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To Amex...or not to Amex!

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  • Ngozi
    Ngozi Posts: 176 Forumite
    Fourth Anniversary 100 Posts Name Dropper
    oscarward wrote: »
    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.

    I'd wait until next year before booking anything, might get a better deal in Jan.
    BA do fly direct to Calgary according to their site, 25th of Sept and direct flights are available.
    And if doing Vancouver, definately be cheaper to just book a domestic flight yourself.

    More often than not, using your points to upgrade is better value as can't be redeemed against the tax of the flight.
  • Nick_C
    Nick_C Posts: 7,602 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Home Insurance Hacker!
    I have the free blue BA AMEX card and use it in major supermarkets....

    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 would suggest opening a Tesco current account and getting a Tesco Debit Card. Using it for shopping in Tesco will get you one extra Clubcard Point worth an 2.4 Avios, instead of the 1 Avios you get on your BA Blue Amex. So you can get 4.8 Avios/£ instead of the 3.4 you get currently with BA Amex and Clubcard.

    If you buy fuel at Tesco, you will get 2 CCPs / £ instead of 0.5. BA Blue Amex plus a clubcard at Tesco filling stations gets you 2.2 Avios / £. A Tesco Debit Card gets you 4.8 Avios / £.

    There is no minimum funding requirement for a Tesco Current Account, and no need for any Direct Debits (these are only requirements if you want interest). Just fund the account as needed to pay for your shopping.

    So unless you are trying to hit a target for a 241 voucher, the answer in Tesco is not to Amex.
  • Long time lurker. Wonder if someone can help me?

    I have had a Gold Amex for the past two years. I am a fairly high level spender (around £100k pa) and am wondering if it is the best card for me?

    My goal is to save the points for the next 20 years and then use them to go on a world cruise. Is the standard gold the best for me?

    If another card is better can my card be changed? Most importantly can all of my accrued points be moved with me?

    Thanks,

    PJ
  • pjamies wrote: »
    Long time lurker. Wonder if someone can help me?

    I have had a Gold Amex for the past two years. I am a fairly high level spender (around £100k pa) and am wondering if it is the best card for me?

    My goal is to save the points for the next 20 years and then use them to go on a world cruise. Is the standard gold the best for me?

    If another card is better can my card be changed? Most importantly can all of my accrued points be moved with me?

    Thanks,

    PJ

    Define "better card"?
  • One which would earn a greater amount of points.

    I am not sure if one of the "pay" cards would gain points at a better rate. I am not a flyer, purely using it to accrue points for the long haul.
  • These are all the reward cards that AmEx offer:

    https://www.americanexpress.com/uk/credit-cards/all-cards/?filter=mr&intlink=uk-en-hp-ca1-gold-all-rewards-03072019-HeroID_Exp_MYKA_banner_1280x356pxl

    The paid ones have a varying degree of point earning, except for the free ones that are one MR point per £1 spent.
  • Ben8282
    Ben8282 Posts: 4,821 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Combo Breaker Newshound!
    edited 8 November 2019 at 5:39PM
    pjamies wrote: »
    I have had a Gold Amex for the past two years. I am a fairly high level spender (around £100k pa) and am wondering if it is the best card for me?
    pjamies wrote: »
    I am not sure if one of the "pay" cards would gain points at a better rate. I am not a flyer, purely using it to accrue points for the long haul.


    Which 'gold' product do you actually hold? The new gold credit card with the £140 a year fee or the old gold chargecard which also had a fee?

    Curious what you spend £100k a year on using this card.
  • pjamies
    pjamies Posts: 7 Forumite
    edited 8 November 2019 at 5:27PM
    Ben8282 wrote: »
    Whicg 'gold' product do you actually hold? The new gold credit card with the £140 a year fee or the old gold chargecard which also had a fee?

    I am not sure if I pay a yearly fee or not? Is there a way to know from the card? My statement from 12 months ago doesn't show a fee. I have had the card since February 2017.
  • Ben8282
    Ben8282 Posts: 4,821 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Combo Breaker Newshound!
    edited 8 November 2019 at 5:38PM
    pjamies wrote: »
    I am not sure if I pay a yearly fee or not? Is there a way to know from the card? My statement from 12 months ago doesn't show a fee. I have had the card since February 2017.

    You say you have held the card since February 2017 but don't know if you pay a fee?
    Is it a credit card or a charge card or don't you know that either?
  • As I said I have checked my statements and there is no fee. So I presume no.

    It is a charge card. Does the new gold card with a fee accrue more points?
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