Best visa card for earning Kris Flyer Points?

[dannyjak]

have always had 100% of my Westapc Fees refunded...however even with it being free I will put my Amex spend on direct earn Amex Crads as I have found since I have hada direct earn Amex that ones effective earn is normally more than the 1.5 as there are normally various promos and bonus partners.

So KF Card will be cancelled. For my circumstances I was only keeping it as it has earnt to KF at 1 point per $ on the VISA...so the original 3 bonus points on the KF amex was very nice....with the 10K sign ona small extra bonus.

For some the Edge Amex wil be attractive..and I may take one out as well as my other Platinum Amexes.

Amex has historically been free for me as I have always had my fee refunded, though I have paid the $900 for The Charge Card this year due to 75K sign on and international(or Cairns) return flight.

Just called the call centre and told them i wanted to cancel
Best they could do was halve the fees from $250 to $125

How do people have so much luck with avoiding all fees?

 

[trippin_the_rift]

My Citi Emirates Card account showed the Bas payment today. On checking the rewards , the appropriate 1.5 points per dollar have been added.

*sigh of relief*

 

[dannyjak]

Just called the call centre and told them i wanted to cancel
Best they could do was halve the fees from $250 to $125

How do people have so much luck with avoiding all fees?

Might just have to stump up the $125 as i dont really want to go into QFF (poor award flight availability for international flights) and having an AMEX might be handy rather than sticking with only a VISA (from Citibank)

Basically out of each months spend, if my AMEX spend is half of the VISA spend, its basically the same as the Citibusiness card. If more, then advantage to the Westpac Krisflyer, if less, then disaadvantage

 

[burmans]

Might just have to stump up the $125 as i dont really want to go into QFF (poor award flight availability for international flights) and having an AMEX might be handy rather than sticking with only a VISA (from Citibank)

Basically out of each months spend, if my AMEX spend is half of the VISA spend, its basically the same as the Citibusiness card. If more, then advantage to the Westpac Krisflyer, if less, then disaadvantage

Yes, not clear cut to me either, really like KF over QFF so may keep the the Amex if I can negotiate the annual fee to $125. THough the Edge sounds good if only for the 20K bonus.

For non-Amex are there any good ones, am looking at the Woolies or CitiBusiness cards but both are QFF!

 

[casanovawa]

With the 20,000 points on the Platinum Edge offer, co you know what rate they convert to Kris Flyer miles?

 

[lovetravellingoz]

With the 20,000 points on the Platinum Edge offer, co you know what rate they convert to Kris Flyer miles?

All amex's transfer at 1 KF point per 1 MR point.

Depending on the Amex card and store you purchase at you earn from 1 to 3 Amex MR points per $ spent (not including any special bonuses).

 

[casanovawa]

ok, so just to recap (sorry a bit new to Krisflyer and all) its 80,000 return from perth to london in economy and using a 3 points at super markets basis etc that would take about $26000 spend.... with QFF perth to London return its 112,000 and using the best rate of about 1.5 QFF points per dollar that's $75,000 worth of spend...

ok so on the face of it the amex-MR-KF thing seems to be the best way to go for day to day purchasing....

with QFF seems the quickest way to get decent points is to wait for credit card specials or other things of 10,000 or more at a time with day to day spend just adding a 5-10,000 a year or so for me anyway... are there many amex offers throughout the year to boost the MR point totals quickly (apart from the current plat edge 20k offer)???

 

[cove]

I still plan to use Westpac Kris Flyer Platinum with their AMEX as it is a 1.5 points a dollar continuing.
I see other members plan to push down the fee by demanding a price cut on the renewal fee but I would not do that as it means someone would study your whole account to save you about $100. Maybe it is worth the call but I dont think so.
I am happy paying a supermarket with a great Kris point earner credit card then Shell fuel and taxes.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

I see other members plan to push down the fee by demanding a price cut on the renewal fee but I would not do that as it means someone would study your whole account to save you about $100. .

I think that, like all things to do with the earn/burn of FF points, that one needs to tailor ones strategy to one's own circumstances and desires.

