I have a no annual fee gold amex engineers australia card and received in the mail an Amex engineers australia platinum card for $295 and 20,000 bonus points preapproved upgrade offer. is it good value? im not a high spender so ill really wieghting up if the points and free flight or hotel offer that come with the card are really worth it? Has anyone got this card and been able to waive the annual fee for 1 year or life? if i take up the offer for 1 year to try it out can i do a product transfer back to the no annual fee gold amex card or will i have to reapply?
engineers australia platinum card for $295 and 20,000 bonus points is it good value?
- Thread starter coolsteps
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Re: engineers australia platinum card for $295 and 20,000 bonus points is it good val
I used to get same offer with CPA gold card, but didn't take the offer because I'm not a big spender either. It all depends how do you value your points, for me the point only worth half a cent, so I would rather stay with annual fee free card. Don't know much about if you can downgrade to the gold one, you'd better check with Amex before you upgrade.
I used to get same offer with CPA gold card, but didn't take the offer because I'm not a big spender either. It all depends how do you value your points, for me the point only worth half a cent, so I would rather stay with annual fee free card. Don't know much about if you can downgrade to the gold one, you'd better check with Amex before you upgrade.
Re: engineers australia platinum card for $295 and 20,000 bonus points is it good val
For me getting the Platinum credit card (at $395/year, but I'm now a member of APESMA due to changing unions at work, so eligible for the $295... anyone know if I can switch easily or if I have to go and apply for a whole new one?) came down to the value of the free flight. Because I'm originally from PER and regularly travel back there, I can get a freebie PER-MEL return on QF. Normal $ value of that alone is more than the annual fee. For that reason it's worth it for me. The 1.5 points/$ is a bonus.
The value of the flight/hotel, of course, may vary for you. If you're not based in PER, the only way to get that value is to do 2 trips to PER (and make the freebie the flight home/next flight out)... which if you have no reason to go there (other than the fact it's a wonderful place
) kind of makes the exercise pointless. You're not getting that kind of value with the return flights anywhere on the east coast.
For me getting the Platinum credit card (at $395/year, but I'm now a member of APESMA due to changing unions at work, so eligible for the $295... anyone know if I can switch easily or if I have to go and apply for a whole new one?) came down to the value of the free flight. Because I'm originally from PER and regularly travel back there, I can get a freebie PER-MEL return on QF. Normal $ value of that alone is more than the annual fee. For that reason it's worth it for me. The 1.5 points/$ is a bonus.
The value of the flight/hotel, of course, may vary for you. If you're not based in PER, the only way to get that value is to do 2 trips to PER (and make the freebie the flight home/next flight out)... which if you have no reason to go there (other than the fact it's a wonderful place
) kind of makes the exercise pointless. You're not getting that kind of value with the return flights anywhere on the east coast.Re: engineers australia platinum card for $295 and 20,000 bonus points is it good val
thanks for the info, im still undecided. you are right if id qualify for a free return perth flight that alone would be worth it. however i think becase i live in qld i can only fly free down the east coast? can one change their address to perth after the account is open and qualify for a free wa flight later?
For me getting the Platinum credit card (at $395/year, but I'm now a member of APESMA due to changing unions at work, so eligible for the $295... anyone know if I can switch easily or if I have to go and apply for a whole new one?) came down to the value of the free flight. Because I'm originally from PER and regularly travel back there, I can get a freebie PER-MEL return on QF. Normal $ value of that alone is more than the annual fee. For that reason it's worth it for me. The 1.5 points/$ is a bonus.
The value of the flight/hotel, of course, may vary for you. If you're not based in PER, the only way to get that value is to do 2 trips to PER (and make the freebie the flight home/next flight out)... which if you have no reason to go there (other than the fact it's a wonderful place
thanks for the info, im still undecided. you are right if id qualify for a free return perth flight that alone would be worth it. however i think becase i live in qld i can only fly free down the east coast? can one change their address to perth after the account is open and qualify for a free wa flight later?
Re: engineers australia platinum card for $295 and 20,000 bonus points is it good val
As far as I know Perth flights are still offered! They better be!
Assuming nothing's changed, there's no restriction on the address, anyone can book any flight, but there are restrictions on what's available. For example you can book a PER-SYD-PER but not a SYD-PER-SYD. My guess is it's to make the card worthwhile to everyone in WA. Not much point getting a free flight otherwise!
I'm in Vic, but what I did last year was booked myself a return MEL-PER-MEL about 3 weeks apart, and then used the freebie to book a PER-MEL-PER in between. Basically, I had 2 trips to make a few weeks apart that I knew dates of far enough out (a friend's wedding and a family do) so I was effectively able to halve the cost of the flights.
This year, well, I'm planning on (assuming potential uni/employer hurry up and get back to me) starting on a new study/work program for a career change mid-year back in Perth, so I'll be a poor student for a bit, so I'm saving up my free flight for that! Being based in Perth will make it much easier though!
