Originally Posted by ajoy (Post 17779795)

The US Bank website indicates you can earn 3x FlexPerks for charitable giving. This may have been the case for a while, but I just noticed it recently. They don't make it easy, however. You have to click through several portals and enter your FlexPoints number (which is on your statement).

The thing is, the charity does not get the full amount you contribute. Your contribution first goes to a charity that processes the donation. They then take out 3.75% plus $0.25 per transaction. So if you donate $10, your charity gets $9.37. I certainly understand the need for them to cover their costs for processing the transaction. I'm not complaining, I'm just pointing out what some people may not take the time to read in the fine print.

So here's my question. I want my charity to receive a donation in the amount of $100. I could donate $104.16. After the Visa portal takes out their 3.75% plus $0.25, my charity will get $100. I will receive 312 FlexPerks. Is it worth me paying the extra 3.75% plus $0.25 to get the 3X FlexPerks? I don't want my charities to get less money simply because I want more points! But if it makes sound economic sense, then I might do it. I donate on a monthly basis to several charities, and you can set up recurring donations on the site.

My main question is does this make economic sense to pay the transaction fee in order to get the 3X FlexPerks? For me it would result in about 1.5 tickets per year, so it's not a small thing.

Thanks in advance for your input!

Originally Posted by nabeelj (Post 17781463)

You do not have to use their gateway, in my experience.

Originally Posted by ExitRowAisle (Post 17786907)

A couple years ago, I gave to a charitable orgainization using the Flex Perks card but not goiong through their website. After getting the run-around for several months because they claimed that the charge was for a religious organization rather than a charity (it was specifically for Haiti earthquake relief), I got an exception and the points posted.

At the time, they told me that I could identify qualifying charities in the future by going through their website, but I don't think they told me I had to use their website in order to get the points.

Originally Posted by ajoy (Post 17787589)

After an hour on the phone with various customer service people who told me conflicting things (yes you do have to use the Visa Giving Gateway, no you don't, etc.), I finally spoke with a supervisor. She assured me that you do NOT have to go through the Visa Giving Gateway. She said the Visa Giving Gateway shows the charities that you're GUARANTEED to get the 3X points. Well, I give monthly on my FlexPerks card to my church and the bonus miles have never shown up. And my church is on the GUARANTEED list through the Visa Giving Gateway. She even looked up my church's account and assured me that they DO qualify under the 3X bonus points program. She gave me 3X points for one month's giving and said she'd submit a "fix" for this in the future.

I looked back at my statements and it looks like this 3X points for charitable giving starting in December 2010. NONE of my donations to my church earned the 3X points. And it's more than a ticket's worth! Fortunately the supervisor gave me her direct phone number, so you know I'll be calling to claim the flexperks that are due me. I'll post what happens.

Originally Posted by paulcone (Post 17744716)

That's odd -- I called them months ago in anticipation of a trip to Europe, and they sent me one right away. Why did they tell you no?

Originally Posted by rc408 (Post 17766567)

I asked this same question to FlexPerks and the airline after the ticket was purchased. The answer I received: Once the ticket is purchased by FlexPerks it acts as any other purchased ticket from that airline which means it's subject to the airlines cancellation or change fee's as well as difference in cost of the ticket.

Originally Posted by ajoy (Post 17787589)

After an hour on the phone with various customer service people who told me conflicting things (yes you do have to use the Visa Giving Gateway, no you don't, etc.), I finally spoke with a supervisor. She assured me that you do NOT have to go through the Visa Giving Gateway. She said the Visa Giving Gateway shows the charities that you're GUARANTEED to get the 3X points. Well, I give monthly on my FlexPerks card to my church and the bonus miles have never shown up. And my church is on the GUARANTEED list through the Visa Giving Gateway. She even looked up my church's account and assured me that they DO qualify under the 3X bonus points program. She gave me 3X points for one month's giving and said she'd submit a "fix" for this in the future.

I looked back at my statements and it looks like this 3X points for charitable giving starting in December 2010. NONE of my donations to my church earned the 3X points. And it's more than a ticket's worth! Fortunately the supervisor gave me her direct phone number, so you know I'll be calling to claim the flexperks that are due me. I'll post what happens.

Originally Posted by Travelomania (Post 17794843)

To this regard is also my question:

Travelocity has a 24 hr grace period. This means that if you cancel your ticket within a 24-hr time frame, your ticket will be refunded.

How would this work for a ticket purchased with Flexperks Points thru Travelocity ?

Update: Flexperks points will not be refunded - normal airline rules apply to any ticket changes.

Originally Posted by drminn (Post 17832291)

Booked 4 tickets to Europe through the Flexperks travel site - two were awards tickets, two were paid tickets for a total amount close to $2000.

Did not get double points or the $2000.

Spent an eternity on the phone with a number of departments, finally somebody acknowledged that this was indeed air travel and that they would request the credit. I just got a letter stating that double points are awarded only for tickets purchased directly from an airline.

Has anybody had a similar experience? Where does it state that I have to buy the ticket directly from the airline?

Originally Posted by drminn (Post 17832291)

I just got a letter stating that double points are awarded only for tickets purchased directly from an airline.

Originally Posted by brandkb (Post 17789203)

Finally called and just told them I wanted to cancel the card and voila! Card with EMV chip is being sent overnight. They also told me that ALL Flexperks members will be getting their chip cards between now and the end of May 2012. I think this time I spoke to someone in a different department and they were much more helpful.

Originally Posted by iowa guy (Post 17846306)

My card had the EMV chip and I tried to add an authorized user. They told me I couldn't unless I wanted to have the NON-EMV card. So I no longer have the EMV card.