More American Express changes – interest rates go variable, ‘over limit’ fees scrapped

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• Dawn says:

  22 Jul22 July 05:45

  Sorry if this is a stupid question but a lot of my friends from different countries eg S Africa, Germany, Australia and Canada are always interested when I tell them about my BA AMEX and getting the companion ticket etc. I presume there is no way of recommending foreigners for AMEX as they’d get directed to the UK site? Could I recommend an Canadian friend for example, who could take out a card there? Or is it that we can only recommend people in UK? And is there an equivalent Head for Points type of site for people in Germany?

  • MattC says:

    22 Jul22 July 07:36

    Seems unlikely to work unless they have a UK location to post cards to etc. and pass any credit checks..

  • Rob says:

    22 Jul22 July 08:07

    YHBU (mainly flight deals), vielfliegertreff

    • Tesco Tease says:

      22 Jul22 July 10:52

      I honestly thought you’d fallen asleep on your keyboard for the second half of that comment.

  • Jonathan says:

    22 Jul22 July 08:43

    I have it and live in Ireland. The key is that points will only credit to you BAEC account (and the 2-4-1) when the BAEC account is registered in the UK. So I tend to keep it all registered in IRL most of the year round, and then once a year move the BAEC address temporarily to my parents address in the UK, once the points and 2-4-1 credit at the end of the month, I then move it all back to IRL for convenience.

    • S says:

      22 Jul22 July 11:12

      Referrals do work. You just put in your existing card number when applying for a new card.

      • Simon says:

        22 Jul22 July 22:38

        Really?! Sorry, perhaps I’ve misread this, but referrals work when referring someone who lives abroad for an Amex card in that country? What are the mechanics of even doing that?!

  • Bagoly says:

    22 Jul22 July 09:42

    Dawn: Germany – if you haven’t already, get a Payback card.
    This is the one indirect earning path for M&Ms which seems to have not been closed down by LH reaction to the “pay me cash for my miles” court case.
    https://meilenoptimieren.com/payback-tutorial/
    With the *5 and *10 vouchers, we have been getting enough for a LH Business Class Meilenschnaeppen every two years just from regular shopping.

    • Dawn says:

      22 Jul22 July 09:48

      Thank you everyone for the above comments, very useful 🙂

  • Charlieface says:

    22 Jul22 July 14:40

    Looked into Global Transfer once, threads on Flyertalk indicate you can call them to ensure you will be approved, apply online as usual with referral, then call them back with the application number which they manually approve.

• BJ says:

  22 Jul22 July 07:04

  OT: Carbon charge might soon be applied to air fares by default but will be voluntary so we could opt out. I wonder how long the voluntary aspect will last if this comes to pass.
  https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/air-travellers-to-be-hit-by-carbon-charge-on-all-tickets-tvbfr2wjq

  • RIccatti says:

    22 Jul22 July 08:11

    This is not smart at all. Less polluting travel option between London and New York.

    On one side Heathrow capacity expansion is stimulated, on the other hand passengers are taxed with carbon charge.

    Carbon-saving measures are not in hands of customers — the planes arrive and depart as scheduled, if customer does not make a journey, carbon footprint be pretty much the same. Measures are in hands of the industry and operators — airlines who and demand more carbon-efficient airplanes from manufacturers.

    • Memesweeper says:

      22 Jul22 July 09:08

      Taxing the aviation fuel is the way to go. The EU is developing plans that won’t violate the international agreements on the treatment of aviation fuel and tax. Taxing passengers does not incentivise airlines to switch to alternative fuels or cancel half-full planes.

      • Andrew says:

        22 Jul22 July 09:18

        Hold on…

        If the EU start demanding that “half-full planes” are cancelled, won’t that mean children are stranded going to and from school in the Highlands & Islands? Or individuals forcibly delayed from accessing healthcare?

        There’s more to flights across Europe than leisure.

        • Lady London says:

          22 Jul22 July 15:07

          In that case, thank heavens for Brexit !

    • RussellH says:

      22 Jul22 July 13:04

      Which is why expanding Heathrow is an illogical idea, if (as I believe to be necessary) you want to curb the actual number of flights.
      Rather like the sugar tax, the aim of the tax is (or at least should be) to put people off using aircraft, which, in terms of passenger km travelled, produce vastly more CO2 than other forms of travel. Further, jet aircraft fly at 10 000m or higher, where the effects of the CO2 are much greater than at ground level.
      However, designers of the tax do need to be smart. Andrew (below) suggests that a small prop plane flying GLA to Islay (or to Barra) may emit less CO2 than, say a bus + ferry combination, presumably because the plane can travel directly, while the surface route is circuitous. Given the fact that the small plane will fly at a much lower height, he may well be correct, I do not know, but I agree that potential anomolies like this need to be properly researched and accounted for in designing any such tax.

      • Lady London says:

        22 Jul22 July 15:09

        It’s just another excuse for more tax.
        What a load of politically correct nonsense.

        • Memesweeper says:

          22 Jul22 July 16:15

          May as well tax bad things (like fossil fuels, alcohol) rather than good things (like personal income, housing transactions)

          Unfortunately what normally happens is a rise in the one isn’t matched by a cut in the other.

      • BJ says:

        22 Jul22 July 21:16

        I believe Loganair are currently working with Cranfield to develop electric power for their small props.

  • Andrew says:

    22 Jul22 July 09:00

    For all the alleged glamour, the reality is that a flight is just a form of public transport.

