AMEX Velocity card 2 for 1 business flights deal

[nathanxu]

Hi everyone,

I am a current holder of the AMEX Reserve card, however, I think my time with this card is up from 1st October due to their change of the points earning system. At this stage, I am considering the AMEX Velocity Platinum card. I think the biggest benefit for me is 2 for 1 business class flights on any Virgin Australia long haul flights. However, its not very clear whether this only applies to their business flexi tickets or it also include the cheapest business class ticket. Has anyone had any experience with the booking of these flights? Does the second passenger also earn status and frequent flyer points?

A question a side, does anyone have any suggestion with an AMEX card that offer 1.5 point for 1 dollar spent?

Cheers
Nathan

 

[Deewhy]

I'm pretty sure it's on flexible fares.

As for the 1.5 pts velocity points on Amex, this one does it, plat reserve MR, CBA Diamond, maybe other banks have similar ones?

 

[Moopere]

At this stage, I am considering the AMEX Velocity Platinum card.

I've got one of these - its a good earner for DJ points.

I think the biggest benefit for me is 2 for 1 business class flights on any Virgin Australia long haul flights.

Offer provides discounts when you purchase standard adult Business Class fares for you and one guest when flying with Virgin Australia International Long Haul or Virgin Australia International Long Haul flights that codeshare or interline with Etihad Airways or Delta Airlines to selected destinations.

I think I remember reading in the paperwork blurb that it has to be full fare J which I guess translates in the 'standard' fare they talk about in the snippet above.

My trouble is that the conditions make it pretty restrictive. Chasing this one after I got my card also helped me to understand just how few places VA actually flys internationally on their own metal (as opposed to codeshares). I think when I got my card Etihad wasn't part of the deal, I should look again now as I didn't find the offer interesting at the time. I don't fly to the USA and VA hardly flies anywhere else thats covered by the T&C.

A question a side, does anyone have any suggestion with an AMEX card that offer 1.5 point for 1 dollar spent?

A different Amex with 1.5 earn?? I think the Plat charge might earn MR's at that rate, I'd have to check. Not sure about Centurion but its possibly in this league as well.

 

[pangwen]

Looks like the Amex Velocity Plat now allows Etihad codeshares too, but it's still only flexi business fares:

[h=3]Save on your international Business Class travel[SUP]2[/SUP][/h]Access substantial savings based on when and where you fly, when you and a guest travel Business Class to selected Virgin Australia international long haul destinations, including flights to Europe and the US that codeshare with Etihad or Delta[SUP]2[/SUP].


a complimentary companion fare every time you fly on selected Business Class Flexi fares with V Australia[SUP]2[/SUP]

 

[k3nnis]

Amex plat charge and reserve will not be 1.5MR per $ from october 2012 onwards

 

[Moopere]

Mmm, yes, the other big problem with the MR cards is also that ATO, insurance, government transactions are dropping right off the competitive boil. In this respect I'm in the same boat at the OP. Looking for a high earning MR Amex card that still earns decent points against the utilities/ATO/etc. I've really got to look into this in a serious way. Right now my impression is that there is no such card. Only the direct earns (QFF/VFF) or co-branded cards seem to be immune.

I wonder what sort of hit the MR program will receive as a result of this? you'd have to think it will translate into a lot less revenue. Be interesting to see how things pan out over the next 6-12 months as the effects become measurable.

 

[k3nnis]

I think time will tell

 

[nathanxu]

Thank you all for your reply.

Sounds like no one have booked one of these business class flights with this cards. I wonder if the second passenger can also earn points and status credits.

I think I need a card that provides 1.5 point for each dollar return, and at the same time offers something more each year. I like those AMEX card that offers a free flights each year, that would offset the annual fee in someway. Those AMEX co-branded card with a bank just charging high annual fee, but little other returns. Is there's any reason the AMEX Qantas card has higher annual fee as oppose to the Virgin AMEX card?

 

[Moopere]

Yes, I hear you.

I'm probably going to keep the Amex Platinum Edge card because of the free flight and the 2x/3x MR points earn for fuel and food shopping. Its been a big blow to lose decent earn on utilities/ATO with this card and I considered cancelling. However, the free flight pays for the annual fee ($149), so I'll keep it for now. Taxes and utilities/insurance payments have moved to Velocity Amex and a Mastercard.

Am rather seriously considering the Diners/Mastercard combo as well, 3 diners points/$ spent which can be transferred 1:1 to VFF ... at $389 for the pair of cards though I find it a bit expensive and there are no bonus sign-on points or really many other perks I'd use, so am vacillating on a decision - but this is off-topic for this thread anyway.

 

[k3nnis]

I wouldn't mind the QF Ultimate card for 1.5 per $ earning but burning awards on QF is another matter .....

 

[nathanxu]

Yes, I hear you.

I'm probably going to keep the Amex Platinum Edge card because of the free flight and the 2x/3x MR points earn for fuel and food shopping. Its been a big blow to lose decent earn on utilities/ATO with this card and I considered cancelling. However, the free flight pays for the annual fee ($149), so I'll keep it for now. Taxes and utilities/insurance payments have moved to Velocity Amex and a Mastercard.

Am rather seriously considering the Diners/Mastercard combo as well, 3 diners points/$ spent which can be transferred 1:1 to VFF ... at $389 for the pair of cards though I find it a bit expensive and there are no bonus sign-on points or really many other perks I'd use, so am vacillating on a decision - but this is off-topic for this thread anyway.

