Transferring Amex MR pts to AAdvantage?

[Emkay]

I just joined AAdvantage hoping I could build a balance by transferring Amex Membership Rewards points, but AA doesn't appear on the Amex au website list of partners to be transferred to. I have a fee-free (if spending more than their min annual spend) Amex Gold credit card. My only other card is an ANZ Qantas FF card (also 'free' within my ANZ 'Premier Select' annual fee), but these points go automatically to my Qantas FF account. Any hints on getting the Amex points into AA?

 

[serfty]

Methinks you can transfer Amex to Starwood at a rate of 1000(amex):330(SPG) and then from SPG to AA at 20000(SPG):25000(AA).

So 60700 Amex = 25031 AA (possibly, note that 10000 SPG = 10000 AA)

 

[Emkay]

Thanks Serfty, I checked the Amex site which says I would get 330 Starwood pts for 1000 Amex, so that looks like 1000:412 Amex:AA. It's a fair bit less than the 1000:1000 offered if transferring Amex to QFF - looks like that's a downside of using AA instead of QFF eh? I know there are upsides, like no fuel surcharge etc, but they obviously come at a price.

 

[serfty]

Examine this quote:

what with a 160K syd=-LHR F against QFF 378k
...
230k AA against 442.5K for F RTW

Methinks that generally AA is FAR better value for a base level FFlyer.

 

[JohnK]

Examine this quote:

what with a 160K syd=-LHR F against QFF 378k
is there any comparasin?
230k AA against 442.5K for F RTW

Methinks that generally AA is FAR better value for a base level FFlyer.

It is clear from what most people are saying that AA has better earn/burn rates than QF, so I do not want this to sound like I am criticising AA in any way.

Are my calculations correct when it comes to using credit cards points, specifically Amex ascent points? In the first option AA wins clearly but the second option would surely favour QF even with the higher fuel surcharges. Also, why redeem a QF SYD-LHR F award when for another 64,500 points you get a QF RTW in F?

378,000 Amex MR points = QF F award SYD-LHR vs 373,636 Amex MR points = AA F award SYD-LHR

442,500 Amex MR points = QF F award RTW vs 550,454 Amex MR points = AA F award RTW

*** Note used formula of 60606 Amex MR points = 20,000 SPG points = 25,000 AAdvantage points

 

[NM]

Are my calculations correct when it comes to using credit cards points, specifically Amex ascent points? In the first option AA wins clearly but the second option would surely favour QF even with the higher fuel surcharges. Also, why redeem a QF SYD-LHR F award when for another 64,500 points you get a QF RTW in F?

Real numbers from my last award redemption:

QF cost 300,000 FF points + $710 extras
AA cost 105,000 miles + $148 extras

So if using Amex points, QF award would have required 300,000 Amex MR points, while AA could have required 254,546 Amex MR points. And the $562 extras difference remains in my pocket.

So it depends on the actual reward being redeemed. Mine was a real example of my most recent redemption.

 

[Tiki]

You might also consider just using the points for reward nights in your chosen hotel program. 7000-10000 SPG gets you one free night at some pretty nice hotels, I believe tax is included. I am putting mine into PC for next year's stay in IC Papeete, 30,000 points gets nights worth over $300 USD per night!

1000 Amex = 600 PC points. I'm already halfway there thanks to some nice bonuses while in Egypt two months ago!

 

[StevePER]

I am putting mine into PC for next year's stay in IC Papeete, 30,000 points gets nights worth over $300 USD per night!

I'm also heading to French Polynesia next year, but it's IC Moorea for me. The ultimate redemption would be IC Le Moana Bora Bora, valued at $885 per night. Shame it costs so much to get to Bora Bora.

Steve

 

[simongr]

Real numbers from my last award redemption:

QF cost 300,000 FF points + $710 extras
AA cost 105,000 miles + $148 extras

So if using Amex points, QF award would have required 300,000 Amex MR points, while AA could have required 254,546 Amex MR points. And the $562 extras difference remains in my pocket.

So it depends on the actual reward being redeemed. Mine was a real example of my most recent redemption.

That was 3 J class rtn tix to perth wasnt it? That's one thing that makes a difference is the number of people travelling - multiple people means multiple fuel fines

I think its interesting cmparing the various options QF vs AA. I hadnt really considered CC points when I made the jump as my total CC spend including business trips is only about 80K a year - whereas my FF points are probably going to be around 150K. This would change if I was paying for all my flights on my own credit card rather than being centrally paid by the company.

I I was putting another $80K of flights per year on my cards I might think about the earn/burn ratio of those. Maybe I might do some rework on the estimates I have if I factored in my CC points. I am selling this message to other people and dont want them to miss out on CC points if they pay for flights themselves.

S

 

[NM]

That was 3 J class rtn tix to perth wasnt it? That's one thing that makes a difference is the number of people travelling - multiple people means multiple fuel fines

3 J tickets routing BNE-xMEL-AKL-xMEL-BNE.

Similar difference if only one person flying. Points would have been 35,000 AA vs 100,000 QF. Taxes for AA for one adult would have been $85 and would have been $262.

And a big factor for me was that I earned those 105,000 AA miles, and hence 3 x J return award flights, on a single DONE4 trip (spend around $10,000). The same DONE4 credited to QF would not have even earned 1 of those award tickets. I would have needed more than 3 x DONE4 at a cost of over $30,000 to get the same award via QF FF program.

I I was putting another $80K of flights per year on my cards I might think about the earn/burn ratio of those. Maybe I might do some rework on the estimates I have if I factored in my CC points. I am selling this message to other people and dont want them to miss out on CC points if they pay for flights themselves.

S

My ticket costs go on a Corporate Diners Club card for which I get 1 DC point per $ spent. I have not transferred any DC points out of their program yet. I expect they will eventually find their way to QF for me to use for long-haul international upgrades (such as 60,000 for J->F MEL-LHR). But they will remain in DC until I need them.

My Amex points (all personal spend since all business spend must go through the Corp DC card) will either go to QF for upgrades or to HHonors for hotel stays (at 1:1 transfer rate).

 

[Tiki]

I'm also heading to French Polynesia next year, but it's IC Moorea for me. The ultimate redemption would be IC Le Moana Bora Bora, valued at $885 per night. Shame it costs so much to get to Bora Bora.

Steve

Some day, we will go to Bora Bora, join ambassador club & hopefully use the BOGO for an OWB!