I've had the regular AY Visa for 3 years now, I put pretty much all of my every day spending on it. Even though it means having to be a Sampo (or actually Danske Bank) bank customer, which frankly sucks big time, mainly due to their web bank crapola.
I wonder if I could apply for the Gold one as well and just cancel it after the year for free 10K points - as I don't really feel like paying extra 90 EUR per year just for the annual 10K points and a worthless "hole in one" insurance - especially since I've never played golf in my life!
Oh yeah, I do have the Nordea AY MC as well which I use more like a regular credit card.
Programs: LH SEN, AY Gold, PC Plat Amb, HH Silver, Marriott Silver
Posts: 934
Quote:
Originally Posted by FlyingFinn
I've had the regular AY Visa for 3 years now, I put pretty much all of my every day spending on it. Even though it means having to be a Sampo (or actually Danske Bank) bank customer, which frankly sucks big time, mainly due to their web bank crapola.
I wonder if I could apply for the Gold one as well and just cancel it after the year for free 10K points - as I don't really feel like paying extra 90 EUR per year just for the annual 10K points and a worthless "hole in one" insurance - especially since I've never played golf in my life!
Oh yeah, I do have the Nordea AY MC as well which I use more like a regular credit card.
Why wait a year? Cancel right after the 10k's posted. NB the small print says "new customers only" but maybe you can wriggle out of it by saying you are a new GOLD Visa customer.
I put most of my charges to Amex (1,5 MR/€) and now that SN will be integrated into LH and miles transferred, that's an excellent opportunity.
Where AX is not accepted, I've used the SAS (=SEB) MC since last Nov (1st yr free +12k points). The AY offer comes handily, to have a point earning CC for nearly another year for free and a healthy 10k
(I think the 10k is a one-off, not an annual benefit. Would be too good to be true)
(I think the 10k is a one-off, not an annual benefit. Would be too good to be true)
At least when the Visa cards were launches, one of the additional benefits of the Gold one was a "gift" of 10K points per year. Otherwise it doesn't really have that much advantage over the vanilla one (apart from the bling bling factor) to justify the high cost.
Programs: Finnair Gold, SAS Gold, Lufthansa Gold, BA Gold
Posts: 266
Quote:
Originally Posted by WilcoRoger
I put most of my charges to Amex (1,5 MR/€) and now that SN will be integrated into LH and miles transferred, that's an excellent opportunity.
Let me get this...you're moving your AMEX MR points to Brussels Airlines Privilege. And when SN gets merges with LH, you're assuming you get a good ratio for the points that get transferred to M&M?
How many Privilege points per 1 MR? Do we know the ratio from Privilege to M&M?
Let me get this...you're moving your AMEX MR points to Brussels Airlines Privilege. And when SN gets merges with LH, you're assuming you get a good ratio for the points that get transferred to M&M?
How many Privilege points per 1 MR? Do we know the ratio from Privilege to M&M?
Interesting....
It will be one M&M mile for one Privilege mile. And one Privilege mile for one MR mile. No one can join to PRivilege any more, see www.brusselsairlines.com. Anc you have to give your M&M number to Privilege by the end of July. I don't think that Mexicana and S7 are good substitutes for SN as AY Plus partners.
Programs: SK Gold, AY Gold, KL, SN, Amex Platinum, Diners Premium, Priority Pass, Marriott Silver & others
Posts: 49
Quote:
Originally Posted by nordic
It will be one M&M mile for one Privilege mile. And one Privilege mile for one MR mile. No one can join to PRivilege any more, see www.brusselsairlines.com. Anc you have to give your M&M number to Privilege by the end of July. I don't think that Mexicana and S7 are good substitutes for SN as AY Plus partners.
I agree - the Amex MR through Privilege is probably the most value for shopping, if one wants to convert card points to airline miles. Also in particular, both Finnair cards quite frankly suck with this regard.
Either with the Nordea or Sampo Finnair-branded cards, one gets one point per euro. With AY charging eg 220 000 points for a return to JFK in J, that is an awful lot of shopping to do. With Amex and SN Privilege, one gets a J ticket to the US for a mere 90 000 points, which is earned by shopping 60 000 euros with a Gold or Platinum Amex, or 90 000 euros with a Green Amex. When the Privilege points get converted to LH points, the J ticket to the US will still cost 90 000 points. I believe I need to redo the math after points can no longer be converted to Privilege. According to Amex, this should be possible almost through the end of the Privilege program's existence.
Even the SK Mastercard is much better than the AY cards. Still one point per euro, but the burn ratio is much better. 90K points for a J ticket to the US here as well, earned with a shopping spree of 90 000 euros.
