2025 Amex Membership Rewards Devaluation

[jaygee91]

I mainly transfer the MR points to Marriott rather than airline so I am kind of safe from this devaluation - for now.

That is basically what I intend to use it for as well. I'm waiting for the next Marriott bonus transfer to top up. That's how I stayed at the St Regis Maldives a few years back.

 

[Doctore1003]

That is basically what I intend to use it for as well. I'm waiting for the next Marriott bonus transfer to top up. That's how I stayed at the St Regis Maldives a few years back.

It’s been so long since the last Marriott transfer offer, I’ve given up hope.

 

[daft009]

Yes def AMEX lounge access - PP I assume also

from when I was looking to upgrade from the explorer to plat personal vs plat business (2018 i think), plat business didn't allow a +1 to the SUPP card holder, but the personal plat SUPP did.

I haven't read the T&C since

 

[ChrisFlyer]

from when I was looking to upgrade from the explorer to plat personal vs plat business (2018 i think), plat business didn't allow a +1 to the SUPP card holder, but the personal plat SUPP did.

I haven't read the T&C since

I believe that's correct. Business version of Priority Pass didn't include a complimentary guest, but personal Priority Pass does. Not all supplementary cards are eligible for Priority Pass (on personal Amex it's primary cardholder + 1 other, business might be primary cardholder only). But you can still use all supplementary cards to access lounges that are entered by presenting the physical American Express card rather than the Priority Pass card (Centurion, Plaza Premium, Lufthansa, Delta etc).

 

[burneracc]

With my AF posting next month, I have decided that I will keep it at least for this next renewal. The moment they drop QF down to 3:1 I am out of here, but for the meantime it's good enough. Factors that play into my renewal:

• My Amazon prime credit is near the end of year, so I will be getting that again
• Dining credits renewed
• Supps love FHR and VA lounge access

So including travel credit, I'm sat at a baseline of 1k cashback that I would have already otherwise spent. I can pretty easily get another $1.5k in value out of it in points from spend. Will move most of my ascent premium to QR / Avios before the deval.

 

[daft009]

Hmm not I lol

Received my phone call from my RM today informing me of the changes.
They also said they aren't aware of anything down the track (as yet) for June 2026.
I told them adding woolies rewards was a waste of time, and the RM agreed

 

[Dave G]

Hmmm... Called to inquire about another supp on the card (plat Charge) - to be told 'recently' it has been changed to a max of 4 supps - no further discussion

 

[Bell21]

from when I was looking to upgrade from the explorer to plat personal vs plat business (2018 i think), plat business didn't allow a +1 to the SUPP card holder, but the personal plat SUPP did.

I haven't read the T&C since

that's spot-on

Hmmm... Called to inquire about another supp on the card (plat Charge) - to be told 'recently' it has been changed to a max of 4 supps - no further discussion

I enquired a few months ago and was told $800 for 5th supp

 

[Bell21]

I believe that's correct. Business version of Priority Pass didn't include a complimentary guest, but personal Priority Pass does. Not all supplementary cards are eligible for Priority Pass (on personal Amex it's primary cardholder + 1 other, business might be primary cardholder only). But you can still use all supplementary cards to access lounges that are entered by presenting the physical American Express card rather than the Priority Pass card (Centurion, Plaza Premium, Lufthansa, Delta etc).

I understand you can choose any 1 of the Employee Cards on the Bus Plat for the extra PP

 

[Daver6]

Hmmm... Called to inquire about another supp on the card (plat Charge) - to be told 'recently' it has been changed to a max of 4 supps - no further discussion

It's been that way for years in terms of free cards.

 

[shuuy]

How many people have reached out to Amex directly since the change to provide feedback ?

As someone who puts 100k/month on Amex Im looking for another option , does this not provide opportunity for other start-ups? , like Yak/Sniip etc where we dont even use CC at all and save the 2+% Amex fee

Revolut?

