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 29, 2016, 12:41 pm
#91
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,954
You can use Pay with Points for International Airline Program purchases (see below). I do not find any terms which exclude IAP purchases from the 50% refund. You would need a hefty Membership Rewards balance for this to work. An $8,000 purchase means 800,000 points.
This page http://iap.americanexpress.com/ says: Use Membership Rewards® Pay with Points to pay for all or part of your airfare.
Footnote
Membership Rewards Pay with Points: To use Pay with Points, you must charge your eligible purchase through American Express Travel to a Membership Rewards® program-enrolled American Express® Card. Eligible purchases exclude car reservations, non-prepaid hotels, and FINE HOTELS & RESORTS bookings. Points will be debited from your Membership Rewards account, and credit for corresponding dollar amount will be issued to the American Express Card account used. If points redeemed do not cover entire amount, the balance of purchase price will remain on the American Express Card account. Minimum redemption 5,000 points. See membershiprewards.com/terms for the Membership Rewards program terms and conditions.
Membership Rewards Pay with Points: To use Pay with Points, you must charge your eligible purchase through American Express Travel to a Membership Rewards® program-enrolled American Express® Card. Eligible purchases exclude car reservations, non-prepaid hotels, and FINE HOTELS & RESORTS bookings. Points will be debited from your Membership Rewards account, and credit for corresponding dollar amount will be issued to the American Express Card account used. If points redeemed do not cover entire amount, the balance of purchase price will remain on the American Express Card account. Minimum redemption 5,000 points. See membershiprewards.com/terms for the Membership Rewards program terms and conditions.
Last edited by mia; Oct 29, 2016 at 12:56 pm
Oct 29, 2016, 9:45 pm
#92
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 225
You would need a hefty Membership Rewards balance for this to work. An $8,000 purchase means 800,000 points.
This page http://iap.americanexpress.com/ says: Use Membership Rewards® Pay with Points to pay for all or part of your airfare.
This page http://iap.americanexpress.com/ says: Use Membership Rewards® Pay with Points to pay for all or part of your airfare.
I don't believe your statement is correct. It appears you could make the $8,000 purchase with fewer than 800,000 points; you would just have to pay the balance. But maybe I am not reading this correctly. Cheers.
Oct 29, 2016, 10:08 pm
#93
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,954
Oct 30, 2016, 7:25 am
#94
Join Date: Feb 2015
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 957
Thanks all. I own both personal and business platinum for my own small business. This feature may work out for me....most of my leisure travel is to EU, and based on last year's pricing it would cost me a little less than 250,000 for two J class tix under this scenario (with some really nice mileage bonuses from the airlines). I have over 1M Amex points currently.
Oct 30, 2016, 7:49 am
#95
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,954
Oct 30, 2016, 8:04 am
#96
Join Date: Feb 2015
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 957
That's one business class seat. Purchase at the full price using points, get the companion ticket for free, and then apply the 50% discount to arrive at 250,000 points.
Oct 30, 2016, 5:25 pm
#98
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 530
sucks that 50% thing is only valid for selected airline. And somehow some flights just don't show up in their portal but get picked up by others like UR, TYP, Flex, etc.
Oct 30, 2016, 5:34 pm
#99
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,954
Are all airlines available on the American Express Travel Online site?
American Express Travel Online offers the majority of domestic and international airlines. There are some airlines, however, that are not offered on the site. While we cannot book these airlines for you, we have solutions for how you can redeem points for these airlines if you choose.
To redeem your Membership Reward points for Southwest Airline tickets, simply book your ticket directly with Southwest Airlines and then redeem your points after the charge posts via Your Charges online at: membershiprewards.com/yourcharges or through the American Express App on your mobile device (iPhone and Android platforms only). You have the ability to schedule a point redemption for eligible pending charges through the American Express Mobile App. You must have enough Membership Rewards® points to cover the entire cost of the charge with Your Charges.
If you are looking for any other airline and it is not shown in your search results on the website, please call American Express Travel Online at 1-800-297-2977 .
American Express Travel Online offers the majority of domestic and international airlines. There are some airlines, however, that are not offered on the site. While we cannot book these airlines for you, we have solutions for how you can redeem points for these airlines if you choose.
To redeem your Membership Reward points for Southwest Airline tickets, simply book your ticket directly with Southwest Airlines and then redeem your points after the charge posts via Your Charges online at: membershiprewards.com/yourcharges or through the American Express App on your mobile device (iPhone and Android platforms only). You have the ability to schedule a point redemption for eligible pending charges through the American Express Mobile App. You must have enough Membership Rewards® points to cover the entire cost of the charge with Your Charges.
If you are looking for any other airline and it is not shown in your search results on the website, please call American Express Travel Online at 1-800-297-2977 .
Last edited by mia; Oct 30, 2016 at 5:40 pm
Oct 31, 2016, 11:13 am
#100
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 38
Regarding the 50% rebate, do you see the credit mentioned anywhere during the checkout process? I'm trying to book a Delta (my preferred airline) economy ticket on amextravel.com with pay by points but I don't see it. Just want to make sure I will get the rebate before I commit. Thanks.
Oct 31, 2016, 11:58 am
#101
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: TPA/DFW/K15
Programs: AA EXP, Mar AMB, HH LT DIA
Posts: 1,652
I'd be interested to know where you obtained a companion ticket that's not restricted to economy? I'm managing 18 different cards (all don't have fees so I'm not a complete idiot), and am wondering if I might be missing a benefit on one of those cards.
TIA
Oct 31, 2016, 12:00 pm
#102
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,954
Oct 31, 2016, 12:31 pm
#103
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Columbia, SC
Programs: AA Plat, SPG/Marriot Gold, HHonors Diamond, Hyatt Expl
Posts: 2,363
Regarding the 50% rebate, do you see the credit mentioned anywhere during the checkout process? I'm trying to book a Delta (my preferred airline) economy ticket on amextravel.com with pay by points but I don't see it. Just want to make sure I will get the rebate before I commit. Thanks.
Oct 31, 2016, 12:33 pm
#104
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: DCA
Posts: 818
Regarding the 50% rebate, do you see the credit mentioned anywhere during the checkout process? I'm trying to book a Delta (my preferred airline) economy ticket on amextravel.com with pay by points but I don't see it. Just want to make sure I will get the rebate before I commit. Thanks.
Oct 31, 2016, 3:10 pm
#105
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Dallas, TX
Programs: WN A-List Pref, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold, IHG Plat
Posts: 460