My Credit Card Portfolio - Comments

[mike91]

Hi Guys,

I am quite new to QFF. Was wondering if you can give me some pointers on my portfolio of QFF to maximise points. I have spent quite a bit of time researching this.
I always pay my credit cards off monthly

Wish List
1. NAB Platinum Amex (will not use visa as poor return on 0.5QFF/$) - I work at nab so no fees. 1.5QFF/$
2. David Jones Amex - 2.25QFF/$ for supermarkets and petrol
3. Citibank Signature/woolies - 1QFF/$ - but woolies has better value for annual fee @ $89/yr and also bonus points which citibank does not.

Currently opened.
1. NAB Platinum Amex/Visa
2. Amex platinum Qantas - will get bonus of 50k, waive annual then close
3. Citibank Signature Qantas (conditionally approved) will get bonus of 80k, waive annual then close or try to switch over the free fee for life.

I currently am single very young and probably will only churn about 3500-4000QFF/m.

Any ideas?

 

[Robert K]

if you are relying on spending money to get your points, you are doing the creditcard game wrong.

bonus points, dump, repeat.

Some say it affects your credit rating. And it probably does, but meh. I did it. And i still got a home loan.

 

[mike91]

if you are relying on spending money to get your points, you are doing the creditcard game wrong.

bonus points, dump, repeat.

Some say it affects your credit rating. And it probably does, but meh. I did it. And i still got a home loan.

did you get your loan first before doing that or other way around? plus after 13 march with the positive credit reporting and comprehensive reporting im not sure. treading on dangerous waters

 

[cove]

Woolies for Qantas points that are uncapped.
Westpac or Citi for Kris Flyer or Velocity points and use their warehousing if you want to avoid points expiry and to take advantage of bonus transfer offers.
I don't churn as you never know when you might need that Bank for a deal of a lifetime.

 

[jlien]

Hi Guys,

3. Citibank Signature Qantas (conditionally approved) will get bonus of 80k, waive annual then close or try to switch over the free fee for life.

Don't think you'll be able to successfully make that maneuver. For starters the free for life offer is now expired. If you applied for the free for life prior to 28th feb, then you should be good to go. However if you're just trying to chase points, then the 80k offer is probably the best one available in terms of sheer number of points, and very competitive for cost per point (only beaten by the DJ amex, which isn't mutually exclusive)

Think if you're after QFF points then that set up looks reasonably sound.

 

[DaveB]

You seem to have everything down fine. You also seem well aware of the FF pitfall of you can spend an awful lot on card, transaction and redemption costs often for the privilege of flying poor routes and scheduling. In my mind, all not worth the hassle unless you use the points to fly in J+.
Whilst I never do it, churn away whilst you intend on staying with the NAB or will only leave for another major as no doubt will be your future loan source.
I actually can't stand the NAB cards even though have all my banking with them. The only major that forces you to lock your loyalty to either VA or QF and for that reason my NAB cards are strictly backups.

 

[jlien]

Think the OP is keeping his NAB cards as he works for them and get them free. The 1.5ppd amex would be great for everyday non petrol/supermarket/dj's spend.

 

[DaveB]

Understand he is getting the NAB cards for free - also the only reason I have them.
Most important when starting out that you head in the right direction. Locking yourself into either VA or QF exclusively is not smart IMHO - I value my SQ points around 40% higher than my QF points which I now use only for toasters, blenders and store cards.
I would have locked in the Signature free for life to pool points and then got myself an Amex Edge for all petrol and groceries keeping total cost under $200pa and still earning around the 1.5 FF/ average $ spend.

 

[zainman]

Understand he is getting the NAB cards for free - also the only reason I have them.
Most important when starting out that you head in the right direction. Locking yourself into either VA or QF exclusively is not smart IMHO - I value my SQ points around 40% higher than my QF points which I now use only for toasters, blenders and store cards.
I would have locked in the Signature free for life to pool points and then got myself an Amex Edge for all petrol and groceries keeping total cost under $200pa and still earning around the 1.5 FF/ average $ spend.

+1. Diversify between QF/VA/SQ etc..

 

[jlien]

Agree, but the OP has indicated that he wants to maximise his QFF portfolio.
Whether QFF is the best FF program in this day and age is a different discussion altogether.

 

[mike91]

Just so you guys know. I do not intend to travel as much as you guys think. Probably one to two trip from MEL - SYD a year and MEL - KOR (worth 180k QQF) - or other Asian countries (most likely using cathay pacific, china southern or eastern. Further I usually book hotels for 6QFF/$ online.

