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)
May 18, 2019, 11:45 am
#1006
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: 42,169
1. a few days after ticketing you receive an automated emails "congratulations your purchase qualifies for a 35% rebate" - the rebate will post within a few weeks or less
2. no automated email - you need to call in and get it manually adjusted
Jun 8, 2019, 6:24 pm
#1008
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: ABQ & RNO
Programs: AA EXP 4MM, Piper Dakota, Admirals Club, Hyatt Glob, Hilton Gold, Wyndham Diamond
Posts: 1,421
It now seems to take 6-8 weeks for the 35% rebate to post according to my calls to CS and Chats. I've been waiting 5+ weeks now.
Jun 8, 2019, 6:30 pm
#1009
Join Date: Feb 2000
Posts: 6,540
i haven’t received one of these emails in over 6 months and maybe 10 tickets.
i’ve been calling for the rebate manually at about day 35.
Jun 21, 2019, 2:31 pm
#1010
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Clinging to the edifices of a decadent past from the biggest city in America nobody really cares about.
Programs: (ಠ_ಠ)
Posts: 9,077
Smiliar issue here too. About 1 of every 3 times I'll get the 35% rebate email for tickets purchased through AX. For these reservations the 4x TLS bonus posts automatically. For the other 2 of 3 times, it's a phone call.
Curious to know how long people are waiting (~35 days?) to call in before the CSRs will manually post the missing rebates.
ETA - appears to be 45 days.
Curious to know how long people are waiting (~35 days?) to call in before the CSRs will manually post the missing rebates.
ETA - appears to be 45 days.
Last edited by J.Edward; Jun 21, 2019 at 2:58 pm
Jun 21, 2019, 3:11 pm
#1011
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: SFO/SEA
Programs: Amex Biz Cent, Marriott LTP, Avis PC, Hilton Owners Diamond, AS MVP
Posts: 3,380
Smiliar issue here too. About 1 of every 3 times I'll get the 35% rebate email for tickets purchased through AX. For these reservations the 4x TLS bonus posts automatically. For the other 2 of 3 times, it's a phone call.
Curious to know how long people are waiting (~35 days?) to call in before the CSRs will manually post the missing rebates.
ETA - appears to be 45 days.
Curious to know how long people are waiting (~35 days?) to call in before the CSRs will manually post the missing rebates.
ETA - appears to be 45 days.
Jun 23, 2019, 5:24 am
#1012
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: USA
Programs: DL Platinum, AA Platinum, Hilton Diamond, SPG Plat
Posts: 69
I was told I had to wait until the next statement close (basically follow the same timing as MR posting from purchases since they are always pending for one statement cycle). So if I made my purchase prior to my May statement close, I would have to wait until after my June statement close for Amex to do anything about it. So depending on where you were in your statement cycle when the purchase was made, it could be anywhere between 30-60 days before customer service will do anything about it
Jun 23, 2019, 3:42 pm
#1013
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: New York City
Posts: 801
I have a Centurion Card which receives 50% credit on points used for payment. I have used this program frequently without issue, until last 60 days. Points would appear 3 - 4 days in my account after ticket issuance. AmEx call center now falls back on 10 week T&C language. Thought it was me but clearly an effort by AmEx to slow down enthusiasm for this program and lower their cost in a number of ways.
Jun 23, 2019, 9:08 pm
#1014
Join Date: Apr 2001
Posts: 1,223
I redeemed loads of tickets for MR points and always assumed that I got my 35% rebate. Looks like I shouldnt assume anything. Has anybody understood an easy way to track whether 35% rebates were done other than going back to the history and going through each ticket, etc?
Jul 15, 2019, 4:44 pm
#1015
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: SFO
Programs: OZ *G; HH Diamond;
Posts: 1,644
Customer Un-Service at its best.
Jul 15, 2019, 5:05 pm
#1016
Join Date: Feb 2000
Posts: 6,540
number on the card, phone prompt to Membership Rewards
Jul 15, 2019, 5:14 pm
#1017
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: SFO
Programs: OZ *G; HH Diamond;
Posts: 1,644
Aug 8, 2019, 2:36 pm
#1018
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: USA
Programs: DL Platinum, AA Platinum, Hilton Diamond, SPG Plat
Posts: 69
As it turned out, AmEx agent advised it was a genuine system error and in fairness to them, the 50% rebate is again posting within 48 hours as it historically did.
Aug 8, 2019, 2:47 pm
#1019
Join Date: Feb 2000
Posts: 6,540
does anymore still get the email confirming the 35% rebate is pending a day or two after ticketing?
i have not received one in a year or so, and dozens of J tickets.
i have not received one in a year or so, and dozens of J tickets.
Aug 8, 2019, 4:55 pm
#1020
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: 42,169