American Express Membership Rewards - Best ways to redeem MR points

I am planning on cancelling my green card as I have a Delta AMEX Platinum and no longer use my green card. I got about 53+ K miles that I want to redeem. The best I have found was a 1:1 airline mile exchange.

Is there a better deal? Sometimes, partners have promotions but I couldn't find any now.

I got about 53+ K miles that I want to redeem. The best I have found was a 1:1 airline mile exchange.

Is there a better deal? Sometimes, partners have promotions but I couldn't find any now.

I, as well, was/am uncertain re: best redemption value.

The choice is influenced, of course, by whether your primary carrier is among the air partners in the AmEx MR program (mine is not).

Clearly, the travel-related options seem to possess the most value per point. My ultimate quandary was/is (I haven't officially redeemed my MR points yet, but I've given it some thought) whether to convert the points to miles (1:1) or redeem them for companion ticket travel certs (albeit on a carrier which is not my primary carrier).

Part of the attraction re: companion ticket travel certs (for me, anyway) = (1) the fixed, discounted price, (2) the possibility for the companion passenger to earn mileage credit (I don't yet know whether there are restrictions which would disallow such, but I do know that companion travel cert usage w/ which I have had experience did not treat the cert as an "award"--it was still revenue-generating [though I know there are some exceptions to this making the difference (re: mileage-earning aspect)]).

Of the $-off travel certs, the $50-off cert would seem to have the most value (what w/ it "costing" 3000 points, & each +3000-points-more tier above it only resulting in an additional $25 off). Expiration dates of the $-off certs & frequency of flying would factor in, of course, but ultimately the overall $ value (53,000+ / 3,000 = 17+ $50-off certs = $850+) simply doesn't compare to what the 53,000+ points are worth as miles.

As for the companion certs, however, it all depends...if Delta-specific awards are what you prefer (I don't know if Delta is your primary carrier, but I do note that your mileage-earning card earns SkyMiles), there are no Delta companion certs, unfortunately, so if companion certs were obtained, they would be for use w/ a different carrier (whether Delta partners were among the mix would be a factor, of course, but unfortunately, such certs appear not to be an option).

There are only a few air partners for which travel certs are available. Among them:

Virgin Atlantic = coach RT, coach companion

TWA = coach companion domestic, coach companion - to Europe, coach RT - to Europe

Continental = coach companion, coach companion - to Latin America

The Europe & Latin America companion travel certs would result in a $149 companion fare.

The domestic companion travel certs would result in a $99 companion fare. The potential value of these varies for several reasons: (1) they could be used on routes that cost several times that for RT travel, & thus be of considerable value, (2) they are transferable--& thus could potentially be given to others or bartered in the Coupon Connection for something/some things which would be of value to you as a Delta flyer (e.g. United-specific certs re: Delta travel partner), (3) if one were @ an elite level which allowed companion upgrades to FC, & one's elite status was recognized by the carrier w/ which one would be using the cert, the fact that the companion fare would be only $99 + both passengers being able to earn miles = very sweet deal--however, if the certs happen to be for use w/ a carrier that is not one's primary carrier, is not for use w/ a partner of one's primary carrier, or one does not wish to waste potential mileage-earning flights w/ a carrier w/ which one does not plan to obtain elite status or otherwise cannot obtain miles which are useful to one, & one does not wish to outright give the certs to someone else, one is left w/ 2 options: trade them, or don't get them @ all.

I think what I'm going to do, given that the certs expire a year after issue, is get a couple of $99 certs (& perhaps later a $149 non-domestic cert) for use w/ a carrier that is a codeshare partner of my primary carrier & will honor my elite upgrade perk. The MR points which I do not redeem for companion travel certs will likely end up being transferred into the FF account associated w/ the same carrier (i.e. carrier w/ which companion certs will be used), given that my primary carrier is not an air partner of MR (but the other carrier is a codeshare partner).

Lastly, if it *was* possible to convert the MR points to miles in the FF account w/ my primary carrier--which is perhaps possible in your case--I would likely very much lean toward converting nearly all to miles. The only reason I would consider otherwise is the fact that MR-obtainable $99 & $149 companion travel certs are available for use w/ a codeshare partner of my primary carrier.

