New Amex redemption rates for SQ/EK; adding transfers to QR/HA

[levelnine]

Is it even possible to find QR awards to Europe?

QR removed all saver awards on particular routes (including into and out of Australia) a few months back and very little has returned since, except for some close in availability.

 

[burmans]

Well I’d suggest the new transfer capability meant we have a lot more demand and as we all know our government won’t let Qatar increase supply. Hopefully many people decide QR isn’t worth it!

 

[Bronica]

What's the general sentiment for people due to this change? Staying, moving etc. I try to churn cards so would want a transfer partner that has commonality and that pretty much leaves me with Qantas, Velocity or Kris.

Due to devaluation of Kris, I think I will move away to accumulate Velocity due to their alliances with other airlines. We're also pretty sporadic and selective with travel so would want to redeem only for J class and there seems to be lack of award seats with Qantas but i'm still a bit torn.

 

[carls888]

I've been prepaying all sorts of bills before the devaluation date kicks in. If you are a Mediban k Private customer, you can still use post bill pay for Amex.

 

[spud60]

With Amex Explorer about to deliver only .666 of a KF point does anyone with a citi Prestige card know what 2x points or .8 KF for major retailers mean. I have both so am wondering if better to use citi.

 

[Poojou]

I am fairly impacted by this living in Singapore, so have just shifted a whole hunk which was just spent on J to Brussels (there's tonnes of availability there, we're going to Italy ... Availability to Rome and Milan... Less good)

 

[lonewolf]

IS the best method to transfer over to krisflyer, the last day so you can transfer as many of the points that have registered. Is there a minimum amount you are allowed to transfer across?

Also i have the westpac Altitude and Citi Premier, any news on when their krisflyer transfer rates will be devalued too?

 

[MattA]

IS the best method to transfer over to krisflyer, the last day so you can transfer as many of the points that have registered. Is there a minimum amount you are allowed to transfer across?

Depends on your plans for the points really. Transferring to KF kicks off the hard 3 year expiry so you would want to have solid plans to use those points within that timeframe at least. KF expiry is end of the month, 3 years after points earn, so I guess there is a slight advantage to transferring them on 1 Oct rather than 30 Sep, but given that KF could at any time devalue points on their side you really want to have a plan to use them well before that becomes an issue.

Min transfer is 5,000 MR points I believe.

Personally I do have plans I'm working on, and I'll be sending all my AMEX points to KF pre-deval (and then calling up AMEX next week to see what they'll offer me if I ask to close the card). Fully intend to close this and kick off the 18 month wait for the next signup offer if they don't come to the party.

Also i have the westpac Altitude and Citi Premier, any news on when their krisflyer transfer rates will be devalued too?

Just got approved for Citi Premier the other day for next points churn, so that would be annoying. Has there been an announcement?

 

[lonewolf]

Depends on your plans for the points really. Transferring to KF kicks off the hard 3 year expiry so you would want to have solid plans to use those points within that timeframe at least. KF expiry is end of the month, 3 years after points earn, so I guess there is a slight advantage to transferring them on 1 Oct rather than 30 Sep, but given that KF could at any time devalue points on their side you really want to have a plan to use them well before that becomes an issue.

Min transfer is 5,000 MR points I believe.

Personally I do have plans I'm working on, and I'll be sending all my AMEX points to KF pre-deval (and then calling up AMEX next week to see what they'll offer me if I ask to close the card). Fully intend to close this and kick off the 18 month wait for the next signup offer if they don't come to the party.



Just got approved for Citi Premier the other day for next points churn, so that would be annoying. Has there been an announcement?

Yeah, i definitely can use up the points with KF before the expiry but was more worried if i transferred the amex points over now, and then my last few amex purchases comes through before 3rd october and hence more points in amex to transfer over but not enough to hit the minimum and hence if i should just wait till last possible day. Which i presume is the 3rd of october? Is it risky? also i presume as long as i start the process through Amex, thats all that counts in relation to the last date before points devalue. I presume even if it takes a day or 2 to hit the Krisflyer account that doesnt matter.

