"Enhancements" to MR earn on Platinum Card, Reserve & Centurian

[greenfrog86]

Re: "Enhancements" to Membership Rewards scheme for Platinum Card / Platinum Reserve

Is the bonus point for restaurants for ALL restaurants that accepts amex?

Amex have updated their website with all the details - if you choose your card you will see all of the points details listed out with different earn types and links to work out where you might get extra points

 

[wxxnxs]

Re: "Enhancements" to Membership Rewards scheme for Platinum Card / Platinum Reserve

Here are the details from CPA Australia Intranet regarding the update:

Choose Membership Rewards Ascent[SUP] 4[/SUP]
Enjoy complimentary enrolment and earn points at a rate of 1.5 Membership Rewards points per dollar spent on your Card[SUP]4[/SUP] until 1 October 2012. After which you will earn: 3 points per $1 spent at restaurants in Australia listed here
2 points per $1 spent on:

• Airlines, accommodation, major cruises and tour operators paid directly or through travel agents listed here
• Spend in foreign currency when overseas and online

1 point per $1 spent everywhere else excluding utilities, insurance (except insurances offered by American Express), telecommunications providers and government bodies in Australia where you will earn 0.5 points. Earn rate threshold is 150,000 points per year, reverting to 0.5 to 1 point per $1 spent thereafter[SUP]4[/SUP].

I have checked their restaurants list, not that many, so it is a really bad move.

 

[moa999]

Re: "Enhancements" to Membership Rewards scheme for Platinum Card / Platinum Reserve

I would however "hope" (proof to be seen in the pudding) that Amex is thus able to offer better "rates" to the ATO/Insurance companies etc and thus either increase card acceptance and/or reduce the surcharge.

In any event ATO will shift to WEDR card unless Amex goes below 0.24% which I very much doubt.

 

[wxxnxs]

Re: "Enhancements" to Membership Rewards scheme for Platinum Card / Platinum Reserve

In any event ATO will shift to WEDR card unless Amex goes below 0.24% which I very much doubt.

Be careful. HSBC might cancel your card without any notice.

 

[moa999]

Re: "Enhancements" to Membership Rewards scheme for Platinum Card / Platinum Reserve

Have seen the cancel threads - I am however only putting personal/payg amounts on it which I suspect are far less than some around here using it for bas/gst.

 

[kpc]

Re: "Enhancements" to Membership Rewards scheme for Platinum Card / Platinum Reserve

I got the letter from Amex today in regard to the change to Plat Reserve Card (no letter yet for Plat Charge card).

Ditto here as well....:evil:

 

[nlagalle]

If this is true for the plat charge card I see no reason at all to keep it.. There is no difference between the others now..

 

[TonyHancock]

Re: "Enhancements" to Membership Rewards scheme for Platinum Card / Platinum Reserve

If this is true for the plat charge card I see no reason at all to keep it.. There is no difference between the others now..

I think it is actually worse than the Ultimate card if you are a collector of QF points. The only area of potential benefit for me is the 2 points per dollar for Australian Hilton stays.

 

[drross]

Re: "Enhancements" to Membership Rewards scheme for Platinum Card / Platinum Reserve

seems like there's not much in it for us

 

[greenfrog86]

Re: "Enhancements" to Membership Rewards scheme for Platinum Card / Platinum Reserve

Just tried to call Amex and shouldn't really be surprised that their phone lines are jammed (called Platinum Charge number and have NEVER had to wait longer than 30 secs or so)

 

[Stephen65]

Re: "Enhancements" to Membership Rewards scheme for Platinum Card / Platinum Reserve

Well if I had any doubt about keeping the plat charge after they destroyed the travel insurance then this resolves it. My CBA Diamond Amex card is now a far better product and its free.

 

[turtlemichael]

Re: "Enhancements" to Membership Rewards scheme for Platinum Card / Platinum Reserve

My reading is not as negative as some others. Unless I am misreading the comments here (no letter as yet for me) it seems that all the restaurants in Australia which accept Amex are listed. That means that from Oct 1 points double. Everything connected with travel will be 33.3% higher (hotels, airlines, cruises) as will all overseas transactions. Most day to day transactions reduce by one third apart from utilities etc which reduce by two-thirds. Is this the interpretation of others? I analysed my last two Amex bills and I am better off by 10% and 16% in MR point earn. I guess it depends on how you spend your money. The 150K limit though may be a problem for some.

