Best ways to give our QFF balance a shot in the arm using AMEX?

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aussiedom

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I've really eroded my points balance with QFF due to recent travel and am looking to build it up again.

Here is our situation with AMEX:

*I have a Platinum charge card and a Platinum Reserve credit card. Both of which give me a travel credit each year.
*My wife has a supplementary card linked to my Platinum charge card. No AMEX card held in her own right.

I have seen the various offers that come with one-off sign-up bonuses of points, but I believe I am generally ineligible for those as a current AMEX cardholder. That said, there has been talk over the years that AMEX will sometimes not enforce that restriction.

I have also heard of deals where someone refers another person for an AMEX card and both parties earn a sign-up award of points. Does anyone know how that works and what the rules are? For example. my son in law has proposed that he could 'refer' my wife for one of the AMEX cards and both earn points from the transaction...

Any thoughts on what our options might be (as a couple) for earning a quick top-up of points?
 
Hey mate, depending on how long you've had your card you may be able to get some points awarded just for asking.

I asked a year or two ago (after having an AMEX for several years) and they awarded me a 'loyalty bonus' Might be worth a call.
 
I have seen the various offers that come with one-off sign-up bonuses of points, but I believe I am generally ineligible for those as a current AMEX cardholder. That said, there has been talk over the years that AMEX will sometimes not enforce that restriction.
The 18 month exclusion period is now being strictly enforced. There was a time, around 3 years ago, when this was not the case and many of us, myself included, exploited that gap in the system at that time. But this opportunity has now expired.

I have seen the various offers that come with one-off sign-up bonuses of points, but I believe I am generally ineligible for those as a current AMEX cardholder. That said, there has been talk over the years that AMEX will sometimes not enforce that restriction.

If you have an AMEX branded card currently you will not be eligible for any new bonus sign up points with AMEX branded cards. This is also being enforced. You would need to cancel your AMEX card(s) now and wait 18 months before you re-apply and get whatever bonus points are on offer.

However you would be eligible for bonus points from co-branded AMEX offerings such as with Westpac or David Jones.

I have also heard of deals where someone refers another person for an AMEX card and both parties earn a sign-up award of points. Does anyone know how that works and what the rules are? For example. my son in law has proposed that he could 'refer' my wife for one of the AMEX cards and both earn points from the transaction...
AMEX referrals are a very common way to earn additional points for the person that has a current AMEX card and then refers a new person. Once that new person is approved then both people get some bonus points. The original card holder gets bonus points for the referral and the new card member gets the bonus points associated with whatever new card that they have opened. There is a maximum of 200,000 bonus points to be earned from referrals in a year.


Since you appear ineligible for any AMEX bonus points on any new AMEX branded cards here's four options to earn some quick points:

1) Sign up for an AMEX co-branded card for you and your wife. David Jones and Westpac are possibilities. Get some quick bonus points here.

2) Get your wife to sign up for the latest offer on the AMEX Qantas Ultimate card. This offer ends in around 2 weeks and is one of the most generous I've seen in a long time so act immediately. You would get points for referring her and your wife would get the 120,000 QFF bonus points for the new card, assuming she satisfied the minimum spend and has not held an AMEX in her own name during the last 12 months.


3) Consider getting another non AMEX card for yourself, your wife or both of you. There are many Visa and MasterCard offerings with large sign up bonuses. Once you have these you can churn them for lots of points. Say 50,000 QFF points per card (on average). You get a new card every 3 months plus your wife gets a new card as well every 3 months and you're looking at potentially at over 400,000 QFF points in a year. This is what we call 'churning'. You can still keep your current AMEX if you like, although I'd be moving on. 'Churn and burn' for me has meant I've not flown in anything less than J in the last 4 years. Current credit card offerings listed here:


4) Call AMEX and tell them that you are considering your position. Do not tell them that you are thinking of cancelling your card. You may be offered a 'retention' bonus. Much more info at the URL below, which I strongly suggest you read before taking up this option:

 
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Supplementary cards are not counted as AMEX cards for the 18 month restriction for bonus points offers. You can refer a card to your own supplementary card holder and both get the bonus points.

Your best bet is almost certainly to find the card with the biggest points bonus and get your wife to sign up for that. You may also find a referral sweet spot but there's likely little value in having two Platinum charge cards. The Qantas AMEX Ultimate has a 120k sign up offer at the moment, for example.

I would also look at bank sign up offers for both of you outside of AMEX. Point Hacks will have a list.
 
Thanks for all this advice everyone. I will carefully peruse it when time permits.

I understand that repeated applications for credit cards can damage your credit rating, now that we've adopted the US-style 'positive reporting' system. Given that we'll need to make some change to our property portfolio next year, I might need to be a bit careful making too many applications. Anyway, that's one for the mortgage broker, not for this forum!

Thanks again
 
Thanks for all this advice everyone. I will carefully peruse it when time permits.

I understand that repeated applications for credit cards can damage your credit rating, now that we've adopted the US-style 'positive reporting' system. Given that we'll need to make some change to our property portfolio next year, I might need to be a bit careful making too many applications. Anyway, that's one for the mortgage broker, not for this forum!

Thanks again
I'd suggest you read the various threads on AFF about credit scores. In short, they don't mean very much. Income and ability to repay remain key.

Try these threads:


 
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I've really eroded my points balance with QFF due to recent travel and am looking to build it up again.

Here is our situation with AMEX:

*I have a Platinum charge card and a Platinum Reserve credit card. Both of which give me a travel credit each year.
*My wife has a supplementary card linked to my Platinum charge card. No AMEX card held in her own right.

I have seen the various offers that come with one-off sign-up bonuses of points, but I believe I am generally ineligible for those as a current AMEX cardholder. That said, there has been talk over the years that AMEX will sometimes not enforce that restriction.

I have also heard of deals where someone refers another person for an AMEX card and both parties earn a sign-up award of points. Does anyone know how that works and what the rules are? For example. my son in law has proposed that he could 'refer' my wife for one of the AMEX cards and both earn points from the transaction...

Any thoughts on what our options might be (as a couple) for earning a quick top-up of points?


Buy wine! Qantas wine club often has deals where you can get varying amount of points if you buy 12 pack of wine, fro memory i've seen 30k bonus points which works out pretty good deal (depending of course if you want the wine and how much it costs)
 
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