Positive changes to Ascent

[kamchatsky]

Looking at the Amex Membership Rewards webpage today and it still has the transfer rate to Starwood at 1000:330.

Could this be a delay in updating the webpage or more likely the rumoured 1000:600 transfer rate to Starwood was a misprint?

It must be a misprint ...... Since they have updated miles for CX, SQ and MAS ....... If that is the case they need to send an email clarifying this.

So right now SQ is still the best option .....

 

[thomastse]

Amex points are much better value now. But for those places that don't accept Amex, there does not appear to be a Visa/Master card that can have points transferred to airlines other than Qantas ?

 

[ANstar]

ANZ have a rewards card that you can transfer to NZ an SQ... not sure what the earn/burn rates are like though

 

[thomastse]

ANZ have a rewards card that you can transfer to NZ an SQ... not sure what the earn/burn rates are like though

For some reason, ANZ doesn't even post SQ as a redeemable partner online. Just rang them & they need $3 spent per SQ point, which is too expensive. Thanks anyway !

 

[mick]

Looking at the Amex Membership Rewards webpage today and it still has the transfer rate to Starwood at 1000:330.

Could this be a delay in updating the webpage or more likely the rumoured 1000:600 transfer rate to Starwood was a misprint?

I just spoke with the Amex Platinum Priority Service desk and they said that the conversion rate for MR -> SPG is a misprint, however, Amex will honour this conversion rate of 1000:600 until September 2008, in acknowledgement of their error.

Gosh, what to do, what to do...

 

[JohnK]

So right now SQ is still the best option .....

I think you are right. Only minor issue I do not like is the expiry of miles in KrisFlyer. So if transferring MR points to KrisFlyer need to make sure the calculations are accurate otherwise remaining points may expire.

I just spoke with the Amex Platinum Priority Service desk and they said that the conversion rate for MR -> SPG is a misprint, however, Amex will honour this conversion rate of 1000:600 until September 2008, in acknowledgement of their error.

Gosh, what to do, what to do...

I share that dilemma. Well at least some good news anyway but I probably won't be ready to organise or book a RTW by September.

Assuming 90,000 AA miles are required for a RTW award then I will need to transfer 125,000 MR points via SPG to get these AA miles. At a 1:1 transfer to QF I need 140,000 MR points for the same RTW but saving on taxes using AA.

Or I can just transfer to AA before September 2008 and wait until I am ready to book the RTW award.

 

[beardoc]

I just spoke with the Amex Platinum Priority Service desk and they said that the conversion rate for MR -> SPG is a misprint, however, Amex will honour this conversion rate of 1000:600 until September 2008, in acknowledgement of their error.

Gosh, what to do, what to do...

Oh, dammit. When I called American Express they said that it was NOT a misprint and it was indeed a genuine and ongoing rate.

Seems I might be pushing my points to SQ then. This has got to be the biggest disappointment I've ever had with Amex. I don't have enough points currently to warrant converting so that I can get my preferred fare (the Oneworld Business Class ATW 35000 miles award), and with the old rate of conversions I won't make it in the next couple of years, either (which was my plan).

 

[lovetravellingoz]

I just spoke with the Amex Platinum Priority Service desk and they said that the conversion rate for MR -> SPG is a misprint, however, Amex will honour this conversion rate of 1000:600 until September 2008, in acknowledgement of their error.

Gosh, what to do, what to do...

Grrrrrrrr just when I was getting interested in AA due the re-rating.


However a question....

As you actually go through SPG, which means you have to transfer the points there by Sept...and not AA)...how long do points stay valid in SPG (before I would be forced to transfer them to AA) ?

So your burn date would be Sept 08 plus SPG expiry priod plus upto 18months (AA period).

This I assume would be quite a long time. However your enhanced earn rate to AA stops after Sep08.

SQ and Virgin Atlantic may well become my focus....as I can keep earning after Sept for it.

 

[Mal]

Well it's officially on the website now:

Membership Rewards conversion rate: 1000 Membership Rewards Points = 330 Starpoints.

For a limited time until 30 September 2008,
1000 Membership Rewards Points = 600 Starpoints

 

[Alanslegal]

However a question....

As you actually go through SPG, which means you have to transfer the points there by Sept...and not AA)...how long do points stay valid in SPG (before I would be forced to transfer them to AA) ?

SPG points do not expire as long as you keep your account active. To keep your account active, a minimum of 1 stay / night at a qualifying rate per 12 months is required. I hope this is correct - and I'm a SPG Plat (so I hope I am right).

 

[futaris]

I put a 2,300 point redemption from MR to SPG today (to test), and only got 759 points, which is the old 1000:330 rate.

I never ended up contacting American Express, but they did fix up their error:

Earn +660 05/13/2008 AMEX REWARDS AUSTRALIA

So even though I converted 2300 early, instead of 1380 points, I still got 759+660=1419 points.

SPG points do not expire as long as you keep your account active. To keep your account active, a minimum of 1 stay / night at a qualifying rate per 12 months is required. I hope this is correct - and I'm a SPG Plat (so I hope I am right).

I think any SPG activity (Amex, dine, redemption, etc) every 12 months, is all that is needed. But I haven't looked it up on spg.com. Any idea where we can find this information?

 

[Alanslegal]

I think any SPG activity (Amex, dine, redemption, etc) every 12 months, is all that is needed. But I haven't looked it up on spg.com. Any idea where we can find this information?

Starwood Hotels & Resorts

Per,

3.2. You will be considered an "Active Member" so long as (a) your Membership has not been cancelled (by you or us), and (b) you have had an Eligible Stay at a Participating Property within the previous 12 months, or (c) you have earned Starpoints by using a Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card during the previous 12 months. Starpoints resulting from transfers or earnings from Program affiliates do not count toward active status.

 

[aus_flyer]

3.2. You will be considered an "Active Member" so long as (a) your Membership has not been cancelled (by you or us), and (b) you have had an Eligible Stay at a Participating Property within the previous 12 months, or (c) you have earned Starpoints by using a Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card during the previous 12 months. Starpoints resulting from transfers or earnings from Program affiliates do not count toward active status.

Wow, that's a bit harsh.