Bad news from Amex [QF Ultimate Card - reduced point earnings]

[cove]

Mrscove twisted my arm so we have shares in all four of the Big Four Banks. If you cannot beat them join them was her philosophy.
It will no longer be worthwhile to put much of anything on Amex Ultimate after July 21st but a lot of people don't read their mail nor do they study their points earning.
Basically cardholders are pretty slack so Amex will win out on those folks.

 

[JohnK]

Got mine 2 days ago, called them today. I'm less than happy that I paid my annual fee last month and they change the T&Cs so soon after - I know they're within their notice period but the timing stinks.

Spoke to an individual in the Cards Closure section (after the initial CSE did a calculator comparison which showed I'd be worse off under the new earning regime) - I thought they'd at least offer to refund the Annual Fee to try and stop this customer of 21 years from walking.

In my experience Amex has changed policy on waiving annual fees. I cancelled the Qantas Premium card as they would not waive the annual fee.

Anyway if you cancelled your card now then you should be able to get a pro-rata refund of the annual fee paid last month.

 

[rakeman]

Basically cardholders are pretty slack so Amex will win out on those folks.

I'll be changing my card most likely I'll just decrease it to the Discovery and then upgrade a commonwealth bank card to the Plat or diamond I guess. I've got a few months left to decide though.

 

[Natalie_B]

I received two letters from AMEX re my Ultimate card. Not sure whether I'd forgotten to check the letterbox one day but I ended up opening a letter apologising for an incorrect letter before I opened the original incorrect letter.


I'm disappointed with the reduction in points, it is still better than my ANZ card but I only applied for it because of the 1.5 points on offer.


Guess I'll be doing a bit of shopping between now and July when the cha ges come in.

 

[cove]

Ultimately paying ATO on this card will suddenly halt on July 21st.

 

[Beta4Me]

Ultimately paying ATO on this card will suddenly halt on July 21st.

Entirely or just 0.5ppd?

 

[cove]

Getting points for 2.9 cents each post 21st July will not be on my agenda Beta4Me as that would be a real waste of a a good big tax bill on a wrong credit card.
Good big tax bill is a pretty strange concept that JS started with his ATO thread in 2009. Before his post it was just another "ugly big tax bill".
I will not be using Amex Ultimate after 21st July to pay Telstra either as I don't want to be a fool anytime soon.

 

[Beta4Me]

Getting points for 2.9 cents each post 21st July will not be on my agenda Beta4Me as that would be a real waste of a a good big tax bill on a wrong credit card.
Good big tax bill is a pretty strange concept that JS started with his ATO thread in 2009. Before his post it was just another "ugly big tax bill".
I will not be using Amex Ultimate after 21st July to pay Telstra either as I don't want to be a fool anytime soon.

I mis-read your post as Amex would not be paying points entirely on ATO payments and I was confused. Reading your reply and original post that makes sense! Oops.

 

[Danger]

I've just cancelled my Amex Qantas Premium card. I've been a cardholder since 2004 and have earned close to 300k in QFF points. A shame. It was my favourite card.

Chin up.

 

[sumthinfornuthin]

Getting points for 2.9 cents each post 21st July will not be on my agenda Beta4Me as that would be a real waste of a a good big tax bill on a wrong credit card.
Good big tax bill is a pretty strange concept that JS started with his ATO thread in 2009. Before his post it was just another "ugly big tax bill".
I will not be using Amex Ultimate after 21st July to pay Telstra either as I don't want to be a fool anytime soon.

Prepay and put the accounts into credit before D Day !!

 

[cove]

Did that tonight as this one is a biggie that has to be cleared by May 15th so it is pay.....reload......pay.....
you get the idea.....
plus I have 3 BAS payments between May 21 and July 21 and then it is The End for these cards.

 

[cove]

Paid on one and re-loaded the other.....will this bargain ever end??? Well the answer is Yes on July 21st so my stay sharp titanium bladed scissors are ready for the cut. Those QF points are growing quite quickly.

 

[sumthinfornuthin]

Paid on one and re-loaded the other.....will this bargain ever end??? Well the answer is Yes on July 21st so my stay sharp titanium bladed scissors are ready for the cut. Those QF points are growing quite quickly.

I still reckon that a Visa or M/card is more cost effective way to accumulate them at 1:1 and a much lower loading fee.

I ditched my QANTAS AMEX ULTIMATE for a NAB PLATINUM they still pay 1.5 points per dollar if you are lookiung for a replacement

 

[whatmeworry]

Ultimately paying ATO on this card will suddenly halt on July 21st.

So does that mean you be shifting most of your ATO bill onto this card without care that they might cancel the card?

 

[cove]

Yes I am trying to hold the record.

 

[Danger]

I still reckon that a Visa or M/card is more cost effective way to accumulate them at 1:1 and a much lower loading fee.

I ditched my QANTAS AMEX ULTIMATE for a NAB PLATINUM they still pay 1.5 points per dollar if you are lookiung for a replacement

I'm looking for a replacement for my QF Amex issued AMEX and had a look at hat NAB Platinum. But if it's this one, it seems new applications only earn 0.5 points per dollar on Visa.

 

[sumthinfornuthin]

Only earn .5 on VISA but still 1.5 on NAB AMEX then use another card = WOW CC @ 1:1 for M/Card.
I have simply put my NAB Visa in my sock drawer and don't intend to use it

 

[cove]

Amex called me. You always know you are putting enough on the card when that happens. I reloaded this morning so the QF points story is a good one.

 

[cove]

Another call so I must be doing something to their computer analysis.
No our cards are still working and I have the Westpac Kris Flyer Amex card in reserve.
I will try to get another digit in the points earned section before this all ends on July 21st.

 

[Walter_Plinge]

I just cancelled the Platinum/CPA co-branded card I've had for 6 years. The bonus points stopped many months ago.

Amex did try to talk me out of it but not all that hard. I got the impression they've have a lot of closures over this new points regime. The new structure degraded all my big points earners: ATO and Telstra. No value in paying $295 a year for limited acceptability, surcharges, and poor points earn.