Latitude 28 Degrees $8 per month starting September 2024

[Fifa]

This is really annoying news...I have had the card for 18 years when it was a Wizard Clear Advantage Mastercard. You uaed to be able to load the card into a positive balance, and then withdraw cash from ATMs OS fee free. Does give 1 free flexiroam e/Sim card per card member per year, valid for 14 days with 3gb data ...I think I will need to look for the scissors!

Same same.
I think every AFFer had one of these cards in the early days!

 

[RooFlyer]

Sooooo… what do people use in AU for foreign transactions then?

NAB Rewards (not QF) - no FX fee and monthly fee can be avoided by $5K monthly spend. (These are both quite new)

 

[Jacques Vert]

But there is an annual fee for that? I presume a couple of hundred dollars. The points earn for overseas spend for most wouldn't be worth it. $96 a year for 28 Degrees might still be worth it

Yes there is; normally $24 per month but I got a reduced rate plus 150,000 sign-on pts as an existing customer. And as @RooFlyer says, the fee can be avoided by spending $5k per month.

I was due to churn and burn a new card anyway and as I am o/s for 6 months, this deal suited my needs.

My earlier post was more in relation to a previous comment about the Coles m/c rather than the 28 degrees card; apologies for taking the thread off topic.

 

[serfty]

"Annoyed" is not strong enough a word. Originally Wizard Clear Advantage Mastercard 18 years ago, Withdrawing cash from ATMs OS fee free was its original thing.

More recently I have used it for overseas purchases, but not necessarily $1K per month. I was planning on using this years free flexiroam e/Sim card in November.

I will research what branded Gift cards are available; unless these are for businesses I use, the card will be gone.

 

[BJReplay]

I thought about using the eSIM benefit before cancelling, but no, couldn't be bothered.

I've just got back from a trip where the eSIM was a handy gap-filler.

Boingo in-flight WiFi was still useful a couple of years ago as well.

At least it's easy enough to do online via https://servicecentre.latitudefinancial.com.au/manage-account

Thanks! My close account request has been submitted.

I've had the 28 Degrees card since 2005 when it was the Wizard Clear Advantage MasterCard. It is a backup card which I barely use since it doesn't earn points, so I think I'll cancel it.

Same. I have cancelled mine thanks to @Flashback posting the link!

I use CBA ultimate card. It is poor for AU spend but great for OS spend. 1 krisflyer point or 1.5 VA point per dollar for overseas spend, with no OS fee. It also has a monthly fee, but is waived if you spend more than 4k per month. I think the smart card has a lower spend threshold to have the monthly fee waived.

The point earn rate is not limited unless you spend over $10k per month

This is a great card for OS spend (whether while OS or in AU), though I hit the $10k threshold on my OS trip last month which was annoying, but still 30k points in a month is nothing to sneeze at.

 

[cjd600]

No email here yet.
Maybe it's targeted

 

[SYD]

No email here yet.
Maybe it's targeted

Yep, nothing here. Could be a PITA since it’s difficult to get new CCs when self funded…

I’ll just do the math, but $96 is a fraction of the int TX fees I avoid each year. I use the freebie eSIM and ongoing 15% FLX discount a lot. So the net fee is much less - but still annoying if it happens.

I was about to try and get a credit limit increase but might contact NAB to see if they’ll give me a card (as an existing Private Banking customer)….

 

[VPS]

Could be a PITA since it’s difficult to get new CCs when self funded…

It is indeed a PITA

 

[MEL_Traveller]

NAB Rewards (not QF) - no FX fee and monthly fee can be avoided by $5K monthly spend. (These are both quite new)

Sensible to consider retaining if you’re spending $$€€££ overseas, before hastily reaching for the scissors. Just another example of why “Life wasn’t meant to be easy”

Thanks.

I prolly don’t spend that much money a month! otherwise i’d get my star gold for free!

But yeah, maybe $96 is worth it for the $450 savings i make in transaction fees. oh well.

 

[BJReplay]

Yep, nothing here. Could be a PITA since it’s difficult to get new CCs when self funded…

It is indeed a PITA

I had no real problems getting the HSBC Star Alliance cards - I thought it would be a problem but had a crack, and it turned out to be that easy (after some back and forth), that Mrs BJReplay also had a crack, so we both got the 50,000 bonus Aeroplan points and star alliance gold.

We had to show income, which involved providing tax returns since we couldn't provide payslips, and bank account statements showing investment income hitting our day to day account each month, but having done that, and a few requests for information that we'd already provided (their back-office processing is clearly broken) - so, to that extent, a minor PITA - approval came through for $20k each on nominal $120k income.

