Chase has stopped transfers to Korean Air [now back]
Dec 11, 2014, 10:38 pm
#61
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 466
I am also disappointed but still want to redeem using Singapore.
Dec 11, 2014, 11:04 pm
#62
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Benicia, California, USA
Programs: AA PLT,AS,UA PP,J6,FB,EY,LH,SQ,HH Dmd,Hyatt Glbl,Marriott Plat,IHG Plat,Accor Gold
Posts: 10,820
Yes, it's good that Singapore remains an option...for now at least. But this suspension of the Korean partnership comes at a time when there are more and more highly competitive cc programs, such as Amex Membership Rewards, Starwood points and, most recently, Citi Thank You points....all of which you can use for transferring points to Singapore, by the way, as well as for about three dozen other airlines between them. Without knowing whose fault this is, the temporary (???) suspension puts Chase's relatively weak airline points transfer options on even thinner ice.
Dec 12, 2014, 9:35 am
#64
Join Date: Aug 2012
Programs: HH Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Gold, Club Carlson Gold, National EE, *G
Posts: 470
Yes, it's good that Singapore remains an option...for now at least. But this suspension of the Korean partnership comes at a time when there are more and more highly competitive cc programs, such as Amex Membership Rewards, Starwood points and, most recently, Citi Thank You points....all of which you can use for transferring points to Singapore, by the way, as well as for about three dozen other airlines between them. Without knowing whose fault this is, the temporary (???) suspension puts Chase's relatively weak airline points transfer options on even thinner ice.
Dec 12, 2014, 11:12 am
#65
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Benicia, California, USA
Programs: AA PLT,AS,UA PP,J6,FB,EY,LH,SQ,HH Dmd,Hyatt Glbl,Marriott Plat,IHG Plat,Accor Gold
Posts: 10,820
But you can always demand that they return to the gate and have the offending FA removed from the flight. 
Good point. I'd give them a pass on this if this were a very short-term issue, but it's pushing the limits of that into misleading advertising at this point. We know better, but some people may be signing up for the UR-linked cards in anticipation of the KE partnership being a benefit when it in fact is not now and for the indefinite future.
Dec 13, 2014, 3:16 am
#67
Join Date: May 2002
Location: NY
Programs: AA plat; SPG Gold; club 5c
Posts: 234
I always thought starwood amex was the better option with the narrow exception being for 2x category spend, foreign currency purchases or if one specifically needed ke or hyatt xfers
Last edited by DrGiggles; Dec 13, 2014 at 3:29 am
Dec 13, 2014, 4:03 am
#68
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 466
does starwood amex have foreign transaction fee?
for my personal use, KE would definitely be a good partner airline to have.
except for chase, there aren't that many good credit cards to use with KE other than US Banks (a rather inferior program in many ways).
Dec 13, 2014, 11:49 am
#70
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: TUS
Posts: 38
interesting.
does starwood amex have foreign transaction fee?
for my personal use, KE would definitely be a good partner airline to have.
except for chase, there aren't that many good credit cards to use with KE other than US Banks (a rather inferior program in many ways).
does starwood amex have foreign transaction fee?
for my personal use, KE would definitely be a good partner airline to have.
except for chase, there aren't that many good credit cards to use with KE other than US Banks (a rather inferior program in many ways).
Dec 13, 2014, 4:38 pm
#73
Join Date: Nov 2006
Programs: AAdvantage, Skymiles, Priority Club, HHonors
Posts: 265
KE transfers were a big reason for me for getting a Chas Ink card for my business purchases because of the difficulty finding F/J award space on other TPAC carriers. The 5X at Staples is a nice bonus, but I'm not that into manufactured spend, so that perk isn't all that valuable to me.
