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)
Feb 26, 2022, 3:04 am
#1126
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: PHL
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, AA Gold, FB Gold, ITA Volare Executive
Posts: 3,294
I am currently registered with UA as my preferred airline.
I want to buy a Business Class ticket rt PHL-HNL, using pay with points. When I go into Amex Travel and try to book a flight, in Business Class, it shows me only flights on UA and, for some reason, Alaska. Nothing on AA or DL. The fares shown are Insider Fares. I can't seem to broaden the choices, whereas in the past many more airlines would show up. What am I not doing -- what am I not understanding?
I want to buy a Business Class ticket rt PHL-HNL, using pay with points. When I go into Amex Travel and try to book a flight, in Business Class, it shows me only flights on UA and, for some reason, Alaska. Nothing on AA or DL. The fares shown are Insider Fares. I can't seem to broaden the choices, whereas in the past many more airlines would show up. What am I not doing -- what am I not understanding?
Feb 26, 2022, 6:40 am
#1127
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,954
Feb 26, 2022, 6:51 am
#1128
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: PHL
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, AA Gold, FB Gold, ITA Volare Executive
Posts: 3,294
Mar 7, 2022, 11:22 am
#1129
Join Date: Feb 2015
Programs: Delta DM
Posts: 552
After unsuccessfully trying to create a new login, I called Amex Travel. They told me that as long as I book with MR points, I would get back 35% on the airlines that I chose for each of the business Platinum cards I have. As I have Delta on two of them and UA on the third, she told me I'd get back 35% if I book either one of those airlines.
Edit: The dropdown menu comes up where you can choose which credit card to apply after you apply the points.
Edit: The dropdown menu comes up where you can choose which credit card to apply after you apply the points.
Last edited by golfr; Mar 7, 2022 at 11:31 am
Mar 7, 2022, 11:47 am
#1130
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,954
Mar 15, 2022, 12:44 pm
#1132
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AA EXP, IHG Diamond, IC Amb
Posts: 5,510
My Hawaiian Airline first-class tickets haven't posted the 35% rebate after 32 days. I called the membership reward number and the agent said I needed to wait 10 full weeks before she can open an investigation with the back office. Does anyone know if they ever have to wait 10 full weeks or should I try with a different agent to see if this can be pushed earlier?
Mar 29, 2022, 1:17 pm
#1134
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,224
Do you need to wait 24 hours after selecting airline (like you do with the Incidental?) Or can I select and book via AMEXTravel right away? TIA
::: Well I booked, will report back if I have trouble getting the refund
Another unrelated question - I'm assuming this spend via AMEXTravel (that is refunded via MR credit) will count against a min-spend sign-up bonus, correct?
Thanks!
::: Well I booked, will report back if I have trouble getting the refund
Another unrelated question - I'm assuming this spend via AMEXTravel (that is refunded via MR credit) will count against a min-spend sign-up bonus, correct?
Thanks!
Last edited by lax01; Mar 29, 2022 at 8:26 pm
Mar 31, 2022, 3:09 pm
#1135
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: PHL
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, AA Gold, FB Gold, ITA Volare Executive
Posts: 3,294
Do you need to wait 24 hours after selecting airline (like you do with the Incidental?) Or can I select and book via AMEXTravel right away? TIA
::: Well I booked, will report back if I have trouble getting the refund
Another unrelated question - I'm assuming this spend via AMEXTravel (that is refunded via MR credit) will count against a min-spend sign-up bonus, correct?
Thanks!
::: Well I booked, will report back if I have trouble getting the refund
Another unrelated question - I'm assuming this spend via AMEXTravel (that is refunded via MR credit) will count against a min-spend sign-up bonus, correct?
Thanks!
As for the spend, my first reaction is that since the cash amount is being wiped off by points, it is going to net out as a zero purchase, hence no credit to spend. But see what others think.
Mar 31, 2022, 4:56 pm
#1136
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,224
Used chat to ask today - they say it doesn't count. Womp - would have used Biz Platinum (am trying to hit min spend for SUB on Biz Gold) and got 35% points back (DOH)
Mar 31, 2022, 5:32 pm
#1137
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,954
I am skeptical. Pay with Points is using points rather than money to make a payment on your account. A payment does not erase the spend. I have no direct experience using Pay with Points during the bonus period, but airline ticket purchases are included in the YTD New Charges total on my account.
(On the other hand, American Express' system is set to not award points on PwP purchases, which implies the technical capability to exclude the spend from bonus calculations.)
(On the other hand, American Express' system is set to not award points on PwP purchases, which implies the technical capability to exclude the spend from bonus calculations.)
Last edited by mia; Mar 31, 2022 at 5:38 pm
Apr 1, 2022, 7:39 pm
#1138
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,224
I am skeptical. Pay with Points is using points rather than money to make a payment on your account. A payment does not erase the spend. I have no direct experience using Pay with Points during the bonus period, but airline ticket purchases are included in the YTD New Charges total on my account.
(On the other hand, American Express' system is set to not award points on PwP purchases, which implies the technical capability to exclude the spend from bonus calculations.)
(On the other hand, American Express' system is set to not award points on PwP purchases, which implies the technical capability to exclude the spend from bonus calculations.)
Apr 3, 2022, 1:44 pm
#1139
Join Date: Nov 2007
Programs: Marriott Bonvoy Platinum, Hilton Honors Diamond, Delta Gold
Posts: 4,347
I wonder how/why PYP differs from the airline fee credit which I know does get included toward min spend for SUB.
Apr 5, 2022, 9:52 am
#1140
Join Date: Jun 2021
Posts: 78
Recently ended up having to cancel some spring break flights booked about 7 months ago. Booked AA main cabin flexible on Amex Travel portal using my MRP and getting 35% points rebate from Biz Plat card after about ~4-5 weeks. Called Plat CS line two weeks ago to have them cancel it for me, and ensure cash refund to CC rather than flight credit. From cancellation call until the flights were refunded in cash to my original method of payment (biz plat) took approx 10 days.
Should I expect Amex at some point to review this, charge my CC to offset the refund I received from AA, and re-issue my points? Saw a bunch of discussion about this happening automatically to others upthread (post #1042) back in 2020. Is this still happening? Frankly, I'd rather it not, because I recently opted to buy a cash fare outright (instead of using my points again) as I had a negative balance on my card from those AA refunds...which means if Amex decides to reverse the AA refund, I'll now be staring at a large bill that I would have avoided in the first place by just using my points instead of cash!
Curious to hear about any recent DPs.
Should I expect Amex at some point to review this, charge my CC to offset the refund I received from AA, and re-issue my points? Saw a bunch of discussion about this happening automatically to others upthread (post #1042) back in 2020. Is this still happening? Frankly, I'd rather it not, because I recently opted to buy a cash fare outright (instead of using my points again) as I had a negative balance on my card from those AA refunds...which means if Amex decides to reverse the AA refund, I'll now be staring at a large bill that I would have avoided in the first place by just using my points instead of cash!
Curious to hear about any recent DPs.