I would keep the AMEX Edge as well, I really just use that card for shopping in major supermarkets and patrol stations. I also buys my public transport tickets in the local patrol station. $149 for a free flight is also a pretty good deal. Although I wouldn't mind to get them wavier the annual fee, I don't think $5000-$10000 spend on the card would be enough for them to wavier the fee.

I though I found my perfect combination with Woolworth Master card (free after they wavered the annual fee for a year), AMEX edge, and AMEX Reserve card. Something have to replace the AMEX Reserve card.

 

[Moopere]

I though I found my perfect combination with Woolworth Master card (free after they wavered the annual fee for a year), AMEX edge, and AMEX Reserve card. Something have to replace the AMEX Reserve card.

Yes. I don't know what other perks you might have used with the reserve card. I slotted in a Velocity Amex once the Edge dropped its earn but don't intend to use the 2:1 business fares option because of restrictions as per previous posts on this thread. Pity its a direct sweep card though. I really prefer earning MR

 

[nathanxu]

Yes. I don't know what other perks you might have used with the reserve card. I slotted in a Velocity Amex once the Edge dropped its earn but don't intend to use the 2:1 business fares option because of restrictions as per previous posts on this thread. Pity its a direct sweep card though. I really prefer earning MR

When did the Edge card dropped its earn rate?

 

[Moopere]

When did the Edge card dropped its earn rate?

I think my notification letter said 1st July. I anticipated this from reports here at AFF and started looking at new cards early. The edge, along with almost all the other MR Amex cards that I can think of, has dropped to 0.5 points /1$ spent on ATO/Government/Utilities/Insurance

 

[darraghk]

From the Amex Ts&Cs.

The Complimentary Business Class Companion Fare offer on Virgin Australia international long haul flights is available for booking by eligible Basic Card members from 1 September 2012 for direct and formal connection flights sold in the nominated Business Flexi fare classes on flights operated by Virgin Australia only, or on codeshare or interline flights booked through Virgin Australia that codeshare or interline with Delta Air Lines. The offer does not include flights to Abu Dhabi operated by Virgin Australia and does not extend to flights booked through Virgin Australia that codeshare or interline with any other airline partner.

Does this just mean you must fly on to Europe and cannot do a direct Oz to Abu Dhabi?

I am looking at getting this card after seeing Etihad being added to the list.

 

[Moopere]

From the Amex Ts&Cs.

The Complimentary Business Class Companion Fare offer on Virgin Australia international long haul flights is available for booking by eligible Basic Card members from 1 September 2012 for direct and formal connection flights sold in the nominated Business Flexi fare classes on flights operated by Virgin Australia only, or on codeshare or interline flights booked through Virgin Australia that codeshare or interline with Delta Air Lines. The offer does not include flights to Abu Dhabi operated by Virgin Australia and does not extend to flights booked through Virgin Australia that codeshare or interline with any other airline partner.

Does this just mean you must fly on to Europe and cannot do a direct Oz to Abu Dhabi?

I am looking at getting this card after seeing Etihad being added to the list.

Whilst initially rather interested in this offer, after having a read and trying to find an actual useable fare I gave up. I don't travel to the USA so most of the possibilities presumably on offer won't apply to me. The Etihad codeshare won't work for you in the above scenario because:

"The offer does not include flights to Abu Dhabi operated by Virgin Australia and does not extend to flights booked through Virgin Australia that codeshare or interline with any other airline partner"

So you can't fly to AUH on VA metal, nor any other partner except DL. Do DL even fly their own planes to Australia?

The offer is obviously set up to funnel Pax into DL planes for the US routes and seems to specifically exclude pretty much everything else.

 

[k3nnis]

Yes DL do fly their own planes to SYD I believe.

Whilst initially rather interested in this offer, after having a read and trying to find an actual useable fare I gave up. I don't travel to the USA so most of the possibilities presumably on offer won't apply to me. The Etihad codeshare won't work for you in the above scenario because:

"The offer does not include flights to Abu Dhabi operated by Virgin Australia and does not extend to flights booked through Virgin Australia that codeshare or interline with any other airline partner"

So you can't fly to AUH on VA metal, nor any other partner except DL. Do DL even fly their own planes to Australia?

The offer is obviously set up to funnel Pax into DL planes for the US routes and seems to specifically exclude pretty much everything else.

 

[Moopere]

Yes DL do fly their own planes to SYD I believe.

Yes, you are right, they appear to do the SYD-LAX run. But they don't seem to go to AUH. I did a bit of sniffing on matrix.itasoftware. No direct SYD to AUH with DL, one has to go SYD-LAX-DTW-MSP-AMS-BAH-AUH (or similar), and as you can't do the 2-4-1 J redemption for a flight to AUH from AU on any carrier other than DL its a moot point.

I was a bit disappointed with the detail after reading the attention grabbing headline of "two for one business flights" - its one of those claytons offers, unless of course one wants to go to LAX in which case it would work out fine.

I don't know why they don't just advertise it as "2-4-1 J flights SYD to LAX" ....

 

[k3nnis]

Also not actually sure if the 2-4-1 J flights are a good deal? I believe we have to purchase flexible J tickets??? Do they work out cheaper than buying 2 discounted J?

 

[darraghk]

I don't see why they added Etihad as an option for the 2for1 flights if you can't fly through AUH?