Card Promotions Commonwealth Bank (Ultimate Awards Card) 100K award points – potentially fee free

[BJReplay]

Did you request credit limit increases or did CBA offer?

I requested, none offered.

All dates below after opening...

• I tried to increase after 6 months, but was knocked back (still employed),
• Increased to $11,200 after 18 months (requested $15,000) (still employed),
• Increased to $16,800 after 30 months (requested $20,000) (no longer employed, but used last notice of assessment from employment),
• Increased to $24,800 after 42 months, after reducing all other card limits to $10,000, including closing Amex charge, and also retiring, and able to demonstrate two years of consistent post employment pre-super (investment earnings) income - which I am quite pleased with.

 

[Viridis]

I requested, none offered.

All dates below after opening...

• I tried to increase after 6 months, but was knocked back (still employed),
• Increased to $11,200 after 18 months (requested $15,000) (still employed),
• Increased to $16,800 after 30 months (requested $20,000) (no longer employed, but used last notice of assessment from employment),
• Increased to $24,800 after 42 months, after reducing all other card limits to $10,000, including closing Amex charge, and also retiring, and able to demonstrate two years of consistent post employment pre-super (investment earnings) income - which I am quite pleased with.

Thanks for the info’

Times have changed, I guess, and partly CBA’s rigid approach to these things

Used to have a CitI Prestige card with a $60k limit. Started out with $30k and they just kept offering to up the limit. I would always say yes to the offer but would refuse to jump through any hoops. There’d be a brief stand-off and then they’d relent

Oh, well, I’ll wait & see what happens with CBA I guess

 

[BJReplay]

Used to have a CitI Prestige card with a $60k limit. Started out with $30k and they just kept offering to up the limit.

Same!

Ditto Coles credit card (used to be issued by CitI) - almost never used, but every now and again I would buy 25,000 fly-buys points for $24.75.

28 Degrees card the same.

 

[KingHuang]

Same!

Ditto Coles credit card (used to be issued by CitI) - almost never used, but every now and again I would buy 25,000 fly-buys points for $24.75.

28 Degrees card the same.

buy 25,000 fly-buys points for $24.75.

what's that about?!

 

[KingHuang]

Please help/give advice - has anyone done a calculation on what's actually more worth it with the below scenario from an award program scenario: P.S. this will be my main card

- $6k spend per month (11 months) (international would be $10k per year 1 month) so fee free
- Calcs on above circa $3k x 0.4 + $3k x 0.8 (11 months) + $10k x 1.2 = 59.62 QFF
- Calcs on above circa $3k x 1 + $3k x 2 (11 months) + $10k x 3 = 129k Awards Points

- Would you choose Qantas or their Awards program, because I saw they have some bonus awards when shopping on the awards program, but don't think that applies to Qantas?

This is doing my head in haha and can't seem to get what's better value.

 

[BJReplay]

buy 25,000 fly-buys points for $24.75.

what's that about?!

Fairly regularly, they (The Coles Platinum Mastercard) used to offer 25,000 fly-buys points for 1.99% up front if you took a cash advance of $2,500 on your credit card limit (if you chose the 6 month term). You pay back the cash advance over the term (6 months) with no other charges - so 1.99% of $2,500 is $24.75. They credit you with 25,000 fly-buys points.

I haven't received that offer for a while - the current offer is much less worthwhile - no fly-buys points, and 3.99% up front - so no point at all, unless you actually need the cash!

Given that you can turn 25,000 flybuys points into either $125 off coles shops or 12,500 velocity points, it's a 5x earner for very little effort - especially if you've got your card set up to pay the full balance on the due date.

 

[MELso]

Please help/give advice - has anyone done a calculation on what's actually more worth it with the below scenario from an award program scenario: P.S. this will be my main card

- $6k spend per month (11 months) (international would be $10k per year 1 month) so fee free
- Calcs on above circa $3k x 0.4 + $3k x 0.8 (11 months) + $10k x 1.2 = 59.62 QFF
- Calcs on above circa $3k x 1 + $3k x 2 (11 months) + $10k x 3 = 129k Awards Points

- Would you choose Qantas or their Awards program, because I saw they have some bonus awards when shopping on the awards program, but don't think that applies to Qantas?

