American Express Membership Rewards - Amex and *A

This is new to me.

I am trying to convert Amex MR points to Thai Airways miles (a *A airline).

Amex has ANA that is a *A airline that trades 1000 pts=1000 miles.

If I convert my points to ANA miles, then what do I do?

Does anyone out there have experience or insight into this?

Thanks!

You redeem as usual, by ringing ANA and booking the seats you want.

However, make sure fully understand the T&C's, redemption rates etc in the ANA programme before you make any transfer. You may need more or less miles for a reward as you would with Thai.

The good news is that award availability is generally the same across all *A airlines, so you get access to the same award seats on Thai as you would be using the TG programme.

Thanks for the quick response!

"The good news is that award availability is generally the same across all *A airlines, so you get access to the same award seats on Thai as you would be using the TG programme."

Though that may be true generally, I've personally found this not to be the case. For a flight from CLT to YUL, for example, the only way I could get there was using a United award on a US and AC flight--neither US nor AC had FF award seats available on their own flights or any combination.

However, make sure fully understand the T&C's, redemption rates etc in the ANA programme before you make any transfer. You may need more or less miles for a reward as you would with Thai.


This is EXCELLENT advice. I messed up on booking a reward ticket because I didn't read everything all the way through. If you are trying to use TG to transit Thailand from one region of Asia to another you actually need to but two tickets. Or, you can do a *A award, but that requires using more than one airline, and the prices all change. Check out ANA's Partner Award Chart (http://www.anaskyweb.com/us/e/amc/guide/tokuten/teikeiair_1.html) and their *A Award Chard (http://www.anaskyweb.com/us/e/amc/guide/tokuten/star.html) for all the details.

S.

Though that may be true generally, I've personally found this not to be the case. For a flight from CLT to YUL, for example, the only way I could get there was using a United award on a US and AC flight--neither US nor AC had FF award seats available on their own flights or any combination.

All I can say is that over at the BMI board, we all use the ANA Star Alliance availability checker and (95% of the time) BMI can book us on the flights that the ANA website says are available. Admittedly, though, you do get the occasional story of someone who cannot do a seat that is shown.

Thanks everyone.

Flyertalk is awesome.