QF Amex Ultimate card - does anyone actually pay for it?

[shambles]

I took on this product when it first came out 3 years ago, liked the idea of the "free" flight each year and I needed a new carry-on bag at the time so the sammy one they were offerring seemed to fit the bill. The points are 1 for 1 AFAIK but the usual frustration of not being accepted everywhere, led me to hedge my bets and keep my Citi Plat visa which I've had for ages now and been very happy with as my main cc. The fee for the amex was circa $395 (similar to the citi product) but since the 1st year I've paid neither. I learn't from when I tried to cancel my UK based Amex Plat that they'd rather that you keep it for free than cancel it. Needless to say that with both the Citi & Amex I now make the routine cancellation call once the fee is charged and it gets reversed - easier than nicking candy from a baby

I assume most others do similar?

(hehe - I ended up with two of the Amex sammy bags as I put the hard word on the annoying sales guy in the QP and said "give me your "sample" bag now and I'll sign on the leopard here & now". Did the deal only to find that the silly besterds still mailed me another with my welcome pack

 

[TonyHancock]

I paid a reduced fee of $250 for mine this year, but will be ringing to cancel when the fee is charged this year.

 

[BJReplay]

I'm just on the premium card for the moment (not ultimate), but have not paid a fee once (free first year, fee waiver call on anniversary). I think my average fee waiver phone call time is around 8 minutes at the moment, including hold time.

I have a reminder set a month before the anniversary, call up, and ask in advance: "Can I get a fee waiver - let me know now, because if not, I'll get you to put me straight through to cancellations. Last year they told me they couldn't waive the fee this year, and I don't want to pay it, so if that's true, I'm cancelling."

Every year they tell me "just a one off, can't do it next year, but we've done it this year. You'll see the fee appear, then a reversal a few days later".

I will upgrade to ultimate if they offer it for no additional fee for the extra earn. Easier than getting a waiver on commbank diamond, methinks.

 

[hummel]

Interesting to note this thread. Was thinking of signing up for this card under the new $250 annual fee promotion.

 

[Gold Member]

Fee free if you threaten to cancel, BUT, you must meet their minimum annual spend which varies from year to year. I understand this to be somewhere between $30-40K pa.

P.S. I've never paid an annual fee for my Ultimate except for the first year which was offset by 40K QFF points

 

[jamesatfish]

I had the exact opposite experience with my Ultimate card and the cancellation / fee-waiver process.

After having the card for a few years (and putting through about $200K a year) I called up to switch to the Platinum Charge Card as the limit on the Ultimate card was making it difficult to make some purchases. After several round-about phone calls they decided I wasn't eligible for the charge card and a credit limit re-assessment would actually reduce my limit on the Ultimate card(!) I decided I had no further use for the Ultimate card so advised them I'd either like the fee waived and I'd continue to use the card or for the card to be cancelled.

I was told someone would 'get back to me' - when I hadn't heard anything for a few days I happened to log into the Amex website and discovered the card had been cancelled.

Maybe I was just being too difficult a customer for them to deal with - but in any case be careful with the fee-waiver request as you may well end up with a cancelled card instead.

 

[coolsteps]

I had the exact opposite experience with my Ultimate card and the cancellation / fee-waiver process.

After having the card for a few years (and putting through about $200K a year) I called up to switch to the Platinum Charge Card as the limit on the Ultimate card was making it difficult to make some purchases. After several round-about phone calls they decided I wasn't eligible for the charge card and a credit limit re-assessment would actually reduce my limit on the Ultimate card(!) I decided I had no further use for the Ultimate card so advised them I'd either like the fee waived and I'd continue to use the card or for the card to be cancelled.

I was told someone would 'get back to me' - when I hadn't heard anything for a few days I happened to log into the Amex website and discovered the card had been cancelled.

Maybe I was just being too difficult a customer for them to deal with - but in any case be careful with the fee-waiver request as you may well end up with a cancelled card instead.

i think you can call up within 60 days to re instate most amex card's. since you cant reapply for 60 days either. thus It may be a way to by pass the annual fee issue. its worked for me sometimes.

 

[opusman]

I paid the first year, then had a waiver the past two years. The most recent one they actually refunded $500 instead of the $450 card fee, so I made a profit :mrgreen: