Strategy to obtain UK Amex

[Viridis]

I just set one up - I used Lyca - esim - cost 10 pounds and its a pay as you go - no idea how long it will last if I hardly use it but it could be 12 months hopefully for the 10pounds

Were you Able to set that up outside the UK or are you in the UK atm?

 

[georgie23]

Were you Able to set that up outside the UK or are you in the UK atm?

Outside UK - Im in Aus - setup online in about 5 mins

 

[QF_Flyer]

Outside UK - Im in Aus - setup online in about 5 mins

Definitely read up on the expiry policy - it could be 3/6/12 months, and it'll be easy to avoid, but you don't want to suddenly find out it's been shutdown through lack of use.

I have an EE SIM I've had for probably 15 years, I send a SMS once every six months to make sure it remains active (needs either a chargeable activity or a credit topup). Ridiculously poor value to actually use (£1.20/minute inbound/outbound calls and 60p/SMS, roaming data requires an add-on, no idea what that costs), but overall it's a small price to pay to keep it alive. It was originally a Pay Monthly SIM I transferred to PAYG, annoyingly EE don't allow eSIMs for PAYG customers, so that's the physical and my main number (Optus) is an eSIM (which includes unlimited roaming calls/SMS and 5GB data per month, so ironically is better value for me to even use in the UK).

Vodafone UK also allow setup of an eSIM from Australia with a £10-£15 one off topup, I set it up for my OH last year before we visited (as she doesn't have inclusive roaming). I presume it'll deactivate if unused at some point, but as of the other day, around 6/7 months on, it's still active.

EDIT: Quick Google suggests that O2, EE, Vodafone and 3 are all 6-months inactivity before deactivation; since all the others are MVNOs which use those four, I presume they're all similar.

 

[georgie23]

Thanks so much - so for the 6 month nil use my plan was once every quarter (on list of jobs to do with BAS - ha) to fire up the eSIM and send a text backwards and forwards to P2 - hoping that will trigger it

Hoping in the future will have ability to have 4 active lines etc on a phone …. Wishful thinking

PS I tried hard to find expiry - might be easier to ChatGPt it

PPS - Lyca is 90 days - saw the rate to send and receive and according to this its free for Lyca to Lyca - wondering if that is enough to keep the service active then

 

[QF_Flyer]

Thanks so much - so for the 6 month nil use my plan was once every quarter (on list of jobs to do with BAS - ha) to fire up the eSIM and send a text backwards and forwards to P2 - hoping that will trigger it

Hoping in the future will have ability to have 4 active lines etc on a phone …. Wishful thinking

PS I tried hard to find expiry - might be easier to ChatGPt it

PPS - Lyca is 90 days - saw the rate to send and receive and according to this its free for Lyca to Lyca - wondering if that is enough to keep the service active then

View attachment 446072

No worries - so the MVNOs have different rules, that's good to know. Looks like some quick roaming data might be the way forward!

Also agree having more than two active lines, although making things complicated, would make life easier haha. Having a work phone provides an extra "slot" at least, but with 2xAU, 2xUS, 1xHK, 1xUK, it takes some juggling haha.

 

[djchuckles]

Thanks so much - so for the 6 month nil use my plan was once every quarter (on list of jobs to do with BAS - ha) to fire up the eSIM and send a text backwards and forwards to P2 - hoping that will trigger it

Hoping in the future will have ability to have 4 active lines etc on a phone …. Wishful thinking

PS I tried hard to find expiry - might be easier to ChatGPt it

PPS - Lyca is 90 days - saw the rate to send and receive and according to this its free for Lyca to Lyca - wondering if that is enough to keep the service active then

View attachment 446072

Thats what I do - in fact the last text was to QF_Flyer

 

[QF_Flyer]

Thats what I do - in fact the last text was to QF_Flyer

Haha indeed, good way to reset the clock for both of us!

 

[Revenge]

UK Amex cards are the worst. The only Amex card that has fascinated me, besides the US Amex, is the Singapore Amex card.

Sorry to be jumping on this thread about 2 years late, but I think the Canadian Amex Cobalt is unique and valuable. 5 MR points per $1CAD on restaurants and supermarkets. The terms say it's for locations in Canada but I've had success on getting the 5x multiplier outside of Canada. The cobalt has a transfer rate of 1:1 to some good partners (including AC, BA), and if you're into Marriott Bonvoy points, the transfer rate is 5:6 (1:1.2) which is really good.

 

[djchuckles]

Sorry to be jumping on this thread about 2 years late, but I think the Canadian Amex Cobalt is unique and valuable. 5 MR points per $1CAD on restaurants and supermarkets. The terms say it's for locations in Canada but I've had success on getting the 5x multiplier outside of Canada. The cobalt has a transfer rate of 1:1 to some good partners (including AC, BA), and if you're into Marriott Bonvoy points, the transfer rate is 5:6 (1:1.2) which is really good.

Foreign transaction fee?

 

[Revenge]

Foreign transaction fee?

Unfortunately yes.

 

[am0985]

Had a look and it's 75k points for new sign ups and apparently the annual fee is pro rata refundable according to head for points.