"One size does not fit all"

You are a in a very small sub-group of CC "whales" that pump very large sums through CC's. Your approach is fantastic, and 100% appropriate for your circumstances. But for most of us, other strategies are more appropriate for us.

Indeed the art of point running is to fully optimise ones own circumstances, and opportunities.

1/ While I understand your reasons in your case (ie technically in breach of T&C which Westpac is clearly turning blind eye to as it would be quite aware of what is flowing through the cards), for 99% of us our spending meets T&C and we have nothing to fear.

2/ For those of us not pumping mega-amounts through the card (or rather I should say cards as I have quite a number) removing yearly fees, or at least reducing them, improves the cost benefit ratio significantly.

The $900 Amex Charge Card (taken due to the 75K)fee is the only Card fee I have not had rebated, or waived up front for many many years....and I intend to keep it that way by and large (though I might just scoop up the Edge due to the flight and 20K..and the ANZ wiith it;s 20K at low cost).

The Westpac Card has been 100% free for me for two years, but will not be renewed due to the VISA dropping to only 0.5.

For garnering 1.5 Amex points per $ the direct Amex cards are for me superior to KF Amex as:

• various bonii can be gained to boost the effective earn rate well beyond 1.5 (and certainly the current 12 month period has been bountiful)
• Amex seems to reasonably offer from time to time transfer bonii which further boosts the earn rate
• it removes the time constraint that points have once arriving at SQ ( and having a million sitting at SQ already I am mindful of this)
• MR points can be used for other airlines and "specials" that may arise...including that the other airlines may have FF Award reductions that can be then taken advantage of.
• While I am now firmly in the *A camp for my redemptions, I am still building a QFF balance from points I can only get to it, and Amex allows me to also direct QFF if I need to, and this may say be handing if I need to top up points fora particular redemption (ie a J RTW Award)

Now if I were a "whale", the yearly caps on points would be an issue coloring my thinking. But for me they can be navigated around easily enough, and so my stratgey is to earn in the main maximum points per $, including bonii as the bonii is what really turbo-charges my earn. Keeping fees to a minimum is a tactic I follow as well, though the main strategy is turbo-charging my point earn as my $$ spend is limited (at least compared to whales).

 

[cove]

Yes I can see your points lovetravellingoz.
The annual card cost could be a killer so yes negotiate that fee.
I would not think Westpac would want to give up market share to the others.
Have been called a baby whale but that was in the surf!

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Have been called a baby whale but that was in the surf!

Don't worry...my use of 'whale" (as with the gamblers) is complimentary...

 

[cove]

I have piles of taxes to put on cards this month so I am not sure if I am lucky or not. Goodbye money and hello points is a little cheer up at the end of the month.
I did tell a Tax Office caller once to be nice and treat me as a good customer. Yes you guessed it,I was not feted with champagne and chocolates.
Westpac Kris Platinum cards remain number one easiest to use for me and best until about midnight 14th March.I can cash a Westpac cheque at my branch on the tax due date then phone the payments into the Tax Office as soon as I am back at my desk at $50k times 5 per phone call.

 

[cove]

I dug up an old thread which is almost pre-historic where Westpac still worked at a point a dollar on their Visa up to March14th,2011.
I joined Citi Select believing their Visa earned a net one point per dollar to Kris Flyer with SQ. It has turned into a card love affair when I realized it was 1.33 points per dollar for the spend in Australia and 3.33 points per dollar on international spend.

 

[mghinoz]

Well after almost a year of researching (lurking) the AFF forums, I've finally decided to jump in!

I've been collecting (and occasionally redeeming) QFF points via credit card spend for many years.

Lately I've been thinking that I should explore the Krisflyer program, and see if that offers better value... which brings me to this thread.

I have been trying to work out the redemption from CitiRewards into KF.... let's see if I have my calculations right:

* Citi Select earns 2 Citi Rewards (CR) points per $1 spent (domestically) - unlimited, no expiry

* 1.5 CR points = 1 Krisflyer (KF) point, so 1 CR = 0.67 KF point

* So, $1 spent = 2 CR = 1.33 KF points.


