Best credit card coversion rate to Asiamiles in 2009? (For FTers based in HK)
Jul 6, 2011, 1:06 am
#856
Suspended
Join Date: May 2006
Location: HKG
Programs: A3, TK *G; JL JGC; SPG,Hilton Gold
Posts: 9,952
I only looked at the PLK card cos it had the better welcome offer at the time. Also has the perm fee waiver. But it has an annoying feature of rounding up your bills to nearest $10 and donating the diff to PLK. I don't like PLK as a charity...
PLK and core Plat/Titanium has no difference in earn rates/redeem fees.
PLK and core Plat/Titanium has no difference in earn rates/redeem fees.
Jul 6, 2011, 1:53 am
#857
Ambassador, Hong Kong and Macau
Join Date: May 2009
Location: HKG
Programs: Non-top tier Asia Miles member
Posts: 19,799
Called Shacom about it and they told me to fax them a written request - done. Is that how you opted out?
I won't switch it off if the charity is World Vision or Red Cross (well, I now have doubts about the latter). But PLK is sort of forced on me rather than me willing to support its cause.
I won't switch it off if the charity is World Vision or Red Cross (well, I now have doubts about the latter). But PLK is sort of forced on me rather than me willing to support its cause.
Jul 6, 2011, 2:09 am
#858
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Join Date: May 2006
Location: HKG
Programs: A3, TK *G; JL JGC; SPG,Hilton Gold
Posts: 9,952
Called Shacom about it and they told me to fax them a written request - done. Is that how you opted out?
I won't switch it off if the charity is World Vision or Red Cross (well, I now have doubts about the latter). But PLK is sort of forced on me rather than me willing to support its cause.
I won't switch it off if the charity is World Vision or Red Cross (well, I now have doubts about the latter). But PLK is sort of forced on me rather than me willing to support its cause.
Jul 6, 2011, 7:41 am
#859
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Join Date: May 2006
Location: HKG
Programs: A3, TK *G; JL JGC; SPG,Hilton Gold
Posts: 9,952
Joke of the month
I've gotten SCB's new promotion after the 6.5x extra points (making $2/mile)
i'll get a few Pizza hut coupons upon spending 56K HKD
It's such a joke it gives me good incentive to say byebye to this card.
I have enjoyed their last 2 promos. time to churn my StanChart relations.
i'll get a few Pizza hut coupons upon spending 56K HKD
It's such a joke it gives me good incentive to say byebye to this card.
I have enjoyed their last 2 promos. time to churn my StanChart relations.
Jul 6, 2011, 7:45 am
#860
Ambassador, Hong Kong and Macau
Join Date: May 2009
Location: HKG
Programs: Non-top tier Asia Miles member
Posts: 19,799
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there's a checkbox on the "new" form now that still has the AM promotion
Oh okay. The box wasn't available when I applied.
Originally Posted by kaka
Called Shacom about it and they told me to fax them a written request - done. Is that how you opted out?
I won't switch it off if the charity is World Vision or Red Cross (well, I now have doubts about the latter). But PLK is sort of forced on me rather than me willing to support its cause.
I won't switch it off if the charity is World Vision or Red Cross (well, I now have doubts about the latter). But PLK is sort of forced on me rather than me willing to support its cause.
Jul 6, 2011, 8:33 am
#861
Ambassador, Hong Kong and Macau
Join Date: May 2009
Location: HKG
Programs: Non-top tier Asia Miles member
Posts: 19,799
Wirelessly posted (Palm850/V0100 Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows CE; IEMobile 7.11))
I haven't got my $2/mile extra points yet, tho my promo said they'll be paid out by 31 July.
But you're right - SCB wrote itself to irrelevance as far as miles as concerned. If you don't have a SCB AE and need to keep that for overseas spending, you're well advised to churn the card for the $500 Park'N'Shop offer. My SCB card balance went from five digits to $130 (that was Grand Cinema for two with 10% discount).
(OT as far as FT's concerned) I did look into earning Manhattan ID points instead for their concerts - I recently paid $1,000 per ticket to a scalper for a Miriam Yeung 903id ticket requiring 30,000pts. A 3.33% return - which doesn't sound bad until an intern told me the concert booking hotline sold out (of redemptions) at 9:03am of the first day (first public redemption: 9:00am).
