AMEX Platinum 80,000 bonus points offer

[airtraveladdict]

Hello, im curious to see if anybody has taken up the new AMEX Platinum 80,000 bonus points offer.

They said you can use it on any airline you want. which is making me umming and ahhhing whether I should join AMEX Velocity Plat to take advantage of the 2 for 1 business flexi fare deals but only 1.5 points per $1 spend, Commonwealth Bank AMEX Platinum which gives a generous 3 points per $1 but capped at 250,000 points per annum or this new own branded AMEX Platinum with 80,000 bonus points with 1.5 points per $1.

 

[TonyHancock]

The American Express Platinum charge card allows you to credit points to a number of airlines. I choose Qantas where 1 Amex point = 1 Qantas FF point. The platinum charge card is quite different to the credit cards that are linked directly to an airline where points automatically go to your FF account each month.

Also be wary of cards that offer 3 points per $ spent because this does not always translate to 1 point = 1 FF point. :shock:

My "perfect"* credit card combination to earn with Qantas is:

Amex Platinum Charge Card (1.5 FF points per $ spent.)
Amex Ultimate Card (1.5 FF points per $ spent + 1 bonus point per $ on QF expenditure.) (Annual fee waived because of the charge card.)
Citibank Business Gold Visa Card (1.25 FF points per $ spent.)

So all my QF travel is booked directly with Qantas on the Ultimate Card, the charge card is my preferred option for all other expenditure, and I use the Citibank card for HI spend in Australia and anywhere Amex is not taken.

Thanks to the good folk here on AFF I am doing a lot better than I was with credit card points earn.

* Perfect for me anyway!!

 

[airtraveladdict]

The American Express Platinum charge card allows you to credit points to a number of airlines. I choose Qantas where 1 Amex point = 1 Qantas FF point. The platinum charge card is quite different to the credit cards that are linked directly to an airline where points automatically go to your FF account each month.

Also be wary of cards that offer 3 points per $ spent because this does not always translate to 1 point = 1 FF point. :shock:

My "perfect"* credit card combination to earn with Qantas is:

Amex Platinum Charge Card (1.5 FF points per $ spent.)
Amex Ultimate Card (1.5 FF points per $ spent + 1 bonus point per $ on QF expenditure.) (Annual fee waived because of the charge card.)
Citibank Business Gold Visa Card (1.25 FF points per $ spent.)

So all my QF travel is booked directly with Qantas on the Ultimate Card, the charge card is my preferred option for all other expenditure, and I use the Citibank card for HI spend in Australia and anywhere Amex is not taken.

Thanks to the good folk here on AFF I am doing a lot better than I was with credit card points earn.

* Perfect for me anyway!!

Thanks for the tip Tony.

Always good to get the info from somebody else who knows how to maximise FF points earn rate. It is actually quite addictive to work out these offers and FF points earn rate.

Now that you pointed it out, I worked out the card conversion rate for this platinum card and it is 0.75 qantas FF points for 1 AMEX point, so the 80,000 points looks good in theory but in fine print, not so much

And the Commonwealth Bank Platinum Card which comes with Mastercard/AMEX combo is not so flashy afterall.

Despite the 3 points per $1 spend on the AMEX, the conversion rate is not that exciting.

Redeem 2 Awards points for 1 Qantas Frequent Flyer point or 1 Velocity Point.

Damm I almost made rookie mistake 101.

 

[straitman]

Always good to get the info from somebody else who knows how to maximise FF points earn rate. It is actually quite addictive to work out these offers and FF points earn rate.

Now that you pointed it out, I worked out the card conversion rate for this platinum card and it is 0.75 qantas FF points for 1 AMEX point, so the 80,000 points looks good in theory but in fine print, not so much

As someone who has just come to this thread I have found your references quite confusing. Which card are you referring to as 0.75 qantas FF points for 1 AMEX point :?:

 

[airtraveladdict]

As someone who has just come to this thread I have found your references quite confusing. Which card are you referring to as 0.75 qantas FF points for 1 AMEX point :?:

the Amex Platinum, which currently offers 80,000 bonus points.

According to the website, the 80,000 award points will convert to 60,000 Qantas FF points.

 

[TonyHancock]

the Amex Platinum, which currently offers 80,000 bonus points.

According to the website, the 80,000 award points will convert to 60,000 Qantas FF points.

Do you mean the American Express Platinum charge card? If so then the 80,000 Amex points = 80,000 Qantas FF points.

The offer states that you could use the points for a return flight SYD-SIN in economy. (The points cost of such a flight is 60,000)

Every $ you spend earns 1.5 Amex points which in turn equates to 1.5 Qantas FF points. All in all a decent deal.

 

[awilcockson]

As someone who has just come to this thread I have found your references quite confusing. Which card are you referring to as 0.75 qantas FF points for 1 AMEX point :?:

Me too.

I was very close to applying for the Amex Platinum (that's the $900 card) on the belief that I'd get 1.5 MR points per dollar spent (I'm certain of this) and that I can transfer these at 1 MR point = 1 QFF point.

Can someone confirm if this is correct (the MR website is hopeless at defining this information well).

 

[straitman]

the Amex Platinum, which currently offers 80,000 bonus points.

According to the website, the 80,000 award points will convert to 60,000 Qantas FF points.

The Amex Platinum Charge & Credit card convert to QF at 1:1.

