The American Express Platinum Edge is in many points-collector’s armoury for maximum points earn given the Membership Rewards bonuses on offer for supermarket and fuel (3 points per $).
The Edge provides a useful way to increase your points earn if you know which supermarkets will provide the extra points. And from there, you can then also purchase gift vouchers at those supermarkets for other merchants, to widen your additional point earn opportunities.
Here’s a summary of the three key retailers – the supermarkets that offer bonuses, a list of the gift cards they sell, and some hidden bonus point retailers which also trigger bonus points per $ on spend.
| Supermarkets qualifying for bonus points with American Express |
|---|
| Bi-Lo |
| Coles and Coles Online |
| IGA and Foodland |
| Flemings |
| Safeway |
| Woolworths and Woolworths online, Thomas Dux & BigW |
| Food For Less |
| Fishers |
| Fresh Provisions |
| Macro Wholefood |
| Superbarn |
| Franklins |
| Harris Farm Markets |
| Petrol stations qualifying for bonus points with American Express |
|---|
| Coles Express |
| Ampol |
| Shell |
| 7-Eleven |
| BP |
| Safeway Petrol |
| Woolworths Petrol |
| Peak, Gull |
| Caltex, Caltex Woolworths |
| Mobil, Quix |
Note that there are some fuel station gift card retailers in the list below, so you can up your fuel earn to 3 points per $ on the Platinum Edge by buying fuel station gift cards from the supermarket to use for payment at the pump.
Gift cards available at supermarkets that trigger bonus points
Here’s the latest list – if you have any more to add, let me know in the comments!
There’s no guarantee that all of these gift cards can be paid for using your credit card, but usually this is the case.
| Retailer | Coles (surcharge) | Woolworths (surcharge) |
|---|---|---|
| Accor Gift Card | Yes | |
| AMF Bowling Gift Card | Yes | |
| Airtasker | Yes | Yes |
| Animal Jam | Yes | |
| BCF (Boating, Camping, Fishing) | Yes | Yes |
| Best Restaurants of Australia | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds | Yes | Yes |
| Bonds Kids | Yes | |
| Boost Mobile | Yes | |
| Bras N Things | Yes | |
| Bunnings Warehouse | Yes | |
| City Beach Australia | Yes | Yes |
| Coles Express | Yes | |
| Coles Gift Card | Yes | |
| Coles Group & Myer Gift Card | Yes | |
| Cotton On | Yes | Yes |
| Country Road | Yes | Yes |
| David Jones | Yes | |
| Dinner & Movie | Yes | Yes |
| dusk | Yes | |
| Dymocks | Yes | Yes |
| EB Games | Yes | Yes |
| Event Cinemas | Yes | Yes |
| Facebook (Games & Apps) | Yes | Yes |
| Flight Centre | Yes ($6.95 $200, $4.95 $100) | Yes |
| Forever New | Yes | Yes |
| Freedom | Yes | Yes |
| Good Food Gift Card | Yes | Yes |
| Google Play | Yes | Yes |
| Hoyts Movies | Yes | Yes |
| isubscribe | Yes | |
| iTunes | Yes | Yes |
| Jayjays | Yes | Yes |
| JB Hi-Fi | Yes | Yes |
| Just Jeans | Yes | Yes |
| Kathmandu | Yes | |
| Lebara Mobile | Yes | |
| Mix Gift Card | Yes | |
| Myer | Yes | |
| Netflix | Yes | Yes |
| Optus Mobile | Yes | Yes |
| Peter Alexander | Yes | Yes |
| PlayStation Store | Yes | |
| Quickflix | Yes | Yes |
| Rebel | Yes | |
| Red Balloon | Yes | Yes |
| Sanity | Yes | |
| Skype | Yes | |
| Smiggle | Yes | Yes |
| SportsGirl | Yes | Yes |
| Spotify | Yes | |
| Steam Games | Yes | |
| Supercheap Auto | Yes | Yes |
| Telstra Prepaid Sim Starter Kit | Yes | |
| The Good Guys | Yes | |
| The Iconic | Yes | |
| Westfield | Yes | |
| Ticket Master | Yes | Yes |
| Toys R us | Yes | Yes |
| Typo | Yes | Yes |
| Vodafone Sim | Yes | |
| Wish Gift Card | Yes | |
| Woolworths | Yes | |
| Xbox Live | Yes | Yes |
If a fee is needed for a gift card and it’s not noted, or gift cards for a retailer have disappeared, please let us know in the comments.
