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  1. L

    Strategy to obtain US Amex

    Are you sure you're looking correctly? Literally the first search towards the end of the calendar reveals ample availability for 2 passengers in J flying MEL - LHR for 180K total (90K each): All of the dates listed in green have 90K availability for 2x passengers:
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    Strategy to obtain US Amex

    This pattern does fit some other shut down data points I've seen lately, where the cards aren't being used much, but they are being used overseas. It's possible you've been unwittingly caught up in the wave of shut downs focused on misuse by foreign users of Amex cards (primarily Chinese users)...
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    Strategy to obtain US Amex

    $6,000 * 0.03 = $USD180 $6,000 * 1.5 + 75000 = 84,000UR = $USD840
  4. L

    Strategy to obtain US Amex

    Bill pay in the US context means services used to pay off a credit card. Some of them are not restricted to using funds directly pulled from a bank account, which should give you a hint as to how they can be subject to gaming/abuse.
  5. L

    Current Qantas First Lounge Menu (SYD/MEL) and relevant topics

    Anyone have a copy of the Autumn all day dining menu?
  6. L

    Strategy to obtain US Amex

    There's been multiple waves of Amex and Chase shut downs in the past couple of weeks. I know quite a few people who have been shut down. Lots of different possible reasons for the shut downs, but almost everyone who got shut down knew they were doing activities that put them at risk of shut...
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    Emirates restricts first class awards to elite members only

    People in the US avoid getting useless personal credit cards because they add to their 5/24 status (which locks them out of Chase cards). Far easier to transfer the millions of points they will have from Amex/Citi/CapitalOne to Qantas and redeem that way. I've already seen an uptick in the...
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    Emirates restricts first class awards to elite members only

    The change now makes close to no sense. US credit card churners will just transfer to QF to redeem for EK F now. A non-elite now has more access to EK award seats through a non-EK program than through EK's own award program.
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    Emirates restricts first class awards to elite members only

    US credit card points have a floor value of USD 1c/pt (AUD 1.55c/pt) because they can generally be cashed out for at least that amount. If the value of an airline's points drop below that amount, all transfers cease — you just cash out instead. That's different from Australia where there is no...
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    Emirates restricts first class awards to elite members only

    If the goal is to stop US credit card churners from scooping up all the EK F awards, EK has to ban QF as well because QF is a transfer partner of Amex, Capital One, Citi, etc. Qantas were already extremely hard to use for trips to Europe. This will make it even harder.
  11. L

    Strategy to obtain US Amex

    Not sure what you mean. US card sign-up bonuses work the same as Australian card sign-up bonuses. You need to make purchases to meet the spend criteria for the bonus.
  12. L

    Who is going to the USA, who has changed their travel and what will you do differently?

    Therefore, my earlier question to you about numbers is absolutely relevant. If we never get the other side of the story for the reasons you mentioned, at what point do you start to think the stories might be accurate? Same question for you.
  13. L

    Who is going to the USA, who has changed their travel and what will you do differently?

    Did you see the other side of the story? 'A Department of Homeland Security media representative replied that the department “cannot answer questions on something we cannot verify the veracity of”. “Just like I cannot confirm the existence of big foot.”'
  14. L

    Who is going to the USA, who has changed their travel and what will you do differently?

    When would you be willing to change your mind and be open to the possibility that they are reporting actual events? After 50 stories? 100? 1000? Never?
  15. L

    Who is going to the USA, who has changed their travel and what will you do differently?

    The fact that you doubted the story on the basis of incorrect information makes me suspect that you read this article with a preconceived notion that it was 'rage bait' and are grasping to find anything that supports your preconception.
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    Who is going to the USA, who has changed their travel and what will you do differently?

    Why is the reference to 'transit' even remotely suspect? The official is referring to what is on the US Customs and Border Protection's own website: 'Yes. Eligible nationals or citizens of countries that participate in the VWP require either an ESTA or a visa to transit the United States. If a...
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    Who is going to the USA, who has changed their travel and what will you do differently?

    I don't think that's the right question. Being selected for secondary questioning and deportation could happen to anyone (except, for perhaps, a diplomat or someone with broadly equivalent status). It is a question of likelihood. The chance of receiving this treatment still appears to be low...
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    Who is going to the USA, who has changed their travel and what will you do differently?

    While my plans for US travel remain unaffected, it is important to be aware of what might happen if you get selected for removal in the US. This is an eye-opening read: Australian with working visa detained and deported on returning to US from sister’s memorial
  19. L

    AMEX suspend my Platinum Charge Card

    Not all that surprising. A 5X increase in spend on a card less than 6 months old screams bust-out risk.
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