Cathay Pacific Asia Miles - Standard Chartered American Express Card

Received a flyer with my credit card statement today:

You deserve spectacular privileges we delight you with exceptional 6X bonus points rewards

Extraordinary privileges await you with your Standard Chartered American Express Card! From 15 January 2009 onwards, you will be entitled to a brand new bonus points scheme which maximizes your deserved rewards. 6X bonus points will be offered for your overseas spending and transactions made at designated travel agencies, which gives you lots of pleasant surprises during your journey!

Brand new bonus points scheme exclusively for you

Instantly get 6X bonus points for your overseas spending to make your journey more enjoyable

Enjoy 6X bonus points for any spending at designated travel agencies to get extra rewards while booking your vacation

Farrington American Express
Cathay Pacific Holidays
Kuoni Travel
Travel Expert Limited
Dragonair Holidays
Miramar Travel
Swire Travel
Worldwide Package Travel Service Limited
Lotus Tours
Hong Thai Travel

Earn 2X bonus points for other local spending

...

Existing 4X Bonus Points Rewards will be revised to 6X Bonus Points Rewards for Overseas Retail Purchases and Designated Merchants Purchases; and 2X Bonus Points Rewards for Local Retail Purchases.


In other words, what used to be HK$3 per Asia Mile for local spending will become HK$6 per Asia Mile. Still better than CX Amex and Citibank Premier Miles Visa, but far less attractive than what it used to be. :rolleyes:

Received a flyer with my credit card statement today:

You deserve spectacular privileges we delight you with exceptional 6X bonus points rewards

Extraordinary privileges await you with your Standard Chartered American Express Card! From 15 January 2009 onwards, you will be entitled to a brand new bonus points scheme which maximizes your deserved rewards. 6X bonus points will be offered for your overseas spending and transactions made at designated travel agencies, which gives you lots of pleasant surprises during your journey!

Brand new bonus points scheme exclusively for you

Instantly get 6X bonus points for your overseas spending to make your journey more enjoyable

Enjoy 6X bonus points for any spending at designated travel agencies to get extra rewards while booking your vacation

Farrington American Express
Cathay Pacific Holidays
Kuoni Travel
Travel Expert Limited
Dragonair Holidays
Miramar Travel
Swire Travel
Worldwide Package Travel Service Limited
Lotus Tours
Hong Thai Travel

Earn 2X bonus points for other local spending

...

Existing 4X Bonus Points Rewards will be revised to 6X Bonus Points Rewards for Overseas Retail Purchases and Designated Merchants Purchases; and 2X Bonus Points Rewards for Local Retail Purchases.


In other words, what used to be HK$3 per Asia Mile for local spending will become HK$6 per Asia Mile. Still better than CX Amex and Citibank Premier Miles Visa, but far less attractive than what it used to be. :rolleyes:
I will say I am switching all my local payment to DBS Black, why pay service fee when earn rate is the same ...
For oversea .. HKD 2 per AM sounds nice ... but need to calculate if I can balance it with the HKD 100 service charge ...

I will say I am switching all my local payment to DBS Black, why pay service fee when earn rate is the same ...
For oversea .. HKD 2 per AM sounds nice ... but need to calculate if I can balance it with the HKD 100 service charge ...

ditto, time to get the DBS Black for all local spending... but it's also an AMEX which is not the most acceptable type of cards in HK :( i'm sure the 100 service charge does not really matter if u transfer 10000 miles+

Slightly OT: Why don't AMEX HK match the same HK$ 6/mile with the CX-AMEX Elite card? It seems like they are offering better benefits to other banks to compete on its own?

StanChart website still says 4X bonus points for all spending:
http://www.standardchartered.com.hk/personal-banking/creditcard/american-express/en/

I would be really annoyed if I had come across this website today, applied for the card, received it in mid-Dec only to find out the local spending accumulation would be halved after a month!

Bottom line, is the DBS Black best for local spending? I've also heard some use DBS Plat for local dining?

I only have CX AMEX Elite and Citi PremierMiles at the moment...

Bottom line, is the DBS Black best for local spending? I've also heard some use DBS Plat for local dining?

