Does anyone still have and use an Amex Qantas Premium Card?

[JohnK]

I have had one for about 4 years now and the only reason I keep it is I have managed to have the $195 fee waived for the past 3 years even though my spend on the card is ~$1,000/month. Also received the 2 Qantas Lounge complimentary guest passes in January.

Received a phone call the other day from Amex regarding this card. Thanked me for being a loyal customer and offered an extra bonus point (so effectively 2.25 Amex/Qantas points/$1, and 3.25 Amex/Qantas points/$1 on Qantas spend) until 31 December 2011. I believe the extra bonus points are capped to something like ~20,000 bonus points but still a reasonable deal.

I already use this credit card for Qantas purchases but may move more of my spending away from Amex Gold card here to take advantage of bonus Amex points. Only issue to consider is locking more points down to QFF.

 

[TonyHancock]

That sounds like a pretty good offer particularly when used on Qantas fares.

I switched to the Ultimate Card a year or so ago and am toying with cancelling it when the annual fee is due. If they waive the fee or reduce it I might keep it.

 

[opusman]

I've had the fee on my Ultimate card waived the past 2 years; if you put a decent amount through it they should offer that.

 

[WindowSeat]

I had the fee on my Ultimate card waived last month when I rang to cancel (due to high annual fee). I think I put something like 25k through it last year so didn't expect to get it waived, especially with the free flight still included.

Given Amex still isn't accepted everywhere you still really need a Visa or MC (so another annual fee there), so it makes sense for Amex to waive as many as possible.

 

[smarty11]

Yeah I have had my Annual Fee waived for last 2 years every time I ring for cancellation around the anniversary. I do about $30K+ every year on the card.

However, last time the agent on the phone did say that 3 times is max that they waive it off. So maybe I will have to kiss my card good bye next time.

 

[JohnK]

However, last time the agent on the phone did say that 3 times is max that they waive it off. So maybe I will have to kiss my card good bye next time.

Actually recently the customer service agent did not want to offer waiving the fee for the 3rd year in a row.

I had some concerns about flights I booked with TG and SQ (in Thailand) which are 3 months after the card would have been cancelled and after going to the supervisor they agreed to waive the fee for another year. Then I get an extra bonus point offered until the end of the year. :shock:

Anyway will try to get the annual fee waived again next year but I cannot see any value in keeping the card at $195/year and if I cancel will more than likely move back to the Discovery card without fee.

 

[opusman]

However, last time the agent on the phone did say that 3 times is max that they waive it off. So maybe I will have to kiss my card good bye next time.

The second time I called up to have the fee waived, the agent told me it had been a one-time offer, but as soon as he looked at my spend (annual ~$100K) he was happy to waive it. So I would say they'll keep waiving it as long as your spend is good, no matter what any individual agent may tell you. And if not - just cancel it, plenty more cards out there!

 

[djfuzz]

Have had no such luck in the first place. Despite putting significantly more than the amounts mentioned above through Amex Ultimate, the fee was never waived during our cancellation process - best offer was to reduce it to $225.

Someone out there in the CC universe has it in for us - never had any luck with anyone trying to keep our loyalty when we consider / end up walking.

 

[smarty11]

The second time I called up to have the fee waived, the agent told me it had been a one-time offer, but as soon as he looked at my spend (annual ~$100K) he was happy to waive it. So I would say they'll keep waiving it as long as your spend is good, no matter what any individual agent may tell you. And if not - just cancel it, plenty more cards out there!

Thanks Opusman... I guess come October that is exactly what I will be doing... if they don't waive the annual fee.. no point in keeping this card..

 

[TonyHancock]

I like the Ultimate Card because of the double points for QF purchases as well as the 50% on base spend.

Of late I have routed my Amex spend through my Plat charge card and only used the Ultimate card for QF flight purchases.

I need to have a long hard think about what I'm going to do when the renewal comes up again.

 

[nonpop]

Sorry to bring up an old thread ... I have just received the letter re certain transactions not earning as many points e.g utilities, ATO, internet etc. I'm now questioning A) The 'value' of the card & B) if I should cancel it (and all Amex) and just revert back to traditional earning cards (or may be just keep the fee free Blue Amex (Discovery?)

