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)
Aug 18, 2017, 6:24 am
#736
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: CLT
Programs: AA, UA, BA, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold, IHG Platinum
Posts: 2,074
Yep. I just got the rebate for a points redemption in July for which I used my personal Platinum. Also, I closed my personal Platinum between using it for redemption and the rebate posting, and rebate still posted without issue.
Aug 20, 2017, 8:14 am
#737
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 84
If I buy a Pay-with-Points ticket for my mum, who is not an AU for my card, will I still be able to get 50% points back?
Aug 21, 2017, 5:18 pm
#739
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: PHL
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, AA Gold, FB Gold, ITA Volare Executive
Posts: 3,294
I have read the wiki --- in particular the 2nd question and answer, which suggests the jury is still out -- and I have been reading the thread from June onward.
Am I correct that, post-devaluation, we really have no data points on whether charging to personal Amex Plat still gives rebate (assuming we also have Amex Business Plat)?
Edit and update: I posted this because earlier today I bought an Insiders Fares ticket via Amex Travel (website) and picked my personal card [without a heck of a lot of thought, and some vague recollections of some of the discussion upstream about the points advantages of personal versus Business]. Next [of course] I started to get cold feet, read this thread closely, blah, blah, blah. I must say that all of the Amex stuff I could find on-line suggested that any enrolled MR card would be good. Anyhow, I called Amex Travel, and they ahd the same reading of the regs as I did. Whoever I was talking to did kick it up to a supervisor, who said to call the MR people. I waited on hold -- eventually the Amex agent came back and said that she had been reassured that paying with points via a personal Plat card would trigger the rebate as well. Was the call recorded? I'm hoping so, because I made a careful note on my calendar of the time that I was reassured on this point by the agent.
Am I correct that, post-devaluation, we really have no data points on whether charging to personal Amex Plat still gives rebate (assuming we also have Amex Business Plat)?
Edit and update: I posted this because earlier today I bought an Insiders Fares ticket via Amex Travel (website) and picked my personal card [without a heck of a lot of thought, and some vague recollections of some of the discussion upstream about the points advantages of personal versus Business]. Next [of course] I started to get cold feet, read this thread closely, blah, blah, blah. I must say that all of the Amex stuff I could find on-line suggested that any enrolled MR card would be good. Anyhow, I called Amex Travel, and they ahd the same reading of the regs as I did. Whoever I was talking to did kick it up to a supervisor, who said to call the MR people. I waited on hold -- eventually the Amex agent came back and said that she had been reassured that paying with points via a personal Plat card would trigger the rebate as well. Was the call recorded? I'm hoping so, because I made a careful note on my calendar of the time that I was reassured on this point by the agent.
Paid with personal Platinum and now, 31 days later precisely, received the rebate.
Well, the 0.35 portion.
Aug 22, 2017, 4:15 am
#740
Suspended
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 860
I'm looking to buy a cheap QR fare that's ~$1500 when priced up on the QR website but comes up as ~$2600 on the AmEx Travel site (same dates/flights/codes).
Has anybody had any experience with AmEx being flexible with booking directly with the airline and then using points after the fact? I think I remember seeing a post to that effect but can't find it now.
As much as I would like to use points for the flights, "paying" an extra $1100 to do so is a bit difficult to swallow.
Has anybody had any experience with AmEx being flexible with booking directly with the airline and then using points after the fact? I think I remember seeing a post to that effect but can't find it now.
As much as I would like to use points for the flights, "paying" an extra $1100 to do so is a bit difficult to swallow.
Aug 22, 2017, 6:28 am
#741
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,958
Some airlines offer specific fares only on their own sites. Can you find the lower fare on Expedia or Priceline? If you can it's worth discussing.
Aug 22, 2017, 6:56 am
#742
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Columbia, SC
Programs: AA Plat, SPG/Marriot Gold, HHonors Diamond, Hyatt Expl
Posts: 2,363
I'm looking to buy a cheap QR fare that's ~$1500 when priced up on the QR website but comes up as ~$2600 on the AmEx Travel site (same dates/flights/codes).
Has anybody had any experience with AmEx being flexible with booking directly with the airline and then using points after the fact? I think I remember seeing a post to that effect but can't find it now.
As much as I would like to use points for the flights, "paying" an extra $1100 to do so is a bit difficult to swallow.
Has anybody had any experience with AmEx being flexible with booking directly with the airline and then using points after the fact? I think I remember seeing a post to that effect but can't find it now.
As much as I would like to use points for the flights, "paying" an extra $1100 to do so is a bit difficult to swallow.
Aug 22, 2017, 2:44 pm
#743
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 371
Did the 4x purchase points from the personal platinum post even after you cancel the card?
Aug 22, 2017, 7:32 pm
#744
Suspended
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 860
No, it only seems to be available direct with QR. Looking at Expedia/Priceline/ITA it all shows a high (albeit slightly lower than AmEx) price.
Aug 24, 2017, 12:32 pm
#745
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: CLT
Programs: AA, UA, BA, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold, IHG Platinum
Posts: 2,074
It's pending in my points summary because I just closed the card a few weeks ago (only a week or two after using the card to "pay" for the tickets). There hasn't been enough time for the points to post even if I had the card still open. I'm assuming they will post.
Aug 24, 2017, 12:44 pm
#746
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,958
Aug 24, 2017, 2:08 pm
#747
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 48
7.14.2017 Ticket purchased
8.11 2017 Annual fee posted
8.14.2017 35% points refunded
still waiting for the final 15% refund
8.11 2017 Annual fee posted
8.14.2017 35% points refunded
still waiting for the final 15% refund
Aug 24, 2017, 3:32 pm
#748
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Chicago, IL
Programs: AA Platinum, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 286
If your annual fee posted on 8/11, I do not see why or how you would still be eligible for the additional 15%.
You would have either A.) had to apply for the card prior to 5/31 (too which the annual fee would have already posted). or B.) already had it for 1-year and thus the 15% is no longer valid for you.
Aug 24, 2017, 3:37 pm
#749
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: PHL
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, AA Gold, FB Gold, ITA Volare Executive
Posts: 3,294
If your annual fee posted on 8/11, I do not see why or how you would still be eligible for the additional 15%.
You would have either A.) had to apply for the card prior to 5/31 (too which the annual fee would have already posted). or B.) already had it for 1-year and thus the 15% is no longer valid for you.
You would have either A.) had to apply for the card prior to 5/31 (too which the annual fee would have already posted). or B.) already had it for 1-year and thus the 15% is no longer valid for you.
Aug 28, 2017, 12:25 pm
#750
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 84
I got my Business Plat approved May 2017. So I get 50% for a year.
Does anyone know if 500k miles annual limit applies to my card for the first year or not? Thanks!
Does anyone know if 500k miles annual limit applies to my card for the first year or not? Thanks!