Good point about the KF expiry being at the end of the month, that does have a case for doing it in october instead of September, although i will have them all used up easily in 3 years i reckon unless theres more lockdowns.

I hadnt heard anything about Westpac and Citi yet, but i noticed a lot of comments were that KF is probably doing this across the board and also that St George had recently devalued their scheme, so i was wondering if Westpac and Citi have announced anything as i dont really get as much emails /contact from them about the points scheme so always worried there may have been some mention but i hadnt heard about it yet.

 

[BriarFlyer]

Isn't Westpac Altitude already at 3:1 transfer rate? You'd hope that's not going to get any worse!

 

[albyd]

St George is a trading brand of Westpac so I see this change as aligning with the mother ship.

I recall reading an article that was linked in this thread (I can’t find it right now - I’m going to use my mobile as an excuse) where Emirates CEO was interviewed who suggested it wasn’t the airline who increased the cost of its points but Amex who adjusted the transfer rate.

 

[tassie6]

EK Executive on Skywards & Amex transfers on Point Hacks with some interesting comments:

‘Amex … they made this decision to go to from 2:1 to 3:1.... We haven’t changed the rate on them,’

Under the hood of the Emirates Skywards program

We catch up with Emirates' loyalty boss, Dr Nejib Ben-Khedher, for an exclusive look behind the scenes at Skywards.

www.pointhacks.com.au

 

[lonewolf]

With Amex Explorer about to deliver only .666 of a KF point does anyone with a citi Prestige card know what 2x points or .8 KF for major retailers mean. I have both so am wondering if better to use citi.

I was wondering this as well.

Post automatically merged: Sep 28, 2023

Isn't Westpac Altitude already at 3:1 transfer rate? You'd hope that's not going to get any worse!

Oh cough really? So I already missed it.

 

[BriarFlyer]

Oh cough really? So I already missed it.

I think they've been at that rate for quite some time. Years even.

 

[lonewolf]

I think they've been at that rate for quite some time. Years even.

I dont really use the card much, last time it transferred from that card would have been more than 5 years ago i think . I thought it was 2:1. so 3:1 means now Amex is still better in a way as amex gets more points per $ spent?

 

[BriarFlyer]

so 3:1 means now Amex is still better in a way as amex gets more points per $ spent?

Yes, indeed.

 

[GregDvs]

This sucks. Does anyone have recommendations of alternative cards to use for earning krisflyer miles? I'm planning to check out what Citi has to offer and their conversion rates.

 

[serfty]

IS the best method to transfer over to krisflyer, the last day so you can transfer as many of the points that have registered. Is there a minimum amount you are allowed to transfer across?

It depends ... if you are talking thousands of MR points it may be worth waiting but if a couple of hundred then not ao much.

240 MR today = 120 Krisflyer
240 Next week = 80 Krisflyer

Websites may get busy on the last day and the is a remote possiblity of them failing under the strain.

I'm doing a transfer tomorrow ...

 

[Coops1]

It depends ... if you are talking thousand of MR points it may be worth waiting but if a couple of hundred then not ao much.

240 MR today = 120 Krisflyer
240 Next week = 80 Krisflyer

Websites may get busy on the last day and possibly fail under the strain.

I'm doing a transfer tomorrow ...

I transferred last week, instant, as had done a transfer when they went from 1:1 to 2:1. Used existing points expiring today (on partners account as well) plus the transfer top ups, and have another 2 Europe returns for 2024. Pity I could never jag a RTW . Krisflyer on 2 accounts now sit at 0pts.

 

[JessicaTam]

... and then my last few amex purchases comes through before 3rd october and hence more points in amex to transfer over but not enough to hit the minimum and hence if i should just wait till last possible day.

Transfer all but 5,000 now. Then regardless of the last minute earn you will have enough to transfer.