To Amex...or not to Amex!

binaryuniverse

!!! wrote: »

Spending £20k per annum isn't worth it for the 2-for-1, compared to a £195 annual fee and spending £10k instead.

Plus the higher points per pound value, the premium card is easily the better card to go for.

I got a BA Amex, a couple of months ago. With all the savings interest rates being cut, slow stoozing isn't worth the effort. So I'm going the points/rewards route instead, paying off in full every month.



Went with the free card as I know I usually spend average £400 a month, so there was no way I'd hit the requirement for the intial bonus on the other cards, and I don't have a job that requires me to travel. Meaning no chance of topping it up with work expenses.

Should that change, I'll look at getting the premium card with the extra Avios points. But, right now, I don't need it.

Ben8282

binaryuniverse wrote: »

I got a BA Amex, a couple of months ago. With all the savings interest rates being cut, slow stoozing isn't worth the effort. So I'm going the points/rewards route instead, paying off in full every month.



Went with the free card as I know I usually spend average £400 a month, so there was no way I'd hit the requirement for the intial bonus on the other cards, and I don't have a job that requires me to travel. Meaning no chance of topping it up with work expenses.

Should that change, I'll look at getting the premium card with the extra Avios points. But, right now, I don't need it.

My opinion, which will differ from the opinions of those who are determined to promote this card as suitable for all, is that with an average spend of £400 a month you are not really going to get anywhere. Getting the premium card would be a total waste of money in your situation.
As previously stated, these cards can be VERY beneficial to higher spenders especially individuals who travel for work and are able to charge all their expenses for tickets and hotels etc to the card and people who fly longhaul regularly with BA and boost their Avios earnings by getting rewarded through their BA excecutive cards and thrugh the credit card.

However, withan average spend of £400 per month, and assuming you want an Amex product, I think a cashback card or (depending on where you shop) perhaps a Nectar credit card may be the better option for you.

Cottage_Economy

Can I ask, in the experience of Amex premium users is it worthwhile getting the card to try and obtain a couple of long-haul flights to Australia with an annual spend of about £15k on the card?

We recently went to Australia to see a friend and forked out around £2500 on two economy return flights to Melbourne with Singapore Airlines. This friend has just got engaged and I'll find out shortly when the wedding is being booked for, so am considering different ways to mitigate the flight cost.

We currently put almost all of our monthly spending on a Sainsbury's card for the points and pay it off every month but considering switching to Amex to get Avios, the 2-4-1 offer and any bonuses on offer. I'd be the main cardholder and DH an additional cardholder.

Any thoughts?

EDITED TO ADD: Just realised I also have about £30 in Tesco Clubcard vouchers that could be converted to about 7,000 Avios.

Every little helps

moneywow1

Nick_C wrote: »

Does your Council allow you to pay using PayPoint or AllPay? If so, you can use Amex to pay at a Co-Op for up to £200.

The DVLA website has stopped taking Amex, but you can pay "road tax" at some sub Post Offices with Amex.

!!! wrote: »

Does it come with time travelling functionality as well then?

Why would I bother lying about that? lol

Nick_C

moneywow1 wrote: »

Why would I bother lying about that? lol

I have no doubt that you paid your vehicle tax with Amex on 12 September. But since then, the situation has changed and Amex is no longer accepted. I just tried.

Why would I bother lying about that? lol

However, you can pay with Amex at (some?) Post Offices. You need to take the V11 and you MOT certificate (in most cases).

Nick_C

Cottage_Economy wrote: »

Can I ask, in the experience of Amex premium users is it worthwhile getting the card to try and obtain a couple of long-haul flights to Australia with an annual spend of about £15k on the card?

We recently went to Australia to see a friend and forked out around £2500 on two economy return flights to Melbourne with Singapore Airlines. This friend has just got engaged and I'll find out shortly when the wedding is being booked for, so am considering different ways to mitigate the flight cost.

We currently put almost all of our monthly spending on a Sainsbury's card for the points and pay it off every month but considering switching to Amex to get Avios, the 2-4-1 offer and any bonuses on offer. I'd be the main cardholder and DH an additional cardholder.

Any thoughts?

EDITED TO ADD: Just realised I also have about £30 in Tesco Clubcard vouchers that could be converted to about 7,000 Avios.

Every little helps

It's almost impossible to get Avios redemptions to Sydney on BA. They guarantee 4 Y and 2 J seats on every flight, and on the Sydney route these get snapped up immediately.

If you are lucky enough to find availability, its 250,000 Avios for a return ticket, plus redemption fees.

Generally, Sydney in Business Class is better bought during a sale, and the target price is around £2k pp or less. You will earn at least 26000 Avios pp flying in Business Class on a One World airline.

[Deleted User]

moneywow1 wrote: »

Why would I bother lying about that? lol

Because your original post mentioned paying something that was abolished 82 years ago (Road Tax).

Hence the “time travel” comment I made.

Cottage_Economy

Nick_C wrote: »

It's almost impossible to get Avios redemptions to Sydney on BA. They guarantee 4 Y and 2 J seats on every flight, and on the Sydney route these get snapped up immediately.

If you are lucky enough to find availability, its 250,000 Avios for a return ticket, plus redemption fees.

Generally, Sydney in Business Class is better bought during a sale, and the target price is around £2k pp or less. You will earn at least 26000 Avios pp flying in Business Class on a One World airline.

Thanks for the info Nick.

Looks like it's a non-starter. It was a nice dream while it lasted!:D

thecraftyleek

I have the free blue BA AMEX card and use it in major supermarkets. I have family that live overseas and using the Avios points seriously reduces the cost of flights to see them, probably about twice a year. With about 10000-15000 points, which you can accumulate in 6-9 months, I see the benefits. I’ve been trying to convince my wife to get one, but she’s not having it. It meant I paid £150 for a return flight that would have cost her £370.

A few places don’t accept AMEX. B&Q, B&M and Lidl (Northern Ireland) are the major culprits. You can tie the AMEX card into PayPal and Apple Pay though. I have my Tesco Clubcard linked to my Avios account too, which means every 3-5 months (when Tesco get their backsides in gear), I get points from that too. Using your AMEX and Clubcard in Tesco, you are essentially getting double BA Avios points.

I had a similar setup with Emirates NBD bank when I lived in the UAE for two years. I got two free Emirates flights and free lounge access with their credit card. Unlike the BA AMEX card, there was a small annual charge, but it was negated by the benefits. If you need to fly, and like me, don’t have a cheap direct budget airline route to the place you need to go to, the BA AMEX card is a winner.

oscarward

I have a BA amex card, I've just transferred a load of hotel points in so have a healthy avios balance.


I'm trying to book flights to Vancouver next October , I can get an avios reward flight which virtually wipe out the balance or I can use them to get a £480 discount or use them to upgrade. Decisions decisions.


I really wanted to go to Calgary but it appears BA stopped flying direct at the end of september again like last year.