A few questions I have:

1) Are the calculations I have above correct?
2) Is this the best KF earning card in Australia?
3) Are there any documented limitations on the Citi cards re spending on ATO / utilities, as inferred above?
4) Can we 'warehouse' the points in the CR program, and then redeem to either KF or QFF at a later date?

 

[cove]

Yes your calculations are correct but there is an either or for Qantas or the one for Kris,Asia miles or Velocity.
With my Kris one I could use it for Asia Miles or Velocity but SQ is so good I have not bothered. Then you can get 3.33 points on international purchases but that is offset by a 3.3% foreign exchange fee.
There are no limits.
Yes I am warehousing in my Citi rewards account to avoid the clock starting on the 3 year expiry with SQ.
My partner has a QF Select and her points transfer monthly and the rate is one per dollar.
I am sure Asia miles could be excellent but I prefer to fly over most of it.
If you put 100k on deposit the annual $700 fee will be halved.
Welcome to AFF!

 

[mghinoz]

I am trying to compare my current rewards - Woolworths Everyday Rewards Credit Card (WEDRCC) going to QFF - with a CitiSelect / KF program.

So currently I am getting 1 QFF point per $1 spent on the Woolies card.

A return J ticket to Europe (from Sydney) costs 256,000 QFF points.
So therefore I need $256,000 worth of expenditure on the WEDRCC to achieve that.

Over on the KF side, it seems that after the 15% online discount, I need approximately 161,500 KF points Syd to Europe II in J.
With 1.33 KF points per $, I would only need to spend $121,428 to achieve that.

So could I effectively get 2 x SIA J seats Syd to Euro, for the same Credit Card Expenditure as it takes to get 1 x QF J seat?

This seems too good to be true! Am I missing something here???

Granted the annual cost of the Credit card is $600 more, but that seems insignificant when compared to the additional J ticket earned each year (assuming an annual CC spend of $256k+)

 

[Duffa]

I am trying to compare my current rewards - Woolworths Everyday Rewards Credit Card (WEDRCC) going to QFF - with a CitiSelect / KF program.

So currently I am getting 1 QFF point per $1 spent on the Woolies card.

A return J ticket to Europe (from Sydney) costs 256,000 QFF points.
So therefore I need $256,000 worth of expenditure on the WEDRCC to achieve that.

Over on the KF side, it seems that after the 15% online discount, I need approximately 161,500 KF points Syd to Europe II in J.
With 1.33 KF points per $, I would only need to spend $121,428 to achieve that.

So could I effectively get 2 x SIA J seats Syd to Euro, for the same Credit Card Expenditure as it takes to get 1 x QF J seat?

This seems too good to be true! Am I missing something here???

Granted the annual cost of the Credit card is $600 more, but that seems insignificant when compared to the additional J ticket earned each year (assuming an annual CC spend of $256k+)

Welcome to AFF.
You are spot on with your calculations!
As Cove will attest, from the heart of London!

 

[cove]

With the Woolies EDR card HSBC who run it have cancelled some AFF members cards with no reason given so we must presume they did not like business use like BAS taxes or business expenses.
Citi have bigger credit limits.
I love both cards but I use them quite differently.
EDR I use for QF JASAs and Select for runs to Europe/UK as well as America with SQ.
Visa and MasterCards are easier to use than American Express cards in my experience.

 

[dajop]

Over on the KF side, it seems that after the 15% online discount, I need approximately 161,500 KF points Syd to Europe II in J.
With 1.33 KF points per $, I would only need to spend $121,428 to achieve that.
...

This seems too good to be true! Am I missing something here???

Yes you are missing something , you can get to selected European destinations on SQ's older J product (or for now in the case of flights to AMS the new J product as well), for only 136,000 KF points or a spend of $102,256....

 

[cove]

Dajop thanks for that....I went to the SQ site to have a look at Amsterdam earlier and the site was down.
Amsterdam is a really great place to start your visit to Europe.