lkar

Actually, it is a little complicated. I mean, you get it so it seems simple to you but as made clear by the back and forth I'm having with Troopers, I can see why people get confused. But, yeah, I guess those who always have a surplus of points will like the feature, but to me I'm starting to think it's not worth having the business platinum after the first year because the effective valuation is actually still under $.02/point especially if they start delaying the 50 percent back. If the business platinum is your only platinum card and you use the 10 gogo passes and get into centurian lounges then sure, it's a keeper, but not because of the almost-mythical "2 cent redemptions." I think you'll end up having people who drain their accounts for 2 cent redemptions and then when they hit 100,000 points or less will start to notice that the gymnastics they need to do to make it work aren't great and far less flexible than, say, a barclays arrival or whatever. I suppose if all your expenses are over $5k or you're prepared to use the card in conjunction with an everyday on which you put over 30 transactions it can still make sense

mia

Agreed. Part of managing market share is pushing less desirable customers to your competitors. I think American Express is making a choice to pursue higher spending business clients, and leave the opportunists for other issuers.

American Express practice often differs from their published policies, typically in the customers' favor. In this example we have a published policy which says that points will be refunded in weeks, several reports that they are actually refunded in days, and one report of a reversal. This feature is more valuable if the refund is fast. I need more data before I can form an opinion on how valuable this feature really is.

Troopers

It is actually quite simple...sorry, it's your understanding/statements that is confusing me.

This new 50% MR credit is a benefit...it does NOT require more MR points than before to book the same flight(s). Nothing has changed to the number of MR points required to book a flight. I don't see any negative impact.

Going to back to your previous post, the number of pax is irrelevant.


Count me in. I like the new feature as I continue to spend on this card.


Why expenses over $5k (except for the additional MR bonus for new cardholders)? again

mia

Business Platinum cards now earn 1.5 points per dollar on any individual transaction of $5,000 or more. This is a new standard feature of the Business Platinum. It is patterned after a feature which was first seen in the 250,000 point new account offer.

lkar

Nobody (at least nobody sane) would redeem 1 MR for 1 cent of travel. Paying with points was a non-benefit except for those who truly don't care how they use their miles. The number of points has definitely changed for how many MR points can be used to book a flight. It's fewer now, and the question I was addressing is how do we compare this new option to other uses of MR points (such as, for example, transferring them to singapore and booking united flights).

The ability to get "half" one's points back, now makes it potentially feasible. The question that I was addressing is how feasible and how should they be valued now? More than 1 cent per point, for sure, but less than 2 and, more fundamentally, if the delay in getting points is going to be longer than a few days, a lot less than 2 cents per point.

The spouse point was just an illustration at one reason why I think it's a mistake for those who do not earn unlimited points to claim it's 2 cents per point, when comparing, for example, to a card like barclay arrival.

But, yes, if your point is that for the unthinking consumers who routinely redeemed 1 MR point for 1 cent in travel in the past, yes, this is a smoking hot boondoggle. For those who read this board and would never consider doing something like that, the question is, "do I want to get a $450/year card to take advantage of this new benefit"?

Troopers

Doh, how I miss that?! Didn't know that. Thanks mia, you rock.


There are numerous of FTs who are sane and do redeem at 1MR @ a cent. Not everyone here is a churner, opportunistic, or a points maximizer.

The fewer number of (net) points needed is a good thing.

No doubt, there are situations where award booking via MR transfer may be more "valuable" than pay with points. And vice versa.


I think you are discrediting those that redeem 1 MR at a penny are unthinking. Sometimes it's a matter of circumstances, or sometimes a matter of convenience, or sometimes they earn more MR than they can spend and donate MR.

lkar

Well, I shouldn't be critical. It's their money and their spend, so you're right that I shouldn't be flippant about how they want to use their points.

flyinghigh77

It looks like I am the only one effected by the point reversal?

mia

How recently had you opened the Business Platinum card?

bodiddely

I made a pay with points redemption last week. Rebate to my MR balance posted two days later, no reversal. Card has been open since January.

extremeromance

Yes I have checked several times and no points reversal yet, your report does sound concerning however we need more data points to come up with a definite answer on what Amex intends to do on these point rebates.

DaveH

Very interesting. Where do you see the pending points in your MR account, please?

The program would be less attractive for me if we didn't get points for the purchase and using Amex travel.

lkar

You click on "available points" and then the "summary" tab.

bodiddely

I also had a Pay with Points redemption, originally paid on my Business Platinum card. Statement just closed and there are no pending points which would reflect the airfare purchase. A bit disappointing but it's not like you earn points with Chase or Citi for paid airfare redemptions either.

txpenny

I find this thread very confusing.

IIRC, the Open Platinum card had a 20% points back policy, then upped to a 30% PB, and now upped it once again to 50% PB. The redemption benefit keeps getting better while the AF has stayed the same.

I'm not sure why at this point going from a 30% redemption to 50% is cause for so much angst. Unless I'm missing something, the 30% redemption worked the same. The only difference between pre and post 10.6.16 benefit is an increase of 20% to the PB redemption.

I must be in the bullseye of AMEX's targeted customer with their new combo of Biz & Personal Platinum benefits. I upgraded my PRG to the personal platinum as the combined spend for my wife and I with AA is in excess of $50K annually. So the 5X on purchases times the 2X on redemption makes me extremely happy to carry both.