New Altitude Black has landed...

[KLN]

Now that D-day has passed, we should have a wake of sorts for this great card that has gone the way of the dodo. Ah well, it was good while it lasted, doubly so with the double points promotion. Too bad they realised what was happening and decided not to honour their side of the bargain with a few people.

On the good side, just made the call to friends at ATO to get refund of accidental overpayments processed quick-smart. Will be good to get that cash back in my account where it belongs!

reminder to self" do it" take the plunge and make the start of a few phone calls!!!
needless to say have been putting it off

 

[baggyred]

What is everyone's experience with getting the fee reduced.

I don't spend a huge amount (compared to some on here) and currently have a Earth Black on the grandfathered $250 fee.

Last year I spent about $90k on my card - however going forward it is likely to be close to $40k.

I was initially hoping the transfer from Earth to Altitude would be seamless, but looks like a new app. Looking at it - a downgrade to Platinum and $150 seems better value for me

 

[BillytheFIsh]

My annual fee is coming up for this card and while I wanted to keep my Altitude warehouse open, I wasn't prepared to pay $395 for the privilege.

A call to the retention team and they knocked it down to $200 for the next 12 months. While it isn't as cheap as downgrading to the plain Altitude card ($100 pa), is tolerable for a card I'll probably still use for non-ATO spend.

It was offered pretty easily [I just said I was considering whether to keep it and was there anything they could do about the annual fee], so you might do better if you push harder. I've probably put just over six figures through this particular card in the last 12 months including our friend in Canberra.

 

[Mark3000]

Has anyone used the Westpac Business card? It's got a lower annual fee and is uncapped. Since the Altitude Black is no good for ATO anymore, it seems the business card gives you most of the benefits.
The one thing I would miss though is the SPG gold benefit.

 

[BillytheFIsh]

I looked at it as an option, but I'm not prepared to pay >$200 for a card without ATO benefits.

 

[k3nnis]

Which benefit in spg gold you value the most??

 

[Mark3000]

Which benefit in spg gold you value the most??

Altitude Black fast tracks you to elite Gold Preferred Guest Membership status with Starwood Hotels and Resorts0. You’ll enjoy a complimentary upgrade to Gold status after one night’s stay in the Asia Pacific region, usually available after staying 25 nights, when you pay with your Altitude Black World MasterCard®.


Come to think of it though the CBA Diamond gives that too

 

[Mark3000]

I looked at it as an option, but I'm not prepared to pay >$200 for a card without ATO benefits.

Thanks Billy,
So it is no good for ATO either huh?
Bummer

 

[k3nnis]

Yep but I don't see any useful benefits of being SPG gold?

 

[angusburns]

I also called Westpac last week and asked to be put through to the retention team and said that I loved the card but too expensive and they took $200 off the NEXT annual fee, in October 15 for me, so this year is $395 and next year is $195. They would not do a credit back on the existing fee, which is annoying but better than nothing when you have lots of points to warehouse. FWIW, they said I could downgrade to the $100 card and take my credit limit and points to it.

The point for Altitude Black is to call up BEFORE your renewal date, not after.

I only mention the lack of immediate credit back as I also called Citibank on the same day about the $700 fee on the Prestige card and they gave me a 50% rebate / credit to my account, to reduce it to $350/year.

So the WBC Altitude Black is now warehousing ATO sourced points & the Citibank Prestige is warehousing and also still earning me lots of KrisFlyer points on non-ATO expenses...

Hope this helps.

 

[Mark3000]

Yep but I don't see any useful benefits of being SPG gold?

Late checkout has been useful in my experience

 

[Infreq]

" You are now entitled to receive Gold Preferred status for 1 year when you next use your World or World Elite MasterCard®. for any bookings¡n Asia Pacific by July 13, 2015. In addition, enjoy 20% savings when you book two nights or more before March 31, 2014 at Starwood
hotels and resorts in Asia Pacific and pay with your MasterCard."

Must check to see if this has been extended.

 

[prozac]

" You are now entitled to receive Gold Preferred status for 1 year when you next use your World or World Elite MasterCard®. for any bookings¡n Asia Pacific by July 13, 2015. In addition, enjoy 20% savings when you book two nights or more before March 31, 2014 at Starwood
hotels and resorts in Asia Pacific and pay with your MasterCard."

Must check to see if this has been extended.

Due to a fraud attempt I have been issued new Black cards with new numbers. I wonder if this means I can apply again for complimentary Gold?

BTW, welcome to AFF Infreq.

 

[Pushka]

I just checked. My card fee is $150 and charged last December. Phew.

 

[strat]

does anyone know what we need to enter when we signup in the Bank Promotion box

 

[albyd]

FYI for anyone holding the Altitude Black. I signed up last year during the double points promo with 12 months interest free on purchases & BT. Guy @ branch who signed me up had offered no annual fee for life (but I'd missed out on double points as a result).

Called Westpac this morning & told them about no annual fee deal and they reversed it without an argument. Just been offered 0% BT for 24 months which I'll take in July. Pretty happy.

Anyone else received 0% BT offer recently?

 

[trippin_the_rift]

FYI for anyone holding the Altitude Black. I signed up last year during the double points promo with 12 months interest free on purchases & BT. Guy @ branch who signed me up had offered no annual fee for life (but I'd missed out on double points as a result).

Called Westpac this morning & told them about no annual fee deal and they reversed it without an argument. Just been offered 0% BT for 24 months which I'll take in July. Pretty happy.

Anyone else received 0% BT offer recently?

Great deal! How did you approach the no annual fee with phone staff? Simply asking?

I'm looking for a 0% BT deal - is there q code for this?

 

[albyd]

I just told the phone staff that's what I'd been offered but not delivered & they waived the annual fee but stressed waived for only one year.

The 2 year BT was an offer I got in the mail.

In the past with my old Altitude Platinum, I've called up and asked on spec and usually been offered 6 months for 0.99%pa. I guess they see it as a retention strategy of you haven't been using your card.

 

[Ghostdunks]

Great deal! How did you approach the no annual fee with phone staff? Simply asking?

Just my experience with this. I had called up Westpac to enquire about getting my annual fee waived, as I've spent $xx_,xx_ on the card and they had a special promotion on at the time which offered no annual fee(about a month ago), etc. and rather than me cancelling the current card and having to re-apply just to get annual fee waived, can I just get my annual fee waived on my current card. Was told that in no way would that happen, the Westpac Black was their premium card, and they had special rules for it and annual fee was NOT to be waived on it. I asked to be put through to cancellations and her warning to me was that if I got put through to cancellations, they won't be able to waive the annual fee either, and if they do put me through, they WILL cancel the card with no hesitation or effort to retain me. Even spoke to a "supervisor", who confirmed the same thing, and sorry they couldn't help me.

Went to my local branch, and asked to get my annual fee waived on the card, didn't even mention how much I had put through the card(to demonstrate I was a good customer), and she waived it straightaway without any further ado. When I mentioned that the phone staff said that it was impossible for them to do it, she mentioned that yes, that may be the case, but at the branch, she could do it easily.

 

[deka2]

Rang up Westpac today and had my fee waiver granted, even though I haven't used the card that much.

This will be my second free year.

I need to keep this card going as I have a large number of points warehoused there.