This is doing my head in haha and can't seem to get what's better value.

The sign-up bonus is worth going for Qantas points (175K -> 70K QFF vs 100K points).

But there's a lot more flexibility with the standard points (lots of other programs available including Velocity), and the 15% bonuses Velocity periodically offer mean it's hard to recommend signing up to QFF long term.

As an earner too, there are better cards around (except for international transactions).

 

[MELso]

The sign-up bonus is worth going for Qantas points (175K -> 70K QFF vs 100K points).

But there's a lot more flexibility with the standard points (lots of other programs available including Velocity), and the 15% bonuses Velocity periodically offer mean it's hard to recommend signing up to QFF long term.

Hmmm - just realised that with the 15% bonus, I can convert the 175K bonus points to 100,625 Velocity points rather than 70K Qantas points if I get in before the Qantas sweep occurs. (Will have to see how quickly NAB credits bonuses as my membership year ends on 31/10 and I'd like to qualify for Points Club). Decisions, decisions...

 

[KingHuang]

Hmmm - just realised that with the 15% bonus, I can convert the 175K bonus points to 100,625 Velocity points rather than 70K Qantas points if I get in before the Qantas sweep occurs. (Will have to see how quickly NAB credits bonuses as my membership year ends on 31/10 and I'd like to qualify for Points Club). Decisions, decisions...

Unfortunately don't have a sign up bonus for this one, but the int transac means so much to me so it'd be my main.

There's also decent bonvoy conversions from CBA right, or am I overthinking and should just go with QFF? Basically $60/year for circa 60k QFF as it won't be churned

 

[mswindells]

My salary is about 2.5 times that and I was declined a card with an $8.5k limit

We have a tiny mortgage by Sydney standards; my issue I suspect is that my HSBC Star Alliance card has a $50k limit

It’s like swimming in treacle trying to discuss ‘nuance’ with this lot. I offered to reduce the limit on my HSBC card but they wouldn’t tell me how much was needed to guarantee success.

The CSA re-submitted my application with ‘revised’ expenses. The credit card mob keep asking for more info’ and every time I upload it the application seems to be put to the back of the queue. Time consuming & frustrating. My patience is wearing thin.

Ironically I had the card with a $17k limit but closed the account in March. That may also be a black mark against me .

With the devaluation of SQ via Amex I decided that a new non-aligned card was in order and this seems best …. out of a bad bunch

Post automatically merged: Sep 4, 2023

Did you request credit limit increases or did CBA offer?

CBA do seem to be tough on cards recently - I'm an ex-CBA staff member (albeit almost 20 years ago), have multiple mortgages with CBA and all accounts. I applied for an increase in limit from $10k to $15k on the Ultimate and got knocked back. (ps salary $185kpa).

Realised it would be easier to chase points elsewhere anyway, so applied for a Virgin Money Flyer card $10k - never had anything with Virgin - approved within 24 hours, also applied the wife for a NAB Qantas card (also $10k) and again approved within 24 hours (she has lower salary but same expenses as just use half our total expenses). So go figure, CBA missing out on the spend which we're putting through the other cards. Will cancel both once bonus points are done and churn on to someone else!

 

[KingHuang]

CBA do seem to be tough on cards recently - I'm an ex-CBA staff member (albeit almost 20 years ago), have multiple mortgages with CBA and all accounts. I applied for an increase in limit from $10k to $15k on the Ultimate and got knocked back. (ps salary $185kpa).

Realised it would be easier to chase points elsewhere anyway, so applied for a Virgin Money Flyer card $10k - never had anything with Virgin - approved within 24 hours, also applied the wife for a NAB Qantas card (also $10k) and again approved within 24 hours (she has lower salary but same expenses as just use half our total expenses). So go figure, CBA missing out on the spend which we're putting through the other cards. Will cancel both once bonus points are done and churn on to someone else!