The 10K annual points are a nice bonus with the Sampo card, though. I don't know if it is a coincidence or what, but the "incremental" 90 euros is precisely the same amount of money that AY now charges for the European upgrade during the summer.
Programs: LH SEN, AY Gold, PC Plat Amb, HH Silver, Marriott Silver
Posts: 934
Quote:
Originally Posted by hermanni
Let me get this...you're moving your AMEX MR points to Brussels Airlines Privilege. And when SN gets merges with LH, you're assuming you get a good ratio for the points that get transferred to M&M?
How many Privilege points per 1 MR? Do we know the ratio from Privilege to M&M?
Interesting....
1 MR = 1 SN (= 1 LH after 24th Oct)
Some things to remember
- you can't open a new Privilege account, if you try, you'll get a M&M account, which wouldn't work with MR. (luckily I have a dormant account which I never used but woke it up now)
- move your points before 24th Oct, the Finnish Amex site says their co-operation ends on that day.
- register your M&M number in June at the Privilege site (so they know you want to transfer and where)
Programs: LH SEN, AY Gold, PC Plat Amb, HH Silver, Marriott Silver
Posts: 934
Should we start a thread on comparing different charge card earning options in Finland? Would the AY board be OK, or would we be kicked to the Travel & Dining section?
Programs: Finnair Gold, SAS Gold, Lufthansa Gold, BA Gold
Posts: 266
Quote:
Originally Posted by WilcoRoger
Why wait a year? Cancel right after the 10k's posted.
This is tempting. I tried to read through the terms & conditions, and couldn't find anything that would prevent this. So basically 10,000 free Plus points to anybody who wants them.
Programs: Finnair Gold, SAS Gold, Lufthansa Gold, BA Gold
Posts: 266
Quote:
Originally Posted by WilcoRoger
register your M&M number in June at the Privilege site (so they know you want to transfer and where)
Actually, July will do.
Quoting from Brussels Airlines site:
Code:
Privilege miles will be simply transferred into Miles & More miles and
current Privilege card holders will receive an equivalent member status
within Miles & More.
Make sure you register for Miles & More before July 31, 2009 so we can
transfer your Privilege account to a Miles & More account
Already a Miles & More member? Click on the button "Make the switch"
so we can credit your Privilege miles to your Miles & More account.
Programs: Finnair Gold, SAS Gold, Lufthansa Gold, BA Gold
Posts: 266
Quote:
Originally Posted by Trav1970
With AY charging eg 220 000 points for a return to JFK in J, that is an awful lot of shopping to do. With Amex and SN Privilege, one gets a J ticket to the US for a mere 90 000 points, which is earned by shopping 60 000 euros with a Gold or Platinum Amex, or 90 000 euros with a Green Amex. When the Privilege points get converted to LH points, the J ticket to the US will still cost 90 000 points. Even the SK Mastercard is much better than the AY cards. Still one point per euro, but the burn ratio is much better. 90K points for a J ticket to the US here as well, earned with a shopping spree of 90 000 euros.
Good info.
To add to the calculations, you can also move Amex points to Continental OnePass, Delta Skymiles or Flying Blue. Ratios are:
3 MR = 2 Onepass miles
3 MR = 2 Delta Skymiles
5 MR = 4 Flying Blue points
I did not check how many miles or points these programs require for a J ticket to US, though.
I'm guessing the best way to cash MR points to flights would still be to move them to M&M via Privilege?
Programs: SK Gold, AY Gold, KL, SN, Amex Platinum, Diners Premium, Priority Pass, Marriott Silver & others
Posts: 49
Quote:
Originally Posted by hermanni
Good info.
To add to the calculations, you can also move Amex points to Continental OnePass, Delta Skymiles or Flying Blue. Ratios are:
3 MR = 2 Onepass miles
3 MR = 2 Delta Skymiles
5 MR = 4 Flying Blue points
I did not check how many miles or points these programs require for a J ticket to US, though.
I'm guessing the best way to cash MR points to flights would still be to move them to M&M via Privilege?
Onepass: 80K points for J to North America with date restrictions, 160K with lesser restrictions. Equal to 120K and 240K MR points, so this is clearly not a comparable option to SN.
Delta: Premium cabin between North America and Europe, either 50K, 100K, or 175K depending on season. Equal to 75K, 150K, or 262,5K MR points. If you would manage to get the "low" award, this would be a good bargain.
Flying Blue: From Europe to North America, "Affaires" class: Either 100K or 115K, depending whether "classic award" or "elite award". Equal to 125K or 143,75K MR points. Not a good bargain.
What is not covered here are the various upgrade awards the airlines might have.
