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

[albyd]

That's a huge blow and I am reluctant to transfer points to Singapore with their harsh expiry policy.

Post automatically merged: Jul 4, 2023

no August

Much the same. I'm thinking of biting the bullet ans transferring to the US MR until they devalue too. I thought the St George devaluation was just to get them in line with parent Westpac's transfer rate on its cards given KF & VA are the only airlines left on the St George "platform". Might indicate a price increase from SQ or just a re-adjustment by St George & Amex given all other AU card issuers are at 3:1 with KF.

 

[am0985]

Velocity has consistent availability for QR if you book early enough. I booked to London for Feb next year and can see availability in May 2024. This bodes well for availability via Avios. I don't know how peak season looks though, whereas SQ was always quite good for that if booked in advance.

At least SQ points should be good for journeys until August 2027 if you transfer in September and count the 11 month booking window. Couple of Europe/North America trips worth of points in there should work out for a lot of people.

One big casualty is trips to Asia though. One stop to Japan was always possible on SQ, might be harder with Avios?

 

[Viridis]

Velocity has consistent availability for QR if you book early enough. I booked to London for Feb next year and can see availability in May 2024.

First; Business?

Economy?

 

[am0985]

First; Business?

Economy?

Business!

 

[Viridis]

Business!

Oh, nice job. Well done

 

[penegal]

Insert sad face here

 

[am0985]

So having a look at Avios on QR and it's not bad at all.

Searching early June 2024.

Carrier charges aren't too bad - LHR - MEL is A$670ish even with the UK's obscenely high taxes. 90k Avios one way.

Can do JFK - MEL, though confusingly some of these are Flexi awards so double. But can find JFK - DOH - MEL for 120k Avios + 219 USD.

South American adventures the long way round (worse ways to fly!) can also be had - GRU - DOH - MEL for 120k Avios each way + 977 BRL (A$305)

Somewhat amusingly it also seems to be allowing MEL - DOH - NRT for 100k Avios points. I have no idea if this booking would go through if I tried to complete it (I have 0 Avios)...but it's only a few more points more than SQ/QF would charge on this route!

Changes/cancellations >24 hours out from departure are also only 25USD which makes speculative redemptions quite attractive.

 

[georgie23]

No idea if SQ is changing rates worldwide but if everyone jumps onto Qatar imagine redemptions will get trickier

I have a couple mil KF points and booking redemptions for July 2024 and have noticed availability is not like it used to be - much harder - maybe SG is also restricting some availability

 

[ninja-tim]

Which card or type of ascent program is this devaluation for?

I still haven't received the email.

 

[LadyC]

Is QR J award availability normally limited to 2 pax? Anyone had success in getting 3 or 4 seats via Velocity or directly with QR/BA?

 

[Chicken]

Which card or type of ascent program is this devaluation for?
I still haven't received the email.

Good question. I received one email for my Edge and one email for my gold charge; but no e-mail for my Reserve, yet.

 

[lovestotravel]

This will apply to ALL Amex cards

No email for me yet but it's a bad bad move from Amex

 

[_TheTraveller_]

Haven't received any for my plat charge.

 

[RealtimeY]

Received for both plat and reserve

 

[Viridis]

Which card or type of ascent program is this devaluation for?

I still haven't received the email.

My brother is Centurion and he got the email this morning

I’m Platinum (and Reserve) and haven’t got an email for either

My wife has the Explorer - nothing for her either

All the same surname, so it’s not alphabetical

 

[alexy23]

I'll be moving at least 3 years (36 months) of points into SQ.

SQ offer a 6 month extension on miles, and they can be used to book VA flights (worst case).

In saying this 3:1 is horrible given how SQ has already been devaluing and making redemption harder the last few years.

Is this the beginning of the end?

 

[Viridis]

Haven't received any for my plat charge.

Received for both plat and reserve

Maybe the maillot is based on points balance - I’ve got virtually nothing left having done a big points spend for a trip at the end of the year

Mind you, it’s a computer so you would think it can do more than one thing at a time

Wife also spent up

Brother has millions

 

[kangarooflyer88]

Finally some positive news from AmEx Australia. Now look, I know a ton of folks will point to the devaluation of KrisFlyer and Emirates transfers, and yes that is sad but they just added 4 new transfer partners: Qatar, British Airways (via Qatar to British Airways 1:1 Avios transfer), Iberia (via Qatar to Iberia 1:1 Avios transfer) and Hawaiian Airways. And there are way more sweet spots on the BA and Qatar award chart than there are on KrisFlyer. I mean you can fly across the ditch to NZ on QF in Y for 11,000 BA Avios one-way. Or what about flying SYD to HBA for 6,000 Avios one-way again on QF?

The real question, then, is for those people who still rely on SQ or EK miles, what's the best credit card option now?

-RooFlyer88

 

[ChrisFlyer]

Maybe the maillot is based on points balance - I’ve got virtually nothing left having done a big points spend for a trip at the end of the year

Mind you, it’s a computer so you would think it can do more than one thing at a time

Wife also spent up

Brother has millions

Who knows! I'm sitting on close to 1mil MR points and haven't heard zip yet.

 

[alexy23]

The real question, then, is for those people who still rely on SQ or EK miles, what's the best credit card option now?

Sadly it's still the best option, that's why most aren't seeing it as good news. There's no competition for Amex due to the RBA mandated interchange rates. The question is how many will justify the high annual fees anymore?

Amex Plat
Old Rate: $1 = 2.25 MR = 1.125 KF
New Rate: $1 = 2.25 MR = 0.75 KF

St George: $1 = 0.75KF (Soon to be $1 = 0.5 KF) thanks @Jacques Vert
Westpac Black: $1 = 0.41 KF
NAB: $1 = 0.41 KF
ANZ: $1 = 0.33 KF