Oh I just got home and got the promo...$500 coupon for $13.7K from now to 31 Aug for me. It's "coupon", and I never eat in with more than one person, nor do take-aways for work anymore (colleagues like Pizza Box instead), so even for 13.7K I'm gonna fuggetaboutit.
Originally Posted by kaka
I've gotten SCB's new promotion after the 6.5x extra points (making $2/mile)
i'll get a few Pizza hut coupons upon spending 56K HKD
It's such a joke it gives me good incentive to say byebye to this card.
I have enjoyed their last 2 promos. time to churn my StanChart relations.
i'll get a few Pizza hut coupons upon spending 56K HKD
It's such a joke it gives me good incentive to say byebye to this card.
I have enjoyed their last 2 promos. time to churn my StanChart relations.
But you're right - SCB wrote itself to irrelevance as far as miles as concerned. If you don't have a SCB AE and need to keep that for overseas spending, you're well advised to churn the card for the $500 Park'N'Shop offer. My SCB card balance went from five digits to $130 (that was Grand Cinema for two with 10% discount).
(OT as far as FT's concerned) I did look into earning Manhattan ID points instead for their concerts - I recently paid $1,000 per ticket to a scalper for a Miriam Yeung 903id ticket requiring 30,000pts. A 3.33% return - which doesn't sound bad until an intern told me the concert booking hotline sold out (of redemptions) at 9:03am of the first day (first public redemption: 9:00am).
Oh I just got home and got the promo...$500 coupon for $13.7K from now to 31 Aug for me. It's "coupon", and I never eat in with more than one person, nor do take-aways for work anymore (colleagues like Pizza Box instead), so even for 13.7K I'm gonna fuggetaboutit.
Last edited by percysmith; Jul 8, 2011 at 6:20 pm
Jul 6, 2011, 9:12 am
#862
Suspended
Join Date: May 2006
Location: HKG
Programs: A3, TK *G; JL JGC; SPG,Hilton Gold
Posts: 9,952
Wirelessly posted (Palm850/V0100 Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows CE; IEMobile 7.11))
I haven't got my $2/mile extra points yet, tho my promo said they'll be paid out by31 July.
But you're right - SCB wrote itself to irrelevance as far as miles as concerned. If you don't have a SCB AE and need to keep that for overseas spending, you're well advised to churn the card for the $500 Park'N'Shop offer. My SCB card balance went from five digits to $170 (that was Grand Cinema for two with 10% discount).
I haven't got my $2/mile extra points yet, tho my promo said they'll be paid out by
But you're right - SCB wrote itself to irrelevance as far as miles as concerned. If you don't have a SCB AE and need to keep that for overseas spending, you're well advised to churn the card for the $500 Park'N'Shop offer. My SCB card balance went from five digits to $170 (that was Grand Cinema for two with 10% discount).
Jul 6, 2011, 9:36 am
#863
Ambassador, Hong Kong and Macau
Join Date: May 2009
Location: HKG
Programs: Non-top tier Asia Miles member
Posts: 19,799
I was about to correct myself cos the 15 July 2011 date is stated in clause 11.
But when I called SCB CS, they said they're gonna award the points "in stages from now to 31 July". I asked her to check the date again and she still said 31 July.
Well I'm not gonna bother writing a letter to SCB to complain just cos the points are 16 days' late. Just as long as they don't tell me they've already finished awarding.
But when I called SCB CS, they said they're gonna award the points "in stages from now to 31 July". I asked her to check the date again and she still said 31 July.
Well I'm not gonna bother writing a letter to SCB to complain just cos the points are 16 days' late. Just as long as they don't tell me they've already finished awarding.
