Apr 22, 2015, 10:57 am
Last edit by: mia
Effective June 2017 the USA Business Platinum airfare Pay-with-Points refund was reduced to 35%. This brings the net value to $0.0153 per point, essentially the same as Chase Sapphire Reserve's Pay-with-Points redemption rate.
USA Business Centurion cardholders will continue to receive a 50% refund. The Centurion version is also broader than the Platinum benefit:
Centurion: beginning October 6, 2016 you will get 50% Membership Rewards® points back when you use the Pay with Points feature for all or part of a flight on any airline. The maximum rebate per calendar year for Centurion members is (_______?)
Platinum: Business Platinum Card Members will receive 5 extra points for every 10 points they redeem for either a First or Business class flight on any airline, or for flights with their selected qualifying airline using Membership Rewards Pay with Points with American Express Travel (35% Airline Bonus). The maximum rebate per calendar year for Business Platinum Card Members is 1,000,000 points.
FAQ
Q1. How does the process work?
A1. Here is an example, buying a $1,000.00 ticket:
Q2. Must the Business Centurion or Platinum card be used to purchase the ticket?
A2. When the benefit was refreshed in October 2016 you could pay with any card linked to the same Membership Rewards account, but it appears this changed in April 2017.
Q3. Will I earn Membership Rewards points on the purchase price?
A3. You will not earn base points, but you may earn bonus points if you pay with a card that awards a bonus for airline ticket purchases, such as Business Platinum, Personal Platinum, Business Rewards Gold, Premier Rewards Gold.
Q4. What happens if I cancel the ticket?
A4. There are mixed reports, but in most examples the cost of the ticket is refunded (a second time) to the card account. In one example American Express refunded the remainder of the points instead. If you prefer the points refunded rather than a cash credit, phone into AMEX and they will restore the points and remove the credit.
Q5. Can this benefit be combined with the International Airline Program companion ticket?
A5. One poster was told no, but another was able to do so.
USA Business Centurion cardholders will continue to receive a 50% refund. The Centurion version is also broader than the Platinum benefit:
Centurion: beginning October 6, 2016 you will get 50% Membership Rewards® points back when you use the Pay with Points feature for all or part of a flight on any airline. The maximum rebate per calendar year for Centurion members is (_______?)
Platinum: Business Platinum Card Members will receive 5 extra points for every 10 points they redeem for either a First or Business class flight on any airline, or for flights with their selected qualifying airline using Membership Rewards Pay with Points with American Express Travel (35% Airline Bonus). The maximum rebate per calendar year for Business Platinum Card Members is 1,000,000 points.
FAQ
Q1. How does the process work?
A1. Here is an example, buying a $1,000.00 ticket:
- $1,000 charged to American Express card [Day 1]
- 100,000 Membership Rewards points redeemed [Day 1]
- $1,000 credited to American Express card [Day 2]
- _35,000 Membership Rewards points returned [~a month later]
- Net: $1,000 ticket for 65,000 points = $0.0154/point
Q2. Must the Business Centurion or Platinum card be used to purchase the ticket?
A2. When the benefit was refreshed in October 2016 you could pay with any card linked to the same Membership Rewards account, but it appears this changed in April 2017.
Q3. Will I earn Membership Rewards points on the purchase price?
A3. You will not earn base points, but you may earn bonus points if you pay with a card that awards a bonus for airline ticket purchases, such as Business Platinum, Personal Platinum, Business Rewards Gold, Premier Rewards Gold.
Q4. What happens if I cancel the ticket?
A4. There are mixed reports, but in most examples the cost of the ticket is refunded (a second time) to the card account. In one example American Express refunded the remainder of the points instead. If you prefer the points refunded rather than a cash credit, phone into AMEX and they will restore the points and remove the credit.
Q5. Can this benefit be combined with the International Airline Program companion ticket?
A5. One poster was told no, but another was able to do so.
Pay-with-Points flights. BUSINESS Centurion 50% refund, Plat 35%, Gold 25% (2015-23)
Oct 23, 2023, 4:26 pm
#1486
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Sunny AZ
Programs: HH Diamond, Sixt Platinum, IHG Spire Ambassador, Marriott/SPG Gold .....
Posts: 3,215
I just made a first class purchase using PWP and I have the Business Platinum. Am I supposed to get some notification immediately that it qualifies for the 35% rebate?
When I went to AMEX Travel portal, the card shown in the top right screen was my personal Platinum and I couldn't change it to the Business Plat. I was worried that AMEX would see the "purchase" as coming from the personal Plat and thus I wouldn't get the 35% rebate, so I charged 99%+ to points and paid the last 30c or so using my Business Plat card just to ensure that the Business Plat card was used. How can I be sure that I'll get my rebate at this point?