I only have CX AMEX Elite and Citi PremierMiles at the moment...
Yup .. .my current spending flow is like this

If Dining then DBS Plat
If AMEX accepted then DBS Black
else CIti PremierMiles

Oversea

ALL > Citi PremierMiles

Slightly OT: Why don't AMEX HK match the same HK$ 6/mile with the CX-AMEX Elite card? It seems like they are offering better benefits to other banks to compete on its own?

I think may be in AMEX HK's mind is that their card is bit superior the others that they provide auto transfer (no value for me), various shopping protection (price difference / return guarantee / 1 year warranty ext / 45 day thief), extra bonus @ CX.com and in-flight duty free

For me .. I just milk their initial double miles offer then the card will stay at my drawer until I fly, that I purchase the ticket @ CX.com

I think may be in AMEX HK's mind is that their card is bit superior the others that they provide auto transfer (no value for me), various shopping protection (price difference / return guarantee / 1 year warranty ext / 45 day thief), extra bonus @ CX.com and in-flight duty free

For me .. I just milk their initial double miles offer then the card will stay at my drawer until I fly, that I purchase the ticket @ CX.com

haha that's what i'm doing already! I just use SCB AMEX whenever accepted.

what I use very often now is my new SCB Visa Infinite - it gives $6 = 1 mile for all spending (overseas too, so I won't use it overseas). but at least for all local spendings it's good, and Visa is acceptable everywhere. and it gives this rate even for Octopus AAVS (as far as I know for all other cards, Octopus AAVS is separate, only get $12 = 1 mile and not the bonus) and online bill payment (for other cards they usually consider online bill payment separately, and for some I think they don't even give points for online bill payment completely).

Yup .. .my current spending flow is like this

If Dining then DBS Plat
If AMEX accepted then DBS Black
else CIti PremierMiles

Oversea

ALL > Citi PremierMiles

is there any reason to use Citi PremierMiles and not DBS Plat for overseas ? these two are probably exactly the same ? or does Citi give better exchange rate ?

my decision flow now is:

Local dining - DBS Visa Plat
other local spending - SCB Visa Infinite
overseas - DBS Visa Plat

lately there's an Amex Plat Credit Card promotion that I get - giving 2x bonus if I reach certain limit within the promotion period - since I haven't used it at all this year, I still have the HKD 160k turbo limit, so together with this I'm getting 4x, i.e. HKD 3 = 1 mile, so now I'm using this one for almost all local and overseas spending as long as Amex is accepted.

the good thing about all these vs. CX Amex is that points won't get transferred automatically (yes, I know it's a plus for some others, so they CX think...but for me, I always hate having to use the miles before they expire !!)

but, the future SCB Amex 6x for overseas sounds great to me, I have lots of overseas spend. and for those spendings in travel agents, is it for packages only or for any spendings there ? because our corporate travel agents are all on this list and it would be great if I get bonus for all my tickets. on the other hand, I think I got a promotion from SCB Visa Infinite earlier, similar to this, but I think it says something like it's for travel/vacation packages bought via these agents, and not all spendings there (don't remember 100%)...

So basically no one uses CX AMEX Elite?

I like the Amex card as they give a much longer payment period and are much more forgiving if you pay a day or 2 late. Citibank will penalize you immediately

agree, Citibank is really really strict about the payment date.

BTW, DBS Visa Plat gives 90 days of payment period for local dining + overseas spending too, if I remember right - in addition to 3x points.

So basically no one uses CX AMEX Elite?Yes - I have been using it as my primary card for the last 4 months because of the double miles promotion (HK$4/mile in HK, HK$2/mile overseas), with the Citi Premier Miles for places that don't take Amex (the Citi card also has the AAVS, and gives $8/mile for that). Now the Amex double miles promo is over I'm not sure I can be bothered to get another card (I also have an HSBC Premier Mastercard which gets used only very occasionally).

is there any reason to use Citi PremierMiles and not DBS Plat for overseas ? these two are probably exactly the same ? or does Citi give better exchange rate ?

my decision flow now is:

Local dining - DBS Visa Plat
other local spending - SCB Visa Infinite
overseas - DBS Visa Plat

My Reason of not using DBS Vis Plat for oversea is that most of the money are reimbursement and the extended repayment period actually mess my maths up.

lately there's an Amex Plat Credit Card promotion that I get - giving 2x bonus if I reach certain limit within the promotion period - since I haven't used it at all this year, I still have the HKD 160k turbo limit, so together with this I'm getting 4x, i.e. HKD 3 = 1 mile, so now I'm using this one for almost all local and overseas spending as long as Amex is accepted.

