Westpac Altitude Qantas Black terms change - what does it mean for the account?

Credit Cards & Credit Card Programs
1

Hi,

I’ve just noticed the following on my most recent statement

Updates to Altitude Qantas Terms and Conditions. Clause 3.3 will be removed and replaced with the following: 3.3 Qantas Points are calculated on the number of Australian dollars posted to the Card Account in connection with purchases of goods or services (including any GST payable in respect of the goods or services) from merchants accepting your card until the number of points earned reaches your Card Account's points cap if any. For Altitude Qantas Cards, Altitude Qantas Platinum Cards, Altitude Qantas Platinum Plus Cards and Altitude Business Qantas Gold: Qantas Points will no longer accrue within a statement cycle when the relevant points cap is reached. For Altitude Black Cards linked to Altitude Qantas there is no points cap. To see the points cap that applies to your Card Account and how many Qantas Points you earn per dollar spend using your card please visit westpac.com.au/ccrewards or call us on 1300 881 645.

Now, currently, section 3.3 refers to caps and variable earn rates across the Mastercard and Amex. So if I’m reading this right they’re moving along the same path as ANZ.

Any others noticed this?

2

Your original post title asked if this meant points earning on amex had gone down to 1 point per $. There’s no way these change of terms mean that. Change in points earning rate is a significant change and would be explicitly communicated by a credit card provider.

3

Hi Mark, \r\n\r\nOn reflection, I would tend to agree with you. This seems like too big a change to “hide” away in a statement message.

4

It’s hard to read much into this as it could just be a simplification of the terms and conditions. I don’t think you should infer they are definitely removing American Express options - this leaves the door open. But generally, why change it…

What’s certain is that there will be a lot of credit card changes this year, and it would be surprising if Westpac exclude themselves from this.

5