Using AMEX points for MRs
Aug 20, 2015 | 1:17 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: AUS
Programs: DL PM, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 436
Using AMEX points for MRs
Looking to book my 1st long distance MR and would like to use AMEX points. I notice though that many of the flight combinations that look promising that I find on Google flights or AA's website do not show up on the AMEX site. What shows up on the AMEX site is very limited and not the codeshares that I need.
Anyone have experience with finding the MRs you want on the AMEX site? If you call can they create the bookings you want? Or are you stuck with what you see on their site?
Anyone have experience with finding the MRs you want on the AMEX site? If you call can they create the bookings you want? Or are you stuck with what you see on their site?
Aug 20, 2015 | 8:59 am
#2
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: 6km East of EPAYE
Programs: UA Silver, AA Platinum, AS & DL GM Marriott TE, Hilton Gold
Posts: 9,575
You want to use Amex points to pay your amex bill? Or you want to transfer points to a FFP?
Amex's site is really clunky, you'd need to use Multi-city search, and even then the stuff you are finding on GF may not come up.
Amex's site is really clunky, you'd need to use Multi-city search, and even then the stuff you are finding on GF may not come up.
Aug 20, 2015 | 9:41 am
#4
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: 6km East of EPAYE
Programs: UA Silver, AA Platinum, AS & DL GM Marriott TE, Hilton Gold
Posts: 9,575
Aug 20, 2015 | 5:47 pm
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: AUS
Programs: DL PM, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 436
Smiley90, not sure what you mean by the 'measly 1cpm redemptions.' I want do a long distance MR to help get me to exec. platinum for the year so transferring Amex points to an airline for points does me no good.
Aug 21, 2015 | 8:26 am
#7
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: BOS/BTV
Programs: Delta Plat, former AA EXP, AS Gold, SPG Gold, IHG Plat.
Posts: 659
An awards ticket purchased with transfer points from MR would earn no EQM.
Aug 21, 2015 | 9:39 am
#8
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 4,862
He means you can get way more value per point if you transfer amex to a mileage program and use them for awards.
Aug 24, 2015 | 10:04 am
#10
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: YOW
Programs: AC SE, FOTSG Platinum
Posts: 6,551
If you simply don't have the cash on hand, and the Amex points are your only means of funding the MR, fine, but by all other metrics you're basically lighting a wad of cash on fire.
Aug 24, 2015 | 1:47 pm
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2015
Location: BOS, YVR, ZRH
Programs: *G
Posts: 18,133
What he means by this is that 50,000 MR points can either get you the equivalent of $500 in cash, or it can get you a round-trip, coast-to-coast trip in business class if you transfer it to points.
If you simply don't have the cash on hand, and the Amex points are your only means of funding the MR, fine, but by all other metrics you're basically lighting a wad of cash on fire.
If you simply don't have the cash on hand, and the Amex points are your only means of funding the MR, fine, but by all other metrics you're basically lighting a wad of cash on fire.
I mean, using it for MQD is one thing... but I'd still MUCH rather use actual cash for it. And if I didn't have the cash for it available at all, only MR, i'd just rather not travel at all instead of wasting my MR points.
Aug 25, 2015 | 8:26 am
#12
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: ARN
Programs: SK Lifetime Gold
Posts: 1,043
I know I'd buy you a $1000 ticket for 100,000 Amex points any day of the week and twice on Sundays.
This is why you're seeing these reactions in this thread. To most of us, using AX MR to purchase travel is, in fact, "wasting MR points"
Aug 25, 2015 | 8:36 am
#13
Join Date: Jun 2004
Programs: united airlines
Posts: 4,967
I think you'll find most people would gladly buy your ticket for if you would transfer the equivalent AX MR at $0.01 to their FF account. Sadly Amex no longer allows it.
I know I'd buy you a $1000 ticket for 100,000 Amex points any day of the week and twice on Sundays.
This is why you're seeing these reactions in this thread. To most of us, using AX MR to purchase travel is, in fact, "wasting MR points"
I know I'd buy you a $1000 ticket for 100,000 Amex points any day of the week and twice on Sundays.
This is why you're seeing these reactions in this thread. To most of us, using AX MR to purchase travel is, in fact, "wasting MR points"
Aug 25, 2015 | 9:58 am
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2015
Location: BOS, YVR, ZRH
Programs: *G
Posts: 18,133
Think of it like an FFP with the redemption opportunities of all their transfer partners combined.
Edit: i think SPG points are generally also considered around 2.2-2.5 cents each
Aug 25, 2015 | 4:41 pm
#15
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: IAH
Programs: SPG Platinum, Hyatt Diamond, IHG Gold Ambassador, Marriott Gold
Posts: 523
I think generally MR are valued so high (like 2.5cents personally) because they're so flexible - have a stay or flight coming up where a specific hotel chain or airline has the best redemption value? Transfer it from MR. If MR to SPG was a 1:1 transfer that would be the obvious solution... But it's not. So their value really depends on a particular redemption. The fact that it can be so many things make them so valuable.
Think of it like an FFP with the redemption opportunities of all their transfer partners combined.
Edit: i think SPG points are generally also considered around 2.2-2.5 cents each
Think of it like an FFP with the redemption opportunities of all their transfer partners combined.
Edit: i think SPG points are generally also considered around 2.2-2.5 cents each
SPG points are a more valuable given a constant 25% bonus.