Free flight on Amex Platinum Edge - how hard is it to get seats?

[calgarychris]

Hi,

I can apparently get the Amex Edge card at a reduced fee (first year free) through a professional membership. My question is, for those who have this card, how hard is it to get seats? I can only get the return ticket if I choose the Ascent Rewards (rather than my preferred QFF), so I'm questioning whether this card is worthwhile for me, although if I can get a free flight for no annual fee, that's not so bad. The only catch is a minimum of 5 transactions in the first two months, no dollar amount required...

Thoughts? Folks on here seem to speak highly of this card, although the $249 Amex Qantas card has more appeal for me.

Thanks guys & gals, greatly appreciate your feedback.

Cheers

 

[N860CR]

I booked my last one at 3 days notice. Just a SYD-BNE-SYD. Saver fares were available, but they were about $550 return. No dramas at all getting the Amex seat. As long as there is a saver, you should be ok

 

[awkwardpaws]

Hi,

I can apparently get the Amex Edge card at a reduced fee (first year free) through a professional membership. My question is, for those who have this card, how hard is it to get seats? I can only get the return ticket if I choose the Ascent Rewards (rather than my preferred QFF), so I'm questioning whether this card is worthwhile for me, although if I can get a free flight for no annual fee, that's not so bad. The only catch is a minimum of 5 transactions in the first two months, no dollar amount required...

Thoughts? Folks on here seem to speak highly of this card, although the $249 Amex Qantas card has more appeal for me.

Thanks guys & gals, greatly appreciate your feedback.

Cheers

Hi calgarychris

Usually if you call up a few months in advance, you should be ok. When I checked last year, the agent (kindly) told me they have 21 seats in each flight set aside for these programs (i'm going to say those seats are for the whole of amex program, not just PE). not sure if that has changed though.

 

[Cynicor]

Doubt the answer about the number of seats is correct. It's based on fare class availability, savers for VA from memory.

Bottom line, they are simple to book, even a few days-weeks out except for really popular times (I.e. Grand final, Easter etc)

 

[calgarychris]

Thanks guys - I'm looking at picking up the card for a planned MEL-ADL trip, I don't imagine it's a peak route. I'm only debating because I'd rather have the QFF points, but then, a free flight is a free flight...

 

[ozbeachbabe]

It depends on which Amex card and airline used for the free ticket.

When I had the QF Ultimate Amex card the Qantas flights earned points and SC and were booked in Q class but had to be booked on non-stop flights as no transits in otther cities permitted.

 

[Chrizztofa]

I got this card a couple of years ago through my professional association. I opted for Qantas points as I didn't realise that I needed to accrue Membership Rewards points to get the free flight.

When I called up for my free flight, they switched me over to MR without any issues so I've been accruing MR ever since (so if you like, you can accrue 11 months of QFF points before switching over). The free flight resets each year on your anniversary (mine is 15 Feb). You can take the flight after your anniversary date, provided that you book it before then - for example, I booked my 2014-15 flight on 11 Feb 2015 for travel over Easter 2015. I think those flights booked into N and O class.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

I believe before you can book the free flight there has to have been some kind of QF spend on the Amex card.

This was the case for the Amex Ultimate card.

 

[Cynicor]

This thread is about the Edge, so no spend required, it's a default of the card.

 

[calgarychris]

Cool, some really useful info - thanks all! I like the idea of switching from one points system to the other - I'll have to ask about switching from Rewards to QFF after taking the flight...

Can MR points be changed into frequent flyer miles? What are folks doing with them?

 

[Roflco]

anecdotally - I just booked a MR free flight yesterday from BNE - > NTL. All the velocity rewards and saver lite seats were already taken, only left were saver and flexi. But enough availability for the MR seat!

Also - for the MR points - I convert them to velocity once a year when they have a 15% bonus. Basically converts the 3:1 ratio to a 3.5:1 earn ratio

 

[Renato1]

I asked a similar question to yours 8 or 9 months ago, and got lots of positive reponses about availability as you have.
They also kindly pointed out that as the anniversary approaches, there is a two week period where you can use this year's free flight in conjunction with the next year's free flight - so that your wife or partner doesn't have to buy a separate ticket.

Thus you may want to join at a time you think that you and a partner may want to travel somewhere together.

For domestic flights to State capital cities, generally speaking, it takes less Virgin Ascent points than QFF points to get there. My rough estimate was that typically one QFF point was worth about a cent for off-peak travel, whereas one Virgin point was worth around 1.4 cents. Add to that the occasional offer to switch member rewards points to Virgin points with a 15% bonus, and I just stick with Virgin.

The three points per dollar earn at major supermarkets means that I earn around 60,000 points a year, which equates to more free flights just from doing grocery shopping. Though if I buy alcohol from Liquorland, I only get one point a dollar as it isn't counted as being in Coles, whereas if I buy alcohol from a BWS adjacent to a Woolworths/Safeway store, for me it shows up as 3 points a dollar as if I was in the grocery store.

If one happens to want tobacco products, then the 3 points a dollar one gets from buying them at grocery stores, is about the only bonus one can still get on them.
Regards,
Renato

 

[andye]

Though if I buy alcohol from Liquorland, I only get one point a dollar as it isn't counted as being in Coles,

You can buy Coles Group Myer giftcards at Coles then use at Liquorland (or Vintage Cellars) to still get 3 MR/$

 

[andye]

Cool, some really useful info - thanks all! I like the idea of switching from one points system to the other - I'll have to ask about switching from Rewards to QFF after taking the flight...

Can MR points be changed into frequent flyer miles? What are folks doing with them?

Although Edge MRs can't be changed or converted to Qantas points, they can be transferred to Singapore, Cathay, Virgin Australia, Virgin Atlantic, Malaysian, Thai, Etihad, Emirates and Air New Zealand points as well at Hilton and Starwood.

Plenty of options for the Australian traveller. My most recent big redemption was for Malaysian but they have since devalued.