WBC Altitude Black MasterCard and AmEx Query

[GladstoneTim]

Hi,
i applied for an Altitude Black MasterCard and received it and, unexpectedly, a black AmEx. This was in response to a QF 100 000 points offer. I went into the Westpac branch to query this. The staff member told me the AmEx was a companion card and no annual fee was payable for it. This surprises me. It is a lengthy wait on the phone and I can't find a Westpac inquiries email address to verify what I have been told. Has anyone else received both cards when they only expected one?

 

[yohy?!]

The Altitude Black (as with many bank issued cards these days) includes both a Visa and an Amex connected to the one account.

You would not be able to pick one or the other you simply get both: https://www.westpac.com.au/personal-banking/credit-cards/reward/altitude-black/

Typically the Amex earns more points.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Has anyone else received both cards when they only expected one?

Probably not as most people that would apply understand that this deal gains you the two cards.

All banks bundle Amexes with a VISA or MC and this bundle is pretty much the norm now for bank-issued cards that earn reward points.

The unexpected good news for you is that the Amex earns more points per $ spent that the MC... So enjoy

 

[GladstoneTim]

Thanks for the replies. Even though they both have different annual fees, I only get charged one of them? And if I reach the minimum spend on each of them in the stated time period I will get 2 x 100 000 QFF points?

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Thanks for the replies. Even though they both have different annual fees, I only get charged one of them? And if I reach the minimum spend on each of them in the stated time period I will get 2 x 100 000 QFF points?

I am not sure where you are looking, but there actually is only the one annual fee and it is for both cards,and not per card.

There will only be the one lot of bonus points too.


http://info.westpac.com.au/creditcards/westpacblack/altitudeblackexclusive/


You are perhaps getting confused as you can select to be either in the Qantas OR Altitude Reward Programs.

 

[GladstoneTim]

I am not sure where you are looking, but there actually is only the one annual fee and it is for both cards,and not per card.

There will only be the one lot of bonus points too.


Altitude Black | Westpac Credit Cards


You are perhaps getting confused as you can select to be either in the Qantas OR Altitude Reward Programs.

Sometimes it doesn't take much to confuse me......In a personalized QFF mailout, the brochures states AmEx annual fee is $450 and the MasterCard is $395. To get the 100 000 points, with AmEx spend of $1 500 within 3 months and with the MasterCard, $5 000 within 90 days. I wish I had a WBC email address so I could get clarification/proof in writing.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Sometimes it doesn't take much to confuse me......In a personalized QFF mailout, the brochures states AmEx annual fee is $450 and the MasterCard is $395. To get the 100 000 points, with AmEx spend of $1 500 within 3 months and with the MasterCard, $5 000 within 90 days. I wish I had a WBC email address so I could get clarification/proof in writing.

Ok. Given the fees and amounts and that it was a QFF mailout I would guess, that Qantas was promoting its credit card partners to you, and specifically these two offers:


One offer was for the Qantas Amex Ultimate: https://www.americanexpress.com/au/...true&s_tntref=https://www.americanexpress.com

The second offere was for the Westpac Black Altitude, which as mentioned earlier is an Amex and a Mastercard.: https://www.qantaspoints.com/earn-p...mode=view&p_p_col_id=column-1&p_p_col_count=1



They are two offers. So if you apply for both and pay both sets of fews you will also gain two sets of 100,000 points. You will also then have two different Amex Cards and one Mastercard.

 

[edcba]

Why does Westpac allow Android Pay for Master Card but not for Amex?

 

[GladstoneTim]

Ok. Given the fees and amounts and that it was a QFF mailout I would guess, that Qantas was promoting its credit card partners to you, and specifically these two offers:


One offer was for the Qantas Amex Ultimate: https://www.americanexpress.com/au/...true&s_tntref=https://www.americanexpress.com

The second offere was for the Westpac Black Altitude, which as mentioned earlier is an Amex and a Mastercard.: https://www.qantaspoints.com/earn-p...mode=view&p_p_col_id=column-1&p_p_col_count=1



They are two offers. So if you apply for both and pay both sets of fews you will also gain two sets of 100,000 points. You will also then have two different Amex Cards and one Mastercard.

Lobetravellingoz you are a champion. With your information and rereading the initial brochure it makes much more sense. Thank you!

 

[Peter D]

Why does Westpac allow Android Pay for Master Card but not for Amex?

Because you are paying on a Westpac statement not a direct Amex account. Westpac are simply issuing a their card as agent for Amex with an Amex logo. As merchants pay higher fees for Amex the bank can pass this on as extra points compared to Mastercard alone.

 

[Dr Ralph]

Hi,
i applied for an Altitude Black MasterCard and received it and, unexpectedly, a black AmEx. This was in response to a QF 100 000 points offer. I went into the Westpac branch to query this. The staff member told me the AmEx was a companion card and no annual fee was payable for it. This surprises me. It is a lengthy wait on the phone and I can't find a Westpac inquiries email address to verify what I have been told. Has anyone else received both cards when they only expected one?

The deal was for 2 cards 1 account. This is common now with many credit card offerings. Nothing 'wrong' appears to have occurred.

Note from the website:

'Two cards linked to one account'

https://www.westpac.com.au/personal-banking/credit-cards/reward/altitude-black/

 

[edcba]

But this doesn't explain why Westpac allows Android Pay for Master Card but not for the companion Amex card.

 

[kyanar]

But this doesn't explain why Westpac allows Android Pay for Master Card but not for the companion Amex card.

Because all Amex cards start with the same digits, it means that Android Pay and Apple Pay systems refer enrolment attempts on those cards to Amex. Amex do not offer a way for bank licensees to enrol those cards in the virtual card schemes. Unless Amex builds the infrastructure and programming to support it, they can't do it.

 

[edcba]

But Amex allows non-bank Amex cards to use Android Pay.

 

[yohy?!]

But Amex allows non-bank Amex cards to use Android Pay.

Only if the bank has made a deal with apple eg anz

 

[edcba]

Apple has absolutely nothing to do with Android Pay.

 

[Nutcase]

Probably not as most people that would apply understand that this deal gains you the two cards.

All banks bundle Amexes with a VISA or MC and this bundle is pretty much the norm now for bank-issued cards that earn reward points.

Not true. Only CBA, NAB and WBC issue Bank issued AMEX cards. All are under review.

Citibank is one of the largest issuers (much Bigger than NAB) and does not issue AMEX.

 

[kyanar]

Not true. Only CBA, NAB and WBC issue Bank issued AMEX cards. All are under review.

Citibank is one of the largest issuers (much Bigger than NAB) and does not issue AMEX.

Not surprising. Citibank issues Diners Club in Australia.

 

[Nutcase]

Not surprising. Citibank issues Diners Club in Australia.

Citibank OWNS the Diners Club franchise in Australia.

 

[kyanar]

Citibank OWNS the Diners Club franchise in Australia.

Exactly. Hence their lack of Amex.