Westpac Singapore Airlines Card Changes 15/12/10 & 1/3/2011

[AdMEL]

Annual discount/upgrade voucher is being discontinued. Apparently, the vouchers have been difficult to fulfill and have generated a lot of complaints. Also, apparently Singapore Airlines are making changes to their system. From 15/12/10, new card appllications will not be eligible for an annual discount/upgrade voucher. Existing card holders who have not yet received a voucher will receive one final voucher in December, valid for 12 months. Card holders who have already received a voucher will not receive any further vouchers.

From 1/3/11, purchases in Australia on Platinum Visa will earn 0.5 points per dollar (reduced from 1). No change to earn rates on all other cards.

Also from 15/12/2010, special offers with Accor and Avis will no longer be available.

Card holders will receive a letter in the mail shortly.

 

[kamchatsky]

Maybe this should be merged to the following thread for continuity?

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....ac-singapore-krisflyer-credit-card-17536.html

Thanks for letting us know. it would be serious downgrade if this is true ....

 

[albatross710]

Oh well..typical banks.

That Visa downgrade is going to put a hole in my earnings unless I want to pay my vendors their Amex surcharge. I'll need to do the figures when we see the letter.

I did notice that the voucher information had disappeared from the Westpac Krisflyer promo website.

I think the problem with the voucher was that it was designed to look really valuable but when the reality of its value was realised - that created the problems ie inclusive of the 15% online discount, limited redemption period, not available on J.

Alby

 

[hummel]

I've only been a cardholder for around 8 months so obviously yet to recieve my voucher, but by the wording above I should recieve this month? Is that correct?

I have been contemplating going for a straight Amex card and no fee Visa for a while and this could be the trigger point.

In other news, don't you hate when you have to make a rather large purchase the day after your monthly cycle ends.. thus having to wait extra for those points! Argh! :mrgreen:

 

[AdMEL]

I've only been a cardholder for around 8 months so obviously yet to recieve my voucher, but by the wording above I should recieve this month? Is that correct?

Yes, that's correct. The voucher will valid 1 January to 31 December.

The change to the Plat Visa earn rate brings it into line with Altitude.

 

[oz_mark]

The change to the Plat Visa earn rate brings it into line with Altitude.

...and Earth. Would have been better if they had brought Altitude and Earth into line with KF though

 

[Sarge1]

Are there any other cards (visa or mastercard) that do 1 point for $1

 

[lovetravellingoz]

From 1/3/11, purchases in Australia on Platinum Visa will earn 0.5 points per dollar (reduced from 1). No change to earn rates on all other cards.

.

Bugga...was great while it lasted though. 2 fee free years and lots of points.

Very glad I did not cancel my free for life Citibank now. I mainly kept it in case things changed...and now they have.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Are there any other cards (visa or mastercard) that do 1 point for $1

Everdayrewards...but that only dumps to QFF with it's lousy redemption rate.

Citibank. But does not transfer to KF at 1:1.....and from memory only transfers in bocks of 15,000.

 

[kamchatsky]

Everdayrewards...but that ony dumps to QFF with it's lousy redemption rate.

Citibank. But does not transfer to KF at 1:1.....and from memory only transfers in bocks of 15,000.

15000 Citibank points = 10000 KF Miles. Still better than 2:1 earning though.

 

[Foreigner]

From 1/3/11, purchases in Australia on Platinum Visa will earn 0.5 points per dollar (reduced from 1). No change to earn rates on all other cards.

Also from 15/12/2010, special offers with Accor and Avis will no longer be available.

Card holders will receive a letter in the mail shortly.

That's terrible news. Need to find alternative in either Visa or MasterCard. And make most of Dec to Feb prior to change.

 

[lmere12]

Bugger.. was just about to apply for one and eradicate some others.

 

[deft]

Losing the yearly 25,000 miles voucher and now having 0.5miles per $1 on VISA is just too much. Hard to find value in $250 in the 2nd year onwards.

I'll be cancelling mine in the 11th month.

A combo of AMEX-issued card + **** Smith 5x promo will see me thru for another 12 months until another promo comes along.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Losing the yearly 25,000 miles voucher and now having 0.5miles per $1 on VISA is just too much. Hard to find value in $250 in the 2nd year onwards.

I'll be cancelling mine in the 11th month.

A combo of AMEX-issued card + **** Smith 5x promo will see me thru for another 12 months until another promo comes along.

Whilst this does throw a spanner in the works I am not sure I will cancel cards - I do a dozen or so international flights each year and SQ my only choice.

But I will certainly be sending letter to both Westpac and Sing Air regarding this.

Hopefully all holders of these cards will do the same - emails and written letters - I do not know if a deluge of correspondence all threatening to cancel the cards will have affect but let's all try.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Life woul be much simpler if everywhere accepted Amex without a surcharge....


......however at least while this source of "extra" points is drying up the Amex source has in the later part of this year shifted back into overdrive with all sorts of bonii, on spend and joining, available for the taking.

The result is an effective point earn per $ well obove the official 1.5.

With points to QF that has seen a lifting too....just a pity that the QFF program is by and large pitiful in comparison to other available FF programs. Mind you the Virgin FF program is even more pitiful giving Australians a poor collection of "home" FF programs.

 

[albatross710]

I think that the combination of earning rate and bonii available on the Westpac KF MkI was able to modify peoples spending habits.

Now Westpac Bank Exec 101 manual states that they must now erode the value of the service until people are left using the card paying full fees and no longer receiving the original benefits for which they switched.

My guess is that another option will emerge over the next few months.

 

[albatross710]

Thought I'd take the opportunity before 15/12 to refresh my Accor A|Club Platinum membership with a new membership using the KF code that I was supplied. When I try promotion code WESIA09PLA I now get "The given promotion code is not usable anymore".

Looks like the doors have already shut at Accor.

 

[Sarge1]

If the changes go ahead with the Visa redemption rate I will be canceling the card and taking my business elsewhere. Why would I earn points through this card and have them expire in 3 years, when I can get another banks card and store my points there and transfer them at my discretion.
Dumb decision Westpac. The golden goose is dying.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

My guess is that another option will emerge over the next few months.

My guess is that you will right...but only after Westpac notice that a lot of people have either cancelled their Cards, or stopped using them. So it may take a while. It may be best to not have a "current" card so that one can take aadvantage of any new push, which most likely will not be open to "existing" cardholders.

I certainly will once I have been officially advised ringing my banker and stating that if they want to retain my business that I need a better offer, and that this change will lose my CC business 100%.

I mean why would you keep it?

• Less points earnt than elsewhere
• Has a time limit

Now I will stay will stay with options that can dump into SQ for *A, but not Westpac Krisflyer.. But some I think will be swayed by the Everday QF Card that earns at 1.0, and only costs $89....topped with one of the Amex issued cards if required and your spend is higher.

Question will be how many will stay with it afer the change? some will as there are many that are content to be earning only 0.5 on various cards. Most on this forum are not in that camp.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

The golden goose is dying.

Yes. But I guess in the Points Running world one just has to keep looking for next Golden Goose.

Certainly the direct issued Amexe's at present are good for some extra earn.

Once again the problem will be supercharging one's VISA/MC earn for that spent which cannot be done on Amex, or where the surcharge on Amex is prohibitive.