Jul 6, 2011, 9:33 pm
#864
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: HKG
Programs: BA Gold OWE
Posts: 216
I think many of us do not like the way StandChart does things (e.g. the 12-1 to 15-1 debacle) but I find myself using the VI as the primary card nowadays after Fubon withdrew the 6-1. So basically stuck with it, especially for the Amex. Current structure :-
Local (everyday general use): StandChart VI / StandChart Amex / Amex Plat Credit Card (all 7.5-1)
Local (weekend >$300): Fubon Elite Visa (6-1)
Local (>$500 6x monthly): Fubon Elite Visa (166 miles bonus)
Local AAVS / Autopays: StandChart VI (7.5-1)
Overseas: SC Amex (2.5-1) and Fubon Elite Visa (3-1)
I've just put in the application for the BComm Unionpay for the 4-1 for >$300. From a miles earning perspective, wonder how much more I can streamline this? I am considering the DBS Black Amex but waiting for the right time to max out the welcome offer. Anyway, my point was that I really don't see anyway out of StandChart in the near term as no one else does better than 7.5-1 for local visa/master; would love to be corrected of course.
Local (everyday general use): StandChart VI / StandChart Amex / Amex Plat Credit Card (all 7.5-1)
Local (weekend >$300): Fubon Elite Visa (6-1)
Local (>$500 6x monthly): Fubon Elite Visa (166 miles bonus)
Local AAVS / Autopays: StandChart VI (7.5-1)
Overseas: SC Amex (2.5-1) and Fubon Elite Visa (3-1)
I've just put in the application for the BComm Unionpay for the 4-1 for >$300. From a miles earning perspective, wonder how much more I can streamline this? I am considering the DBS Black Amex but waiting for the right time to max out the welcome offer. Anyway, my point was that I really don't see anyway out of StandChart in the near term as no one else does better than 7.5-1 for local visa/master; would love to be corrected of course.
Jul 6, 2011, 11:58 pm
#865
Ambassador, Hong Kong and Macau
Join Date: May 2009
Location: HKG
Programs: Non-top tier Asia Miles member
Posts: 19,799
Wirelessly posted (Palm850/V0100 Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows CE; IEMobile 7.11))
I'm also carrying my PB VI to pay people who don't take AE but aren't restaurants.
I think I'll lose my PB account by the end of the year - I moved my payroll to BEA so my TRB needs to be 1M (in fact it's been cut down to <0.5M).
I might redeem the $300 fee to redeem the miles on the PB VI as there's only 30K points there and I need to clear the points on my SCB AE before they expire in March 2012. I think I'll use the 16 pts/mile Moneyback redemption method to credit my a/c...that's $8/mile not $7.5 but at least its fee free.
(I remember doing an analysis in which I concluded it takes 720,000 points to make the 15 pts/mile for $300 rate preferable to 16 pts/mile via Moneyback route.
Originally Posted by toplayer
I think many of us do not like the way StandChart does things (e.g. the 12-1 to 15-1 debacle) but I find myself using the VI as the primary card nowadays after Fubon withdrew the 6-1. So basically stuck with it, especially for the Amex. Current structure :-
Local (everyday general use): StandChart VI / StandChart Amex / Amex Plat Credit Card (all 7.5-1)
Local (weekend >$300): Fubon Elite Visa (6-1)
Local (>$500 6x monthly): Fubon Elite Visa (166 miles bonus)
Local AAVS / Autopays: StandChart VI (7.5-1)
Overseas: SC Amex (2.5-1) and Fubon Elite Visa (3-1)
I've just put in the application for the BComm Unionpay for the 4-1 for >$300. From a miles earning perspective, wonder how much more I can streamline this? I am considering the DBS Black Amex but waiting for the right time to max out the welcome offer. Anyway, my point was that I really don't see anyway out of StandChart in the near term as no one else does better than 7.5-1 for local visa/master; would love to be corrected of course.
Local (everyday general use): StandChart VI / StandChart Amex / Amex Plat Credit Card (all 7.5-1)
Local (weekend >$300): Fubon Elite Visa (6-1)
Local (>$500 6x monthly): Fubon Elite Visa (166 miles bonus)
Local AAVS / Autopays: StandChart VI (7.5-1)
Overseas: SC Amex (2.5-1) and Fubon Elite Visa (3-1)
I've just put in the application for the BComm Unionpay for the 4-1 for >$300. From a miles earning perspective, wonder how much more I can streamline this? I am considering the DBS Black Amex but waiting for the right time to max out the welcome offer. Anyway, my point was that I really don't see anyway out of StandChart in the near term as no one else does better than 7.5-1 for local visa/master; would love to be corrected of course.