Damn with my ambition of hitting 20k limit on ultimate will takes years then......

 

[Viridis]

CBA do seem to be tough on cards recently - I'm an ex-CBA staff member (albeit almost 20 years ago), have multiple mortgages with CBA and all accounts. I applied for an increase in limit from $10k to $15k on the Ultimate and got knocked back. (ps salary $185kpa).

Realised it would be easier to chase points elsewhere anyway, so applied for a Virgin Money Flyer card $10k - never had anything with Virgin - approved within 24 hours, also applied the wife for a NAB Qantas card (also $10k) and again approved within 24 hours (she has lower salary but same expenses as just use half our total expenses). So go figure, CBA missing out on the spend which we're putting through the other cards. Will cancel both once bonus points are done and churn on to someone else!

Interesting. Thanks for the info. Weirdly, I received approval for the card a day or so ago. $8.5k limit

Happy with that for the time being. Thinking I might keep this card. Yes, it’s pretty rubbish with points, but better abroad and no foreign transaction fees when you’re there

With the Amex devaluation of SQ the Star Alliance card is looking pretty feeble. It was okay as a complement to the points accumulation with Amex but useless as a stand alone product

Topping up Amex QR points with the Ultimate is the new consideration

 

[BJReplay]

Damn with my ambition of hitting 20k limit on ultimate will takes years then......

Yeah, it does. The few times I've needed more, I've paid into it early. With the $10,000 points earning limit (aside from international points), you don't need a high limit on this card, so $25,000 is the sweet spot, limit wise, but it does take forever to get there.

If you're travelling (or purchasing OS), you can earn lots of points at 3x, and with wholesale conversion, it's not a bad card to be using for that.

With travel insurance that works (I still pay for travel insurance - better to be safe than sorry), but I've claimed on CBA insurance, and been happy with the service, it's a reasonable card, and for an effectively fee free card, it's the pick of the free points earning cards, IMO.

 

[KingHuang]

Yeah, it does. The few times I've needed more, I've paid into it early. With the $10,000 points earning limit (aside from international points), you don't need a high limit on this card, so $25,000 is the sweet spot, limit wise, but it does take forever to get there.

If you're travelling (or purchasing OS), you can earn lots of points at 3x, and with wholesale conversion, it's not a bad card to be using for that.

With travel insurance that works (I still pay for travel insurance - better to be safe than sorry), but I've claimed on CBA insurance, and been happy with the service, it's a reasonable card, and for an effectively fee free card, it's the pick of the free points earning cards, IMO.

Yep agreed I like it a lot overall and happy to hear that travel insurance worked out well for you with them.

Now i need to scour the site if there is a ranking of best insurances attached to each card outside of AMEX (as both mrs and myself and seemingly more members are having their cards cancelled)

 

[exceladdict]

Bonus came through with second statement. Will close shortly as I don't see a need to hold.

 

[MELso]

Bonus came through with second statement. Will close shortly as I don't see a need to hold.

Nor me. I'll can mine too as, international transactions aside, the earn rate isn't that good (and I can be putting the spend towards more churns).

Will apply for a Coles Mastercard in November for my future international transactions after Citi/NAB cans my Diners Club.

 

[KingHuang]

Anyone cancel their card mid cycle, and still have their points (not bonus, just standard points) come through after the fact? Just want to jump onto the next churn!

 

[exceladdict]

Anyone cancel their card mid cycle, and still have their points (not bonus, just standard points) come through after the fact? Just want to jump onto the next churn!

I'll be able to report on this in a few weeks time but imagine you will want to have churned by then! (seeking to do the same). Fortunately they only owe me about four points due to using the card by accident!

 

[KingHuang]

I'll be able to report on this in a few weeks time but imagine you will want to have churned by then! (seeking to do the same). Fortunately they only owe me about four points due to using the card by accident!

I’ll give them a buzz on Monday and let ya know how I go

 

[KingHuang]

I’ll give them a buzz on Monday and let ya know how I go

Yep looks like got to wait to see, but it was said to be 3 months from closure all points will continue to be credited!