Kiwibank Airpoints Platinum changes

joshtnz on 04/10/2022 - 12:18
Last edited 17/05/2023 - 04:19 by 1 other user

Just received the email. Higher annual fee: was $150 now $180.

Worse Airpoints earn rate: was $1A per $85 spend. Now its $1A per $115 spend (thanks JAOP)

No longer eligible to earn koru club vouchers (was per $30k).

Status points earning remains the same: 1 per $200 spend.

Seems pretty rubbish. I mainly have it for when my American express isn't accepted. Might be time to get the zero fee card from Kiwibank instead: https://www.kiwibank.co.nz/personal-banking/credit-cards/zer…

What are you going to do?

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• 

  JAOP on 04/10/2022 - 12:24

  Worse Airpoints earn rate: was $1A per $85 spend.

  Now its $1A per $115 spend.

  Absolutely will be cancelling my airpoints credit card and looking at alternatives.

  • 

    joshtnz on 04/10/2022 - 12:37

    +1

    Yep - it's a pretty major drop and combined with hiking the fee the card seems to have lost a lot of value.

  • 

    hval007 on 04/10/2022 - 14:00

    +1

    same here! Anyone do any checks with other banks on similar offerings?

• 

  txf on 04/10/2022 - 12:43

  +3

  Amex is the way to go.

  • 

    Alan6984 on 04/10/2022 - 14:34

    +3

    If you have an Amex, you'll need a widely accepted credit card too, otherwise you can get stuck when it is not accepted.

    The OP did explicitly state that was their reason for having the KiwiBank card of course.

• 

  JAOP on 04/10/2022 - 12:44

  +1

  Is ANZ also dropping Koru Lounge Vouchers from their platinum airpoints card?

• 

  dunnersdealer on 04/10/2022 - 13:31

  +2

  Hopefully Air NZ’s own Airpoints credit card won’t be far away, although the new caps on card fees might have caused some delays.

  https://m.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU2111/S00509/airpoints-is-lau…

  • 

    joshtnz on 04/10/2022 - 14:33

    Interesting, I hadn't noticed this! If they can compete with Amex I'd sign up for sure.

• 

  acuzza on 04/10/2022 - 14:05

  +3

  Would be interested to hear what the Cheapies recommend as the best credit card - currently with Kiwibank but this feels like they have taken away all the benefits. (plus they don't have apple pay which annoys me!)

  • 

    joshtnz on 04/10/2022 - 14:34

    The Amex platinum gets good reviews. There are another couple of recent threads too about other banks making similar changes to their cards and there are some good discussions about alternatives in those too.

• 

  Avatar on 04/10/2022 - 17:24

  +1

  I will be canceling. Do the rules apply to amex? Because I only seen visa and mastercard mentioned. Look for a free visa I think to go with AMEX

  • 

    n908671 on 04/10/2022 - 20:07

    Indirectly. If visa and mc interchange drops and it costs merchants/retailers 1.5%-2.5% merchant fee but amex is up at 3-4%, retailers will be dropping Amex pretty quick.

• 

  Avatar on 04/10/2022 - 18:33

  +1

  I am guessing sign up bonus will get smaller or disappear. I was going to sign up to ASB card this year for a good sign up bonus but gave up part way which I regret now. I just tried to find the earn rate for ASB and found this message.

  Proposed changes to our True Rewards Programme
  After listening to feedback we have decided to press pause on this change, and take this feedback into account.
  The proposed changes were due to come into effect next month, no earn rate changes have been made at this time.

  I can't see any of the banks running any rewards program that pays out above the fees they can charge.

• 

  Nekomon on 05/10/2022 - 07:55

  +2

  ANZ is doing the same as Kiwibank. I just saw the news yesterday as below.

  Honestly if you getting the zero fee CC from Kiwibank, you should get the Visa light from ASB with zero annual fees and 6 months interest free for any purchases over $1000 which is a bonus.

  Alternatively, the SBS Visa is another good option to consider with zero annual fees and $1 Cashbank for every $150 spent as mentioned on my other post.

  https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/money/130066154/kiwibanks-a…

• 

  Baagin on 05/10/2022 - 18:55

  +1

  I'm going to get an Amex.

  You also get to use Amex lounges in Sydney or Melbourne, plus get 2 Priority Pass Lounge passes so that may make up for the loss of the free koru passes.

  Seems this benefit is hidden a bit from all their other info, it's not on the main Airpoints card page but is at below link

  https://www.americanexpress.com/nz/credit-cards/membership-b…

  The next time you’re flying out of Sydney or Melbourne International Airports in Australia, make your first stop the American Express Lounge. Unwind with complimentary food and beverages, charging stations and high speed Wi-Fi and enjoy the calm away from the crowds. You’ll receive 2 entries per calendar year and can bring children between the ages of 2 – 17 years.

  To access the lounge, simply present your Platinum Card, same day boarding pass and government issued ID6.

  Enjoy 2 complimentary passes each year into VIP lounges, including the Strata Lounge at Auckland International Airport, thanks to complimentary Priority PassTM membership7. Enjoy peace and quiet while you enjoy benefits such complimentary food and beverages before you take off.

  Show your boarding pass, government issued ID and Priority Pass membership card. Enrolment is required.