Yes the turbo program is great, but I am still somewhere away from it's entry limit..... I remember it need 350K p.a. income but I am like too far from it... (though I spend HKD 30K+ on a monthly basis, company spending, cheers!) And the HKD 1600 annual fee kind of scared me off

agree, Citibank is really really strict about the payment date.

BTW, DBS Visa Plat gives 90 days of payment period for local dining + overseas spending too, if I remember right - in addition to 3x points.
Especially in Citi's "Special" Financial situtation ???
Extended repayment only applies to oversea spending, not local dining ....
Yes - I have been using it as my primary card for the last 4 months because of the double miles promotion (HK$4/mile in HK, HK$2/mile overseas), with the Citi Premier Miles for places that don't take Amex (the Citi card also has the AAVS, and gives $8/mile for that). Now the Amex double miles promo is over I'm not sure I can be bothered to get another card (I also have an HSBC Premier Mastercard which gets used only very occasionally).
It's not that trouble when you draw the decision map ? :p

Would anyone now transfer all their citimiles to AM, so in case it goes belly up *touchwood*

is there any reason to use Citi PremierMiles and not DBS Plat for overseas ? these two are probably exactly the same ? or does Citi give better exchange rate ?

my decision flow now is:

Local dining - DBS Visa Plat
other local spending - SCB Visa Infinite
overseas - DBS Visa Plat

lately there's an Amex Plat Credit Card promotion that I get - giving 2x bonus if I reach certain limit within the promotion period - since I haven't used it at all this year, I still have the HKD 160k turbo limit, so together with this I'm getting 4x, i.e. HKD 3 = 1 mile, so now I'm using this one for almost all local and overseas spending as long as Amex is accepted.

the good thing about all these vs. CX Amex is that points won't get transferred automatically (yes, I know it's a plus for some others, so they CX think...but for me, I always hate having to use the miles before they expire !!)

but, the future SCB Amex 6x for overseas sounds great to me, I have lots of overseas spend. and for those spendings in travel agents, is it for packages only or for any spendings there ? because our corporate travel agents are all on this list and it would be great if I get bonus for all my tickets. on the other hand, I think I got a promotion from SCB Visa Infinite earlier, similar to this, but I think it says something like it's for travel/vacation packages bought via these agents, and not all spendings there (don't remember 100%)...

Please could you explain a bit more in detail regarding to AMEX Plat Credit Card's HKD3 =1 mile for first 160K spending? Shouldn't that be HKD6 = 1 mile only?

yes turbo is 2x only...but that's why I said it's a recent promo I got, that gives "2x bonus", extra to what I would get otherwise - for a total of 4x, i.e. HKD 3 = 1 mile. they did send me a survey or sth a couple of months ago on various things I think and I made some specific comments on their MR program...maybe that's why they come up with some promo afterwards and also know I'm someone who cares about points a lot in my spending...

6 times for overseas spending is great and is probably the best there is around. However, it is Amex which I understand charges a higher than visa/MC rate for foreign currency.

I believe visa charges about 1.9% for foreign currency.

Does anyone know what Amex (and this particular brand of Amex by Standard Chartered charges) for foreign spending?

I am sure it will still work out a great deal. Just want to know how great it is compared to the 3 times using Citi Visa.

BTW does anyone know if Citi Plat MC also gives 3 times for overseas spending?

Thanks.

Standard Chartered Amex's FX charge is approximately 3% on top of your original amount in local currency times that days fx rate.

That's high - the CX Amex is only about 2% (very similar to Citi Premier Miles & HSBC Premier).