I'm a British citizen, have a UK address belonging to my parents, have a natwest bank statement which goes to that address...does anyone know how far they check income verification etc? I've been living in Australia since 2018...

 

[djchuckles]

Haha indeed, good way to reset the clock for both of us!

Usage reminder

Had a look and it's 75k points for new sign ups and apparently the annual fee is pro rata refundable according to head for points.

I'm a British citizen, have a UK address belonging to my parents, have a natwest bank statement which goes to that address...does anyone know how far they check income verification etc? I've been living in Australia since 2018...

If you do it via a global transfer, they don’t. I’ve been here since 2011 and got the BAPP and Platinum UK Cards earlier in the year

 

[am0985]

Usage reminder

If you do it via a global transfer, they don’t. I’ve been here since 2011 and got the BAPP and Platinum UK Cards earlier in the year

Could you explain global transfer and how it relates to income verification? Just looked on the actual website and it's saying 95k points, at 1:1 this is definitely worth trying!

Would transferring not mean I have to give up my Australian Amex?

The dining credit is generous too and I'll be in the UK in Feb to use the UK component...

 

[Viridis]

Usage reminder

If you do it via a global transfer, they don’t. I’ve been here since 2011 and got the BAPP and Platinum UK Cards earlier in the year

I’ve got the BAPP card. Got it in 2022 when I closed my UK Platinum card (which was issued under a Private Banking arrangement with Barclays and came with some limits … like giving supps to children …. Or in fact, not being able to do that ).

Have been thinking I’d like to get a locally issued Platinum. I assume that you have a UK Bank Account. To which address is it attached? I have HSBC Premier but it has my Australian address on it. Don’t want to jeopardise my existing card by tempting fate.

Are you able to describe your experience with the process. Happy with a PM if you’d prefer

 

[QF_Flyer]

Could you explain global transfer and how it relates to income verification? Just looked on the actual website and it's saying 95k points, at 1:1 this is definitely worth trying!

Would transferring not mean I have to give up my Australian Amex?

The dining credit is generous too and I'll be in the UK in Feb to use the UK component...

You apply via GT by putting your “foreign” Amex number down in the application. Amex UK have never checked my income when I’ve lived there or not.

The dining credit is good and the travel and rental car insurance is, to me, worth keeping the card for on its own.

 

[am0985]

You apply via GT by putting your “foreign” Amex number down in the application. Amex UK have never checked my income when I’ve lived there or not.

The dining credit is good and the travel and rental car insurance is, to me, worth keeping the card for on its own.

Do you still get the bonus points when doing Global Transfer? What other evidence did they request?

I'll probably ditch it after I've used the first pair of 100 quid credits (in and out of UK) and the bonus points are through as I read UK Amex gives pro rata refunds.

 

[QF_Flyer]

Do you still get the bonus points when doing Global Transfer? What other evidence did they request?

I'll probably ditch it after I've used the first pair of 100 quid credits (in and out of UK) and the bonus points are through as I read UK Amex gives pro rata refunds.

Yes, bonus still applies as you’ve not had a UK Amex within the previous whatever months - their bonuses are - any of them if you haven’t had any. Once you’ve had any Amex in the previous 18(I think) months, you’re only eligible for Plat Charge and BAPP (but you remain eligible for both) unless you’ve had any MR earning card (in which case Plat is out) or BA earning card (in which case BAPP is out). So, an ideal strategy might be Marriott->BAPP/Plat->Plat/BAPP. Once you’ve had BAPP or Plat bonuses, you only are eligible for the bonus on the other of those two, all others are then waiting for you to have held no Amex for 18m. Hope that makes sense!

As for requesting stuff, other than FR (which I’ve been through twice now), they’ve never requested anything. For FR I provided my Aussie bank statements from ANZ, they’ve never requested just wanted proof I was earning what I claimed to be, but I’ve never been asked for that when applying for any UK card.

And yes, pro rata refunds are still a thing on UK Amex, they’ve been threatening to remove them for ages now, but it still hasn’t come into effect (though I think that have now updated the T&Cs to reflect it - before it was part of the contract, now it’s goodwill, basically).

My most recent Plat was an upgrade from their Amex Rewards CC (when they offered 100k to do so), so that account is >10y old, but I’ve opened and closed countless UK Amex cards in that time, most recently BAPP in ~May, when they offered 50k Avios. The companion voucher has potential value too (I used to use the Lloyds bank upgrade vouchers, which let you originate ex-UK, and now I believe the Amex vouchers do too (they never used to), so even if not from SYD, a flight from Japan, HK or SG might be possible in terms of decent value).

 

[QF_Flyer]

… like giving supps to children …. Or in fact, not being able to do that )….

AFAIK all UK cards have a minimum age limit of 18 don’t they? I don’t recall ever being able to issue supps to kids, on any card, Amex or otherwise?

Australian cards are different in that respect. Though maybe you’ve had options via Premier banking etc. - I had Barclays Premier until a couple of years ago (the 150k Avios SUB for that was too good to pass up), I still keep countless accounts but mainly HSBC Premier now.