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)
Mar 21, 2021, 9:27 am
#1066
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: ORD/MDW
Programs: AA EXP, DL-Plat, WN-CP | Hotels: Choice-Gld, IHG-Plt, Rad-Gld, HH-Dia, Hyatt-Glob, Marriott-LtPlt
Posts: 2,889
I'm sure others have more legitimate reasons; but, for me, the reason is that I didn't have the Bus Plat card with me when I wanted to book (because 1 seat left at fare and I've seen it rise $500 over the past week). I did have the Personal Plat and the last step requires the 4-digit CVV.
Mar 25, 2021, 7:42 pm
#1067
Join Date: May 2008
Location: PHL (kinda, no airport is really close)
Programs: AA Exp, but not sure for how long. Enterprise Platinum woo-hoo!
Posts: 4,550
What I'm about to suggest is outright manipulation, but would it work?
Say you have 100K MR points and want to buy a $1000 ticket. You buy the ticket using points, then cancel the ticket within 24 hours. Your Plat card is charged $1K and then they redeem 100K points and credit your card $1K. However, you get 35K points back. In effect, you have cashed in 65K points for $1000.
I think I did this accidentally a few years ago. Recently I bought a ticket using points, but cancelled it about a week later because of a major schedule change. I recently bought a ticket on an airline and cancelled it 10 minutes later because I realized I had bought it for the wrong date. So cancellations happen all the time.
I won't get into all the reasons why it would be desirable to do this, they are mostly obvious. I've noticed some flights that offer slight discounts (like 5%) for "Pay With Points" but usually they have the same cash price. Like a ticket that was available on the airline site for $370 was on Amex Travel for $340 or 34K points.
I have a Biz Plat card, if that matters.
Say you have 100K MR points and want to buy a $1000 ticket. You buy the ticket using points, then cancel the ticket within 24 hours. Your Plat card is charged $1K and then they redeem 100K points and credit your card $1K. However, you get 35K points back. In effect, you have cashed in 65K points for $1000.
I think I did this accidentally a few years ago. Recently I bought a ticket using points, but cancelled it about a week later because of a major schedule change. I recently bought a ticket on an airline and cancelled it 10 minutes later because I realized I had bought it for the wrong date. So cancellations happen all the time.
I won't get into all the reasons why it would be desirable to do this, they are mostly obvious. I've noticed some flights that offer slight discounts (like 5%) for "Pay With Points" but usually they have the same cash price. Like a ticket that was available on the airline site for $370 was on Amex Travel for $340 or 34K points.
I have a Biz Plat card, if that matters.
Apr 2, 2021, 10:31 am
#1069
Join Date: Jan 2021
Posts: 10
My AF on Business Plat is set to hit my account in early April and, therefore, I'll need to cancel no later than early May to avoid another year's AF. I am considering using pay w/ points for the 35% rebate on a flight; however, I know the rebate can take up to 6-10 weeks to post. I assume if that rebate has not posted by the 30-day mark to get my AF refunded, I am forfeiting the rebate? Does anyone have any experience with this and whether the rebate will still post if the Business Plat card is closed prior to it posting?
Apr 2, 2021, 5:14 pm
#1070
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: ORD/MDW
Programs: AA EXP, DL-Plat, WN-CP | Hotels: Choice-Gld, IHG-Plt, Rad-Gld, HH-Dia, Hyatt-Glob, Marriott-LtPlt
Posts: 2,889
update: I used a personal Platinum associated with the same MR account and received the email from Amex confirming an eligible booking for 35% rebate purposes.
Apr 2, 2021, 7:03 pm
#1071
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 4,477
I was in the same situation a couple years ago, and asked an agent. She promised that only the point earning required the card to be open. And indeed the rebate posted as promised after the card was already closed.
Apr 2, 2021, 8:03 pm
#1072
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,954
Apr 14, 2021, 7:43 pm
#1074
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Southern California
Programs: Alaska MVP 75K, Delta Plat, Bonvoy Ambasador, Hilton diamond.