When I went to AMEX Travel portal, the card shown in the top right screen was my personal Platinum and I couldn't change it to the Business Plat. I was worried that AMEX would see the "purchase" as coming from the personal Plat and thus I wouldn't get the 35% rebate, so I charged 99%+ to points and paid the last 30c or so using my Business Plat card just to ensure that the Business Plat card was used. How can I be sure that I'll get my rebate at this point?
Oct 23, 2023, 4:32 pm
#1487
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,959
Use Membership Rewards® Pay with Points‡ for all or part of an eligible flight booked through American Express Travel‡ and get 35% of those points back, up to 1,000,000 Membership Rewards® points‡ back per calendar year.
Oct 23, 2023, 7:40 pm
#1488
Join Date: Nov 2007
Programs: Marriott Bonvoy Platinum, Hilton Honors Diamond, Delta Gold
Posts: 4,351
I just made a first class purchase using PWP and I have the Business Platinum. Am I supposed to get some notification immediately that it qualifies for the 35% rebate?
When I went to AMEX Travel portal, the card shown in the top right screen was my personal Platinum and I couldn't change it to the Business Plat. I was worried that AMEX would see the "purchase" as coming from the personal Plat and thus I wouldn't get the 35% rebate, so I charged 99%+ to points and paid the last 30c or so using my Business Plat card just to ensure that the Business Plat card was used. How can I be sure that I'll get my rebate at this point?
When I went to AMEX Travel portal, the card shown in the top right screen was my personal Platinum and I couldn't change it to the Business Plat. I was worried that AMEX would see the "purchase" as coming from the personal Plat and thus I wouldn't get the 35% rebate, so I charged 99%+ to points and paid the last 30c or so using my Business Plat card just to ensure that the Business Plat card was used. How can I be sure that I'll get my rebate at this point?
It doesn't really matter which card you select at check out and you can cover the full ticket price with points. As long as you have a Biz Plat and purchase J or F on any airline, or Y on your selected airline, then you'll get the 35% back.
Nov 5, 2023, 6:37 am
#1489
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 779
If I have both the Bus Plat & Bus Gold, do I have to select the Bus Plat when I book on Amex Travel to get the 35% point rebate? Can I select the Bus Gold when making the booking and still get the 35% rebate? Thanks.
Nov 5, 2023, 7:04 am
#1490
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Charlotte NC USA
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, AA Exec Plat, Alaska 75k, IHG Diamond, Wyndham Diamond, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 863
No. As long as the two cards are on the same membership rewards profile, and you're either booking business/first or the airline selection attached to your Biz Plat profile, you'll get the 35%, regardless of which card you charge it on. Multiple data points have confirmed this (including a few of my own).
Nov 5, 2023, 11:50 am
#1491
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 779
No. As long as the two cards are on the same membership rewards profile, and you're either booking business/first or the airline selection attached to your Biz Plat profile, you'll get the 35%, regardless of which card you charge it on. Multiple data points have confirmed this (including a few of my own).
Nov 5, 2023, 12:35 pm
#1492
Join Date: Nov 2007
Programs: Marriott Bonvoy Platinum, Hilton Honors Diamond, Delta Gold
Posts: 4,351
You must choose one of the available cards from the drop down as your method of payment. If the additional employee card is not in your name it will definitely not show up. If it is, then it might, and then you can try and use it to see if the charge will go towards the spend for a bonus.
Nov 5, 2023, 3:05 pm
#1493
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 779
You must choose one of the available cards from the drop down as your method of payment. If the additional employee card is not in your name it will definitely not show up. If it is, then it might, and then you can try and use it to see if the charge will go towards the spend for a bonus.
I didn't know that we can only use our own Amex cards on Amex Travel.
Nov 30, 2023, 7:42 am
#1494
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 779
When I book a multi-city ticket (3 segments) from Amex Travel, Amex allows me to choose the first 2 segments on Korea Airlines, and the last segment on Delta (operated by Korean Airlines). If Delta is my selected airline, do I get any points back if I do PWP?
Also, if I book a one-way ticket that is marked as on multiple-airlines, do I get separate tickets for each airline? or a single ticket that linked the legs somehow?
And if my selected airline is one of the airlines, do I get any points back? Thanks.
Also, if I book a one-way ticket that is marked as on multiple-airlines, do I get separate tickets for each airline? or a single ticket that linked the legs somehow?
And if my selected airline is one of the airlines, do I get any points back? Thanks.
Last edited by asdfghjk; Nov 30, 2023 at 8:00 am
Jan 16, 2024, 9:18 pm
#1495
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,959
Moderator action
Discussion continues here: Pay-with-Points flights. BUSINESS Centurion 50% refund, Platinum 35% (2024)