Which AMEX provides the best current value

[DanziM]

Hi all,

Just been reading alot of the threads in this section and now im just confused! Im ready to make an application to gain an AMEX card for points purposes in conjuction with a virgin velocity visa.

Im pretty much sold by the platinum edge card, its 3 2 1 offering sounds great, and the relatively low annual fee and free domestic flight selling it well. It seems alot of you are disappointed that alot of awards have been removed. I guess i wasnt here last year to see that.

What are your thoughts on my theory of the platinum edge amex along with the virgin velocity visa with 15k bonus points. Im also able to get 15k bonus amex points as im being referred by a friend. Im having both incase the amex isnt accepted. The awards program allows transfer to velocity miles of 1 for 1, which is great.

Any advice much appreciated.

 

[Bofter]

If the velocity visa you are referring to is the High Flyer card, then there seems to still be a 20,000 point bonus available if you go through Virgin Australia websites, eg.
Credit Card Special Offers | Velocity Frequent Flyer

 

[Beta4Me]

Just about the perfect combo. If you are going for the High Flyer, great; if not, and just going for the Flyer, then it might be good to have a bank-issued Amex at 1.5 points/$ to fill the middle ground of non-supermarket/petrol spending at a place that takes Amex for free/no additional surcharge on top of Visa/MC.
That said, even with the High Flyer if the 0.25 points/$ loss (compared to a bank Amex) makes a noticeable because you spend enough it might be worth getting one anyway--actually, you could probably do it for the hell of it just to get the bonus points and cancel after the first year if it isn't worth it

 

[Moopere]

I'm keeping the Edge myself. Got the renewal in DEC and let it through. I use it for groceries and fuel together with an EDR (not the CC) it earns pretty well and even in the 2nd year the free flight from PER offsets the annual fee nicely. Be aware that significant value was ripped away when they dropped to 0.5p/$ on government, utilities and telco's. Once that happened my spend reduced to just groceries and fuel as I say. I'm vacillating on the Velocity Amex which I currently use for everything else, but the fee is $389 (I think) and though the free flight helps, no sign on points this coming year might see me drop it .. I might try for a fee waiver but if not good I'm feeling I'll let it go.

Theres been a big shift from the merchants in the last 6 months and I'm actually hitting non acceptance and surcharge a _lot_ more than previously. Am staring more closely at some of the Citibank MC/VISA offerings now.

 

[DanziM]

When you say non acceptance, how bad actually is this? Id also not be willing to pay surcharges either hence why i was considering a velocity visa through virgin as a supplementary card to top up my velocity points.

 

[Moopere]

When you say non acceptance, how bad actually is this? Id also not be willing to pay surcharges either hence why i was considering a velocity visa through virgin as a supplementary card to top up my velocity points.

Its noticeable. I was a big defender of Amex for most of last year based upon my experiences up until about OCT. Over here in PER, I pretty much got by with 90-95% Amex for everything from car servicing to groceries to restaurants. But something big and horrible happened in the 4th QTR and small businesses, which are always a problem for Amex acceptance anyway, started to really become a big problem. Previous acceptance was gone in many of my regular haunts, and in others 2-3% surcharge started to appear. I even stumbled into my first ever service station trying to surcharge for fuel ... a BP which admittedly was outside my normal regular rounds.

Something I've yet to explain to myself has happened. In OCT many card holders suffered a drop in earn to 0.5p/$ and it seems that perhaps at the same time merchants got the squeeze via higher fees, in addition, the RBA CC clarifications came out a month or so earlier clarifying how CC cost could be passed on via surcharge to customers.

This must all be working out extremely well for big business though, they'd be loving it, reason being that all the big guns, over here anyway, still accept Amex and almost 100% without surcharge. So, I can imagine that many customers, like me, who care about points earn, are now channelling their spend completely away from small business into huge business. So, big department stores, Woolies, bunnings, Caltex/woolies fuel, higher end restaurants, etc, etc. Its got to the point where I can pretty much tell, before I even enter a shop, if it will accept Amex or not based upon whether its part of a chain franchise or not - though thankfully I still get a surprise now and again.

So, I still love my Amex for the points it provides, but to maximise spend through it, you have to be aware when you shop and be prepared to change your habits on who gets the business. Very often I'll let a merchant know the reason why I can't buy his merchandise - in a friendly way of course. Its a heads-up for them, in case they care. I had one favourite cafe which first accepted Amex, then dropped it, then took it on again, now seems to have dropped (since Oct 12), I'll chat with the owner, again, to let them know one of their regulars will have to move on (me) because of it.

I don't like the Virgin Flyer VISA as the cheapy is too limited at 1500$ a month spend before points fall away, and the high flyer is far too expensive for what it provides ... if they threw in a free flight I'd probably reconsider.

 

[Demonoid]

my 2 cents - I have the Virgin Flyer card. Awesome as I have a partner and we travel a lot. If you are single or travel solo mostly - then forget about it. Go with the Qantas Every Day Rewards cards as the best VISA option. On Amex, I have the platinum charge and am seriously thinking about dropping it - what kept me in it is I love that they now accept it at the Virgin Lounge, which ties in nicely with my Virgin flyer card giving me Velocity points and 4 buy 1 get 1 free flights. Priority pass is also good as its unlimited (Reserve gets you 2 visits, Edge none). Bottom line, unless you travel heaps (and internationally) - stick with the Edge or the Reserve.

 

[djchuckles]

My selection of cards now looks like :

Platinum Edge
Velocity Escape
Westpac Platinum Plus Amex/Visa (for all Amex spend except fuel, supermarkets and Virgin, plus any that don't take Amex)

November I cancelled plat charge. I seem to be in my 2nd yr for Edge but haven't been charged an annual fee - was free last yr as was a companion card to my plat charge

 

[sparoz]

Horses for courses really - depending on your spent and what you are after in a card.