Opt in to Earn 10 Bonus Points for every $1 spent

[serfty]

Does anyone know if there is a limit to how many bonus points you can earn on this promotion? I tried calling AMEX but not being a cardholder (yet) I got put through to the Indian Call centre and they could not give me an answer.

I don't believe there is a maximum, however there is a minimum of 4,000 bonus points for the "Amplify your Points" offer as the sale must be for $400 or more!

I believe Bonus Points appear at the same time as the standard MR points.

 

[ksthommo]

Thanks for this information Mick, got a good price on a TV yesterday
at Good Guys Cairns, spent $1034, got 1034 points plus 10,857 bonus points with my Amex Maximizer.

 

[serfty]

Would you not get an additional 517 MR points?

:idea: AFAIK, Amex Maximizers earn 1½ MR points per AUD.

 

[futaris]

1034 * 10.5 = 10857

10x for this bonus, 0.5x for maximizer bonus.

 

[mick]

Thanks for this information Mick, got a good price on a TV yesterday
at Good Guys Cairns, spent $1034, got 1034 points plus 10,857 bonus points with my Amex Maximizer.

Glad you got good use out of the information - that's what I like to see!

 

[simongr]

We just priced a TV and freezer yesterday - the TV came in at $3250 and the freezer about $300. So all up 35,500 Amex points if I get purchasing approval. Coincidentally 35K points is a J return anywhere in SWP - so compare that to say SYD-AKL at about $1200 in J - a very worthwhile potential purchase

 

[JohnK]

Coincidentally 35K points is a J return anywhere in SWP - so compare that to say SYD-AKL at about $1200 in J - a very worthwhile potential purchase

With all respect this award would be through the AA program and I am not sure how you will get 35000 Amex MR points across to AA at 1:1. If my calculations are correct 35000 MR points convert to 11550 AA points....

 

[futaris]

Still it is 36k on QFF for a one-way SYD-AKL.

36k Amex to 12k AA is a much better deal, once you take into account that you don't need to pay as much taxes, AFAIK.

60k Amex = 25k AA is better of course.

 

[JohnK]

36k Amex to 12k AA is a much better deal, once you take into account that you don't need to pay as much taxes, AFAIK.

Yes under certain circumstances if you are prepared to use FF points for short haul awards. I wouldn't waste FF points on a SYD-AKL return in business class.

How about 142,500 Amex MR points = Oneworld RTW award up to 16 sectors and 5 stopovers + fuel surcharges! The same points convert to ~57,093 AA points. How far can one go with 57,093 AA points?

 

[futaris]

That would get you a 9,000 mile economy (or 1,500 mile business) point to point trip on oneworld, with as many stopovers as you want and up to 16 segments. Note that the distance on AA is calculated as the great circle distance between two cities, and not the distance including transits.

e.g. to go AYQ-SYD-JKT is a 4753 mi on QF award, but only 2067 mi on AA award. Probably more useful in the UK, Europe and Middle East, Pacific, etc than in Australia.

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Also, I don't think you can do a point-to-point RTW trip on QF, they're calculated back to your starting origin.

60000 points into AA is 6% of lifetime 1MM status (OW Ruby). I guess that's the same as flying 420SCs ??? (0.06 * 7000SC). At AU$6/SC that is the equivalent of AU$2520 of flights.

NB PER-AKL is the same as SYD-AKL on an AA partner award, as they're both in the Australia/New Zealand Zone.

AFAIK you don't pay the fuel fines on an AA award.

US Amex MR points can be transferred into AA 1:1 if you go through 3 programs, including CO.

I reckon that QF are better for one-way awards, AA better for return awards, and for oneworld awards it depends on the rest for your plans for a RTW trip. Sometimes a combination of the two is a better use of miles.

 

[futaris]

Oh and if you're after Business or First, then the differential becomes less.

e.g. 18k-35k on QF Oneworld RTW trip:
282,500 on QF Business
422,500 on QF First

e.g. 14k-20k on AA Oneworld point-to-point trip:
130,000 on AA Business
180,000 on AA First

e.g. 20-25k mile AA Oneworld point-to-point trip:
150,000 on AA Business
230,000 on AA First

If you had 300k Amex points:
300k Amex = 300k QF.
300k Amex = 100k SPG = 125k AA.

If you had 420k Amex points:
420k Amex = 420k QF.
420k Amex = 140k SPG = 175k AA.

 

[simongr]

Good point JohnK - lets not mention that flaw in my logic to the purchase order approver until after the TV has been delivered

In terms of the "value" of a short-haul awardvs. long haul - it all depends on what you want them for and what your constraints are. Flying someone who hates flying up to DRW for a long weekend in J meets a specific need so the short haul aaward has a lot of value.

In all likelihood the points will actually go to QF to fund upgrades to F on a Business trip for me. That one purchase will fund an upgrade to F to HKG/SIN - which I value at about $250 so as long as the TV is not more expensive than that it still works out ok for me.

One point of clarification on the mileage calcls with AA that I was caught out with - they do only use the point-to-point distance but if you route through somewhere else and your transit time is over 6 hours and you do not take the next available flight - they class it as a stopover.

EDIT

And I have just realised that I recently spent $8K on appliances at Winnings - just before this promotion started

 

[FrankC]

I can't see any restriction on the promotion - is the purchase of gift cards, eg wish cards at D*ck Smith, a valid purchase?

I don't have anything specific to buy at the moment, but I'll definitely need something later on

Apparently D*ck is a sensored word

 

[creeno]

interesting point FrankC....particularly as one can purchase gift cards at **** Smith, and then use them throughout the Woolies network....

anyone game enough to try?

 

[kyle]

interesting point FrankC....particularly as one can purchase gift cards at **** Smith, and then use them throughout the Woolies network....

anyone game enough to try?

Can't see any restrictions. I'm tempted to try. It's only $400 of gift cards.

 

[serfty]

... Also, I don't think you can do a point-to-point RTW trip on QF, they're calculated back to your starting origin. ...

A oneworld award is charged on a return basis.

To qualify as a oneworld award the itinerary must include at least two oneworld alliance airlines other than Qantas.

 

[futaris]

Can't see any restrictions. I'm tempted to try. It's only $400 of gift cards.

Could be a good way to earn 10 points / $ on petrol / groceries, see WISH Gift Card

Let us know how it goes...

 

[Shano]

With Christmas / New Year approaching, maybe a trip to Dan Murphy's to earn some bonus points is on the cards too

 

[simongr]

A bit of a gamble for someone - buy a $450 gift voucher at DSE, see how it posts to Amex points and then spend voucher at Dan's/Woolworths. Not sure if I could get this past mrssimongr - I could prepay all of next year's groceries

[OT]
In other news I flicked 5K more MR points from my Amex account to my QF account this morning and they were in my Amex account after lunch!
[/OT]

 

[Alanslegal]

So is anyone going to test this?

It is likely to work as I could not see any T&C's to the contrary.