Finland, Finnair, and credit cards - pre 2020 discussion
Dec 30, 2013, 10:08 am
#151
Join Date: May 2012
Location: GVA (HEL)
Programs: AY Plat (OWE)
Posts: 536
This is a very good question...the Finnish CC market, especially for us frequent flyers/mileage addicts, is extremely dull and limited..
For me AY DC is relatively good option now to top up my AY account as I do not credit many flights to AY Plus but still want points for upgrades...it is very much up to your personal preference which one of the poor options is the best.
For someone eating out a lot at own expense the DC restaurant vouchers seem to offer great value as well..I know some people who really value those but that's somewhat outside the traditional FT perspective..
For me AY DC is relatively good option now to top up my AY account as I do not credit many flights to AY Plus but still want points for upgrades...it is very much up to your personal preference which one of the poor options is the best.
For someone eating out a lot at own expense the DC restaurant vouchers seem to offer great value as well..I know some people who really value those but that's somewhat outside the traditional FT perspective..
Just for the sake of those restaurant vouchers, I currently hold both the AY DC and regular DC card... Only pay 20 € per year for them (as AY DC is free for Golds).
Dec 30, 2013, 10:52 am
#152
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: HEL
Programs: lots of shiny metal cards
Posts: 14,104
Possibly cannot be done - at least when last year I talked to them, they were adamant about it. Waived the Gold fee, not budging on the Plat fee. Not worth it for me, offers very little over the (free) AX Gold
Dec 30, 2013, 10:54 am
#153
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: HEL
Programs: lots of shiny metal cards
Posts: 14,104
and I like their no YQ redemptions.
Dec 30, 2013, 11:17 am
#154
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Seat 1L these days :)
Programs: AF Platinum/AY LUMO/SK EBG/baEC S/HYATT Globalist/MR LTP/A3 *G/HH Dia/IHG plat
Posts: 7,945
maybe I should ask for free green 
Dec 30, 2013, 11:20 am
#155
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Seat 1L these days :)
Programs: AF Platinum/AY LUMO/SK EBG/baEC S/HYATT Globalist/MR LTP/A3 *G/HH Dia/IHG plat
Posts: 7,945
Dec 30, 2013, 12:50 pm
#156
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: The Baltic Sea
Programs: AY, BT, DY and SK. Scandic, Radisson, Marriott and HHonors. ClubONE
Posts: 5,890
Dec 30, 2013, 12:52 pm
#157
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Seat 1L these days :)
Programs: AF Platinum/AY LUMO/SK EBG/baEC S/HYATT Globalist/MR LTP/A3 *G/HH Dia/IHG plat
Posts: 7,945
Dec 30, 2013, 12:58 pm
#158
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: HEL
Programs: SPG LTP, hotels, OWE, STE+, *G, Octopus
Posts: 5,783
Dec 30, 2013, 11:39 pm
#159
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: HEL
Programs: lots of shiny metal cards
Posts: 14,104
Jan 8, 2014, 5:44 am
#160
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Helsinki, Finland
Programs: AMEX Plat / AY Plat, BA GGL-CCR / Bonvoy Titanium (LTP)
Posts: 474
I haven't heard anybody getting their Amex Plat annual fee waived - outside the US. For me the benefits now just about justify the fee, but if my travel patterns would be more random I'd definitely get my moneys worth.
Feb 10, 2014, 2:04 pm
#161
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: HEL
Programs: HH Gold, SPG Gold, BW Plt, AY, M&M, FB G, CX Gold, AX Plat, CC gold, Le Club plt, Scandic 2nd floor
Posts: 126
And so it was my time when I was hit first time this "upgraded" yearly fee.... I was almost ready to "downgrade" to gold, but....:
I called to Amex just to see few things which I wasn't sure before:
Are CC Gold and Accor plat and other benefits permanent, ot just for the first year as it was with the HH gold earlier. So they are, as long as you keep the plat card.
