American Express Membership Rewards - MR Pay with Points

Just got a postcard from AMEX MR stating that I can search for a flight at americanexpress.com/travel and pay for all or part of the trip with travel. I selected a ~$1000 RT flight to PEK and it calculated ~100,000 points to pay it off or 100 points per $1.

I haven't checked on the AMEX Pay with Points stuff for years because it has always been so awful.

1. Is this the same conversion rate they've always used?

2. And is this as bad a deal as I think it is (compared to other programs, that is)?

That's right, and it is terrible not only compared to other programs, but to proper use of MR points.

That's right, and it is terrible not only compared to other programs, but to proper use of MR points.

Just wondering, what is the best/proper use of MR points?

Just wondering, what is the best/proper use of MR points?

Transfer them at 1:1 directly to airline programs. That's what I do anyway. I can get to everyone I want except AA and UA but can usually find a way around that. Like, for AA, I transfer to Mexicana which code shares with AA and book the AA flight I want with Mexicana. Haven't done UA in a while but I imagine there are still ways to book UA with MR miles - just takes some creativity.

Transfer them at 1:1 directly to airline programs. That's what I do anyway. I can get to everyone I want except AA and UA but can usually find a way around that. Like, for AA, I transfer to Mexicana which code shares with AA and book the AA flight I want with Mexicana. Haven't done UA in a while but I imagine there are still ways to book UA with MR miles - just takes some creativity.

Pretty much. Wouldn't suggest using them for UA or AA redemptions (or any redemptions through MX, really)...but depends on what you need.

Just wondering, what is the best/proper use of MR points?

I transferred to DL with the 30% bonus. Booked three business class award tickets to Europe.

Also nice to top off airline accounts of others who have orphaned miles.

Pretty much. Wouldn't suggest using them for UA or AA redemptions (or any redemptions through MX, really)...but depends on what you need.

UA redemptions can be achieved via NH or AC and soon via CO.

UA redemptions can be achieved via NH or AC and soon via CO.

Wasn't the rate I was referring to (and you missed SQ, by the way), but rather that it is advisable to redeem on other partners, not UA, in most circumstances. But not all.

Wasn't the rate I was referring to (and you missed SQ, by the way), but rather that it is advisable to redeem on other partners, not UA, in most circumstances. But not all.

Steven

From this and your previous post it looks like I may have not made myself clear. You can transfer MR to Mexicana at 1:1 and then book AA with Frecuenta miles. In the past there have been ways to do that with UA too - just not sure about now.

From this and your previous post it looks like I may have not made myself clear. You can transfer MR to Mexicana at 1:1 and then book AA with Frecuenta miles. In the past there have been ways to do that with UA too - just not sure about now.

It is not possible to transfer MR points to UA at any reasonable rate. You should use a partner for such bookings.

Also, depending on the trip in question, you can use IB as an outlet for OneWorld travel, though some rates are better than others based on their slightly strange award chart (http://www.wanderingaramean.com/2008/07/membership-rewards-adds-airline-partner.html).

Steven

From this and your previous post it looks like I may have not made myself clear. You can transfer MR to Mexicana at 1:1 and then book AA with Frecuenta miles. In the past there have been ways to do that with UA too - just not sure about now.

Oh no, we get full well what you're saying...we're just saying that it's not such a hot deal.