Other retailers that Amex (possibly) add bonus Membership Rewards points on transactions
Take these with a pinch of salt, but according to the folks at AFF the Platinum Edge may also earn bonus Membership Rewards points at other retailers as follows:
- Dan Murphy’s Online – 3 points per $
- Supabarn – 3 points per $
- Kaligo – 10 points per $
Hi is Woolworths Metro shops included in the 1 to 3 pts?
Hi Keith,
Great article, however I’ve noticed it was published in 2015.
After reading some other articles from the US, it looks like Amex has started to crack down on earning points by purchasing gift cards.
Is this technique still valid for Aus in 2022?
No additional points at Dan Murphy Online…. as indicated below……….
19/11/2020 DAN MURPHY ONLINE 8305 BELLA VISTA $482.39 482 0 482
Hi Keith.
Thanks for a great article.
Just want to ask 1 question.
When you said, these cards trigger bonus points at woolies/ coles: does it mean we earn more than 3 ppd with platinum edge, if we buy these cards in-store, or its just the usual 3ppd ?
Thanks.
Hassan.
Coles also now sell Jetstar vouchers
Just thought I’d mention, I got triple points at KMart on my Platinum Edge. I guess it’s part of Coles, but might be worth mentioning explicitly?
And worth adding a column for Big W, they have a large range of gift cards that should be eligible on Platinum Edge
Hi
I am wanting to buy some woolies or coles gift cards for the points earn (about $1000 worth) but have just read on another site that if you buy these gift cards no points will be earned as it is treated as a ‘cash advance” and as such I will also pay interest as if it were a cash advance.. is this true? Or do you earn points on gift cards as if it were any other purchase?
Where would you be purchasing the gift cards from – from Woolies or Coles directly at the checkout, or online via Everyday Gift Cards website? If so, there’s no reason these would be a cash advance that I know of.
Hi Keith – do you know whether buying the woolies everyday gift cards online (through cash rewards) earns 3 points per dollar with the platinum edge?
AFAIK yes, this does earn 3ppd when ordered through the Woolies gift cards site.
Saw $50 Kogan gift cards at woolies today.
Hi, I am new to AMEX.
reading your coments, just wondering if a $100 coles mastercard costs you $5 and you get 3pts per $
what is 300pts worth?
300 Membership Rewards points earned with the Platinum Edge which offers 3 points per $ at supermarkets can be transferred to Velocity, KrisFlyer, Asia Miles and other frequent flyer programs at 1 Membership Rewards point = 1 Frequent Flyer point. I value Membership Rewards points at north of 2c per point, which means that the points are worth about $6. At face value the points earned outweigh the fee.
But you need to consider that buy buying the Prepaid card you can only use it for transactions up to $100, and you have to use the full $100 up otherwise it costs more than $5.
You also have to consider that the card is being used instead of another points-earning Visa/MasterCard, hopefully at 1 point per dollar. So you would have earned 100 points on that $100 spent without any of that prepaid card stuffing around. So really you’re only picking up 200 extra points, not 300.
Aldi don’t take AmEx, and Costco stopped doing so a couple of months back.
Is ALDI included as a major super market?
I don’t think Aldi take Amex – at least our local I don’t think does. Do you know for sure if yours does?
Costco isn’t included?
Hi
Im new to American Express. I have a credit card with NAB and my aim is to collect as many qantas poins as i can.
What I want to know is what shops do not charge a surcharge. Im finding it hard to find out. I used my card in 7 Eleven today( my first purchase) but I dont know if they have a surcharge?
It’s up to the retailer to tell you what their surcharge is before you pay. The amount you sign off on (i.e. through paywave, pin or signature) on the merchant’s terminal is what you will see on your statement, there’s no extra surcharges that you should not be aware of.
Keith, DarranK: I asked for clarification of AMEX and their answer is this:
“Great news Peter, I’ve had approval for an upgrade to the AFD industry code, which is now categorised as a supermarket for card members, effective immediately”
So AMEX members get 3 point for every dollar spend!
Thanks you prompting me to research that!
Hey Keith,
You might want to add a fee for Westfield gift card from Woolworths as remembered you have to pay one. Have to check that out for you. Also think the Myer card is can be bought at Coles.
Cheers,
Rob
Hi
Can you buy Harvey Norman or Domayne gift cards at Woolies or Coles and if not do you recieve 3 points for Visa gift cards at the above supemarkets.
I would remove Dick Smith from the list.
Done, thank you!
Hi Keith,
Aussie Farmers Direct ( http://aussiefarmers.com.au ) also accepts AMEX since a few weeks and is also marked as a supermarket for points earnings. Besides you support our Aussie farmers when shopping there 😉
Best, Peter
Hi Peter – I know that they take Amex through PayPal, but do they take it directly as well now?
Also, are you saying that they are confirmed 3:1?