 

[SeaWolf]

I've noticed one other small, but positive change. A few years ago AmEx changed how the points were calculated, They use to round the cents of a transaction the nearest dollar, then calculated the points. They switched to removing the cents, then calculating the points. So $4.75 would be calculated as $4 for the purposes of earning points. I remember being irritated by this change at the time even though it was going to have a fairly minor impact.

Well, according to the Points Hack summary of the changes, they're switching back to rounding. So $4.75 will be rounded to $5, then the points will be calculated.

 

[GrahamBRI]

Well, according to the Points Hack summary of the changes, they're switching back to rounding. So $4.75 will be rounded to $5, then the points will be calculated.

Awesome. Hopefully that does not come with a transaction limit? Looking forward to paying my next bill in 10,000 x 1 cent transactions

 

[FlyingKangaroo]

Awesome. Hopefully that does not come with a transaction limit? Looking forward to paying my next bill in 10,000 x 1 cent transactions

"Sir, you have been at this bowser for 12 hours."

 

[ChrisFlyer]

Awesome. Hopefully that does not come with a transaction limit? Looking forward to paying my next bill in 10,000 x 1 cent transactions

That would round down to $0, so you'd just be wasting your own time. But if you did it in 50c increments.....

 

[SeaWolf]

Awesome. Hopefully that does not come with a transaction limit? Looking forward to paying my next bill in 10,000 x 1 cent transactions

From my read of it, you'd need to make it a 51¢ transaction so that it gets rounded up. A 1¢ would get rounded down to zero, and a $4.25 transaction would be rounded down to $4.

 

[blacksultan]

My guess which I'm pretty confident on, will be

QF 2:1
VA 2:1
EK 4:1
All other airline partners 3:1 (may introduce some more partner airlines?)
Hotel partners untouched

Changes to come into affect in December 2025 or early January 2026

Unknown if earning will be changed or if other perks may be provided

Spoke to them yesterday . Everyday rewards being added as transfer partner and royal orchid being removed .

 

[tassie6]

A friend only got Amex business plat within the last 2-3 months and got this email:

Important Information: As you have only recently become an American Express Business or Corporate Card Member, we would like to extend the current value of your Membership Rewards program unti 31 March 2026

Between 15 December 2025 and 31 March 2026, should you transfer your Membership Rewards points to any of the impacted airline partner programs (excluding Thai Airways which will be decommissioned as of 15 December 2025), you wll be transterring at the new transter rate. We will then automaticaly apply the difference of Membership Rewards points to your Account to match the value of the previous transfer rate. The points will be automatically applied to your Account by May 2026. You do not need to enrol for this offer, and it is only applicable to transters made on your Account.

For example, if you transfer 30,000 Membership Rewards points to Cathay Pacific for 10,000 Asia Miles, you will receive 15,000 Membership Rewards points on your account by May 2026, allowing you to transfer for another 5,000 Asia Miles to match the previous transfer rate of 2:1.

Doesnt seem particularly helpful if you have to wait to get the top up points until months later, but is something I suppose

 

[Viridis]

I know it’s not until December, but has anyone started formulating a strategy for CC use after this devaluation is implemented

From my perspective, in Australia and accounting for a 3% forex fee for foreign cards, I’d be looking at

Qantas Money titanium (QF only)
HSBC Premier World Elite (UK card, will give me BA & SQ)

US Plat for any airline or hotel spend
Aus Plat & UK BA Premium Amex are line ball although the BA card wins on BA spend
Commbank Ultimate for spend abroad (but unfortunately that’s only QF these days too) …. and it’s kinda marginal with the points boost on the QF card for overseas spend if you’re happy to tolerate the 3% to get it

Given that I only want QF for EK travel & BA for either BA or QR it’s not so bad; I can make it work. Sadly given up on SQ

And with the travel credits (Plat & Res) and the restaurant credits I’m only $250 out of pocket with the Aussie Platinum so I’ll hang on to it - maybe things will get better again ….. one day.

 

[mms498]

Am I correct in reading that Ascent program points can still be transferred to partners per the current earn rates post changes? I.e. CX 2:1 rate continues?