exp

Have a big tax bill due.

The bill would be enough to get me the 10,000 MQM Miles Boost at $25k and a big chunk of the way towards a second 10,000 MQM Miles Boost at $50k.

Has anyone paid taxes with their SkyMiles Amex via officialpayments.com?

Any problems with Amex denying those transactions just for the regular SkyMiles or counting towards the Miles Boost thresholds?

Anyone pay with multiple charges because the credit limits didn't cover all the charges they needed to make?

AndyTLe

Cross post
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/miles...us-thread.html

jackplum

No problems using it. A great way to get miles! No reason to deny getting miles as it is promoted by both DL and AMEX.

No experience with credit limits.

DLFan2

Not such a great way to get miles.

Let's say you owe $8000 in taxes. You'll pay $199.20 in convenience fees and get 8000 SM.

But you can purchase 4000 SM from DL for $118.25 and receive 4000 bonus miles for a total of 8000 miles.

Alternatively, for the $199.20 you'd pay in convenience fees, you could get 13,477 SM directly from DL instead of just 8000 (of course you have to purchase in increments of 2000 miles). Since you'd still be using your Delta AMEX, you'd still get the same Mileage Boost benefit.

jtrue28

I pay our quarterly estimated taxes with our AMEX. One of the big reasons we're paying out the a$$ for the Reserve card (more MQMs). Last year AMEX was running double miles on your April 15th tax payment....that was really nice (although they capped it at 20,000 miles). The convenience fees suck, but I think the MQMs and bonus miles at $30K and $60K more than make up for them.

DLFan2

If they were offering double miles for April 15th payment, it would be a better deal. But the way I described above gives you the same benefit towards the MQMs and bonus miles, but nets you more miles along the way. The 100% bonus miles for purchasing miles from DL is a limited time offer.


...assuming you are able to pay your taxes using cash.

icurhere2

Am I missing something, or isn't the OP most concerned about whether credit would be received toward meeting the MQM component of the Miles Boost? If the OP simply bought $200 in miles, he/she would only be $200 closer to the first MQM Miles Boost ...

jtrue28

from multiple times doing this scenario (using my DL branded card to pay my taxes)....all $$$ spent on taxes counts towards the MQM threshold....even the convenience fee.

exp

Did I miss something?

I thought the MQM thresholds were at $30k and $60k.

Sorry about the cross-post. Originally I was considering using the SPG Amex or the Schwab Visa or the SM Amex.

If I'm going to do it at al, it will be the SM Amex because the bill is so high that it will more than hit the first Miles Boost.

I have to pay this tax regardless.

So if I write a check, I get no miles but I'm not paying the convenience fee, which will go over $1000.

So that $1000 will get me tens of thousands of miles, the 10,000 MQM miles and a lot of the charges towards the second 10,000 MQM miles.

The question is, 1) will Amex count it and it sounds like they will and 2) is it the best use of the over $1000 in convenience fees, to get the miles.

If I pay the convenience fee, I get tens of thousands of miles plus the 10,000 MQM and probably will make it likely I hit the second Miles Boost this year.

If I don't pay it, I get no miles but I still pay the big tax bill.

jackplum

IIRC There have been mileage bonuses in the past though maybe targeted.

YMMV

I'm paying them anyway so might as well get something for it.

AndyTLe

DL Reserve AmEx (30K, 60K) thresholds are different from the DL Platinum AmEx (25K, 50K)

Marylou

I do it all the time. Yes the fee sucks but you can rack up when there's a double miles promo.

wco81

Do they still have those?

I didn't get one last year but a bunch the year before.

Charged more though.

Maybe being too good a customer, they don't offer you the promos.