There's been a lot of talk on here that KE is coming back, but it's based on really thin info. Chase is pretty much silent on the issue. It's been three weeks now, and not back on. The one KE statement that this is a technical website issue isn't holding a lot of water, given that it's been 3 weeks. Yes, Korean is very tight on only member/immediate family redemptions, and UR wasn't that tight on the transfer side. But that doesn't seem like it would be a huge technical obstacle to only permit transfers into a member's own Skypass account, with a name match.
A statement from Chase/UR would be welcome, but nothing. I'm not optimistic that KE is coming back. KE is an interesting airline from an award standpoint. They're VERY liberal with award inventory, but really tight in ways to acquire points to cash in to get it. With KE, you can't even buy miles directly to top off to get an award. I know, because I currently have an F ticket to north Asia with KE that I cashed in 80K UR for (before the shutdown). I want to change my itinerary to include SE Asia, which requires 95K Skypass miles. With Chase transfers down, I can't transfer the add'l 15K points, and from talking with Skypass, there's no way to buy them. So I'm hoping against hope that the KE/UR partnership comes back online. But I'm not holding my breath.
Personally, right now I don't see a big reason to keep my Chase Ink beyond its next annual renewal. Sure, there's no foreign transaction fee, but I have other cards with no fee. True, My AMEX MR Business Gold has a higher annual fee, but Membership Rewards points have a lot more transfer options, and I can get Avios and Singapore there as well. The only unique UR option is MileagePlus, but I've pretty much ditched MP because of the higher award redemption rates. I also stopped flying UA (which was my go to program) over the last year because of too many bad experiences domestic. So UR is dropping in appeal big time as a place to spend and bank points.
There's been a lot of talk on here that KE is coming back, but it's based on really thin info. Chase is pretty much silent on the issue. It's been three weeks now, and not back on. The one KE statement that this is a technical website issue isn't holding a lot of water, given that it's been 3 weeks. Yes, Korean is very tight on only member/immediate family redemptions, and UR wasn't that tight on the transfer side. But that doesn't seem like it would be a huge technical obstacle to only permit transfers into a member's own Skypass account, with a name match.
A statement from Chase/UR would be welcome, but nothing. I'm not optimistic that KE is coming back. KE is an interesting airline from an award standpoint. They're VERY liberal with award inventory, but really tight in ways to acquire points to cash in to get it. With KE, you can't even buy miles directly to top off to get an award. I know, because I currently have an F ticket to north Asia with KE that I cashed in 80K UR for (before the shutdown). I want to change my itinerary to include SE Asia, which requires 95K Skypass miles. With Chase transfers down, I can't transfer the add'l 15K points, and from talking with Skypass, there's no way to buy them. So I'm hoping against hope that the KE/UR partnership comes back online. But I'm not holding my breath.
Personally, right now I don't see a big reason to keep my Chase Ink beyond its next annual renewal. Sure, there's no foreign transaction fee, but I have other cards with no fee. True, My AMEX MR Business Gold has a higher annual fee, but Membership Rewards points have a lot more transfer options, and I can get Avios and Singapore there as well. The only unique UR option is MileagePlus, but I've pretty much ditched MP because of the higher award redemption rates. I also stopped flying UA (which was my go to program) over the last year because of too many bad experiences domestic. So UR is dropping in appeal big time as a place to spend and bank points.
Last edited by rgdave; Dec 13, 2014 at 4:50 pm
Dec 14, 2014, 7:51 am
#74
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 99
Just to update on my situation (OP)... After much complaining and contacting everyone at Chase I could think of, I got a response from the executive office and they put the transfer through.
So, it can be done, but doesn't necessarily mean it's coming back as an option.
So, it can be done, but doesn't necessarily mean it's coming back as an option.
Dec 14, 2014, 8:05 am
#75
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: BWI
Posts: 1,782
This entire situation makes you think that Chase is a Mickey Mouse operation. Don't most credit card companies communicate that a benefit is ending? If it ends, so be it. People will move on as they've always done. But if it is a glitch or something that will be or is being worked on, why not say so? Also, don't most credit card companies and airlines give a heads up? This is very unprofessional all around.