At the same point I asked if there is anything to do whit the membership fee, and they said that only thing is to pay with the money, points or 50/50 points+money. The latter was new to mee!
Finally, she said that she has a 50€ voucher for me to Royal Ravintolat if keeping the card! That was nice, but not enough, so asked about a second voucher, which she had to check from her supervisor, and finally she granted me for that as well! So, 100€ for Royal Ravintolat is a nice gesture of goodwill and enough for me keeping the card one more year. ALso heard from my friend that he was given 80€ to Stockmann, if keeping the card. Any other stories?
However, probably changing the card to the one from Ålandsbanken, as they give their premium banking on top off the platinum amex.
I called to Amex just to see few things which I wasn't sure before:
Are CC Gold and Accor plat and other benefits permanent, ot just for the first year as it was with the HH gold earlier. So they are, as long as you keep the plat card.
At the same point I asked if there is anything to do whit the membership fee, and they said that only thing is to pay with the money, points or 50/50 points+money. The latter was new to mee!
Finally, she said that she has a 50€ voucher for me to Royal Ravintolat if keeping the card! That was nice, but not enough, so asked about a second voucher, which she had to check from her supervisor, and finally she granted me for that as well! So, 100€ for Royal Ravintolat is a nice gesture of goodwill and enough for me keeping the card one more year. ALso heard from my friend that he was given 80€ to Stockmann, if keeping the card. Any other stories?
However, probably changing the card to the one from Ålandsbanken, as they give their premium banking on top off the platinum amex.
Feb 11, 2014, 12:48 am
#162
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: HEL
Programs: lots of shiny metal cards
Posts: 14,104
Good for you ^
They must be really desparate to keep Plat customers! It's very rare in Finland to throw in any kind of "keep the card" bonus.
The CC Gold and Accor Plat are useful benefits, but just for them I wouldn't pay the AX plat fee. Both are very easy to get (CC have a semi-public status match program, they even match SK Eurobonus Gold!) and Accor have regular "sign up to Plat" campaigns.
They must be really desparate to keep Plat customers! It's very rare in Finland to throw in any kind of "keep the card" bonus.
The CC Gold and Accor Plat are useful benefits, but just for them I wouldn't pay the AX plat fee. Both are very easy to get (CC have a semi-public status match program, they even match SK Eurobonus Gold!) and Accor have regular "sign up to Plat" campaigns.
Feb 11, 2014, 2:00 am
#163
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: HEL
Programs: SPG LTP, hotels, OWE, STE+, *G, Octopus
Posts: 5,783
It's interesting that these benefits are not advertised to existing customers - I still have no idea what the heck that 200€ travel credit thing is about and wasn't aware CCG is also available.
Feb 11, 2014, 5:10 am
#164
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: HEL
Programs: HH Gold, SPG Gold, BW Plt, AY, M&M, FB G, CX Gold, AX Plat, CC gold, Le Club plt, Scandic 2nd floor
Posts: 126
There you can find out all benefits, and even sign on to the different programs directly. Also under the Platinum events you can register for different events after they have been published.
In Finland the travel benefit is 100€ towards a hotel booking over 500€ booked through PTS.
Definitely the different hotel programs are not value for the 700€!! I appreciate the travel insurance for the whole family, and Priority Pass for 2 (+2) people.
Feb 11, 2014, 5:18 am
#165
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: HEL
Programs: lots of shiny metal cards
Posts: 14,104
https://www.americanexpress.com/fi/f...ance,concierge
Accor® Hotels-, Starwood® Hotels- sekä Carlson® Hotels -hotelliketjujen kanta-asiakasohjelmat
Now we start talking Any idea what SPG level they offer?
Accor® Hotels-, Starwood® Hotels- sekä Carlson® Hotels -hotelliketjujen kanta-asiakasohjelmat
Now we start talking
Any idea what SPG level they offer?
Last edited by WilcoRoger; Feb 11, 2014 at 5:24 am