Strategy to obtain US Amex

[Triben]

Aus to US points transfer is frustratingly slow at the moment - must be a very manual process

8 days now; by the time the carrier pigeons deposit the points in the US, there’s a very real chance the award seats I’m looking at will be gone

Yes, I have processed the points transfer same time as you but no update yet (process with US team), I have process again with AU team.
let see what will happen.

 

[Grrr]

Yes, I have processed the points transfer same time as you but no update yet (process with US team), I have process again with AU team.

Mine disappeared from my Aus account 4 days ago, but have not appeared in my US account yet

When my wife did this earlier in the year, the whole process was 4-5 days

 

[albyd]

Aus to US points transfer is frustratingly slow at the moment - must be a very manual process

Let's hope there aren't too many AU to US transfers compared to others so they don't stand out like a sore thumb or someone at Amex might be liable to "complain" and Amex US putting a stop to it and closing down this valuable route we have now AU MR are being devalued so much with more likely to come when the RBA decides on a start date for the new regime.

 

[xiaobaipp]

I'm using a combination:

• CSP which is 3.3x on dining (with 10% annual bonus);
• US Citi Strata Premier which is 3x on Supermarkets & 3x on hotel stays including dining within hotels
• AMEX Plat with 5X for airlines including on the Qantas marketplace includes Woolies gift cards - this one is a bit of an expensive one - need to make the rebates pay - I've just got it so jury's out.

I think the only "catch-all" cards are the 2X on all categories like the C1 cards if you can get them.

At the current exchange rate of $A1=$US0.65, that works out to:

• 2x = 1.3 pp$A (better than using an AU Platinum AMEX just without the stigma of asking if Amex is accepted)
• 3x=1.95 pp$A
• 5x = 3.25 pp$A

That's before any QF points.

YMMV

PS: Keen to hear others' experiences.

why not the alaska Atmos card, where you get 3x on every international transactions?