Henry_H

Hi guys,

Citibank Australia is capping the points can be earned to 1 Skywards mile for the first $3000 and 0.5 Skywards form 3001 to 10000.

This is not good for me at all with an average spend on my card of $20000 to $25000.

What other cards do you guys recommend in Australia for good flyer points?

Regards,
Henry

EK788

In my opinion, SPG's program has the most versatile form of "E-Currency" in the world with their incredible range of transfer partners.

I would strongly recommend the Diners Club AU Credit Card with the accompanying World Mastercard Card since Diners Club isn't as accepted as Mastercard. You earn 3 points per $1 with the Diners Club card and 1.5 points per $1 with the World Mastercard Card.

You would then redeem these for SPG points, at roughly 2 points per 1 starpoint. So based on your average spend of $25,000, you would earn roughly 18,750 - 37,500 Starpoints depending on your varying usage of your Diners Club Card vs. the accompanying World Mastercard Card.

You would then transfer said SPG starpoints over to Skywards at a rate of 1 starpoint per Skywards mile, with a 5,000 bonus if transferring 20,000 skypoints. Of course you aren't restricted to EK Skywards, you can transfer Starpoints to several frequent flyer programs.

On your current Citibank Credit Card, you would be earning 14,000 Skywards miles based on an average spend of $25,000 vs. an average of 33,125 Skywards miles if you go with the Diners Club card.

eternaltransit

Take advantage of SPGs transfers soon though, what with Marriott buying Starwood

EK788

It's still going to be another year or so till they revamp/merge their loyalty programs, so not that big of a rush . Let's just hope they take the best of both programs instead of the worst.

This makes it seem like it might all be for the best.

eternaltransit

Well, I'd take anything said publicly with a grain of salt - what will determine the fate of the loyalty programs is their profitability. Marriott Rewards is more traditional, in that it there is a nice cut for Marriott between issuance and redemption (and passes those costs onto owners of hotels - in effect, a hidden commission on all guest folios for Marriott directly), but SPG has had to develop more of a currency/arbitrage based scheme (which is in keeping with their private equity/hedge fund roots!) - and is one of the much more profitable parts of Starwood. Will be interesting to see how that evolves!

edy4eva

Held off from applying for years, and I thought back then the earn rate cap (was it 200k per year?) somewhat lousy compared with other cards that were topless/1 mil.

Anyhow, why bother with Skywards? It's among the worst FF programs.

Diners is ok, so is ANZ QF Black which now comes with a 75k QFF bonus.

Henry_H

Thank you will look into it.. What about Star alliance? are the good if I am not to worry about Emirates. I usually use them to upgrade my paid economy tickets to business.

subject2load

Can't say I have first-hand user experience of many FF programmes.

But I do know that Skywards earn & burn rates are definitely nothing to get excited about ......

I sometimes get the feeling that EK management are morbidly determined to make it unattractive.