Please help me decide.Amex plat,Westpac Krisflyer plat or what.

[drron]

Now my primary wish for my CC at the moment is to transfer points to AA via SPG.As far as I am aware this limits me to Diners or Amex.Diners certainly is by far and away best(I have a fee free card,1.5 points per $,and 2 points = 1 SPG point.However their rewards system has been broke for over a year now and just too frustrating.So i now have a gold Amex(fee free,1 point per $,3 points = 1 SPG point).I would like to get more bang for my points.
I also have a Citi Plat card-not free-for those places not accepting Amex/DC.Currently transferring to Krisflyer.turnover~100K for Amex,50K for Visa.
So I have an offer for an Amex plat for $295 a year.Though the brochure says 1 point per $ spend the example they gives is at 1.5 points per $.Also 20000 bonus points after $500 spend.now my thinking is if it really is 1.5 points per $ that is 50000 extra MR points per year=16500 SPG points=20500 more AA miles.certainly cheaper than buying AA miles.
However I then need a back up card and really dont feel i get good value from the Citi plat.Considering the Westpac krisflyer plat at $125 per year-I obviously wouldn't need the Amex co branded card-or does it offer more over the visa other than the extra points-but only transferable to Krisflyer?
Or is there another card out there that is better(do not want a QFF card nor do i think I would pay $900 for a card).

 

[cove]

If you can get Amex Platinum for $295 (used to be $900)that is a better price than QF Ultimate at $495.
Do you still get free return flight and 1.5 points on everything and 2.5 points on QF expenditure? If so that is very good.
Westpac Kris Flyer Platinum at $125 down from $195 gives you both a Visa 1 point per dollar and a co-branded Amex card at 1.5 points per dollar.
With Kris Flyer you can put card massively into credit to pay a bill that exceeds your credit limit which you cannot do on the Amex Platinum/Amex Ultimate.Very helpful in paying stuff like any tax bill.
If you had about 212,000 points on Kris you can go to London return next week or any week in J provided you pony up $900 in booking fees.That cost excludes the super discount section on Singapore to London route.

 

[cove]

Would Mrs DRRON like that?
Mrs Cove is going on the 288,000 point QF to LAX on A380 next week.
It can be hard to wean the Mrs off QF but that second set of cards doubles your chances of flights when you want them.
The redemption fees on Singapore are high but your flights are still the biggest bargain going if you can rack up the points.

 

[nlagalle]

If you can get Amex Platinum for $295 (used to be $900)that is a better price than QF Ultimate at $495.

I'm thinking for $295 it would be the Credit Card, not the charge. it is normally $395.

 

[drron]

I'm thinking for $295 it would be the Credit Card, not the charge. it is normally $395.

Yes it is the charge card.
Cove after reading the Krisflyer threads it is the J awards that have convinced me to go with Krisflyer as my second program.

 

[Nutcase]

I would hold fire at the moment as the market is about to heat up with the introduction of Visa Signature and Infinite cards to the market within the next few weeks. Citibank launch in July with the other majors to follow shortly.

Citibank Australia

You'll find that suddenly we will all move up a notch - gold becomes platinum and so it goes.

Watch this space

 

[YellowLemon]

Thanks for the heads up!

 

[nlagalle]

Yes it is the charge card.
Cove after reading the Krisflyer threads it is the J awards that have convinced me to go with Krisflyer as my second program.

Wow that is so cheap as it is normally $900. I can't believe that they offered it to you at that price! best i have seen is $450 for the first year.

 

[cove]

Time seems to only go slowly when you are waiting for something.
The new Citibank card that is coming will need to be pretty generous to wean the big spenders off Amex Ultimate/Platinum and Centurion or Westpac Kris Flyer Platinum.
These ones are all uncapped with generous points rewards.
Citibank try harder......