If you don't tend to fly w/ a companion, or the companion certs would not be useful for specific family, or friends, or for trade in the Coupon Connection, or you otherwise could just put the miles to best overall use &/or value as SkyMiles (whether as FC upgrades or as a significant boost toward an international travel award, etc.), then it would likely be best to convert to miles.

I'll shut up now... http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif


[This message has been edited by ILTE_Miles (edited 01-26-2001).]

The companion tickets on CO definitely allow OnePass miles to be earned when used. They are a very good value, frequently in the $50+ per 1000 mile range if used properly. The only rub is that they are not combinable with any other certificates so that you will definitely ride in the back unless you are OP Elite and catch the upgrade.

Does not seem to be a popular subject but wanted to post an update -

Just received in mail that I can earn bonus delta skymiles for transferring membership rewards point to Delta.

Transfer Get
5K-19K miles - 1K bonus
20-49K - 5K
50-99K - 15K
100-more - 25K

Valid 6/18 -7/31.

I think I will bite this bait http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif


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gt0138d - a certified George P Burdell clone...

That's a pretty sweet deal ... I've got just over 100K Membership Rewards points, and that's tempting ... if I get it myself http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Have you transferred to DL in the past?

BTW, Membership Rewards has run a similar promotion in the past I recall ... it's interesting that the 50K level gives you the best bang for the buck, and not the 100K level ... like I said, I hope I get it myself.

Spoke to an MR CSR. She told me that this is a targeted solicitation http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif

I told her that I have a tendancy to throw away what I might see as junk mail. She could not find anything on my MR account to show that I'm on the list.

She suggested I call AMEX CS to find out more info. I did and was told they could not determine if I was on the list http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif

Darn...

Is there a bonus promo code associated with it?

Last time they did this, I called and asked if I could sign up, and they said I could ... but it didn't work in the end. I sent a letter, and as a "good faith" gesture AMEX gave me the bonus anyway, but I personally would not abuse their good graces like that again. I just hope I'm lucky enough to get the invitation this time.

This is the first time I am transferring MR to DL and hopefully my last - I plan to cancel the Green Card and MR as I got myself a DL Platinum Amex card.

After I posted, I checked the fine print - it is a targeted promotion (MR Promo Code - MRLT2, Refer Delta Rep to: G*9706/7). Only one skymiles bonus during this offer - Beckles, you can't cash your 100K in two rounds http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif

If you are waiting for this letter in the mail, it will say Earn up to 25,000 bonus Delta SkyMiles on the envelope and will have both Membership Rewards and SkyMiles logos.

It will also say Exclusively for Membership Rewards Enrollees.

Hope you get it too...

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gt0138d - a certified George P Burdell clone...

I expected the one bonus ... I was just saying I probably didn't want to move all 100K I have over anyway, and the schedule favors only moving 50K (30% bonus for 50K, only 25% bonus for 100K).

HOWEVER, I wonder if that's one bonus per Membership Rewards account or per SkyMiles account. I have two cards on my account, my card and my girlfriend's card. Since my girlfriend has a card, I am able to transfer miles to her accounts through Membership Rewards. Say I were to transfer 50K to my account and 50K to hers ... shouldn't I get 15K for each? It would be nice, but I kind of doubt it, but this may be something someone else would like to explore.

Anyway, I've done a few DL transfers from AMEX in the past, so I think it is less likely I will be targeted. I don't really need more DL miles since I don't fly them, so I almost hope I'm not targeted so I'm not tempted to do the transfer http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size="2">Originally posted by Beckles:
[...] Anyway, I've done a few DL transfers from AMEX in the past, so I think it is less likely I will be targeted. I don't really need more DL miles since I don't fly them, so I almost hope I'm not targeted so I'm not tempted to do the transfer http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif</font>

Beckles, sorry to serve up information which may result in your being tempted, but... http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum21/HTML/003292.html


The thread accessed via the above link (a thread from the Delta forum) answers questions many have regarding the Delta-AmEx promo...

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size="2">Originally posted by ILTE_Miles:
Beckles, sorry to serve up information which may result in your being tempted, but</font>

Last time this promotion was run, as I've already alluded to, I was told that you did not have to be invited also, and in the end it didn't work (but AMEX took pity on me and gave me the 5,000 bonus miles anyway).

Unfortunately it's a moot point because I did get the invitation, and I've already blown most of my MR account (100K points) transfering to DL to get 125K miles. I'm taking 50K of that and moving it on to DC, which I'm then moving on to BA, so in affect I'm getting 75K DL miles and 50K BA miles (because of the DC promotion of 1:1 transfer to BA right now). When all is said and done, I'll have nice little nest eggs of miles in both BA and DL to work with ...