As far as I know Perth flights are still offered! They better be!
Assuming nothing's changed, there's no restriction on the address, anyone can book any flight, but there are restrictions on what's available. For example you can book a PER-SYD-PER but not a SYD-PER-SYD. My guess is it's to make the card worthwhile to everyone in WA. Not much point getting a free flight otherwise!
I'm in Vic, but what I did last year was booked myself a return MEL-PER-MEL about 3 weeks apart, and then used the freebie to book a PER-MEL-PER in between. Basically, I had 2 trips to make a few weeks apart that I knew dates of far enough out (a friend's wedding and a family do) so I was effectively able to halve the cost of the flights.
This year, well, I'm planning on (assuming potential uni/employer hurry up and get back to me) starting on a new study/work program for a career change mid-year back in Perth, so I'll be a poor student for a bit, so I'm saving up my free flight for that! Being based in Perth will make it much easier though!
Re: engineers australia platinum card for $295 and 20,000 bonus points is it good val
There seems to be reasonable range of hotels now, I've used this the last couple of years and found good value with this. The flights were better but since Perth dropped off, not so much. And I don't want to go back to Adelaide again!
I have the CPA version and got the fee waived this year, so the hotel stay/flight is now free I strongly doubt you would get that in your first year though, so there would still be an initial upfront cost even if you managed to get it waived later on.
There seems to be reasonable range of hotels now, I've used this the last couple of years and found good value with this. The flights were better but since Perth dropped off, not so much. And I don't want to go back to Adelaide again!
I have the CPA version and got the fee waived this year, so the hotel stay/flight is now free
I strongly doubt you would get that in your first year though, so there would still be an initial upfront cost even if you managed to get it waived later on.Re: engineers australia platinum card for $295 and 20,000 bonus points is it good val
How did you persuade amex to let you have the CPA version fee waived this year if you dont mind me asking? yes the letter states that the hotel stay or flight is free but I too doubt that amex would waive the annual fee in the first year though. however i did manage to get my david jones amex card first annual fee waived after cancelling it without having used it and then reactivating the account within 3 months keeping the same card. Maybe this approach will be possible?
There seems to be reasonable range of hotels now, I've used this the last couple of years and found good value with this. The flights were better but since Perth dropped off, not so much. And I don't want to go back to Adelaide again!
I have the CPA version and got the fee waived this year, so the hotel stay/flight is now free
How did you persuade amex to let you have the CPA version fee waived this year if you dont mind me asking? yes the letter states that the hotel stay or flight is free but I too doubt that amex would waive the annual fee in the first year though. however i did manage to get my david jones amex card first annual fee waived after cancelling it without having used it and then reactivating the account within 3 months keeping the same card. Maybe this approach will be possible?
Re: engineers australia platinum card for $295 and 20,000 bonus points is it good val
Just asked when my renewal date was and how long I would have to transfer points out if the account was closed, they asked me a few things and pushed me towards the cancellation department who then gave me a spiel for about 2 mins about all the other features of the card and offered to refund the fee.
I've also had success in booking my flight/hotel towards the end of my year, and having this combined with the upcoming freebie for the next year (which they say they won't do). So keep this one in mind too for a weekend hotel stay, or a flight away with the other half.
Just asked when my renewal date was and how long I would have to transfer points out if the account was closed, they asked me a few things and pushed me towards the cancellation department who then gave me a spiel for about 2 mins about all the other features of the card and offered to refund the fee.
I've also had success in booking my flight/hotel towards the end of my year, and having this combined with the upcoming freebie for the next year (which they say they won't do). So keep this one in mind too for a weekend hotel stay, or a flight away with the other half.
11sjw
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Re: engineers australia platinum card for $295 and 20,000 bonus points is it good val
Keep in mind that the Engineers Australia Platinum is only 1.25 pts/$ if you go with Qantas direct earn.
I use my card for work so it cops a hammering and they pay the fee so I thought the 20,000 bonus points would be a worthwhile reason to give it a crack.
For me getting the Platinum credit card (at $395/year, but I'm now a member of APESMA due to changing unions at work, so eligible for the $295... anyone know if I can switch easily or if I have to go and apply for a whole new one?) came down to the value of the free flight. Because I'm originally from PER and regularly travel back there, I can get a freebie PER-MEL return on QF. Normal $ value of that alone is more than the annual fee. For that reason it's worth it for me. The 1.5 points/$ is a bonus.
The value of the flight/hotel, of course, may vary for you. If you're not based in PER, the only way to get that value is to do 2 trips to PER (and make the freebie the flight home/next flight out)... which if you have no reason to go there (other than the fact it's a wonderful place
Keep in mind that the Engineers Australia Platinum is only 1.25 pts/$ if you go with Qantas direct earn.
I use my card for work so it cops a hammering and they pay the fee so I thought the 20,000 bonus points would be a worthwhile reason to give it a crack.
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