Hi, I'm new to AmEx and trying to use points to get this trip for the cheapest cost. Right now, this is what I'm thinking:
- Amex card 1 - $395 annual – 80,000 member points, $400 travel credit, using Ozbargainer's refferal code
- Amex card 2 - $395 annual – 80,000 member points (+20,000pts using card 1's refferal code), $400 travel credit
- Buy 4 adult fares, Adelaide to Sydney (virgin 12 sep) – use $400 travel credit from card 1 + 15,600 in points
- Buy 4 adult fares from Sydney to Adelaide (virgin 17 sep) – use $400 travel credit from card 2 + 15,600 in points
- Trade in 87,400 of points from Card 1 (from bonus points + $1500 spend) for $600 statement credit ($500+$100 credit). Leaves 3900 points leftover
- Book Sydney Harbour Dinner Cruise for 59087 in points from Card 1 (2x child 2x adult). Leaves 25,313pts, redeem for $150 statement credit ($100+$50). Leaves 2813pts.
- Book Hyde Park Inn for $1618 for 12-17Sep. Deluxe family room 4 adults using Booking.com
Now, since I don't have an AmEx card yet, I can't see the points amount using the AmEx travel site, as it requires you to sign in. However, I've read online that the rate is 1c per point, and I've used that for my calculations.
I would much appreciate if anyone could confirm if my calculations are correct, and if there is anything better, recommend it to me.
Notes:
The two AmEx cards will be under separate names
The Sydney Harbour Dinner Cruise does not need to be included in calculations, it just seemed like a good way to spend the points as it is something we would like to do.
Thanks in advance Ozbargainers!
Edit:
Also found this which could work like this:
* Sign up for 2x ANZ Frequent Flyer Black Card - no annual fee
* Spend $2500 on each card
* Get 75,000 Qantas Points on each card
* Flights on Qantas are 96,000 return for all four
* Leaving 54,000 points left over, equal to $540 in cash (when selling on OzB at 1c per point)
* Each card has 2x Qantas Lounge Passes, equal to $200 in value ($50ea selling on OzB)
* Accommodation $1618 (5 nights) for Hyde Park Inn Deluxe Family Room (4 Adults) via Booking.com
This would give a total cost of $878 for accommodation and flights, but it doesn't include the cruise or lounge access (would prefer to have $200 than a few hours in the lounge). Because of that, I'm still leaning towards the AmEx option, assuming the 1c per point calculation was correct.
Edit 2:
It seems even with the cruise, the ANZ deal works out better. Found a 3 course dinner cruise across the Darling Harbour, seeing the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge for $508. That would make the total cost $1386, $272 cheaper than the AmEx deal and we just miss out on the lounge. Please let me know if you think there is any better deals around, otherwise I'll probably just go for this one.
I have an Amex Platinum Edge, which is in a different Amex points scheme (Ascent) to what you'd be looking at (Gateway), since what you've described sounds like the Amex Explorer card (please correct me if I'm wrong). FWIW, I logged into the Amex travel site, and my Ascent points do indeed look to be worth 1¢ each if used that way. However, all ADL to SYD return options for the dates you're looking at, on Virgin, are $277.99 or 27,799 points per person. As I understand it, Gateway points are worth less, so would require even more. I'd hazard a guess and say that they're valued at 0.75¢ when used via Amex Travel, given that they only get you 3/4 of the airlines points that Ascent points do. You'd need someone who has a card in the Gateway scheme to login and confirm.
If going down the Amex route, a better way would be to transfer to the points to Velocity, and book Virgin award flights from there. Don't forget to factor in the reduced transfer ratio of the Gateway scheme.
Plus $42 in taxes x 8 = $336. Or Jetstar is 9600 points + $35 pp for ADL to SYD, and 9600 points + $32 pp for SYD to ADL, ie; 76,800 points + $268 all up. This all assumes that the required reward seats are still available by the time you get the points from ANZ.