Altitude Rewards changes to points transfer rate

[transpactraveller]

From Friday 9 November more altitude points will be required to convert to airline programs except for Airpoints.

Westpac Altitude Rewards - Changes

 

[lovetravellingoz]

From Friday 9 November more altitude points will be required to convert to airline programs except for Airpoints.

Westpac Altitude Rewards - Changes

Also no change to Velocity .

 

[Mattg]

It won't let me access the linked page without logging into an Altitude account. What are the new transfer rates?

 

[Doctore1003]

I’d like to know also.

 

[moffat39]

Have logged in but says page no longer exists. Can not find the information anywhere else.

 

[Doctore1003]

So for those who saw the landing page, the rates for KrisFlyer, Asia Miles and Enrich will be worse, but Velocity and AirNZ remains the same?

 

[moffat39]

So for those who saw the landing page, the rates for KrisFlyer, Asia Miles and Enrich will be worse, but Velocity and AirNZ remains the same?

Thats dreadful news. Will need to transfer out to KrisFlyer before the date.

I have enough at the moment for two J returns to Europe. With no longer being able to get points for paying tax and the last devaualtion and this this new devaluation the next trip to Europe in J on SQ will probaly be my last.

 

[Mattg]

Thats dreadful news. Will need to transfer out to KrisFlyer before the date.

I have enough at the moment for two J returns to Europe. With no longer being able to get points for paying tax and the last devaualtion and this this new devaluation the next trip to Europe in J on SQ will probaly be my last.

Depending on the new rates, it may still work out OK value to transfer to Velocity and then KrisFlyer. But we need confirmation of what the changes actually are!

 

[Doctore1003]

I’ve emailed the Westpac media team to see if they will confirm or provide details.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

So for those who saw the landing page, the rates for KrisFlyer, Asia Miles and Enrich will be worse, but Velocity and AirNZ remains the same?

On the page it definitely said no change for Velocity.

 

[Doctore1003]

Confirmed: www.altituderewards.com.au/change

The Velocity rate remains the same only if you're on a monthly auto-redemption, otherwise its a big devaluation from 2:1 to 3:1

Asia Miles, KrisFlyer and Enrich also go to 3:1.

 

[albyd]

Bracing for impact on Amplify Signature ... fingers crossed.

 

[WLGFlyer]

Am I missing something or can I set up auto redemption to VA whenever I want to transfer points and then disable again? Obviously won't be able to time the transfer but other than that don't see any limitations?

 

[Drakecula]

Thanks for the heads up - we've been hoarding points to cash in on SQ, so I'll be sure to transfer them out now.
Do you think it's worth switching to auto redemption to velocity after I cash out? I have been considering ditching the Altitude card in favour of the Amex Edge, so maybe this could be the tipping point?

 

[shuuy]

Aargh. With international spend on Amex I would have been earning 2 KrisFlyer per A$1. Now it’s a bit less.

No drama, but SQ points much more valuable to me than QF.

The VA auto transfer seems like the highest way to go Altitude to SQ.

 

[gaz1]

Am I missing something or can I set up auto redemption to VA whenever I want to transfer points and then disable again? Obviously won't be able to time the transfer but other than that don't see any limitations?

This sounds feasible - does anyone know if this will work?
I can't see anything in the terms & conditions or on the auto redemption webpage.
Perhaps this is because the manual & auto rate is the same at the moment & once there is such a big difference they will impose rules on how often to can opt out of auto redemption?

 

[gaz1]

Two more points:
1) I wonder if they will do the change retropectively? When they changed the earning rate some time back all points earned before the change date could still be transferred at the old rate (in fact my statement still has a section "reserved points 9/3/04" when the conversion rate was last changed!).
2) By cashing in your points now you would miss out on the 15% bonus (for example) that is regularly offered on redemptions. Maybe the best plan is to wait for the next bonus offer & then set up auto redemption to Velocity (assuming that is you preferred partner). Even if you want Krisflyer this would probably still work out better.

 

[mad_atta]

Argh, the blows just keep coming. I currently have the Altitude Amex Black, which I really like, paired with the Altitude Mastercard Black, which I think is a very weak offering indeed for the price (even though I get it for the same fee as the Platinum - still a cough offering). Does anyone know if it's possible to cancel the Mastercard while keeping the Amex, without impacting the rewards account? Since the Amex card is offered by American Express, I know the card itself will stay valid, but to access the points I need to go via my Westpac account so what would happen to that if I cancelled the Mastercard? (I still have other Westpac products so I'd still have a login; just worried that my Altitude rewards account would evaporate which would then negate the purpose of the Amex!)

 

[Drakecula]

Does anyone know if it's possible to cancel the Mastercard while keeping the Amex, without impacting the rewards account?

I don't know for certain, but I went in and moved out my points into Krisflyer (I was going to in a couple of weeks for a redemption anyway) and I had two Altitude rewards amounts - one was the Mastercard, one was the Amex. So based off that I would assume your Altitude account will remain, attached to the Amex. So you could cancel the Mastercard, but I'd move whatever points associated with that card out first. Or maybe they could roll them into the Amex before you cancel.

 

[mad_atta]

I don't know for certain, but I went in and moved out my points into Krisflyer (I was going to in a couple of weeks for a redemption anyway) and I had two Altitude rewards amounts - one was the Mastercard, one was the Amex. So based off that I would assume your Altitude account will remain, attached to the Amex. So you could cancel the Mastercard, but I'd move whatever points associated with that card out first. Or maybe they could roll them into the Amex before you cancel.

I've noticed those separate points balances. But do you have the option of choosing which balance you are redeeming from? Or are they treated as one when you redeem?

I was thinking that if I did cancel the Mastercard I'd probably clear out my points first anyway, just to be safe and minimise risk of losing them.