[Harpoon]

Hi all,

I currently have:

ANZ FF Visa (Blue) - QFF
AMEX Corporate Card (Green) - Rewards

The AMEX corporate card is of course for business use only so I only earn AMEX rewards points for business travel. That's fine. The ANZ Visa is my personal card.

When I was comparing the benefits of the AMEX rewards program to the ANZ FF Card....the AMEX to me, wins hands down. Both have similar annual fees, but AMEX seem to have a far better range of redeemable flights and the ability to put the points into a whole range of FF programs seems a hands down winner to me. As opposed to all my ANZ spending goin in to QFF only. the plus side to Visa is it's more widely accepted than AMEX in my experience.

Can anyone comment on the availability of these reward flights on AMEX through TravelKey? Impossible to get?

Also wondering if I'd be better of dumping the ANZ FF Visa and getting my own personal AMEX. If I did, is it possible to throw all points earned on both AMEX cards in to the one rewards account? Also which card would I have to get to earn 1.5 points per $1? Gold?

[Yada Yada]

Originally Posted by Harpoon

Hi all,

I currently have:

ANZ FF Visa (Blue) - QFF
AMEX Corporate Card (Green) - Rewards

The AMEX corporate card is of course for business use only so I only earn AMEX rewards points for business travel. That's fine. The ANZ Visa is my personal card.

When I was comparing the benefits of the AMEX rewards program to the ANZ FF Card....the AMEX to me, wins hands down. Both have similar annual fees, but AMEX seem to have a far better range of redeemable flights and the ability to put the points into a whole range of FF programs seems a hands down winner to me. As opposed to all my ANZ spending goin in to QFF only. the plus side to Visa is it's more widely accepted than AMEX in my experience.

Can anyone comment on the availability of these reward flights on AMEX through TravelKey? Impossible to get?

Also wondering if I'd be better of dumping the ANZ FF Visa and getting my own personal AMEX. If I did, is it possible to throw all points earned on both AMEX cards in to the one rewards account? Also which card would I have to get to earn 1.5 points per $1? Gold?

Hi Harpoon,

I am notorioulsy hopeless when it comes to knowing anything more than basic info about benefits of FF and CC programs. Others here will have it analysed down to the Nth degree and will be able to advise you better than I can.

However I can contribute a few thoughts:

1. I personally find the Amex rewards program better than others. I have had a Gold card since 1986 and am happy with the service and the program in general compared with others I've been signed up to (e.g. the failed Wespac/Ansett Global rewards, Wespac Altitude).

2. One problem with Amex is that a lot of merchants these days will hit you up for a 3% surcharge, but don't do so for Visa/MC. So you can end up paying more.

There is a Qantas branded Amex card available (rewards maximiser or something?). I've got one and scored over 20K QFF points for it but have yet to use it! I think if I buy a QF flight then I get a free one or something like that. Just haven't bothered yet.

[dajop]

I'd say go the Amex, gives you lots more options than a QF linked card, and even if you want to use QFF points, you transfer them across when ready, not having sitting there being devalued everytime an "enhancement" is made or fuel fines go up. Even the Amex linked hotel programmes are worth considering. I just booked a Westin hotel for 8,500 MR points (2,800 starwood preferred guest points) + 50 AUD. If I'd paid for the room it was going to be $285 AUD per night. To put this in context - that 8,000 pts + $40 in taxes could have got me a one way fare from Melbourne to Sydney on QF, worth probably no more than $150 (as if the fare is any higher than this there is usually no availability of awards).

[simongr]

Originally Posted by dajop

I'd say go the Amex, gives you lots more options than a QF linked card, and even if you want to use QFF points, you transfer them across when ready, not having sitting there being devalued everytime an "enhancement" is made or fuel fines go up.

Umm if you keep your points in your MR account and then transfer them to QF it has not impact on whether the points are devalued through QF enhancements - you just have more options to do stuff with your points if you determine the QF devalution is no longer making the points worthwhile.

Consider this scenario - you have 12K MR points. For arguments sake lets assume that this currently gets you to DRW from SYD. If you put them straight in your QF account and then QF devalues them so that now it costs 12K to get to MEL you can only goes as far as MEL. If you kept them in your MR account and QF did the devaluation you could still only get as far as MEL.