facehu

http://travelwithgrant.boardingarea....nti-transfers/

1000 reward ->800 BA Avios.

very bad

patrick.barnes

Hmmm... Is UR being devalued against Avios too?

uncommonsensical

the one thing that is predictable in this game is that if 1 airline/hotel tests the water, the others follow like sheep. thus, i fear this is only the beginning. a year from now i predict others will be below 1:1 with MR and also other currencies.

odd that it's BA leading though, as they are the airline known for outsized transfer bonuses. i've done 50% before. i've never done a tfr at 1:1- always wait for a bonus. sure i'm not alone there. so, 1.5 to .8 is quite the drop if they kill the bonuses too.

nall

Chase and BA just recently renewed their agreement, maybe this was forced by Chase?

yerffej201

Wonder if this is US AMEX only?

TMM1982

Wonder if AMEX is trying to clear out MR point hoarders?

wesheltonj

I think after 33 years of having an AMEX they have finally broken the camels back. I will not re-new next year.

mike2200

What's left that's above 1:1 except Hilton and maybe that will drop too

mia

The numerical transfer ratio is unimportant, only the value matters. 1000:1500 HH is already poor if compared to the HHonors credit cards issued by both American Express and Cit,i which earn 3 points per dollar for general spending, and more in bonus categories.

It is evident that BA is trying to undo the problem they created by flooding the USA market with Avois over the past half-dozen years. They started by lowering the Chase BA VISA base earning rate from 1.25 to 1.00 point per dollar. It will be interesting to see if this spreads to Chase Ultimate Rewards, Diners Club Rewards, HSBC Premier, and Starwood Preferred Guest. Some of these companies have a poor track record of announcing changes before they are effective.

red grenadine

At this point I have to seriously wonder why I keep paying for my Platinum Card. Amex is doing everything they can to get me to cancel the card

wesheltonj

They flooded the market with their own product the Chase BA card, not AMEX. I find it hard to believe that all the AMEX changes are being imposed on them by their vendors. I suspect AMEX just not want to pay the new going rate.

I also suspect that more folks are going to see there is little value left with AMEX or reason to have/use AMEX. Back in the pre-ATM days, pre-email, pre-cell phones, when they actually had offices everywhere and could walk in and cash a check or get an advance, they were useful, but now?

mia

I do not care if BA raised the price of Avois and Amex decided to buy fewer, or if BA imposed the new transfer ratio. The reality is that BA has partnered with nearly every mileage transfer program in the USA, and it has become more difficult to find award seats.

• American Express Membership Rewards
• Bank of America Merrill+
• Chase BA VISA
• Chase Ultimate Rewards
• Diners Club Rewards
• HSBC Premier
• Starwood Preferred Guest

I have cards tied to all of these programs, and in some BAEC is the only partner of current interest. I suppose I should transfer now rather than wait for the additional shoes to drop.

NYCRuss

That's my guess. Especially with the Chase BA card dropping Avios awarded on everyday purchases from 1.25 Avios per dollar to 1.

TravelStar

I believe this is just the latest ploy by Executive Club to continue cash flow coming into it's ever-devaluing currency.

They see MR as cash coming in and by making it appear that they are increasing the value of Avios and get yet another surge of cash from MR members thinking they'd better transfer now before "the next shoe drops". Plus with this latest surge they'll be pulling it in at a much better exchange rate (for them).

My guess is after October they'll soon run another bonus to keep the MR cash flowing. It's in effect, the usual Ponzi scheme run by Private Equity.

nestafaria

Final straw for me. First time in 15 years I won't have a gold or platinum card.