Most "bang for my buck", at least in my 3-yr ago study of how to use some of my MR miles...was to transfer into HHONORS A ND THEN (most importantly) catch a hotel offering POINT STRETCHER AWARDS and stay at that hilton. Information may be dated due to how long ago I did this personal study.

My family and I stayed a week at Hilton's Big Island resort (Waikoloa Village) for what seemed to me to not be many MR miles, because of the extra leverage when spent only on a Hilton POINT STRETCHER award. Just the normal HHONORS aware was nothing exceptional...but the POINT STRETCHER awards (each quarter selected Hiltons dilute the points required to stay with those specific hotels/resports that quarter) were awesome.

Learn more about this at www.hhonors.com (http://www.hhonors.com)

Point Stretcher specific info:
http://www.hilton.com/en/hhonors/rewards/hotel.jhtml
Anyway - just one idea.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size="2">Originally posted by Beckles:
Last time this promotion was run, as I've already alluded to, I was told that you did not have to be invited also, and in the end it didn't work (but AMEX took pity on me and gave me the 5,000 bonus miles anyway).</font>

The point to my including reference to what I did is that it's officially being stated that one needs to be invited--but the thread (re: the link I included) shows proof of more than one person being able to simply call, request the xfr, & voila--they got it. No haggling, no contesting, no pleading.

I'm glad you got the official invite...I was simply trying to provide an assist to you & others who had not yet received the invite by referencing proof that others were able to painlessly acquire the bonus.

[This message has been edited by ILTE_Miles (edited 06-23-2001).]

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size="2">Originally posted by ILUVCITIBANK:
[...] catch a hotel offering POINT STRETCHER AWARDS and stay at that hilton. Information may be dated due to how long ago I did this personal study.</font>

Many have desired to, & tried, but cannot hold their breath long enough for an actual allowed redemption re: Point Stretcher awards. Hilton's capacity controls are ridiculous.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size="2">Originally posted by ILTE_Miles:
The point to my including reference to what I did is that it's officially being stated that one needs to be invited--but the thread (re: the link I included) shows proof of more than one person being able to simply call, request the xfr, & voila--they got it. No haggling, no contesting, no pleading.
</font>

Anyone can call and transfer AMEX MR points to DL miles, regardless of this promotion. I did the same thing last time, and was told by the phone agents I would receive the bonus, but did not, because like I said, it really was by invitation only.

Believe it or not, I've found more often than not the written rules I receive are more accurate than the word of a telephone agent, and this promo says "Offer valid for Cardmember named in this mailing.", and if anyone asked me, I'd tend to believe the official written rules.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size="2">Originally posted by Beckles:
Anyone can call and transfer AMEX MR points to DL miles, regardless of this promotion.[...]</font>

I know that...the "it" to which that post implicitly referred was re: the bonus--though this was re: confirmation from reps who, as it turns out, may be wrong (& for which those who were provided such will have little or no recourse).


<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size="2">Originally posted by Beckles:
I did the same thing last time, and was told by the phone agents I would receive the bonus, but did not, because like I said, it really was by invitation only.[...]</font>

I regret having posted anything @ all regarding the matter. Obviously, we won't know of this round's success until many weeks from now. Regardless, there is no proof that the reps who are proactively confirming the bonus know what they're talking about (i.e. know of whatever restrictions exist & whether or not such will be enforced).

My apologies for having wasted anyone's time.

Has anyone who transferred miles to their DL account from MR seen the bonus miles hit yet? I know they said 8 weeks from end of promo, which is about now.

I received my bonus several weeks ago.

so did I.

Still haven't got my bonus points - guess it's time to start making phone calls.

I was a bit aggravated to learn today that I won't be receiving the 15,000 bonus Delta miles for transferring 75,000 points.

The reason? I closed my Membership Rewards account not too long after making the transfer.

I traveled quite a bit during the two years I had my MR account open. Then I stopped traveling, so I decided to jump on this promo and close out my account.

No one told me that when the promotion ended and the bonus miles would be posted to Delta, that it would require that me MR account still be open as it would be referenced.

The CSR told me today that there's nothing they can do and I'm out of luck...

C'est la vie...