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)
Dec 7, 2016, 2:43 pm
#166
formerly oyalkut
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: New York
Programs: Delta SM
Posts: 89
I have an personal Amex Platinum and am thinking about opening Business Platinum with the new signup offer. If I understand correctly, they will be linked to the same MR account? So in theory, I can purchase airfare on personal platinum and get 5X points, then redeem that for a ticket under Business Platinum and get 50% of points back?
Dec 7, 2016, 5:32 pm
#167
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,954
Correct, but do the arithmetic to see if it's worthwhile holding both cards. If you spent $2,000 on paid airfare that would generate 10,000 points, sufficient to offset $100 on a ticket - with 5,000 points refunded to be used on another transaction.
Dec 7, 2016, 6:39 pm
#168
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Charlotte NC USA
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, AA Exec Plat, Alaska 75k, IHG Diamond, Wyndham Diamond, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 863
I have an personal Amex Platinum and am thinking about opening Business Platinum with the new signup offer. If I understand correctly, they will be linked to the same MR account? So in theory, I can purchase airfare on personal platinum and get 5X points, then redeem that for a ticket under Business Platinum and get 50% of points back?
Am skeptical that folks with two platnium cards will get two airlines offering 50% MR credit, unless they have two *business* platinum cards. FWIW.
Last edited by DaveH; Dec 11, 2016 at 4:36 pm
Dec 7, 2016, 9:22 pm
#169
formerly oyalkut
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: New York
Programs: Delta SM
Posts: 89
I'm sure this question been asked like a million times already, but if you had to pick one to hold on to long term, which one would it be? I generally only spend about $3k per year on airfare - the rest is miles. Might increase a bit in the next few years, but not by too much
Dec 7, 2016, 9:24 pm
#170
formerly oyalkut
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: New York
Programs: Delta SM
Posts: 89
I should know more in a couple of days when my next personal Platinum statement cycles. But it *appears* that I am earning not 5x, but 4x bonus points, with no base points (because those are offset by the MR credit). I will update as a learn more.y
Am skeptical that folks with two platnium cards will get two airlines offering 50% MR credit, unless they have two *business* platinum cards. FWIW.
Am skeptical that folks with two platnium cards will get two airlines offering 50% MR credit, unless they have two *business* platinum cards. FWIW.
Last edited by Olga_NYC; Dec 8, 2016 at 8:55 am
Dec 8, 2016, 8:48 am
#171
formerly oyalkut
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: New York
Programs: Delta SM
Posts: 89
Is it possible to stack the international airline companion perk with the 50% credit on paying with points? Theoretically, can I price out the J ticket for my trip (through Amex travel, as their fares are always in the higher buckets for this promotion), purchase it with points, and then have my companion added as a free ticket?
I'm trying to understand when would doing something like this be useful. In my (very limited) experience, prices of the refundable tickets that are required under IAC promotion are twice as expensive as a regular ticket. So any savings you get from a 50% points rebate are negated by the initial fare being 200% of the regular price. At best, you gain a benefit of having a fully refundable fare for the same end price as non-refundable.
Is there a better way to actual $$ savings that I'm just not seeing?
Dec 8, 2016, 8:57 am
#172
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 989
hey guys, so i just redeemed with the pay with points options. On my statement, it actually shows that my business plat was charged, and then received a credit for the amount of points. Do i Need to use my business plat to pay for the flight to get the 50% back or can I choose any card and its automatically processed back to my account because I am a business plat card holder?
Dec 8, 2016, 9:31 am
#173
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,954
Last edited by mia; Dec 8, 2016 at 9:39 am
Dec 8, 2016, 11:00 am
#174
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 623
https://www262.americanexpress.com/business-card-application/business-platinum-charge-card/tandc/44279-AJTnC-0/?pznOfferCode=&rsvpFlag=&rc=&zc=&ch=&key=tncBody#O fferTerms
50% Airline Bonus Disclosure
To use Pay with Points, you must charge your eligible airfare purchase through American Express Travel to a Membership Rewards® program-enrolled American Express® Card. Points will be debited from your Membership Rewards account, and credit for corresponding dollar amount will be issued to the American Express Card account used. If points redeemed do not cover entire amount, the balance of purchase price will remain on the American Express Card account. Points must be used at the time of booking. Pay with Points requires a minimum redemption of 5,000 points.
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 (50% Airline Bonus). For First or Business class flights on a Card Member's selected qualifying airline, the Card Member will still receive only 5 extra points for every 10 points redeemed. Card Member must select a qualifying airline at www.americanexpress.com/airlinechoice Only the Basic Card Member or Authorized Account Manager(s) on the Card Account can select the qualifying airline.
Dec 8, 2016, 11:26 am
#175
Join Date: Feb 2015
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 957
I'm trying to understand when would doing something like this be useful. In my (very limited) experience, prices of the refundable tickets that are required under IAC promotion are twice as expensive as a regular ticket. So any savings you get from a 50% points rebate are negated by the initial fare being 200% of the regular price. At best, you gain a benefit of having a fully refundable fare for the same end price as non-refundable.
Is there a better way to actual $$ savings that I'm just not seeing?
Is there a better way to actual $$ savings that I'm just not seeing?
Dec 8, 2016, 11:41 am
#176
formerly oyalkut
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: New York
Programs: Delta SM
Posts: 89
Thanks guys. I figured it probably would not work / be worthwhile, but was holding on a glimmer of hope nevertheless.
As Mia notes above, this is not possible. I spent about 40 minutes on the phone in the days after my post. The first agent thought it WOULD be possible, and we started down the road of pricing itins. None of the pricing available to the program would have been worthwhile. Some were close, primarily because of the miles you would earn in the airline programs as a revenue purchase, but none were worth moving through the process further. That being said, when we did get close on one and I asked her to confirm that I could indeed do this...her supervisor came on and said it was not possible.
Dec 11, 2016, 1:10 pm
#177
Join Date: Jun 1999
Location: Somewhere
Posts: 1,230
Hi !
I purchase a fully refundable first class ticket on AS with pay with points. If I cancel the ticket I assume it will refund the entire amount back to my AMEX , is this accurate and a way to cash out AMEX points at 2 cents a point ?
I purchase a fully refundable first class ticket on AS with pay with points. If I cancel the ticket I assume it will refund the entire amount back to my AMEX , is this accurate and a way to cash out AMEX points at 2 cents a point ?
Dec 11, 2016, 1:19 pm
#178
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,954
Dec 11, 2016, 1:38 pm
#179
Join Date: Jun 1999
Location: Somewhere
Posts: 1,230
Scroll back to post 81 and read forward. In that example the full refund went to the card, but I recall at least one example in which the points portion was reversed instead. I don't think we have sufficient data to know what's typical.
Dec 11, 2016, 4:33 pm
#180
formerly oyalkut
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: New York
Programs: Delta SM
Posts: 89
Scroll back to post 81 and read forward. In that example the full refund went to the card, but I recall at least one example in which the points portion was reversed instead. I don't think we have sufficient data to know what's typical.