Credit Card Advice - Best Rewards/Frequent Flyers Program

• 

  AdosHouse on 05/07/2019 - 15:05

  Similar circumstances with me. I have the CBA Gold Awards card since about 19yo, then upgraded to platinum as an invite years ago. This year I had a look at what it was doing for me, with CBA rewards being that I had to spend $11,300 to just get a $50 gift card.

  So had a look around and I signed up to the St George Qantas Signature Visa card with 80k bonus sign up QFF points. Comes with all the various insurances, and obviously QFF accrual but only at 0.75 points per $1 spend.

  I then waited a few weeks and got myself a Qantas American Express Premium Card, with 30k QFF bonus points. The AMEX gets 1 point per dollar. I use AMEX where I can for the higher earn points and Visa for everything else.

  So in the last 3 months, between the Australian Super bonus QFF points, the St George card, the AMEX with a referral too, and $1500 of the Visa1 gift cards from Woolworths, I have enough points to get return flights to Europe which I was planning for next year, plus return flights to Japan, with enough left over to do return to Sydney. I count that as a victory.

  • 

    MsBuzz on 05/07/2019 - 22:50

    Nice work!

• 

  rgupta2 on 05/07/2019 - 16:48

  If considering Amex, have a look at the American Express Explorer Card.

  Here is a minor review:

  Annual Fee – $395, Foreign currency transaction fee – 3%
  Sign-up bonus – 50,000 Membership Rewards points
  Travel Credit – $400 per year
  Lounge Access – 2 entries per year to the American Express Lounge at Sydney International and/or Melbourne International Airport
  The Hotel Collection Program
  Rewards Program – Membership Rewards Gateway
  Airline Partners : 8
  Hotel Partners : 2
  Travel agency partner, Retailer and Gift Cards
  Insurance – Free Travel Insurance, Smartphone screen insurance up to $500 per year, Rental Car Damage Waiver, Buyer’s Advantage, Refund Purchase Protection and more.

  Either way, enjoy.

  Mod: Removed store rep code of conduct violation

  • 

    MsBuzz on 05/07/2019 - 22:49

    Thank you. I’ll definitely check this one out!

    • 

      cwongtech on 05/07/2019 - 23:43

      My recommendations would be either Qantas Premier Platinum CC or as per above, Amex Explorer.
      Only issue is some places still don't like Amex.

      Both are effectively 1 airline point per $1 spent.
      Amex has no points earning cap
      Qantas premier has a 10,000 points earning cap per statement period excluding bonuses

      Qantas Premier platinum has a $200 first year annual fee, ($300 annual normally), minimum spend of $1500 per month for 6 months to receive 20K per month in bonus, I believe that's only applicable for first 6 months, you get 2 Qantas lounge passes.
      1 QF point per $1 spent.
      So effectively $200 for 120,000 points (valuation at 1.1-1.3cpp, would be anywhere from $1320 to $1560 in value of points if you spend the effective required $9K minimum spend at 1.5K per month. Not that hard, life is expensive)
      If you want an additional supplementary card, its $50.
      $35000 minimum income requirement.

      Amex Explorer has $399 annual fee, but you get $400 annual travel credit, two amex lounge access passes annually.
      2 "amex points" per $1 spent, but transfer out at 2:1 ratio, so effectively 1 airline point per $1 spent.
      Current offer is 50K Amex points, +10K as per above with referral, this effectively gives 60K Amex points, or 30,000 actual airline points.
      Amex points can be transferred to many partners, but not QF (unless you have Amex Platinum charge but that's for high rollers), very very flexible.

      Also, Amex has free supplementary cards up to 4 additional card holders.. all with different numbers, which means for OzBargain, you can rort take advantage of Amex statement offers multiple times. Just be careful to not scan the same card twice.. when you have many amex cards, it can get confusing. This alone is enough reason to get an Amex.

      If you want the Amex, I suggest waiting for the double signup points offer, historically it's been 100K Amex points (used to be worth 100,000 airline points, now worth 50,000 airline points)
      Amex Explorer had a minimum income requirement of 65,000

      I've just applied for the Qantas one myself, but I can tell you with whole-hearted confidence that AMEX customer service is absolutely amazing.

      All in all, if are purely after fast bonus points (QF), Qantas looks to be better.
      If you want a very versatile card, Amex explorer is an amazing option, but comes with the caveat of some places not accepting Amex.

      • 

        MsBuzz on 06/07/2019 - 14:39

        Awesome thank you! I’m definitely after the later so I might keep my old cc to use when some places don’t accept Amex and use the Amex for everything I can. Appreciate your feedback.

• 

  Grandslam on 07/07/2019 - 22:24

  I’m thinking about the AMEX Explorer but I already have an AMEX Essential so wouldn’t be eligible for the bonus points. Anyone know how long you have to give up your AMEX to be considered a new customer? Or could my wife sign up? She currently has a supplementary card though so that might rule her out.

  • 

    MsBuzz on 08/07/2019 - 11:02

    Your wife can apply as she is a supplementary card holder but you will have to wait 18 months (i think that's the time period)

    Please note that if you currently hold a card directly issued by American Express, or have held one in the preceding 18 months, you are NOT eligible for the bonus. However, if the card in question is issued by a bank, you are eligible to receive the bonus upon meeting the minimum spend.

  • 

    rgupta2 on 08/07/2019 - 14:30

    It's generally 18 months. As MsBuzz said, holding a supplementary card does not make you ineligible, so wife should be still get them.