Posts: 527
Is the % back tied to the "best" rebate card you have regardless of what amex card you used to initially charge the flight on? Another words, as a centurion card holder would you receive 50% points back if using a personal platinum (separate account) to initially pay for the flight (so I can earn 5x on the airfare) before I use the "pay with points feature"?
Apr 24, 2021, 11:38 pm
#1075
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: San Francisco, CA
Programs: AA Exec Plat, Hyatt LT Global Elitist, Bonvyoed LT Titanium, Hilton Gold, UA Silver
Posts: 479
How long after booking did you receive this email confirmation? Was it the same as the ticket confirmation or a separate notice?
Apr 25, 2021, 9:15 am
#1076
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: San Francisco, CA
Programs: AA Exec Plat, Hyatt LT Global Elitist, Bonvyoed LT Titanium, Hilton Gold, UA Silver
Posts: 479
I'll answer my own question. It was a separate e-mail, which came about 12 hours after the flight confirmation. For a data point, I did a Pay-with-Points and Cash split, with the cash portion on my Amex Personal Plat (b/c I wanted to use my $200 Travel Credit), and it says my flight is eligible for the 35% rebate.
Apr 26, 2021, 10:28 pm
#1077
Join Date: Sep 2002
Posts: 385
Did you get 5x on the cash portion?
I booked a trip through AMEX travel and used PwP for roughly half of it. I'm not seeing 5x on the cash portion.
I booked a trip through AMEX travel and used PwP for roughly half of it. I'm not seeing 5x on the cash portion.
Jun 9, 2021, 5:44 pm
#1078
Join Date: Feb 2021
Posts: 37
Multi-segment rebate
delete
Last edited by no1speciallll; Jan 18, 2022 at 2:09 pm
Jun 9, 2021, 8:56 pm
#1079
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: LAX/TPE
Programs: United 1K, JAL Sapphire, SPG Lifetime Platinum, National Executive Elite, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 42,199
I have this same question.
United is my selected airline on my Business Platinum.
Let’s say my itinerary has two segments, one operated by United and one operated by Aegean Airlines. If I book my trip via Amex travel Pay With Points, is my entire trip eligible for the 35% rebate or only part?
United is my selected airline on my Business Platinum.
Let’s say my itinerary has two segments, one operated by United and one operated by Aegean Airlines. If I book my trip via Amex travel Pay With Points, is my entire trip eligible for the 35% rebate or only part?
Sep 28, 2021, 11:39 am
#1080
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: PHL
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, AA Gold, FB Gold, ITA Volare Executive
Posts: 3,294
Who governs rules on changed or cancelled tickets?
First of all, to be clear, I am not talking about any of the potential tricks or whatever discussed at some point above.
I am interested in what happens if I book a flight through Amex Travel, and then need to cancel it and/or change it. In these Covid times, different airlines have different rules for award tickets. But these are essentially cash tickets as they would be if booked through the airlines. But whereas the airlines are starting to just keep the money and let you use the ticket as a no-change-fee credit moving forward, the Amex Travel website talks about giving a refund. I'm -- obviously -- confused. I guess my key questions here are:
1. If I think there is a real (35%, 50%) chance I won't be able to fly the flights, do I risk more by booking through Amex Travel rather than loaning the airline the money until I do need a ticket at at least that cost?
2. If I do book through Amex Travel, does any of the answer to my ill-posed question depend on which airline I am flying (plan to buy a J ticket, so I am not restricted to my Amex-specific airline).
I am interested in what happens if I book a flight through Amex Travel, and then need to cancel it and/or change it. In these Covid times, different airlines have different rules for award tickets. But these are essentially cash tickets as they would be if booked through the airlines. But whereas the airlines are starting to just keep the money and let you use the ticket as a no-change-fee credit moving forward, the Amex Travel website talks about giving a refund. I'm -- obviously -- confused. I guess my key questions here are:
1. If I think there is a real (35%, 50%) chance I won't be able to fly the flights, do I risk more by booking through Amex Travel rather than loaning the airline the money until I do need a ticket at at least that cost?
2. If I do book through Amex Travel, does any of the answer to my ill-posed question depend on which airline I am flying (plan to buy a J ticket, so I am not restricted to my Amex-specific airline).