Apr 22, 2015, 10:57 am
Last edit by: mia
Effective June 2017 the USA Business Platinum airfare Pay-with-Points refund was reduced to 35%. This brings the net value to $0.0153 per point, essentially the same as Chase Sapphire Reserve's Pay-with-Points redemption rate.
USA Business Centurion cardholders will continue to receive a 50% refund. The Centurion version is also broader than the Platinum benefit:
Centurion: beginning October 6, 2016 you will get 50% Membership Rewards® points back when you use the Pay with Points feature for all or part of a flight on any airline. The maximum rebate per calendar year for Centurion members is (_______?)
Platinum: Business Platinum Card Members will receive 5 extra points for every 10 points they redeem for either a First or Business class flight on any airline, or for flights with their selected qualifying airline using Membership Rewards Pay with Points with American Express Travel (35% Airline Bonus). The maximum rebate per calendar year for Business Platinum Card Members is 1,000,000 points.
FAQ
Q1. How does the process work?
A1. Here is an example, buying a $1,000.00 ticket:
Q2. Must the Business Centurion or Platinum card be used to purchase the ticket?
A2. When the benefit was refreshed in October 2016 you could pay with any card linked to the same Membership Rewards account, but it appears this changed in April 2017.
Q3. Will I earn Membership Rewards points on the purchase price?
A3. You will not earn base points, but you may earn bonus points if you pay with a card that awards a bonus for airline ticket purchases, such as Business Platinum, Personal Platinum, Business Rewards Gold, Premier Rewards Gold.
Q4. What happens if I cancel the ticket?
A4. There are mixed reports, but in most examples the cost of the ticket is refunded (a second time) to the card account. In one example American Express refunded the remainder of the points instead. If you prefer the points refunded rather than a cash credit, phone into AMEX and they will restore the points and remove the credit.
Q5. Can this benefit be combined with the International Airline Program companion ticket?
A5. One poster was told no, but another was able to do so.
USA Business Centurion cardholders will continue to receive a 50% refund. The Centurion version is also broader than the Platinum benefit:
Centurion: beginning October 6, 2016 you will get 50% Membership Rewards® points back when you use the Pay with Points feature for all or part of a flight on any airline. The maximum rebate per calendar year for Centurion members is (_______?)
Platinum: Business Platinum Card Members will receive 5 extra points for every 10 points they redeem for either a First or Business class flight on any airline, or for flights with their selected qualifying airline using Membership Rewards Pay with Points with American Express Travel (35% Airline Bonus). The maximum rebate per calendar year for Business Platinum Card Members is 1,000,000 points.
FAQ
Q1. How does the process work?
A1. Here is an example, buying a $1,000.00 ticket:
- $1,000 charged to American Express card [Day 1]
- 100,000 Membership Rewards points redeemed [Day 1]
- $1,000 credited to American Express card [Day 2]
- _35,000 Membership Rewards points returned [~a month later]
- Net: $1,000 ticket for 65,000 points = $0.0154/point
Q2. Must the Business Centurion or Platinum card be used to purchase the ticket?
A2. When the benefit was refreshed in October 2016 you could pay with any card linked to the same Membership Rewards account, but it appears this changed in April 2017.
Q3. Will I earn Membership Rewards points on the purchase price?
A3. You will not earn base points, but you may earn bonus points if you pay with a card that awards a bonus for airline ticket purchases, such as Business Platinum, Personal Platinum, Business Rewards Gold, Premier Rewards Gold.
Q4. What happens if I cancel the ticket?
A4. There are mixed reports, but in most examples the cost of the ticket is refunded (a second time) to the card account. In one example American Express refunded the remainder of the points instead. If you prefer the points refunded rather than a cash credit, phone into AMEX and they will restore the points and remove the credit.
Q5. Can this benefit be combined with the International Airline Program companion ticket?
A5. One poster was told no, but another was able to do so.
Pay-with-Points flights. BUSINESS Centurion 50% refund, Plat 35%, Gold 25% (2015-23)
Jul 4, 2017, 11:22 pm
#676
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 209
Yea I am aware the 35/50 rebate shows up in a month but just wanted to know if anyone had a datapoint of the rebate showing up if they used the personal platinum to pay instead of the business platinum
Jul 5, 2017, 12:36 am
#677
Join Date: Feb 2000
Posts: 6,545
i used personal plat as payment card. i have biz plat too. 50% rebate posted in 31 days.
Jul 5, 2017, 8:12 pm
#680
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 599
I have had Business Platinum since November, so was expecting to get 50% points rebate back on a first-class ticket purchase paid with points on June 3rd.
July 4th rolls around, 31 days later, and I'm given back 35% points. I'll call amex tomorrow about it, since they had confirmed earlier that I will be getting 50% points, but any other data points around this?
July 4th rolls around, 31 days later, and I'm given back 35% points. I'll call amex tomorrow about it, since they had confirmed earlier that I will be getting 50% points, but any other data points around this?
