The New Altitude Platinum Card from Westpac

[QFTravel]

All,

Saw this advertised in the local paper. Don't know how many more may have seen it.

The Westpac Altitude Platinum program is a first - a credit card program that combines value and prestige. Every time you use your Altitude Platinum American Express® Card you earn 4 points per $1 spent until 30 September 2006, and 3 points per $1 spent ongoing. Plus, you get 1 point per $1 spent on your Altitude Platinum MasterCard®. You enjoy the benefits of the Best Bank Rewards Program 2006, voted by Money Magazine. You receive exclusive offers from American Express and MasterCard. As well as free overseas travel insurance and purchase protection insurances.

Little more detail please though - I bet I can only get 10,000 a year

More earning potential
Altitude Platinum earns you more points. It’s that simple. Every time you use your Altitude Platinum American Express Card you earn 4 points per $1 spent until 30 September 2006 and 3 points per $1 spent ongoing.

No points capping or expiry
Unlike other cards, Altitude Platinum has no points capping or expiry. So you can accrue as many points as you like and use them at your leisure.
Two cards, more convenience, more points

Altitude Platinum gives Altitude Platinum gives you two cards.
Your Altitude Platinum American Express Card offers you great points-earning potential. While your Altitude Platinum MasterCard® can be used at over 23 million locations worldwide, giving you the convenience of ATM access, and also earns you 1 point per $1 spent.

I'm liking it - but how many damn FF points does that convert to?

Frequent flyer programs
You can redeem your Altitude Platinum points at the rate of 2 points for 1 Qantas Frequent Flyer point. And you can also redeem Altitude points for Malaysia Airlines and Air New Zealand frequent flyer points.

My math says I earn 3 points per dollar = 1.5 FF points (equal best offered) :shock:

Plus they want to give me an AMEX and a MC (hopefully one statement! :twisted

So in recap;

Benefits
- Equal best earnings (post the honeymoon period)
- Perks of having a plat card
- You get a MC as a back-up (they must have read this forum!)
- Cheaper than the AMEX Plat CC

Drawbacks
- Earn of MC is only 0.5 FF points per dollar spent

ALL FOR ONLY $295!

What are people's thoughts when they compare it to the AMEX Rewards Max/Ezy Woolies combo?

Persoanlly, I think the extra $65 is worth it.

 

[tanewi]

Any sign up bonus? I got the 16k points for the ANZ Visa, so did my wife! She also got a separate bonus of 1k, making a total of 17k - think she has used it twice.

 

[oz_mark]

Was some brief discussion on another thread.

http://www.frequentflyer.com.au/discus/viewtopic.php?t=2142

For me, I think it is a better option than my current Citibank Plat.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

Sounds a lot better than Westpac's Titanium :roll: offered in NZ.

 

[James]

WBC's transferring of points to QF FF is very slow compared to the Amex Rewards Maximiser. Firstly, WBC points aren't transferred to the account until approximately 3 days after your statement date and then when you want to transfer to QF it can take a day.

With Amex Rewards Maximiser the points are in your account as soon as the charge appears on your (internet) statement, usually within a day of the purchase. Transferring the points to QF usually takes about an hour or so. As I earn more QF points buying than flying the time delay with WBC, for me, makes spur of the moment bookings difficult - I don't transfer them to QF until I am going to make a booking.

Also, the WBC/Amex fees for overseas purchases are extortion at 3% while Amex Rewards Maximiser are more loanshark rates at 2%.

As far as the bonus points go until September 2006 I am still waiting on mine. After making several phone calls to WBC I was told there were major technical difficulties with issuing the bonus points and I still haven't received mine form 2 months ago.

 

[dajop]

Another way of looking at this card is in terms of Air NZ AIrpoints Dollars.
160 pts = 1 Airbuck. So @ 3 pts/dollar, $1000 spend = 3000 pts = $18.75 in Airbucks, or 1.875%.

In these terms the extra fee ($145 compared to say Altititude Gold Amex, or $195 to normal Altitude ) is worth it if you spend more than $7,700 and $10,400 respectively.

 

[arun]

I think the main drawback is the 2:1 QF conversion rate for the Mastercard.
Personally I have a CPA Amex Platinum for $295.00 which gives the free return flight as well.
I will stick to that.

 

[albatross710]

I took up the Westpac offer that they have for the companion card with the Altitude Visa. Similar offer. Has been good value. It is nice getting just the one statement which gets reconciled for work expenses.

I thought the annual fee for the 3:1 card was more like $295 in total for the Mastercard and the Amex. The $65 might be if you already have a Wpac Mastercard.

I am considering the Wpac Mastercard/Amex offer but I have 10-15 autodebits for services on the Visa card already. At the moment, the gain of changing cards exceeds the pain of logging into 10 different websites to change card details.

Cheers

 

[Chicken]

I actually was offered this card, but then I completely cancelled it (I had a blue Altitute before). Mainly 2 reasons:

1: MasterCard is $1 = 0.5 QF point

2: It can only convert to QF or AirBucks. The real AmEx from AmEx converts to VS which is a large discount comparing with the points required to fly QF or NZ e.g. SYD <-> LHR cattle class needs 128000 QF pts, or 105000 with VS

 

[albatross710]

Actually that is a valid point about the Altitude being 0.5 Qantas points per $1 spend. The points ratios I am using above are Altitude Pts : Dollars spent.

For the past year I've simply been using my Altitude points and converting them to the retail shopping cards which for me is the best use of the points. I have become disillusioned with the schemes and look to get the value out as soon as possible which has been based on my experience of

1. Losing a large bundle of Ansett points
2. The QFF scheme reorg where they increased the required points for the worthwhile trips.
3. The Altitude scheme reorg where Westpac devalued the points
4. The poor value (to me) of the points + pay offers on Altitude.

So my mantra now is earn the points and spend them as soon as possible by convetring them to spending vouchers.

Wayne