Reduced AMEX earn rates from April 2019

[psi999]

Thanks. Hmm in that case I am thinking about cancelling. Question is, is it worth holding to plat edge to get 1.5 airlines miles per dollar for the plat edge annual fee?

Or should I find another VISA or MC that has equivalent or close to earn rate? Does one exist with low annual fee?

Have a read of my post #497 for my edge case study. For my situation its just not worth it with the hassle of managing a 2nd set of cards for bugger all additional points.

 

[SOPOOR]

got my edge letter today

nay for double points

 

[Chicken]

Reserve was available standalone via professional associations until Jan 2017 - I have one (do not qualify for the charge.. yet!)

I have the Reserve and I am not a member of anything.

I first got the Reserve. I then got a letter few years later from AmEx saying I could have gold charge for free, with the difference being extended warranty is available from Gold charge so if I need to buy anything expensive e.g. a fridge. Then the Edge card was introduced, so they sent me a letter saying I could have Edge for free for supermarkets and petrol, so I took it too.

So now, I have Reserve + Edge + Gold charge for $395 all up. Reserves gives $400 travel credit + Edge $200 = $600 travel credit, and I pay $395 annual. This is the reason I am hanging onto AmEx, I am not leaving!

Hi

I'm wondering if anyone knows which of the AMEX associated airlines that we can transfer existing points to that DO NOT EXPIRE?

Virgin Atlantic. Well, not quite, but pretty much.

Your miles will not expire providing your account remains active ...... Every Flying Club activity you complete, be it with our partners on the ground, or in the air will ensure your membership stays active for a further 36 months.

As AmEx gives me $600 travel credit every year, I just need to use that once every three years and fly with VA, have the flight credited into VS, and my VS mile would stay active for another 36 months.

I have been with VS for years. You can use them to book SQ flight. Example: SYD MEL <> SIN return in business is only 85000, perfectly affordable.

EDIT: Turn out, you can also buy junk from eBay to keep your VS account active

Isn't the QFF expiry 18 months without an earn or burn activity?

Yeah, but that 18 months is not real in practice.

Just go to Qantas web site, click thru to eBay, buy a $2 USB cable for your phone from China, and you have earned 2 QF points, here is another 18 months.

 

[andye]

Thanks. Hmm in that case I am thinking about cancelling. Question is, is it worth holding to plat edge to get 1.5 airlines miles per dollar for the plat edge annual fee?

Or should I find another VISA or MC that has equivalent or close to earn rate? Does one exist with low annual fee?

Personally I would as it will still be the highest earning card for supermarket and fuel (edit:and gift cards) with fee offset by travel credit (and statement credits though could get these with other Amex).
There is a small downside of it being counted in overall cedit limits as holding any credit card does.
For most, the judgement call is whether holding no Amex and churning every 18/12 is a better strategy

 

[SOPOOR]

Personally I would as it will still be the highest earning card for supermarket and fuel with fee offset by travel credit (and statement credits though could get these with other Amex).
There is a small downside of it being counted in overall cedit limits as holding any credit card does.
For most, the judgement call is whether holding no Amex and churning every 18/12 is a better strategy

its times like this, having a partner/wife who could make you a supp card, and then you could rotate between sign up bonus would be great,

as long as they are switched on and disciplined

 

[andye]

its times like this, having a partner/wife who could make you a supp card, and then you could rotate between sign up bonus would be great,

as long as they are switched on and disciplined

We both have a primary Edge(for Local Champ & Statement Credits) but mrs andye will become an Amex churner (thinking about it she may as well cancel soon)
Local Champ may be worth building into calculations of ongoing Edge benefit. If you have a family, Coles can be a good option (WW not so much because of eWish)

 

[psi999]

Edge letter arrived here as well no points doubling. Both edge and explorer now. That will be a total of 8 cards out if circulation from my x2 accounts.

We both have a primary Edge(for Local Champ & Statement Credits) but mrs andye will become an Amex churner (thinking about it she may as well cancel soon)
Local Champ may be worth building into calculations of ongoing Edge benefit. If you have a family, Coles can be a good option (WW not so much because of eWish)

Agreed. I intend on stocking up with Coles gift vouchers for super market and fuel spend prior cancellation to ride out some of that 18 month hiatus. Also local champion as well

 

[Captain Halliday]

We both have a primary Edge(for Local Champ & Statement Credits) but mrs andye will become an Amex churner (thinking about it she may as well cancel soon)
Local Champ may be worth building into calculations of ongoing Edge benefit. If you have a family, Coles can be a good option (WW not so much because of eWish)

I abandoned LC when Coles EGC at 5% off became an option for me. The cash saving outweighed the points gain but YMMV.

 

[lopes2017]

Im surprised they didnt start with

" at amex, we've listened to your feedback and now we have introduced several positive changes such as reductions across the board and devaluing your airline partner rates, but dont worry, to compensate your annual fee has pnly increased by 25%"

This is great. I had a call centre rep trying to inform me I was better off. Both I and my wife will be cutting up our cards!

Its a pity Amex didnt provide better incentives to stay for platinum charge customers eg fee free overseas transactions...

 

[kooky]

Plat Edge Letter opens with, "The average earn rate on the Amex Plat Edge CC is increasing.."

The redemption table follows, but NO mention of a decrease.

Are ALL of the redemption rates decreasing? If so, I feel this letter is deceptive. I question if this is legal, and possibly criminally deceptive.

To leave information out is common, but to start your sales presentation that something is increasing, is, deceptive.

Ultimately the letter is written in such a way to be deceptive to get you to pay for continued membership, when really, you are being eroded. Do I understand that correctly?