Mrs BJReplay went and applied for BankWest zero fee platinum as a backup card as well while the HSBC account was pending as her "hold this card in your own name so if I die you have a line of credit" card.

I’ll just do the math, but $96 is a fraction of the int TX fees I avoid each year. I use the freebie eSIM and ongoing 15% FLX discount a lot. So the net fee is much less - but still annoying if it happens.

This is true.

And that was why, up until today, I was considering closing my CBA Ultimate (as there are about two or three months a year where I might struggle to meet the minimum monthly spend requirement), switching to HSBC Premiere for points earning, and using the 28 Degrees for OS purchases to avoid transaction fees.

Instead, I'll probably open a BankWest Platinum for OS purchases instead.

 

[1955traveller]

PITA indeed. Got self funded retirees over the barrel. I did not get the email but my wife did! another frustration. I generally use the Latitude Global Platinum Mastercard overseas about once a year. Now will have to consider what is the best replacement for overseas purchases, no fees and close to cash rate for conversion. Help???

 

[RooFlyer]

I had no real problems getting the HSBC Star Alliance cards - I thought it would be a problem but had a crack, and it turned out to be that easy (after some back and forth), that Mrs BJReplay also had a crack, so we both got the 50,000 bonus Aeroplan points and star alliance gold.

We had to show income, which involved providing tax returns since we couldn't provide payslips, and bank account statements showing investment income hitting our day to day account each month, but having done that, and a few requests for information that we'd already provided (their back-office processing is clearly broken) - so, to that extent, a minor PITA - approval came through for $20k each on nominal $120k income.

Interesting, thanks. Might give it a try.

I just called NAB to see if they'll give me an extra card without the formal approval process (they once let me swap over from a Qantas earning card to a Virgin earning one), but no dice. Apply on-line.

 

[Hunter4vr]

I’m surprised they are implementing the fee to current cardholders, at least the fee is not massive.

I’ll still keep the card for the price protection as I haven’t hit the $20k lifetime limit but this card is definitely getting the chop whenever that happens.

 

[Kangol]

Bankwest World MC...no Fx fee but AF of $270 but get 1 Qf pt per $1 spent up to $5000 per month then unlimited 0.5 Qf pt per $1 spent

What is the foreign exchange rate, a good one? Or is it one of the "no fee, but we make up for it by giving you a bad rate"
I have the BW Platinum.

 

[henrus]

Boingo in-flight WiFi was still useful a couple of years ago as well.

I was going to add this. I thought it was a great benefit and used it a lot on Scoot, Singapore Airlines and EVA back in the day. At one point scoot was charging US$33 per 200MB of data and on a couple of flights I used about 1.5GB.

I’m surprised they are implementing the fee to current cardholders, at least the fee is not massive.

$96 per year for not a lot of benefits is still a bit steep.

 

[ellen10]

I haven't received the email yet. But I used it extensively on our recent 6 week away trip which saved me lots of fees and has always been a good backup card.
As a retiree, it makes it almost impossible for me to get another credit card. I only have two, ( yes my mistake before retiring, not realising how impossible it is to get another card once retired). So I will probably keep it at this stage and see how things go.

 

[SCM]

I think this credit card has become redundant thanks to revolut/wise, and this is their latest iteration of trying to find meaning.

I will close mine, I think it's in no way worth it now, and already the highest interest rate by far of any card I have.

 

[luckypierre]

I think this credit card has become redundant thanks to revolut/wise, and this is their latest iteration of trying to find meaning.

Not sure about that. I also use wise, but don’t store too much £€$, With wise you have to be in credit and these monies are not guaranteed by the Australian govt, unlike traditional bank accounts. I think for $96 /year(+ online payment fees), I’ll probably keep the 28 degrees credit card for now.

 

[SCM]

Not sure about that. I also use wise, but don’t store too much £€$, With wise you have to be in credit and these monies are not guaranteed by the Australian govt, unlike traditional bank accounts. I think for $96 /year(+ online payment fees), I’ll probably keep the 28 degrees credit card for now.

That's incorrect, both wise and revolut have an Australian banking license, operate as a bank in AU jurisdiction, and the money is equally guaranteed as any other bank.

 

[luckypierre]

That's incorrect, both wise and revolut have an Australian banking license, operate as a bank in AU jurisdiction, and the money is equally guaranteed as any other bank.

Still not sure about that ? Can’t see wise included in the ADI listing:

List of authorised deposit-taking institutions covered under the Financial Claims Scheme | APRA

The authorised deposit-taking institutions (ADIs) listed at the bottom of this page are all covered under the Financial Claims Scheme (the FCS).

www.apra.gov.au