Strategy to obtain US Amex

[Grrr]

Platinum AUS

Yes but that's 2.25 only right ? We don't get 3x, 4x like some of the US cards ?

 

[georgie23]

Yeah same - outside of SUB spend - I’ll rarely use 1x on US cards that much - as I can get 2.25x on my Aus Plat Charge.

Post automatically merged: Today at 2:33 PM

Yeah same - outside of SUB spend - I’ll rarely use 1x on US cards that much - as I can get 2.25x on my Aus Plat Charge. (This is one of the areas CardPointers comes in handy)

I only want to be spending to get SUB - best way to get points

 

[levelnine]

It's not hard to do the math yourself depending on the card.

Eg $AUD100 spend ...

AU Plat
$100 * 2.25 = 225 AU Amex points = 143 US Amex points

US 3x Card
$100AUD = $63USD * 3 = 189 US Amex points

 

[georgie23]

I’m very lucky to still only pay AU$750 for my AUS Plat - so I’ll never get rid of it at that AF

That’s a great deal - wish you could share that as some sort of referral bonus

 

[prozac]

MsProzac living in US and working for herself only earns a moderate amount which is improving. Despite my efforts past 2 yrs she has only recently (4-5 months) got a CC which is a bank issued card with only cashback offers, but she now has a healthy credit record. She is now keen to get a card that acrues transferable points. Her spend is on clothes, food, eating out, etc. She flies within US every 6-8 weeks and accrues points to AA. She does not want to spend a wad on annual card fees. I have suggested Amex Green. Does the brains trust have other suggestions?

 

[georgie23]

Agree Green is great choice as is Venture 95 AF
Gold is good if live in US as can get 4x on groceries and fuel too but AF get more of expensive

 

[djchuckles]

Yes but that's 2.25 only right ? We don't get 3x, 4x like some of the US cards ?

Platinum Edge gets 3x on supermarket and fuel from memory

Post automatically merged: Today at 3:12 PM

It's not hard to do the math yourself depending on the card.

Eg $AUD100 spend ...

AU Plat
$100 * 2.25 = 225 AU Amex points = 143 US Amex points

US 3x Card
$100AUD = $63USD * 3 = 189 US Amex points

Don’t even need to complicate it with comparing AUD to USD - given the spend here is on AUD, but the points transfer is on the USD/AUD rate - its simply a matter of comparing the multiplier

X3 will always be better than x2.25 regardless of the country

 

[N0mad]

Do any of the US Amex cards have income requirements? P2 only works part time so salary plus share of rental income would be around $40k AUD. Will she struggle to be approved with some Amex cards?

Does everyone convert salary from AUD to USD when applying?

 

[djchuckles]

Agree Green is great choice as is Venture 95 AF
Gold is good if live in US as can get 4x on groceries and fuel too but AF get more of expensive

I think i can justify keeping it with restaurant spend…..

 

[djchuckles]

Do any of the US Amex cards have income requirements? P2 only works part time so salary plus share of rental income would be around $40k AUD. Will she struggle to be approved with some Amex cards?

Does everyone convert salary from AUD to USD when applying?

Someone here said don’t put too high a number - so i just put $80k on everything

 

[prozac]

Agree Green is great choice as is Venture 95 AF
Gold is good if live in US as can get 4x on groceries and fuel too but AF get more of expensive

Thanks @georgie23 . No family and no car so I guess Green is better option. Do Amex offer good SUB for Green?
I ask her if she has developed a good balance in AA and she says no b/c she buys the cheapest fares she can find online. She'll have to earn initially via SUBs.
What would be the best independent product to buy lounge access?

 

[djchuckles]

Thanks @georgie23 . No family and no car so I guess Green is better option. Do Amex offer good SUB for Green?
I ask her if she has developed a good balance in AA and she says no b/c she buys the cheapest fares she can find online. She'll have to earn initially via SUBs.
What would be the best independent product to buy lounge access?

40k for $3k spend at the moment - not bad but not great - but a low AF

 

[georgie23]

40k for $3k spend at the moment - not bad but not great - but a low AF

She could see if there is a referral code for more
Mine is 40K for applicant and 10K for me
Maybe someone has a more enticing one for her

 

[djchuckles]

She could see if there is a referral code for more
Mine is 40K for applicant and 10K for me
Maybe someone has a more enticing one for her

Mines 40 too

 

[N0mad]

Someone here said don’t put too high a number - so i just put $80k on everything

Assuming you earn above that though so if you ever had a financial review it wouldn't be an issue. Wife earns well under that so i'm not sure a good idea. Could probably get away with a favourable exchange rate but not over double her earnings?

happy to be corrected on the above.

 

[QF_Flyer]

What did you put down as your answers ?

The address I explained I wasn't in the US enough days per year to make me a tax resident and the phone no. I said I retained it for when I was in the US and for receiving verification codes from online banking, something along those lines, although I can't find the completed version of the form (they sent me several by mail, I may have even returned it by mail, I don't remember, but if I did it would have been prepaid).

 

[QF_Flyer]

Where please? I have been looking for it for last hour but can't find anywhere to set up PIN
Found this:

A PIN may or may not become available, it's for cash advances only and some Amex cards don't allow it. You'll never need to use it, which confuses a lot of retailers (it either authorises on tap only for any amount, or spits out a receipt to sign like it's 2005).

 

[georgie23]

Assuming you earn above that though so if you ever had a financial review it wouldn't be an issue. Wife earns well under that so i'm not sure a good idea. Could probably get away with a favourable exchange rate but not over double her earnings?

happy to be corrected on the above.

My limited experience is that Amex will give you a card if you have a heart beat - the income is probably not a huge deciding factor like it is in Australia
Be truthful with a adjustment factor and you will have no issues

 

[djchuckles]

My limited experience is that Amex will give you a card if you have a heart beat - the income is probably not a huge deciding factor like it is in Australia
Be truthful with a adjustment factor and you will have no issues

That seems true - though interestingly rejected my partner on a GT (because she has an SSN and an average credit score - i think she had a default recorded on a home loan from when she lived there 5+ years ago)

 

[QF_Flyer]

40k for $3k spend at the moment - not bad but not great - but a low AF

Yeah 40k is the usual SUB, I jumped when they offered 60k, which is as high as I've seen it, but there could be better offers out there. I haven't seen 60k since though.