Originally Posted by
Ghoulish
.01/MR point redemption value on a fare available at the same price via
cash? And lose the 5X points that would otherwise be earned on airfare.
Unless you're in a pinch, this is a terrible deal vs transferring to FF miles.
Even with the business card points discount, .013 can't hold a candle to the .024-.075 value for miles.
You get 5X MR for flights on amextravel.com
The 35% Points back results in a value of 1.52 cents per MR
Yes you can get way higher values (ANA Roundtrip to Japan in First for 300k MR get you an absurd value), BUT a) you don't have to pay any added fees (we all know how expensive BA via LHR is) and with this cash fare you get Airline miles (and status).
With AA Europe fares around 135k / UA mostly 155k ..... you would spend app. 250-300k miles (yes I know MR can't be transferred but on Alaska I find nothing and Aeroplan charges 180k one way and the flight times are sometimes 24+h) vs let say $4k > 400k MR - 35% back - 5MR per $ = net MR costs 240k MR with most of the time a better selection of flights/ times/....