Jul 5, 2017, 10:38 pm
#681
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 613
I have had Business Platinum since November, so was expecting to get 50% points rebate back on a first-class ticket purchase paid with points on June 3rd.
July 4th rolls around, 31 days later, and I'm given back 35% points. I'll call amex tomorrow about it, since they had confirmed earlier that I will be getting 50% points, but any other data points around this?
July 4th rolls around, 31 days later, and I'm given back 35% points. I'll call amex tomorrow about it, since they had confirmed earlier that I will be getting 50% points, but any other data points around this?
CSR unaware of grandfathering for cards opened before 1 Jun. CSR forwarding my problem to membership rewards dept. I suspect that will be the case for most of us until they get their act together.
Jul 5, 2017, 10:47 pm
#682
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 153
I also had to call in to get my full 50% rebate, as 35% posted. I'd like to think this is a system glitch at AMEX, but am holding out the possibility a deliberate decision was made to give 35% unless the grandfathered cardholder complains. Most people probably don't keep close track of the points.
Jul 6, 2017, 8:01 am
#683
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 613
I called AMEX this morning and asked for a membership rewards supervisor. She was able to immediately credit my account for the missing 12,462 rewards points.
I have two more bonuses due and I expect to have to call on each one.
If you are missing a portion of the 50% bonus, I recommend talking to a rewards supervisor. Using CHAT is a complete waste of time.
I have two more bonuses due and I expect to have to call on each one.
If you are missing a portion of the 50% bonus, I recommend talking to a rewards supervisor. Using CHAT is a complete waste of time.
Jul 6, 2017, 11:13 am
#684
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 599
I have had Business Platinum since November, so was expecting to get 50% points rebate back on a first-class ticket purchase paid with points on June 3rd.
July 4th rolls around, 31 days later, and I'm given back 35% points. I'll call amex tomorrow about it, since they had confirmed earlier that I will be getting 50% points, but any other data points around this?
July 4th rolls around, 31 days later, and I'm given back 35% points. I'll call amex tomorrow about it, since they had confirmed earlier that I will be getting 50% points, but any other data points around this?
Jul 10, 2017, 5:44 pm
#686
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: PHX
Posts: 4,787
Just an additional data point -- the 35 percent instead of 50 percent issue is not fixed as of today at least.
This is going to be a hassle if they don't fix this and I need to call in on every one of these after they post. I would guess they are going to have to get on top of this eventually because this is potentially millions of points they are not properly crediting.
This is going to be a hassle if they don't fix this and I need to call in on every one of these after they post. I would guess they are going to have to get on top of this eventually because this is potentially millions of points they are not properly crediting.
Jul 10, 2017, 5:59 pm
#687
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 613
I called AMEX this morning and asked for a membership rewards supervisor. She was able to immediately credit my account for the missing 12,462 rewards points.
I have two more bonuses due and I expect to have to call on each one.
If you are missing a portion of the 50% bonus, I recommend talking to a rewards supervisor. Using CHAT is a complete waste of time.
I have two more bonuses due and I expect to have to call on each one.
If you are missing a portion of the 50% bonus, I recommend talking to a rewards supervisor. Using CHAT is a complete waste of time.
If you don't get the proper bonus, call membership rewards at 800-297-2011.
Hopefully, AMEX will get this problem fixed.
Jul 13, 2017, 10:05 am
#688
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 613
Update on my post. AMEX membership rewards called me today as a follow-up on my additional miles. She stated that they would no longer be able to give points immediately and that the wait would be 10 weeks. Supposedly the extra 15% would post then. Not sure I believe this and plan to call on my next two bonuses if the 50% bonus doesn't post. Was assured that cards opened before 1 June 2017 are grandfathered and will eventually receive the bonus.
If you don't get the proper bonus, call membership rewards at 800-297-2011.
Hopefully, AMEX will get this problem fixed.
If you don't get the proper bonus, call membership rewards at 800-297-2011.
Hopefully, AMEX will get this problem fixed.
Just got the extra 15% bonus today which is 8 days after the 35% bonus originally posted.
So, 35% posted 31 days after the MR points purchase and the additional 15% bonus posted eight days later. This may be the way those with the grandfathered 50% bonus will get their points.
Last edited by JATR4; Jul 13, 2017 at 3:47 pm
Jul 13, 2017, 2:15 pm
#689
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 599
Received 15% after a week also as mentioned above, no need to call anymore.
Last edited by nomii; Jul 13, 2017 at 6:13 pm
Jul 18, 2017, 11:50 am
#690
Join Date: May 2002
Location: STL
Programs: DL PM/1MM, DL SkClub LT, Marr LT Plat, IHG Plat, HH Diam
Posts: 2,001
Just saw this thread after having to call in this morning from being shorted the 15% on a booking that posted Jul 17th. CSR immediately posted the missing points and sounded very aware of the "glitch"
CSR stated that my next booking (which should post around Jul 21st) should automatically credit back the full 50%. Guess who's not holding his breath?
CSR stated that my next booking (which should post around Jul 21st) should automatically credit back the full 50%. Guess who's not holding his breath?