For existing Platinum Card Members: you can call the number on the back of your current card to request your metal card.
Transfer rate applies to Velocity, KrisFlyer and Skyward Mile programs, while the Air NZ transfer rate is 200 Membership Rewards Points to 1 Airpoint Dollar.
Almost anyone can have a credit card. But not just anyone can have an American Express Platinum Card. For a start there’s a minimum income requirement of $100,000 a year. Then there’s the $1,450 annual fee, which may deter even some high income earners. But once you jump over those two hurdles, you enter a world of prestige and privilege with a seemingly endless list of benefits. Amex have bent over backwards to make you feel special.
A charge card, not a credit card
This is not a credit card, so there’s no messing about with interest rates and balance transfer options. There’s no effective interest rate because there’s no minimum payment opportunity. You will be required to pay off the total amount of your purchases on the card each month, so don’t choose this card unless you are willing and able to do so. But because of the monthly billing cycle, you will in fact get up to 44 days credit each month, interest free. Up to four supplementary cardholders can be included in your account without paying additional annual fees.
Great rewards program and potential for 80,000 bonus points
One of the best things about this card is the membership of the American Express Ascent Premium Membership Rewards program, the highest level available for an Amex personal card. And by spending just $3,000 in the first three months of holding the card, you will earn 80,000 bonus points. It would be a great kickstart to points earning for Amex first-timers, and you could even make an early redemption for a substantial item.
You won’t qualify for the bonus points if you have held an Amex card (other than a bank-issued companion card) in the previous 18 months.
Lots of points redemption options
The lower levels of Amex Membership Rewards don’t allow you to transfer your points to the Qantas Frequent Flyer program, but as an Ascent Premium member, you will be able to do this. You can transfer your points to the Qantas frequent flyer program on a 2:1 basis, so those 80,000 bonus points could be redeemed for 40,000 Qantas Points. That’s enough for a return Business Class flight between Sydney and Melbourne or Brisbane (36,800 points) with 3,200 points left over – almost enough for a $20 Netflix digital gift card from the Qantas rewards store.
There’s a total of ten airline points programs to which you can transfer your Amex Ascent Premium points on a 2:1 basis: Qantas Frequent Flyer, Virgin Australia Velocity Frequent Flyer, Emirates Skywards, Etihad Guest, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer, Air New Zealand Airpoints, Thai Royal Orchid Plus, Malaysia Airlines Enrich and Cathay Pacific Asia Miles. Points can also be transferred to two ‘Frequent Guest’ programs: Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy.
Alternatively, you could use the points for other forms of travel through the Amex Platinum travel service, to shop at David Jones online, for gift cards to use at major retailers, or convert them into cash credit against your card account balance.
Easy-to-understand points earning system
The points earning system for this card is quite simple and very rewarding:
There’s no pints threshold or cap, and points never expire as long as your card account is current and in good standing.
Valuable travel benefits
Amex knows that prestige cardholders are regular travellers, so there is a long, long list of tempting built-in travel and entertainment benefits:
More details about the free insurance cover
As you would expect with a card of this high status, there’s a host of built-in insurance policies with above-average features.
As you would expect, the travel insurance cover is activated by paying the full fare for your trip with your card. But you can also activate it by paying the fare with Amex Membership Rewards points, or with any type of rewards or frequent flyer points provided you use your card to pay the associated taxes and surcharges for the booking. Also, if you can prove that the travel merchant would not accept Amex cards, meaning that you had to use another means of payment for your fare, you’re still covered.
The insurance cover provided with this card leaves almost nothing to chance and is extremely generous in many of its provisions, appropriate to the probable high-end lifestyle of the typical cardholder.
Even more benefits
The card’s privileges don’t stop at travel benefits. They also include:
Is there any competition?
This card is really in a class of its own because of the high rewards earning rate, the flexibility to transfer to other reward schemes (including, particularly, Qantas Frequent Flyer) and the truly valuable complimentary travel, insurance and other benefits. But if the $1,450 annual fee is just too much, you could take a look at other high income cards, such as the ANZ Frequent Flyer Black Credit Card, the Westpac Altitude Black Credit Card or the Citi Prestige Card.
Why should I want this card?
If you’re a well-heeled frequent traveller who likes to enjoy life’s luxuries as well as the peace of mind provided by exceptional travel and purchase insurance cover, the $1,450 fee should not be too difficult to justify, especially in the first year when the 80,000 bonus points easily cover the fee if used to their maximum advantage to purchase Business Class flights or even First Class upgrades.
This card is great because it includes free travel insurance, which I used when I was overseas for six months, and it saved me so much money.
I love the rewards, but it’s a shame that it’s not accepted everywhere, and where it is accepted there is often a surcharge.I like the card but wish I could use it more often and get more points. And I know it sounds stupid, but it would be nice if they made the cards look more attractive. That way I would be obliged to put it in my wallet and keep it there, instead of losing it every few months.
Great card, just not a lot of stores accept them. When you do go to use them they also charge a fee at petrol stations, etc. I do use mine for grocery shopping every now and then at Woolworths — I get $20 off which is great. It would be a better card if it was accepted in a lot more places.
This card is the best card I have ever used. It gets accepted pretty much anywhere, in Australia or overseas.
There are very attractive rewards for frequent flyers, and customer service is the best in the business. There are great security features attached to it.
i use it for daily expenses, booking and buying stuff online, and over-the-phone transactions.
There are great rewards, the staff are very helpful, and I have never had any issues with the card. I have managed to save enough points to fly myself and my partner overseas and back.
I have no complaints at all. I love the trust of the company and wouldn’t go with any other one.
I love this card. Great offers can be saved to the card. Fees are reasonable, but often they give a loyalty bonus around renewal times (if you ask).
When I contact them, I always receive excellent customer service, day and night. The online and app access are good also. Overall, a great deal.
Apart from the $1,200 annual fee, this card is a great product for a luxury lifestyle. It has access to a wide range of worldwide airport lounges, complimentary insurance coverage, complimentary elite hotel and car rental memberships, and an annual domestic return flight on Virgin Australia. This card is a charge card, which works well only if you repay your full balances every month.
I don’t really like credit cards much, but having the Platinum American Express credit card is rewarding. It has great rewards, an excellent app, and is even compatible with Apple Pay. It definitely destroys all the other credit card companies.
The downside is that the credit card is a bit expensive and not all places accept it, but it is always my first choice by far.
This card earns triple points at supermarkets and double points for fuel and purchases with Qantas—it’s great when planning overseas trips for travel bookings. You can use these points to upgrade to Premium Economy and Business Class and for basically no added cost. The team at American Express are great to deal with and always provide great customer service.
Simple and easy to use, stress-free with maximum rewards.
I get double points for every dollar spent and the benefits and rewards accumulate quickly, so you can purchase anything, within your points limit, until your heart’s content. With fifty five days to pay your credit card back, interest-free, the American Express Platinum Card, makes life less complicated and care-free.
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