Having reread your original post are you referring to the card issued by the CBA and not Amex direct :?:

 

[airtraveladdict]

Do you mean the American Express Platinum charge card? If so then the 80,000 Amex points = 80,000 Qantas FF points.

The offer states that you could use the points for a return flight SYD-SIN in economy. (The points cost of such a flight is 60,000)

Every $ you spend earns 1.5 Amex points which in turn equates to 1.5 Qantas FF points. All in all a decent deal.

Ahh yes im wrong, because you can also redeem a SYD-HKG for 75k points, and I found the terms and conditions and it is 1 = 1.

 

[awilcockson]

Every $ you spend earns 1.5 Amex points which in turn equates to 1.5 Qantas FF points. All in all a decent deal.

Thanks Tony.

With the 80K bonus signup points, and free return flight per year it's a no brainer (at least for the first year).

Two questions I have that you might be able to answer:

1. Do you earn SCs/Points on the free flight?
2. Do you have to pay for a trip with the card to be covered by the travel insurance? The T&Cs provide a link to a website with the insurance details, but you have to be a registered Amex user to access the site

 

[airtraveladdict]

Me too.

I was very close to applying for the Amex Platinum (that's the $900 card) on the belief that I'd get 1.5 MR points per dollar spent (I'm certain of this) and that I can transfer these at 1 MR point = 1 QFF point.

Can someone confirm if this is correct (the MR website is hopeless at defining this information well).

Sorry sorry for the confusion, the conversion rate for the AMEX Plat $900 pa card is indeed 1=1.

the earn rate is 1.5 per $1 up to $200,000 pa.

compare that to the CBA Plat Amex/Mastercard combo, which the earn rate is 3 award points for $1 spent capped at 250k points a year.

but the conversion is woeful, its 2 awards points per 1 qantas FF or 1 velocity.

so best to stick with the amex owned branded cards.

 

[airtraveladdict]

The Amex Platinum Charge & Credit card convert to QF at 1:1.

Having reread your original post are you referring to the card issued by the CBA and not Amex direct :?:

yeah sorry i got confused. i have only recently became a mile addict so i havent worked out which cards would maximise the $ spend = FF points.

 

[TonyHancock]

1. Do you earn SCs/Points on the free flight?
2. Do you have to pay for a trip with the card to be covered by the travel insurance? The T&Cs provide a link to a website with the insurance details, but you have to be a registered Amex user to access the site

On the first one I'm pretty certain you don't. I have never taken the flight offer up on the Ultimate Card.

There has been quite a bit of debate about your second question here. My take was that it was not necessary.

The 75,000 points (it's gone up to 80,000 since I signed up.), Priority Pass membership, and insurance cover has more than paid for the cost of the card as far as I am concerned.

 

[straitman]

Thanks Tony.

With the 80K bonus signup points, and free return flight per year it's a no brainer (at least for the first year).

Two questions I have that you might be able to answer:

1. Do you earn SCs/Points on the free flight?
2. Do you have to pay for a trip with the card to be covered by the travel insurance? The T&Cs provide a link to a website with the insurance details, but you have to be a registered Amex user to access the site

1. No
2. For the Credit Card Yes
3. For the Charge Card No

 

[airtraveladdict]

Thanks Tony.

With the 80K bonus signup points, and free return flight per year it's a no brainer (at least for the first year).

Two questions I have that you might be able to answer:

1. Do you earn SCs/Points on the free flight?
2. Do you have to pay for a trip with the card to be covered by the travel insurance? The T&Cs provide a link to a website with the insurance details, but you have to be a registered Amex user to access the site

Sadly you can't earn points on free flights.

T&C on Qantas' definition of eligible flight.
Earning Points for Air Travel9.3.1 Subject to clauses 9.3.2 and 9.4, Points for air travel may be earned only for paid travel on Qantas

 

[awilcockson]

thanks for the replies guys.

we were told at the AFF do that you had to spend at $100 on the actual card (even the charge card) towards the trip for the insurance to qualify, but that's not what is implied on the website.

 

[airtraveladdict]

On the first one I'm pretty certain you don't. I have never taken the flight offer up on the Ultimate Card.

There has been quite a bit of debate about your second question here. My take was that it was not necessary.

The 75,000 points (it's gone up to 80,000 since I signed up.), Priority Pass membership, and insurance cover has more than paid for the cost of the card as far as I am concerned.

Yes for sure, right now i pay for global travel insurance and its costs anywhere from $370-$500 per annum or $90-$170 for single trip to USA/Europe. And the Priority Pass lounge access, can cost up from USD$99 for casual user to USD$399 unlimited user per annum.

 

[airtraveladdict]

thanks for the replies guys.

we were told at the AFF do that you had to spend at $100 on the actual card (even the charge card) towards the trip for the insurance to qualify, but that's not what is implied on the website.

hmm do they count airport taxes, fees and charges as part of the $100 spend on the trip? Because if you were to redeem a SYD-HKG flight for 80,000 points, i think you are up for $400+ in airport fees and charges.

 

[nlagalle]

thanks for the replies guys.

we were told at the AFF do that you had to spend at $100 on the actual card (even the charge card) towards the trip for the insurance to qualify, but that's not what is implied on the website.

Really?? I claimed only a month ago, was an award flight so there was no cost.. Was no issue claiming..

 

[straitman]

Really?? I claimed only a month ago, was an award flight so there was no cost.. Was no issue claiming..

News to me also.

I'll do my own investigating when I get home.