What is best airline program to transfer my Amex points

[Sunchaser]

I am a novice to this site so please excuse my limited knowledge in this area. I am after some advice from the experts amongst you about which airline program I should credit my Amex points to.

Some background information:
- I have 140,000 QFF points
- I have lifetime QC
- I have 390,000 points on my Platinum Amex waiting to be transferred (largely thanks to the recent spend promotion).

I was considering trnasferring them to Virgin Atlantic as they are better value than Qantas (SYD-LHR RTN is 180,000 compared to 256,000 for Business), but also noticed some threads on this site talking about AAdvantage.

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[ANstar]

Hi Sunchaser.

I would say Singapore airlines or Virgin Atlantic are the best bet.

There is no direct transfer of points into AA, so the points get quite devalued by the time the go amex - Starwood - AA.

Virgin Atlantic is 180k to LHR, I think Singapore Airlines also have Europe in J for about 150k with their online discount - the only down sideis avaialbility is scarce due to the new 77W/A380 aircraft being banned from saver redemptions.

so I'd so Virgin Atlantic is your best option - they also have a nice business class bed and bar!

 

[Sunchaser]

Thanks for the advice ANstar. Virgin Atlantic looks like the way to go.

 

[Evan]

I have a large number of QFF points and also a smallish now (120k or so) in Amex, although its a platinum charge so i wont move anything now the point being.... So far i have never transfered Amex to QF, always it has been to SQ.
I think the SQ is a good deal right now from Amex but if i understand Amex correctly you can probably just leave them in there program and transfer when you want to because the SQ transfer remains.

Also you can do a search here for Amex travelkey, You may even find simply using the Amex points to spend on a discount airfare is good value. (And since its a purchased ticket you get miles and less restrictions generally)

E

 

[JohnK]

Virgin Atlantic is 180k to LHR, I think Singapore Airlines also have Europe in J for about 150k with their online discount - the only down sideis avaialbility is scarce due to the new 77W/A380 aircraft being banned from saver redemptions.

so I'd so Virgin Atlantic is your best option - they also have a nice business class bed and bar!

Without looking at availability I would say SQ would be by far the best option. With the 25% online discount offered until September 2009 to go to Europe requires 112,500 miles in business class and 172,500 miles in first class.

I have been looking at VS availability SYD-HKG in WHY from June onwards and it is very rare to find a redemption available on weekends and availability poor on other dates. From memory I could hardly see any availability in July.

 

[ANstar]

Without looking at availability I would say SQ would be by far the best option. With the 25% online discount offered until September 2009 to go to Europe requires 112,500 miles in business class and 172,500 miles in first class.

I have been looking at VS availability SYD-HKG in WHY from June onwards and it is very rare to find a redemption available on weekends and availability poor on other dates. From memory I could hardly see any availability in July.

The only problem with Singapore is that there are no "saver" rewards on SIN-LHR and most European cities as they have A380/77W's flying those routes.

Re Availability on Virgin Atlantic, the OP was mentioneing he wanted to fly business. There is quite a bit of business availabilty on Virgin Atlantic.

 

[dajop]

Unless you want to put to Qantas, no hurry to make a decision where to transfer. For Virgin Atlantic, Singapore Airlines etc, you can keep there until close to the time you want to use.

Even without getting the "older aircraft" (which still fly to ports including Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Rome, Athens, Manchester and sometimes London) you can with the discount/promo go all the way through to Europe on the new product for 223K... still better than QF 256K! (but when you think you can get 2 seats on old product for same ... I'd go old product.

ANother consideration is Malaysian. With they're promo - if you're travelling before end of May, 123.3K Amex pts (= 92.5K MH points) will get you to Europe and back in J.

 

[Evan]

There have been times where saver awards have been available on the new product in C class. There is a thread somewhere around here, and if not the saver aware the middle award is available.
I do not know what will happen to saver awards as all flights get the new product, will they just delete then or still make them available in more limitied numbers on the new product... only time will tell.
E

 

[pauly7]

The only problem with Singapore is that there are no "saver" rewards on SIN-LHR and most European cities as they have A380/77W's flying those routes.

Re Availability on Virgin Atlantic, the OP was mentioneing he wanted to fly business. There is quite a bit of business availabilty on Virgin Atlantic.

Really? when are you looking on Virgin Atlantic for J avails?

I ask because I'm in the same position as the OP more or less with a stack of points and still deciding whether QF gets them or Amex keeps them....

EDIT: I think I will join Enrich and VA Flying club just so I can log in and check avails for myself!

 

[ANstar]

Really? when are you looking on Virgin Atlantic for J avails?
!

I was looking in June.

I booked a HKG-SYD in J with them.

You can join both their FF programs for free, so best to do that to check the dates you want.

 

[pauly7]

I was looking in June.

I booked a HKG-SYD in J with them.

You can join both their FF programs for free, so best to do that to check the dates you want.

Yes will do thanks... Any nasty clauses or tricks buried in VA t&cs - reduced inventory for low ranking FF's that you know of?

I'm sure I'll have a great time reading up on both VA and Enrich myself shortly...