TTL

^ Thanks for info! Business class check in being the only OW perk then. But in connection with AY flights still not a bad supplementary item for the annual fee of DC. Almost makes it up for the gone complimentary EBG-status .

miikka

Still haven't received any information from DC regarding AY co-operation and Premium benefits. I guess they are sending the letters in batches or then someone lost my letter.

WilcoRoger

Last week I did a side-by-side comparison of the AY DC card and the AY branded Sampo Visa card in HK

Purchases with the Visa clocked in at and about 10,40 HKD/EUR

Purchases with the DC clocked in at and about 9,95 HKD/EUR (which is actually very near the cash rate I got at Nordea changing some € to HK$)

So using DC means losing some 4,5% on foreign exchange rates - in return you get 2,5x (DC Gold) the AY+ points. Each should make their own calculations.

(1000€ worth currency purchase with Visa yields 1000 points, with DC it's actually 1045€ yielding 2612 points. in other words you end up paying an extra 4,5€ for 1612 points)

NoWindowSeat

Just to add this that AMEX is usually even worse than DC as they charge everything via USD. Visa/MC are known to have better exchange rates than those so called "premium cards".

TTL

OT: Rowanberries are "sour" for the foxes...

Selecting a bulk credit card based on how many AY-plus points (or for that matter any FF-points for any airline) one gets from the purchases does not seem very rational. Spend €10.000 to get 20.000 FF-points resulting in one domestic return worth €90... Or spend €20.000 to get one free overnight in a shabby Hilton.

It just happens, that the "sour" cards such as Diners΄s Premium or Amex Platinum (in FI, or Centurion in SE or UK) do offer services for the frequent flyers, that are very useful. Not restricted to using some particular alliance or some particular class of travel. The only one who gets aggravated is the service provider with the 2 to 4 per cent stealth by the "sour" card company.

Exchange rates can be optimised having sterling/dollar/euro daughter cards (for no additional fee) and suitable banking accounts - if that is very important and the purchases exceed by far those of the median European consumer.

NoWindowSeat

WilcoRoger

I beg to differ. I think we can safely assume that everyone carries a credit card (or more). In this case it does make a difference if you use a generic Visa/MC or a FFP earning card. For the same effort you get something. In this case FFP points/miles. I clock up some 50k on my Amex (I also put some biz expenditures on it instead of the company plastic because of the MR points) - so in my case I get 100k+ AY points (DC) or 70k MR points (AMEX). The alternative? Zilch, nada.

Also you value the AY points wrongly. I very much appreciated being able to get a last minute award ticket for 40 k points to Central Europe (I just HAD to be there the next day) when the revenue ticket went for 800+ €

Not worth the outlay. 550€ p.a for a Plat Amex? C'mon! If you ARE a frequent flyer you already have colourful plastics for you favourite alliances, so the Priority pass thrown in is not much of a use - and of course there are the DC lounges to use as well.

Again, not worth the effort - at least for someone like me, who spends most of his money in Euroland.

NoWindowSeat

+1

A real FF has very little use for some of the AMEX Plat benefits like PP and hotel/car rental things...he/she has got them anyway.

Regarding the travel insurance, concierge and travel service..well everyone needs to judge but good policies and services are also available elsewhere and AMEX is by no means a miracle maker on this front.

I don't say the value isn't there for some but it's not a "no brainer" to most FFs, IMO.

Richie

I personally could not care less about the exchange rate of my business expenses. But when it comes to my own frequent internet shopping, it is important

TTL

This is very OT but to summarise, I would not much worry about €550 annual fee for 2 PP lounge cards and a very well covering travel insurance for a population of 2+5 card holders in the family (by a quite broad definition). The main reason for me to have and pay for this card. The other one resides at the bottom of the card: member since... The style begins from small things, does it not?

DC Prem has a credit limit of €10 000 for incidentals and the interest rate is surprisingly low being around 5% (if not paid off monthly). Travel insurance is for the card holder only and dependant if the travel was purchased with it or not. I have not been in any DC lounge so far. Previous perks included SK EBG. Current one is the AY Club. The annual fee is €200. No objections for using AY-co-branded DC Prem, but currently it is not possible.

The most effective way to collect airmiles is to fly (apart from buying expensive beds ) and to get free hotel nights is to stay in the hotels. The conversion rates of monetary payments with any credit or payment cards (including AY co-branded MC:s, VISAs, DCs or let it even be plain Plat AX) to airmiles or hotel points do not feel exiting enough to be a basis to select a card. Besides, I would not be able to use my cards for "company expenses". But everyone to their own and it is a free additional benefit at its best.

Richie, your point about internet shopping is interesting. Have you compared the pros and cons of different cards?

miikka

And AY Club is for one year only and only offered to members who have used their card enough. I didn't qualify as my primary card is Amex. SK EBG was a real benefit and made DC Premium very good card for frequent flyer.

WilcoRoger

Quite the opposite - the hardest way seems to earn airmiles is by the seat of your pants. (AY+ is an exception as they don't really have any other way to earn - aside from CC's and some shopping for 1€=1point rate)

A few examples - over at SK EB a year's subscription to The Economist yields 5000 extra points for 129€ - and you even get an excellent weekly. How can you you get the same points for the same money by flying? At LH M&M similar promos abound (Die Welt, FT, Focus, whatnot), not to mention phone subscriptions, etc.

TTL

Exceptions only strengthen the general rule. To be able to fly from ARN to CPH one would have subscribe the Economist at least twice .

WilcoRoger

As opposed to 24 return flights in low economy at 150 miles a pop. Hmm, I'd go for The Economist any time

hrnt

While it is hard to get points at that rate, it actually is possible to get pretty close in some programs (not with AY+, obviously).

For example, ba.com offers HEL-LHR-SFO-LHR-HEL for 730.80EUR (17.3. - 23.3.), which is 13036mi. IMHO a pretty decent deep discount price for that fare, but not the cheapest you can find.

BAEC and I believe AAdvantage as well give 100% miles for deep discount tickets, and if you have their Sapphire card (Silver or PLT), you get another 100% as a tier bonus. That is 26072mi for 730.80EUR (2.8 cents per mile).

The Economist offer is 2,6 cents per mile, so it is still a better offer, but only a little (~8%)