I think I'll lose my PB account by the end of the year - I moved my payroll to BEA so my TRB needs to be 1M (in fact it's been cut down to <0.5M).
I might redeem the $300 fee to redeem the miles on the PB VI as there's only 30K points there and I need to clear the points on my SCB AE before they expire in March 2012. I think I'll use the 16 pts/mile Moneyback redemption method to credit my a/c...that's $8/mile not $7.5 but at least its fee free.
(I remember doing an analysis in which I concluded it takes 720,000 points to make the 15 pts/mile for $300 rate preferable to 16 pts/mile via Moneyback route.
Jul 7, 2011, 12:40 am
#866
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Join Date: May 2006
Location: HKG
Programs: A3, TK *G; JL JGC; SPG,Hilton Gold
Posts: 9,952
Anyway, doesn't Shacomm levy a $10/1000AM charge capping at $500? Does Shacomm have a max points to earn per unit time? (Like fubon, 3*monthly limit/month)
Jul 7, 2011, 2:03 am
#867
Ambassador, Hong Kong and Macau
Join Date: May 2009
Location: HKG
Programs: Non-top tier Asia Miles member
Posts: 19,799
Yep, that's why I'm using PB VI instead of Shacom for my "other VI/MC" payments.
Nope.
But they're quite stingy with credit limits (1.5X monthly salary for me), so you may end up having to prepay the account before you use it.
But they're quite stingy with credit limits (1.5X monthly salary for me), so you may end up having to prepay the account before you use it.
Jul 7, 2011, 4:38 am
#868
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Join Date: May 2006
Location: HKG
Programs: A3, TK *G; JL JGC; SPG,Hilton Gold
Posts: 9,952
that's alright. it's better than paying by cash or even worse by fubon that gets no points but card forex charges
Jul 7, 2011, 1:11 pm
#869
Ambassador, Hong Kong and Macau
Join Date: May 2009
Location: HKG
Programs: Non-top tier Asia Miles member
Posts: 19,799
This probably happened a while ago - HK taxis are taking Octopus cards. 30 cabs have been kitted out with Octopus readers last Dec http://stu.hksyu.edu/~shuo/web/2010/12/09/12803 . The taxi unions are raising hell for lost opportunities in tax evasion.
A new source of miles anyone? Guess most of us here have Octopus AAVS that earns us miles at $8/mile. I can imagine earning 500 miles just from cabrides in the next two months (I'll be taking a lot of rides home due to financial year-end). Too bad there's only 30 of them - anyone know the taxi reservations number for these cabbies?
A new source of miles anyone? Guess most of us here have Octopus AAVS that earns us miles at $8/mile. I can imagine earning 500 miles just from cabrides in the next two months (I'll be taking a lot of rides home due to financial year-end). Too bad there's only 30 of them - anyone know the taxi reservations number for these cabbies?
http://www.autotaxi.com.hk/eng/index/index.html
2627 8866
They also have an Apple app that helps order in taxis.
It's a bit different from what I expected. The cabs don't take Octopus or Paywave, but rather Visa and MC cards with EMV chip.
But it's a bit gimmicky - the cab we got on didn't have the card terminal connected, and refused to connect it when we got to the hotel we were going to citing the time it takes. We suspect it's more to do with the fact our trip was short ($18), the cabbie still wanted to evade profits tax, or both.
Maybe they'll be more cooperative if it's a longer trip. I also suspect we also have to put all our cash in our briefcases/handbags, and show the cabbie a cashless wallet with only cards in it in order to get our miles.
Jul 7, 2011, 9:36 pm
#870
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: NYC
Programs: CX Silver, SPG, etc.
Posts: 7
Any chance a forum moderator could summarize current offers on the first page of the thread? 57 pages is a lot to go through, and I'm having a hard time finding details on current offers... Just a thought, though =)
Just got my CX Elite Amex; intro period earn seems pretty good at 4/1 local and 2/1 overseas but after that may have to explore other options.
Just got my CX Elite Amex; intro period earn seems pretty good at 4/1 local and 2/1 overseas but after that may have to explore other options.