The 'value' in this Amex cards seems very reduced (and all Amex cards) unless I'm not understanding the points earning changes. The 1.25 QF points per dollar (ex-bonus for QF spend) has always been attractive on this card. But now it seems the blended value in traditional 1-to-1 QF earning cards may be better. I don't care about the Qantas Pub passes and have no interest in trying to pawn them on fleabay.

Perosnally, I have had this Amex card "fee free" via a promo for a few years so long as I keep my Gold card and pay the rewards fee on it which is around $89 p.a - so something like that.

Anyways, have been using the card as my primary card and then defaulting to the everyday rewards mastercard.

So I'm trying to do the sums to work out is the extra 0.25 point actually worth it considering I have to pay for the rewards fee on the Gold card. In a fire sale I only value points at 1cent = 1point (yes I do redeem for Int J and get better) but I want true value from points and never want to pay for points at anywhere near the redemption value (which is still always a lottery anyway). So $89 Amex rawards fee = 35,600 of 'additional' points which need to be earnt before I'm cost neutral.

May be I need a few glasses of Red to ssee clearer.

Anyone got any thoughts either on this card and more importantly on the points earning changes ?

 

[JohnK]

I do not see any real value in the card other than the 2.25 QFF points on Qantas spend.

Not happy about the changes to utilities but that appears to be on most Amex cards.

Annual fee comes up again in January next year and if not waived will not hesitate to let the card go.

 

[WindowSeat]

Yeah I canned my Amex Ultimate when they wouldn't waive the fee a second time this year and use the Citibusiness Gold for QF earn (at 1.25pt/$).

The only Amex I have now is the Plat Edge which has the free flight for $149 fee so kinda pays for itself.

 

[amaroo]

I've got a couple - love the Ult when paying the ATO

 

[nonpop]

I've got a couple - love the Ult when paying the ATO

But my understanding is soon you will only get 0.5point per dollar at ATO as well as when paying utilities e.g Gas, water, phone.

So the earning rate for Amex cars seems to be on the rapid down grade. The reason we all seem to love Amex was for the bumper points earning (unless there is some other major benefit I've missed). Now the everyday rewards m/c has a better earn rate with ATO than any of my Amex cards. But I do wonder how long it is before other cards change.

So Amex will only be good for Petrol, food and misc purchases.

 

[amaroo]

But my understanding is soon you will only get 0.5point per dollar at ATO as well as when paying utilities e.g Gas, water, phone.

So the earning rate for Amex cars seems to be on the rapid down grade. The reason we all seem to love Amex was for the bumper points earning (unless there is some other major benefit I've missed). Now the everyday rewards m/c has a better earn rate with ATO than any of my Amex cards. But I do wonder how long it is before other cards change.

So Amex will only be good for Petrol, food and misc purchases.

Do you have more information on this? SWMBO got an email last week inviting to sign up for the Ult card....I checked the T&C for the current offer & there was no such restrictions noted.

As a Ult card holder myself I've not been advised of any change!

 

[wafliron]

Sorry to bring up an old thread ... I have just received the letter re certain transactions not earning as many points e.g utilities, ATO, internet etc. I'm now questioning A) The 'value' of the card & B) if I should cancel it (and all Amex) and just revert back to traditional earning cards (or may be just keep the fee free Blue Amex (Discovery?)

Was this letter definitely in relation to the Ultimate card? AFAIK no one else has yet reported being notified of reduced points earn for government/utilities/etc for the Ultimate card, only the Plat Edge, Gold Charge/Credit and Green Charge.

That aside, consider doing as WindowSeat suggested and ditch both the Ultimate and WOW EDR card in favour of a CitiBusiness Gold (assuming $200,000 per annum point cap won't be an issue).

 

[cove]

Last time I spoke with Amex Ultimate account manager there were no pending changes to earning rates on that specific card.

 

[Leumas]

Has anyone heard of the rule that you must have used to card towards QF before you can redeem your free flight?

The CSR thinks the rule has been around for a while. This is the first time I've heard of it, but I've always had some QF spend during my membership year before I redeem my flight. This year is special because my membership year starts in April and I haven't spent anything towards QF yet.

 

[serfty]

I received a letter reducing the rewards to ½ on payments like the ATO for my legacy Qantas Amex Business Charge card.