Travel further for fewer Membership Rewards points

straitman · #1 (**permalink**) 13th March 2008, 10:57 AM

This arrived by email this morning.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AMEX Rewards

Dear straitman,

The next time you redeem your Membership Rewards points for travel with TravelKey*, you’ll notice that your points are worth more. We’ve raised the dollar value your points are worth, to make it both easier and more affordable for you to book your next trip. Instead of paying 12,000 points for $100 of travel, you’ll pay just 10,000 points.

Travel anywhere, anytime, on your points#

Pay for any travel including hotels, cars, flights, tours, packages, insurance - even airport taxes

Enjoy competitive rates and help from experienced travel advisors

Pay instantly when you redeem for your travel booking at any Travelscene
American Express Travel Agent or online

You can even use a combination of points and a payment on your American Express Card^. Every 100 points you have is worth $1 with TravelKey.

I would never use the points this way but it's out there for those who may

futaris · #2 (**permalink**) 13th March 2008, 11:17 AM

Not a horrible deal (for short trips)... $100 = 10000 points which should get you most Zone 1 Redemptions on QF. Alternatively 8000 points + taxes on QF, or 10000 QF points. At least this way you'll earn QF/AA miles/SCs/EQP.

NB, this doesn't take into account the current OZTRALIA 3000 QF point discount till 17 Mar 08.

And if you book using Amex Travelscene you'll at least know what code it is booking in.

NM · #3 (**permalink**) 13th March 2008, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by futaris

At least this way you'll earn QF/AA miles/SCs/EQP.

And earn a Mr Squiggle if that is important to your status qualification process.

straitman · #4 (**permalink**) 13th March 2008, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NM

And earn a Mr Squiggle if that is important to your status qualification process.

I've enough Mr Squiggles' but not enough SC's.

NM · #5 (**permalink**) 13th March 2008, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by straitman

I've enough Mr Squiggles' but not enough SC's.

I think is the story of life for many people around here

.

futaris · #6 (**permalink**) 13th March 2008, 11:44 AM

It's also not a bad way to get MR miles into AAdvantage, if you can book a *ONE* fare, or some other high mileage/lowish cost flights, eg LONE4 = ~350000 MR points (AU$3500) -> 40-70k AA miles if mainly on AA codeshares, which isn't far off from the ~125k you'd get from going through SPG.

Also a good use for the current $69 QantasLink Port Macquarie / Albury flights. There's a bonus 2000 point offer on at the moment.

So for 14000 MR points you will get 6000 QF points, and at least 20 SCs.

Shame you can't really use this deal to book the AA SC runs in the USA...

JohnK · #7 (**permalink**) 15th March 2008, 04:01 PM

This deal sounds fantastic. So for a A$1400 return airfare SYD-LHR I would only need 140,000 Amex MR points. Or I could just try to get any Oneworld RTW award with QF going through LHR up to 3 times for the same number of points. Why would this decision be so difficult?

Quote:

Originally Posted by futaris

Also a good use for the current $69 QantasLink Port Macquarie / Albury flights. There's a bonus 2000 point offer on at the moment.

Thanks! I did not know about this deal. I am now going to book some returns to earn more QFF points.

Quote:

Originally Posted by futaris

Shame you can't really use this deal to book the AA SC runs in the USA...

To credit towards QFF program? You are still better off spending cash for the YUPs.

futaris · #8 (**permalink**) 15th March 2008, 04:52 PM

True. Using cash or your Amex is a better deal, as you're giving up the points that you would have earned as well.

For short cheap flights, it's not a bad deal compared to QF. That being said, you shouldn't be using your QF points on those fares in the first place.

I think the only time where it is almost as good is the above QantasLink deal. You're essentially giving up 140-210 MR points, and earning 6000 QF points + 20 SC instead of 14000 QF points.

8000 QF points = 20 SC isn't a bad deal... Alternatively you could just spend 6000 MR points + $80, and earn 6000 QF points, using points and cash, and get your 20SCs for $80.

AU$4/SC is a very good deal (esp for Sydney based members) if you have enough membership reward points to spend in the first place, and doing SC runs in Australia is a lot easier than going to the US for a YUP run. And it's in QantasLink not Jetstar StarClass or the like.

Shame I'm not after SCs, but EQP in AAdvantage.

dajop · #9 (**permalink**) 15th March 2008, 05:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnK

This deal sounds fantastic. So for a A$1400 return airfare SYD-LHR I would only need 140,000 Amex MR points. Or I could just try to get any Oneworld RTW award with QF going through LHR up to 3 times for the same number of points. Why would this decision be so difficult?

Actually, technically it isn't the same number of points, if you were a WP and just wanted to go to London (and not anywhere else), it would cost 140,000 MR points, but you would earn 40,000 QF points as part of the trip, so not as clear cut as it sounds. But I do know where you're coming from.

futaris · #10 (**permalink**) 15th March 2008, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dajop

Actually, technically it isn't the same number of points

That's my point too. If you're going to make the best of this deal view it as a $ discount on your QF fare. If you were going to earn 20k QF points, spend the 20k MR (rather than xfer to QF in the future) and save $200 on the fare you were going to buy anyway. Plus using MR points guarantees seat availability, much like the QF rumoured "enhancements" will.