Reduced AMEX earn rates from April 2019

[SOPOOR]

203k Velocity points for about 29 hours on Etihad A380 apartment, although with 600USD surcharge + normal taxes, would be pretty nice.

Yeah 400k odd for apartment long haul plus the $1500 odd in taxes is a killer.
But as far as im aware paying $1500 ish for taxes is inevitable no matter which points type you use

 

[potm]

Yeah 400k odd for apartment long haul plus the $1500 odd in taxes is a killer.
But as far as im aware paying $1500 ish for taxes is inevitable no matter which points type you use

AA has EY redemptions with no excessive surchages.

 

[SOPOOR]

Have decided that i will try and calculate the number of flights x pts i am realistically going to do in 3 yrs, add one to it and the balance i will transfer using velocity 25%bonus

No point having the points if im just going to fly premium for the sake of it. Plus i love my family .....but not that much

 

[SOPOOR]

AA has EY redemptions with no excessive surchages.

What sort of pts and taxes are we talking about , if you dont mind

 

[lilkid28]

AA has EY redemptions with no excessive surchages.

But hard to accrue AA cheaply in Melbourne.

For SYD-JFK, AA to redeem EY F is 100k+115k = 215k AA miles for 1 way with low taxes.

VA to redeem EY F is about 203k VA points for 1 way + taxes + extra 600 USD surcharge. I would use VA points for this redemption, given how easy it is to get VA points in Australia.

Use the AA miles for better redemptions, unless one has a stack of them.

 

[SOPOOR]

But hard to accrue AA cheaply in Melbourne.

For SYD-JFK, AA to redeem EY F is 100k+115k = 215k AA miles for 1 way with low taxes.

VA to redeem EY F is about 203k VA points for 1 way + taxes + extra 600 USD surcharge. I would use VA points for this redemption, given how easy it is to get VA points in Australia.

Use the AA miles for better redemptions, unless one has a stack of them.

Yes this may be true, i dont know much about aa milesz but we are discussing which program to transfer into before devaluation

 

[lilkid28]

Yes this may be true, i dont know much about aa milesz but we are discussing which program to transfer into before devaluation

Depends on what you want to redeem for. If you have more than enough SQ, then VA with the 25% bonus, which can also redeem for SQ (limited availability) or EY (good availability but with high surcharge, i.e only good for long haul First class to Europe or US). Otherwise, some other programs can be considered, for e.g EK upgrades (can be confirmed as long as there is seat available, unlike QF requiring status and luck).

 

[cove]

I went for VA with their 25% bonus seeing I have plenty of Kris Miles. VA do have availability on their A330s in business class domestically.

 

[JohnK]

So lucky you JohnK for getting your points doubled.

Sounds like quite a few rejections.

I'm convinced the right decision would have been for Amex to grandfather any changes.

I've only got a relatively small amount of points and even with the doubling of points there's not much incentive to use Amex going forward post 15 April.

 

[GRstrawb]

Everyone is talking about length of membership and annual spend as being/not being determinants for doubling of points. I wonder if they are also looking at number of card sign-ups during the last few years as well. Surely they don't want to have to double those freebie points, especially for people that have churned multiple cards?

 

[lonewolf]

I havent really used my points much so am new to this whole thing, I have been accruing on different cards for years though and had to move 1.4 mil over from Altitude black end of last year before the devaluation to KrisFlyer.Now having to move from my MR to Freq flyer sucks, I preferred keeping them in the cards till i know how i was going to use them. Also whats annoying is KrisFlyer expires after 3 years and now i already have around 600K or so with them.

I was thinking of using the velocity bonus to transfer my MR to Velocity but never having really used much of these Freq Flyer programmes to fly yet, Does the Velocity flights have much in the way to SE Asian especially Thailand? Those are the countries i usually fly to with a very rare long haul flight to the US or UK but not very often at all. Or is Velocity more useful for flying the US? US I probably wont be back to for a few years, UK is on the cards in the next couple of years. But I generally fly to Asia about 3 times a year or so.

 

[momad]

Anyone manage to get a doubling of points plus additional retention bonus? Have a Plat Charge and considering whether to request for doubling points prior to annual fee charged a month or so after the devaluation occurs.

 

[Happy Dude]

Sounds like quite a few rejections.

I'm convinced the right decision would have been for Amex to grandfather any changes.

I've only got a relatively small amount of points and even with the doubling of points there's not much incentive to use Amex going forward post 15 April.

This pretty much sums up my thoughts too.

I've had an Edge since 2013 and have accumulated 285k points. Clearly not a big spender and that total includes a few promo's too (sign up, insurance etc). Looking at the new earn and burn rates, together with the airline redemption rates, I'm convinced that it's a business owners game only more than ever.

Edit: to emphasise businesses from ordinary punters.

 

[SOPOOR]

This pretty much sums up my thoughts too.

I've had an Edge since 2013 and have accumulated 285k points. Clearly not a big spender and that total includes a few promo's too (sign up, insurance etc). Looking at the new earn and burn rates, together with the airline redemption rates, I'm convinced that it's a busness owners game more than ever.

Can safely say credit card points are the biggest Gold Mine for most businesses provided you can use credir cards to pay off stuff

 

[daft009]

So I guess I was another one of the lucky ones to have my edge+explorer balance doubled.

Got letters in the mail to prove it.
Also got the platinum but in late Nov.

 

[DC3]

So I guess I was another one of the lucky ones to have my edge+explorer balance doubled ....

Well, with the Charge/Reserve/Edge and over 800K MR points, nothing here.

 

[SOPOOR]

Well, with the Charge/Reserve/Edge and over 800K MR points, nothing here.

thought everyone with charge got the doubling in round one?

 

[Steve Lim]

got explorer/edge for a couple of years and opened Platinum Charge in Jan this year. all the points are in ascent premium. Got the double up offer although no letter in the mail, i received the email from amex rep to confirm the offer.

 

[DC3]

thought everyone with charge got the doubling in round one?

Well, not everyone.

 

[SOPOOR]

Well, not everyone.

Now i dont feel as bad..... sorry

Im a edge/exp customer 2 yrs last fy spend was about 800k across both cards