 

[k3nnis]

Re: "Enhancements" to Membership Rewards scheme for Platinum Card / Platinum Reserve

I guess it's not the worst case however without the nice insurance cover previously devalues the card by quite a bit. If it has CX Gold permanantly then it may help soften the blow slightly. Also my issue is I don't dine at restaurants much and also not much overseas transactions. Mostly supermarkets and petrol which I use the EDGE for but would be nice to have the 1.5 per $1 for everything else like shipping in westfield for example etc.

 

[turtlemichael]

Re: "Enhancements" to Membership Rewards scheme for Platinum Card / Platinum Reserve

I guess it's not the worst case however without the nice insurance cover previously devalues the card by quite a bit. If it has CX Gold permanantly then it may help soften the blow slightly. Also my issue is I don't dine at restaurants much and also not much overseas transactions. Mostly supermarkets and petrol which I use the EDGE for but would be nice to have the 1.5 per $1 for everything else like shipping in westfield for example etc.

As I said I think it comes down to your spending pattern. I am less unhappy too as I just realised the points limit on the Platinum card is 300K. That won't worry me too much! As I have to get my own travel insurance from say TID as none of the credit card policies I have seen suit me for various medical reasons. I guess the question is whether the card is work $900 compared with what another card may cost. The pros are more points, the cons are greater cost. Amex for me just made the decision a little harder as I think I am a winner on the points issue.

 

[k3nnis]

Re: "Enhancements" to Membership Rewards scheme for Platinum Card / Platinum Reserve

I see. Even 200k cap won't help me. As I spend less than that a year on my card.

 

[JohnK]

Re: "Enhancements" to Membership Rewards scheme for Platinum Card / Platinum Reserve

I know have the Platinum Rewards card but if I did have one of these cards the "ehancements" would be positive for me.

Most of my spend is on airfares and accommodation while I only spend ~$5,000/year on what I like to call provisional tax. My overall spend couldn't be more than $30,000-$40,000 a year anyway.

But yes I do agree that too many "enhancements" one after another is not good. If people are getting smarter with their spend, including business spend, and credit card companies do not have an endless supply of points to give away then something has to give....

 

[serfty]

...Unless I am misreading the comments here (no letter as yet for me) it seems that all the restaurants in Australia which accept Amex are listed. ...

Checking my postcode, I see three of the seven restaurants I regularly use AMEX at locally are listed - and one I never knew existed!



Posted on a wing and a prayer ...

 

[deluxeflyer]

Re: "Enhancements" to Membership Rewards scheme for Platinum Card / Platinum Reserve

These disenhancements are forcing me to re-think (again) my card portfolio.
Amex must know that they will lose many premium card members,
and that they are quite happy to do so leaves me.....flabbergasted.

I would quite happily cancel all my cards with Amex (after 20+ years),
but for the fact that I have a substantial points balance which I do not want to transfer anywhere, yet.

Centurion could well be next to be disenhanced,
if Amex is so easily prepared to pi$$ us Plats off,
they will be just as ruthless and mercenary with the Cents.

Amex, listen loud and clear: NOT HAPPY.

 

[kpc]

These disenhancements are forcing me to re-think (again) my card portfolio.
Amex must know that they will lose many premium card members,
and that they are quite happy to do so leaves me.....flabbergasted.

I would quite happily cancel all my cards with Amex (after 20+ years),
but for the fact that I have a substantial points balance which I do not want to transfer anywhere, yet.

Centurion could well be next to be disenhanced,
if Amex is so easily prepared to pi$$ us Plats off,
they will be just as ruthless and mercenary with the Cents.

Amex, listen loud and clear: NOT HAPPY.

Have to agree with your summary....My charge card is paid up to Jan 2013.....there really is no reason to stay with the Amex Charge card beyond this; first with the travel insurance devaluation, and now the 66% reduction in points earned for certain payments

 

[zzzaaazzz]

Re: "Enhancements" to Membership Rewards scheme for Platinum Card / Platinum Reserve

Looking on the Amex website, it doesn't sound like these changes apply to the Platinum charge card only to the Platinum credit cards. Have I misunderstood?