If so, I’m definitely getting rid of the PayPal link I have set up with them at the moment!
I see an Amex logo where I didn’t see one before! Woohoo! Will test this at home tonight!
It took a couple of months to iron out, but confirming AFD is definitely earning 3:1 now!
I think one issue with paying with gift cards is that you do not get the benefits of embedded extra insurances from amex. My thought is this is relevant esp to appliances + travel insurance in case of flights when you purchase using flight center gift cards.
That’s a great point, thanks for adding this.
I’m confused about the surcharge you list next to some of the cards. Each time I have bought a Bunnings/Myers/DJs card, I have never had a surcharge added, and I have visited multiple stores to test this.
Some cards (but not Bunnings as you rightly say) do have a surcharge applied when buying them. Flight Centre is the main one but others might too.
Just bought 2 x $50 Myer gift cards today at Woolies, and ended up getting $10 in Woolworths dollars off my next shop! Not sure whether I missed an email promotion but was pleasantly surprised!
Also, note that Westfield gift cards attract at $5.95 surcharge (not noted above)
Do these bonuses at Woolworths/Coles also apply to the Platinum Charge, or do you have to use the Companion Card (Platinum Edge) to obtain the bonus points? Thanks.
You have to use the Edge to pick up the 3x points at Supermarkets even if you have the Charge.
Does anyone know if you buy the Westfield gift card online using the Platinum Edge Card, will you still get the 3 points per dollar?
David Jones, through Qantas mall are 10 points per $ at the moment!
Do you know if on the run is included in major fuel stations? It is Adelaide only (I think) but they are awarding velocity points as BP are.
One thing to be aware of is some gift cards have an surcharge. I was looking to buy some flight centre vouchers from Coles to purchase flights, however the $100 gift card has a $4.95 surcharge each, and the $200 gift card has a $6.95 surcharge each. I guess not too big a deal when you consider the points return especially if you are buying a few hundred dollars worth. Might be an extra resource to add to the list above though?
Great point, I don’t have this data for all cards, but I will start adding in if I hear of a surcharge.
Can anyone confirm if you get the 3 x points if you buy discounted Wish gift cards via the website after going through entertainment book?
Seems like a good way to double dip with a discount and a large points earn.
If you can use wish gift cards to buy other gift cards at the supermarket it seems a good way to get 5% off most of the purchases you will make on most occasions.
If the Entertainment Book (like the NRMA Website) takes you to everydaygiftcards.com.au, then you will collect the 3pt/$.
2MR per $ at Big W as well in my experience. Confirmed Masters 2MR as well.
How about Coles reloadable prepaid card?
Not sure if the Edge can reload that yet.
have anyone try to use the amex card to purchase prepaid mastercard? i don’t think it’s allowed?
No, it’s generally not allowed. I’ll remove from the list, my mistake for including it.
Hi Andri
I buy Coles mastercard $100 all the time in multiples. They do cost $5 each but you get 3 points for every dollar when you buy them on your Amex plat edge and then you can use that Mastercard at every place all over the world as you would a normal credit card just put your amex away and use your coles mastercard until you run out then go buy more
That means that you get 3 points for everthing purchased no matter where you shop on every purchase
Which Woolworths have Westfield cards? I thought they got discontinued.
Hey Paul – this was supplied by a reader who took a picture of the gift card stands at his local. Maybe they were old stock…
Can confirm that Dan Murphy’s online returns 3 points per $ spent. Have done multiple transactions with them and gotten the 3x every time!
Thankyou!
Dan Murphy’s is only giving me 2 x on my card though?
Harris Farm also pays 3 points as a supermarket
Thanks, will add.
Couple of points that are worth being aware of if you plan to use Gift Cards to pay for a large item. All these relate to Coles from recent experience buying The Good Guys Gift Cards.
Coles limit you to 10 Gift cards in a transaction, (computer limit) but they don’t limit you to the number of transactions in a visit to a store.
If you are buying gift cards above a few hundred dollars, you will be asked for photo ID.
Buying a large number of gift cards takes a while, as the computer has to authorise them all.
Most stores don’t carry a lot of stock of high value gift cards for some stores e.g. $100 gift cards, so you may need to visit a couple of stores.
We had an issue when redeeming the cards that one wasn’t authorised, (despite the Coles receipt showing it at authorised) but a phone call by the Good Guys fixed it.
Thanks, great tips!
We get 10 points per $ at Priceline but not sure if that’s exclusive to cards that where signed up via the Priceline promo
It is (in theory). I keep meaning to test a Priceline transaction and see if non-Priceline cards also get the bonus though.
thanks for the update .
can you use WISH gift cards to buy other gift cards at Woolies?