max of 20,000 points

I got this offer too despite me saying that because of the point earn change and the changes in the travel insurance, I will be cancelling my Amex charge card when renewal comes up in Jan...Amex has made their business decision, and I will be making my business decision as well, come Jan!

 

[Moopere]

...Amex has made their business decision, and I will be making my business decision as well, come Jan!

And this is the only sensible thing that we can do. Amex has either had their hand forced by business reality and / or they have made a strategy decision. All we, the customers can ultimately do, is voice our concerns when the product changes have been made public and then, if no change as a result of early feedback, look into the marketplace for other competing product which is suitable for our needs.

 

[bigfella]

Guys - any suggestion on a good replacement card for AMEX Platinum Charge? I have been a customer for 10+ years and regularly spend $250K per year on my card. I would not mind paying a $900 annual fee if the card represented the same value as it once did. I am primarily interested in good points earning capability and travel insurance.

* EDIT *

I currently bank with NAB and have a Platinum ONE that I rarely use.

 

[thehound]

Guys - any suggestion on a good replacement card for AMEX Platinum Charge? I have been a customer for 10+ years and regularly spend $250K per year on my card. I would not mind paying a $900 annual fee if the card represented the same value as it once did. I am primarily interested in good points earning capability and travel insurance.

Citibank Select is the go, and if you have that much disposable income I'm sure you will meet the $120k income requirement. 1.33 Krisflyer points per dollar spent on the card, no cap on points. And it's Visa so lower or no surcharges, and accepted everywhere. Insurance is quite good, you get a Priority Pass for yourself and a guest, and a free hotel night at a range of 4/5 star hotels. $700 annual fee.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

and a free hotel night at a range of 4/5 star hotels. $700 annual fee.

Timely response hound dog - I saw that in Select booklet Sat morning - only thing is I cannot find list of locations where free night applicable - is there a list online to peruse pls?

 

[bigfella]

Thanks thehound!

I would prefer to earn Qantas points but it still seams that the Citibank card is better value that the HSBC Qantas Plat or NAB Qantas Plat??