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 12, 2019, 4:34 pm
#976
Join Date: Feb 2000
Posts: 6,545
my last AS insider fare very recently knocked a $274 AS F DAL-LAX fare down to $254 when paid in full with points
Feb 13, 2019, 10:53 am
#977
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Bergen County NJ
Programs: AA EXP, UA1K B6 Mosaic 1, Amtrak Select, Marriott Plat , AMEX Plat (noted for club access reference)
Posts: 784
The newest concern for me is with the 35% rebate turnaround time. Initially, it was very quick. Then it increased to 31-32 days. Now data points are starting to show up thread of 6 to 10 weeks delays. I haven't yet decided if this would represent a deal breaker for this card for me. Even though, technically, each point would still be worth $1/65, it would introduce airline ticket volatility as a potential neutralizer to this benefit—especially for people who need to book multiple fares on the same flight. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that 32 days delay is still valid.
I'm still waiting on a 60,000 point rebate from September....
Feb 22, 2019, 11:30 pm
#979
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Bergen County NJ
Programs: AA EXP, UA1K B6 Mosaic 1, Amtrak Select, Marriott Plat , AMEX Plat (noted for club access reference)
Posts: 784
Yes, still waiting on it.. Followed up today... When I made this redemption it was over the phone since the J fare couldn't be redeemed on the online portal so I had to do it manually over the phone with rep(fee waived of course since it was showing on google flights). It was an Avianca redemption so who knows if maybe the system didn't trigger it for some reason. But it was a substantial amount of points to the tune of crediting back 100K.
Feb 25, 2019, 2:23 pm
#981
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Dreamland
Posts: 927
Adding a DP - 35% rebate 31 calendar days (Biz on AA booked online).
Feb 25, 2019, 10:38 pm
#982
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Bergen County NJ
Programs: AA EXP, UA1K B6 Mosaic 1, Amtrak Select, Marriott Plat , AMEX Plat (noted for club access reference)
Posts: 784
If you can't book it via their online portal and it's showing on google flights I've always been able to get them to waive the fee. (that's why I said of course) probably have done this 4-5 times in the past 2 years so of course YMMV.
Mar 2, 2019, 12:27 pm
#984
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Queens, NY
Programs: AA, Delta, United
Posts: 17
I guess I shouldn't be worried if I booked with PWP on Feb 25 then. I got the confirmation email saying my flight booked earns 35% back but didn't mention anything about how long. I guess I'll wait it out for 30 days before I start making some noise
Mar 3, 2019, 9:36 pm
#986
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: ROC
Programs: Anything CC gives me
Posts: 1,118
If I've got an itinerary with 4 segments, 3 out of 4 segments are DL-marketed and operated, and 1 segment (first of return) being Aeromexico-marketed but DL-operated, how would that play out with the 35% rebate? Since it's likely going to be ticketed by DL I should be ok getting the full 35% on the whole ticket?
There is another identical itinerary that is all DL-marketed, but that one costs a few hundreds more.
TIA
There is another identical itinerary that is all DL-marketed, but that one costs a few hundreds more.
TIA
Mar 6, 2019, 1:50 pm
#987
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 63
Data Point - I have a Biz Plat and Gold Personal. Both tied to the same MR account. Made a purchase with my (Biz Plat) selected airline using the Personal Gold card and still received the 35% rebate. I've done this twice in 2019.
It seems Q2/A2 in the wiki is incorrect about this.
It seems Q2/A2 in the wiki is incorrect about this.
Mar 17, 2019, 12:55 pm
#988
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,224
Tried to find the answer in this thread but didn't - how does this work with the BGR as you can't select an airline...is it 25% rebate ONLY on Biz/First airfare with any airline? Is this perk advertised anywhere on AMEX or AMEX Travel's website? I can't seem to find anything official
Mar 17, 2019, 2:36 pm
#989
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 81
I don't know if the BGR was converted to the Business Gold, but if it was, you'll have to select an airline. From the Biz Gold Benefit Terms…
"Card Member must select a qualifying airline at https://global.americanexpress.com/c.../business-gold. "
Incidentally, the annual fee difference between the Biz Plat and the Biz Gold is $300. If you are primarily going to use MR points to pay-with-points, it takes 146,250 points to break even with the 35% points back of the Plat compared to the 25% for Gold. That doesn't take into consideration the $200 air travel credit and the 2x $100 Dell credits available to Plat members. I had considered downgrading to Biz Gold but elected to stick with the Biz Plat for this reason. Of course, if that 4x points of the Biz Gold hits a spend sweet spot, then that would have to be factored in as well.
"Card Member must select a qualifying airline at https://global.americanexpress.com/c.../business-gold. "
Incidentally, the annual fee difference between the Biz Plat and the Biz Gold is $300. If you are primarily going to use MR points to pay-with-points, it takes 146,250 points to break even with the 35% points back of the Plat compared to the 25% for Gold. That doesn't take into consideration the $200 air travel credit and the 2x $100 Dell credits available to Plat members. I had considered downgrading to Biz Gold but elected to stick with the Biz Plat for this reason. Of course, if that 4x points of the Biz Gold hits a spend sweet spot, then that would have to be factored in as well.
Mar 17, 2019, 5:43 pm
#990
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,224
I don't know if the BGR was converted to the Business Gold, but if it was, you'll have to select an airline. From the Biz Gold Benefit Terms…
"Card Member must select a qualifying airline at https://global.americanexpress.com/c.../business-gold. "
Incidentally, the annual fee difference between the Biz Plat and the Biz Gold is $300. If you are primarily going to use MR points to pay-with-points, it takes 146,250 points to break even with the 35% points back of the Plat compared to the 25% for Gold. That doesn't take into consideration the $200 air travel credit and the 2x $100 Dell credits available to Plat members. I had considered downgrading to Biz Gold but elected to stick with the Biz Plat for this reason. Of course, if that 4x points of the Biz Gold hits a spend sweet spot, then that would have to be factored in as well.
"Card Member must select a qualifying airline at https://global.americanexpress.com/c.../business-gold. "
Incidentally, the annual fee difference between the Biz Plat and the Biz Gold is $300. If you are primarily going to use MR points to pay-with-points, it takes 146,250 points to break even with the 35% points back of the Plat compared to the 25% for Gold. That doesn't take into consideration the $200 air travel credit and the 2x $100 Dell credits available to Plat members. I had considered downgrading to Biz Gold but elected to stick with the Biz Plat for this reason. Of course, if that 4x points of the Biz Gold hits a spend sweet spot, then that would have to be factored in as well.