Unless you can tell me why I need VA/SQ. Will only be redeeming points for flights

 

[Jack_OC]

Just so you guys know. I do not intend to travel as much as you guys think. Probably one to two trip from MEL - SYD a year and MEL - KOR (worth 180k QQF) - or other Asian countries (most likely using cathay pacific, china southern or eastern. Further I usually book hotels for 6QFF/$ online.

Unless you can tell me why I need VA/SQ. Will only be redeeming points for flights

The advantages of SQ are:
1. Award seats in premium classes (J and F) are much easier to get than with QF
2. The cost (number of points) required for award seats is much lower. For example, you can fly Aus-Korea rtn for as few as 63,750 KrisFlyer miles in Y, or 131,750 in J.
3. IMHO it's a better airline

SQ is obviously not a great option if you want to use points for award tickets between MEL and SYD, but to be honest, I'd question if that's a great use of points in the first place (assuming you're talking about flying in Y).

 

[Nolzy]

How do you plan on getting the Citibank Signiture Qantas annual fee waived?
And also how do you plan on getting the amex platinum qantas waived?
Is it easy to get them to waive these cards? I was looking at getting similar cards myself.
Could also consider the macquarie platinum. bonus 40k points for $100 annual fee

 

[jlien]

How do you plan on getting the Citibank Signiture Qantas annual fee waived?
And also how do you plan on getting the amex platinum qantas waived?
Is it easy to get them to waive these cards? I was looking at getting similar cards myself.
Could also consider the macquarie platinum. bonus 40k points for $100 annual fee

It'll be hit and miss, and from what i've heard mostly miss.

 

[mike91]

It'll be hit and miss, and from what i've heard mostly miss.

That is why it is good to work at a bank and know which departments to talk to. =D

 

[Jack_OC]

Just so you guys know. I do not intend to travel as much as you guys think. Probably one to two trip from MEL - SYD a year and MEL - KOR (worth 180k QQF) - or other Asian countries (most likely using cathay pacific, china southern or eastern.

PS - can you book award seats with China Southern using QF points? I didn't think that was possible.

 

[mike91]

PS - can you book award seats with China Southern using QF points? I didn't think that was possible.

You can't. but hopefully opening up code share will. But not likely to happen in short period of time.

 

[Jack_OC]

You can't. but hopefully opening up code share will. But not likely to happen in short period of time.

AFAIK, award seats on codeshares are even harder to come by. Following on from my previous post, if your priority is travel to Asia and you would like to do it in J or F, then IMHO SQ points instead of QF is pretty much a no-brainer. Something I forgot to mention in the last post is that earn rates with credit cards are often higher for airlines other than QF - I'm easily averaging over 1.5 KrisFlyer mile per $ spent. Also, I agree with DaveB that not having to commit to one airline is a big bonus. e.g. with Amex Membership Rewards, you can transfer to 7 or 8 different programs, with Westpac Altitude it's 4 or 5, and even Citibank gives you the choice of SQ or VA. So you can have an aim of SQ reward flights in mind, but you can still choose to go another way when the time comes.

 

[mike91]

AFAIK, award seats on codeshares are even harder to come by. Following on from my previous post, if your priority is travel to Asia and you would like to do it in J or F, then IMHO SQ points instead of QF is pretty much a no-brainer. Something I forgot to mention in the last post is that earn rates with credit cards are often higher for airlines other than QF - I'm easily averaging over 1.5 KrisFlyer mile per $ spent. Also, I agree with DaveB that not having to commit to one airline is a big bonus. e.g. with Amex Membership Rewards, you can transfer to 7 or 8 different programs, with Westpac Altitude it's 4 or 5, and even Citibank gives you the choice of SQ or VA. So you can have an aim of SQ reward flights in mind, but you can still choose to go another way when the time comes.

Your post on this is quite valid moving to Krisflyer is much better - singapore airasia and also asiana airlines. But it becomes a cost issue now with annual fees and maintaining my NAB Card.

Any cards you recommend for Krisflyer with low annual fees - this is subjective.
But my QFF portfolio gave me a max 190/yr (read OP on points).

Recommendations on Krisflyer cards so I can build up a new portfolio then post it up.

I would like to travel between MEL - SYD once a year (QFF on NAB card amex? 1.5QFF/$)
I would also like to travel between MEL - ASIA once a year? (trying to get at least 1:1 on a visa or master and higher on AMEX) - suggestions?
I would also be booking in hotels?

 

[cove]

Be careful with Kris miles as the redemption fees don't make flying on SQ worthwhile in economy. Those miles are brilliant for Business class runs on Saver points.