Spending $40,000 on CC, any extra benefits with AMEX???

[wasimmehr]

Hi All,

I will be spending over $40,000 via Credit Card in the next 2 months, making 2 payments of $20,000 each to the Immigration Dept. I will obviously be getting the 1.5 per $ points via the Charge Card, but wondering if it was worthwhile calling Amex and asking for further bonus points, should I make my transaction with my Amex Card. I have heard that they had previously had offers where you would get generous travel vouchers etc, but Amex seem to be pretty busy with DS and other bonus points muck ups to introduce a new offer.

 

[JOC469]

I'm not sure what benefit there would be for AMEX or the Immigration Department in offering bonus points for the transaction. Let us know how you go.

 

[mistado]

I have previously secured 2 additional bonus points initially 20000 & then 40000 bonus points on 2 separate occasions so worthwhile asking them... :idea:

 

[JOC469]

Damn, I've reached my bonus points limit for the year on my platinum charge and credit cards already. Maybe I should give them a call too.

Can I ask who the merchant was that you were spending with?

 

[wasimmehr]

I'm not sure what benefit there would be for AMEX or the Immigration Department in offering bonus points for the transaction. Let us know how you go.

Well for one, Amex gets the 2% or some other ridiculous merchant fee from DIAC, so they would be getting about $800, + the interest which they hope they will get if I dont pay on time! The 2 points bonus seems great...will contact them and ask for it...

NAB have a 3 points per $ offer so if Amex grudges, I could go there...

 

[wasimmehr]

Called Amex and spoke to a rather unhelpful Indian Lady (I'm Indian) who failed to acknowledge my enquiry appropriately. I kept asking her if Amex would be able to 'offer' anything if I spent $40000 in a day, in terms of points, but she kept repeating that Immigration Australia was not a bonus partner. Even after explaining that I was well aware of the bonus partner system and it was not I was asking about, she insisted on provide me details on current bonus partners such as HN and Domayne! Asked to be transferred to team leader but was kept on hold for more than 5 mins and had to hang up due to other commitments.

Mistado, did u get the points deal when there was another deal going on...? And who did u speak to?

 

[mistado]

Called Amex and spoke to a rather unhelpful Indian Lady (I'm Indian) who failed to acknowledge my enquiry appropriately. I kept asking her if Amex would be able to 'offer' anything if I spent $40000 in a day, in terms of points, but she kept repeating that Immigration Australia was not a bonus partner. Even after explaining that I was well aware of the bonus partner system and it was not I was asking about, she insisted on provide me details on current bonus partners such as HN and Domayne! Asked to be transferred to team leader but was kept on hold for more than 5 mins and had to hang up due to other commitments.

Mistado, did u get the points deal when there was another deal going on...? And who did u speak to?

Hi,

Sometimes its a bit hit and miss with the customer service in AMEX. The fist time i ever got these bonus points i was offered them from amex. But since i have made 2 separate phone calls in regards to getting bonus points for a spend of 10-20K in the coming months. Both times i did get the bonus points as a 0.5 additional bonus for every dollar i spent.

So i earned 2 points per dollar capped at 20K points/ 40K points. I did actually make a third phone call this year but was turned down saying bonus points are not given based on increased spending. In addition this was the first year that my fee didnt get waived as they said the bonus points given were in place of fee waiver although this was not mentioned at the time.

In saying that amex then called me 2 months later to say well we would like to offer 20K bonus points as the amount going thru your card had decreased.
So might be worth another go hopefully with a different CSR officer.

PS i ended up speaking to the retention department ...i think. Send me a PM and i will send you their direct number.