    So whether it’s a filthy CalMac Ferry, an ancient bus, train or a Q-400, surely a “carbon tax” should be levied equally across them all?

    (I’m pretty sure that when I pop across to Islay, that a quick Logan Air from Glasgow will be the most carbon friendly method of travel).

    • Russ says:

      22 Jul22 July 12:17

      And of course the money made by trading the carbon saved on the carbon trading floor will be given back to customers 😉

    • RussellH says:

      22 Jul22 July 13:10

      Trains can often be carbon neutral. Eurostar and the motor vehicle shuttles through the channel tunnel have long claimed that they source all their electricity from carbon free sources, presumably French nuclear power generation in the main.

      • Lady London says:

        22 Jul22 July 15:11

        … leaving the problem of disposing of nuclear waste lurkin around a few generations ahead.
        Really?

• stevenhp1987 says:

  22 Jul22 July 07:24

  Shop small offer on my Gold card, today until 22nd September. Appears to be one transaction only?

  No geographical restrictions this time.

  • Andrew says:

    22 Jul22 July 08:37

    £30 off a £100 spend at Selfridges is quite decent too.

    • TGLoyalty says:

      22 Jul22 July 08:57

      Got that on 2x Gold but not Plat. Hopefully I’ll have it on all four and 30% off something decent.

• John G says:

  22 Jul22 July 08:04

  Funny how Amex rates never aligned their rates like this when interest rates were falling!

  I don’t pay interest but it still frustrates me to see 20%+ rates on credit cards at the same time banks offer 1.5% in a savings account!

  • Lady London says:

    22 Jul22 July 08:57

    FX fees of 3% annoy me in the same way @John G when theoretically money can be borrowed for a year at 1.5% so is at risk or takes up bank lending capacity for one year, and yet somehow the UK market gets away with 3% on a one off instantly completed transaction with no time risk and pretty much zero cashflow impact to the bank/ card co.

    • Doug M says:

      22 Jul22 July 14:21

      They have to make money somehow, what you don’t like just don’t use. Why pay the 3%? Anyone doing this on personal spend for a few points is missing the bigger point.

• Lady London says:

  22 Jul22 July 08:50

  So clearly they expect interest rates to go up…anyone know when any interest rate announcement is typically due?

  • Andrew says:

    22 Jul22 July 09:23

    It’s not exactly a secret!

    1st August.

  • Shoestring says:

    22 Jul22 July 10:08

    LL – I don’t think too many people are anticipating a move up on UK/ European/ US bank rate – the ECB meets this week and the feeling is that there could even be a reduction but probably no move; the Fed is making interest rate cut noises; and the BoE is highly unlikely to go against the tide either, probably observing the other 2 and holding steady for a few months until Brexit stuff starts happening.

    • Karen Brown says:

      22 Jul22 July 15:13

      Thank you very much Shoestring. That;s exactly the kind of answer I was looking for – I was hoping you might be around to answer as I know you are pretty clever in these things.

      tx

• TGLoyalty says:

  22 Jul22 July 08:57

  On one hand I think great I hope they carry on making changes like these which will never affect me.

  On the other hand I’ve had the occasional brain fart over the years and forgotten to pay something when I should or transfer money around my account so a DD doesn’t bounce and been stung.

• HonestSausage says:

  22 Jul22 July 10:05

  OT but I wonder when they are going to redesign that aaweful see through American Express Rewards Credit card

  • Rob says:

    22 Jul22 July 10:29

    It is a bit odd. I had never actually touched one until last week, it is a little cheap and as they get used the plastic gets scratched.

    • The Original David says:

      22 Jul22 July 10:56

      I quite like mine – it’s a rare breed so often triggers some questions, just like the M&M Diners. I enjoy a bit of novelty value in the aesthetics of my credit cards…

      • Symon says:

        22 Jul22 July 11:42

        I agree. It’s the only Amex card that never fails be be complimented. But equally it is feel dated – wasn’t the design first launched in the late 1990s? It’s very clear iMac.

    • RussellH says:

      22 Jul22 July 13:18

      I rather like being able to see where the wires go. And I do not see it as looking dated either. Quite the contrary, and I think the iMac still looks futuristic too.
      That said, I do prefer the look of the Gold Card, which has a timeless look to it, but I have just cancelled my last one – no way it worth £140(?) / year to me.

  • Rui N. says:

    22 Jul22 July 15:21

    I used to heavily use the US version of it back when I lived there (6% back in supermarkets!) and it always my favourite (or favorite over there) looking card – and being in the US I’ve had several dozens of different cards.
    But Rob is right that it does get lots of scratches on it – specially considering that until the last few years you had to swipe it every time and then insert it for the chip.

• fivebobbill says:

  22 Jul22 July 11:07

  Got an email from Amex this morning plugging a hotel sale with discounts if booked before 31st July (stay before 31st Aug).
  However, on scrolling down the page I see they are also awarding TWO Membership Rewards points for every full £1 spent on flights, pre-paid hotels, car hire and experiences booked through American Express Travel. A bit vague in the T&C’s, but I assume if spent before 31st July as well.
  This on my Amex Plat by the way…

  • David says:

    22 Jul22 July 11:58

    You will always get an extra MR at Amex Travel, that’s normal.

    • David says:

      22 Jul22 July 11:59

      Unless you mean 2 extra?

      • fivebobbill says:

        22 Jul22 July 12:20

        Hadn’t realised that David, only ever used Amex Travel once before and that was to avail of the £200 off £600 offer.
        I guess it’s simply the standard double points then, not awfully clear from the email though.

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