Who is the regulator that overseas conduct such as this? The FOS? The letter really is misleading and deceptive, I feel.

 

[k3nnis]

Virgin Atlantic. Well, not I have been with VS for years. You can use them to book SQ flight. Example: SYD MEL <> SIN return in business is only 85000, perfectly affordable.

EDIT: Turn out, you can also buy junk from eBay to keep your VS account active



Yeah, but that 18 months is not real in practice.

Just go to Qantas web site, click thru to eBay, buy a $2 USB cable for your phone from China, and you have earned 2 QF points, here is another 18 months.

If you book SQ J via VS miles I thought you can only fly on a330? They don’t allow redemption for 77W and A380

 

[SOPOOR]

Plat Edge Letter opens with, "The average earn rate on the Amex Plat Edge CC is increasing.."

The redemption table follows, but NO mention of a decrease.

Are ALL of the redemption rates decreasing? If so, I feel this letter is deceptive. I question if this is legal, and possibly criminally deceptive.

To leave information out is common, but to start your sales presentation that something is increasing, is, deceptive.

Ultimately the letter is written in such a way to be deceptive to get you to pay for continued membership, when really, you are being eroded. Do I understand that correctly?

Who is the regulator that overseas conduct such as this? The FOS? The letter really is misleading and deceptive, I feel.

Welcome to the amex call centre training manual

 

[kooky]

CORPORATIONS ACT 2001 - SECT 1041H Misleading or deceptive conduct (civil liability only)
CORPORATIONS ACT 2001 - SECT 1041H
Misleading or deceptive conduct (civil liability only)

(1) A person must not, in this jurisdiction, engage in conduct, in relation to a financial product or a financial service, that is misleading or deceptive or is likely to mislead or deceive.


Every post I read about calling the call centre, sounds like they are trying to mislead people, when they are telling them it is an improvement. Where is the improvement please? If there is no improvement, it is misleading.

 

[SOPOOR]

CORPORATIONS ACT 2001 - SECT 1041H Misleading or deceptive conduct (civil liability only)
CORPORATIONS ACT 2001 - SECT 1041H
Misleading or deceptive conduct (civil liability only)

(1) A person must not, in this jurisdiction, engage in conduct, in relation to a financial product or a financial service, that is misleading or deceptive or is likely to mislead or deceive.


Every post I read about calling the call centre, sounds like they are trying to mislead people, when they are telling them it is an improvement. Where is the improvement please? If there is no improvement, it is misleading.

playing devils advocate,

if you are not transfering it to airlines, most redempttion rates are unchanged or slightly imrpoved, eg overseas spend going up from 0.5 to 1

you can argue that its improved if you are not redeeming for airlines but using it to redeem a toaster or something

 

[Chicken]

If you book SQ J via VS miles I thought you can only fly on a330? They don’t allow redemption for 77W and A380

You are right, cough. There is only 1 flight from MEL which is 777-200.

Well, ANA? Or Air Kiwi?

I don't like the SQ A380 J seats anyway (just did that on my way to North Korea and I booked it using SQ miles.)

I have actually always used VS miles for VS flights.

 

[k3nnis]

You are right, cough. There is only 1 flight from MEL which is 777-200.

Well, ANA? Or Air Kiwi?

I don't like the SQ A380 J seats anyway (just did that on my way to North Korea and I booked it using SQ miles.)

I have actually always used VS miles for VS flights.

Yep I used vs miles for nrt- lhr and Syd-hkg-Syd when this was still available in upper class.

 

[hossein_au]

which provider is this?

as amaroo said above, from my perspective, RP isn't too expensive at 2.4%+GST IF I'm earning 2 points / $, as that's circa 0.9 cents / point, but I value RP as costing me even less than 0.9, since it gives my business the opportunity to pay expenses at 55 days from the start of the next billing cycle (without delaying payment to suppliers), which is also a notable cash flow benefit

EasyBillPay (www.easybillpay.com.au)

 

[hossein_au]

Yes, if it's a bus expense, you claim back the gst and take off 25 per cent from 1.2 cents (since you're getting 2 points / $), which is 0.9 cents / point

Now imagine doing exactly the same, but start with a fee of 0.08% including GST (albeit only for VISA or MC).

 

[Bell21]

Now imagine doing exactly the same, but start with a fee of 0.08% including GST (albeit only for VISA or MC).

Interesting - I'll look into it, but I think the points cap on my current rewards Visa card means I'd typically be earning 0.5 points / $, so I don't think it would add up for that (without running the numbers yet), but I'm about to apply for the St G signature visa, which may bring this into play (as believe this is uncapped and 1 points / $ for VA) - I'll run the numbers and let you know how it turns out - more importantly (and back on topic with this thread), since RP is going to be entirely uneconomical post April (unless they halve their commission), this may actually turn out to be a very important change of approach for me to consider - thanks!!!

 

[hossein_au]

Interesting - I'll look into it, but I think the points cap on my current rewards Visa card means I'd typically be earning 0.5 points / $, so I don't think it would add up for that (without running the numbers yet), but I'm about to apply for the St G signature visa, which may bring this into play (as believe this is uncapped and 1 points / $ for VA) - I'll run the numbers and let you know how it turns out - more importantly (and back on topic with this thread), since RP is going to be entirely uneconomical post April (unless they halve their commission), this may actually turn out to be a very important change of approach for me to consider - thanks!!!

St George's earns 0.75 points per dollar and does not have a cap. There is also birthday bonus of 10%, which brings it up to 0.825 points per dollar if you keep the card past your birthday.

Bankwest World Qantas Mastercard earns 0.6 (or is it 0.66?) QF points per dollar, and no cap.