Reduced AMEX earn rates from April 2019

[blingy90]

Watching this thread carefully!
I’m an explorer / edge holder with explorer linked to edge. I’m away from home at the moment for work but my wife has sent me a photo of the explorer letter that has been posted by a few members. No letter re the edge yet. So I will wait and see if any letter appears re the edge & ascent points being doubled.

A question re the charge / ascent premium. Obviously posted by a few members that their points in this will double. If I was to get the charge, to link the ascent to ascent premium, this would require a similar procedure as the explorer > edge scenario // technically is not allowed?

 

[Mr_Orange]

I received my letter today relating to my Charge card and my points are being doubled, however I'm still going to scoop up the 25% QF bonus and transfer out before the end of this month.

 

[DC3]

. ... I'm still going to scoop up the 25% QF bonus and transfer out before the end of his month.

Yes, I have done the same. Took the 25%.

 

[David L]

I received my letter today relating to my Charge card and my points are being doubled, however I'm still going to scoop up the 25% QF bonus and transfer out before the end of this month.

Transfer your points | Qantas Frequent Flyer
Is this the deal you are talking about? If I'm a Platinum Charge holder with Ascent Premium, can I still transfer and receive the bonus even though I haven't received the email?

 

[Bell21]

I also got the letter confirming the doubling of my existing points balance (Plat Charge).

So here is a potential opportunity:
Those with Plat Charge/Centurion will have their existing points doubled but the transfer rate to SPG/Marriott remains at 3MR :2 Marriott points. With a doubling of the existing points balances, the transfer rate becomes 3MR: 4 Marriott. Or under the old SPG scheme, 3MR to 1.33 SPG OR in other words 1MR = 0.4444 SPG (old program). This isn't too different to the old rate of 1 MR = 0.5 SPG (11% deval).

Of course this effective transfer rate only applies to existing points balances when the crossover happens.

Can someone confirm my logic is correct?

I think your logic is spot-on - thanks for pointing this out. Depending on the hotel in question, this could potentially make this a transfer option again, although it's still, as you point out, not quite as good as pre-SPG devaluation (9% devaluation I think)

 

[potm]

I think your logic is spot-on - thanks for pointing this out. Depending on the hotel in question, this could potentially make this a transfer option again, although it's still, as you point out, not quite as good as pre-SPG devaluation (9% devaluation I think)

The travel packages, which were by far the most value you could get with points have also been devalued by Marriott.

Before the choice was between 2 Krisflyer points or 3 Marriott points.
Right now it’s 3 Krisflyer points or 2 Marriott points.
After the changes it will be 3 Krisflyer points or 4 Marriott points.

 

[Mr_Orange]

Transfer your points | Qantas Frequent Flyer
Is this the deal you are talking about? If I'm a Platinum Charge holder with Ascent Premium, can I still transfer and receive the bonus even though I haven't received the email?

Yes, that is the offer I am referring to. I don't believe that it is targetted so you should be able take advantage of it.

 

[Ken1]

Transfer your points | Qantas Frequent Flyer
Is this the deal you are talking about? If I'm a Platinum Charge holder with Ascent Premium, can I still transfer and receive the bonus even though I haven't received the email?

You are not likely to receive the bonus points if you have not transferred from Platinum Charge Ascent Premium to QFF before, if the latest offer was targeted, going by the experience of a friend of mine and also what is published in a Points Hacks article. A friend who got a new Charge card last year contacted QFF when I received the offer and he didn't and was told that it was targeted and that no he wouldn't receive the bonus.

Point Hacks regularly publish articles about the QFF bonuses for transfers and they state in that article that you need to have previously done a transfer to get the offer. My friend transferred a small amount on that occasion and didn't receive any bonus points then but since then he has received the offers each time.

Here is the latest Point Hacks article about this, dated November 2, 2018:

Transfer bonuses for Qantas Points from credit cards - Point Hacks guide

Edited: Ive just looked at the email I received from QFF on 8 November "Transfer now for up to 45% more Qantas points" and it says:
"We are sending you this offer as you have transferred reward points earned on a credit or charge card to Qantas Points in the past." and "This offer is available to the recipient of this email only and should not be shared. Bonus Qantas Points will only be awarded for transfers of credit or charge card reward points to Qantas Points that take place between 12:01am (AEST) 1 November and 11:59pm (AEST) 30 November 2018." I also received the letter by snail mail a week or so earlier.

 

[David L]

A friend who got a new Charge card last year contacted QFF when I received the offer and he didn't and was told that it was targeted and that no he wouldn't receive the bonus.

This is probably the clearest indication that I won't get the bonus. But I have it on record from Qantas Live Chat that it is open to anyone, but prefer not to dispute it after the fact...

 

[Mr_Orange]

You are not likely to receive the bonus points if you have not transferred from Platinum Charge Ascent Premium to QFF before, if the latest offer was targeted, going by the experience of a friend of mine and also what is published in a Points Hacks article. A friend who got a new Charge card last year contacted QFF when I received the offer and he didn't and was told that it was targeted and that no he wouldn't receive the bonus.

Point Hacks regularly publish articles about the QFF bonuses for transfers and they state in that article that you need to have previously done a transfer to get the offer. My friend transferred a small amount on that occasion and didn't receive any bonus points then but since then he has received the offers each time.

Here is the latest Point Hacks article about this, dated November 2, 2018:

Transfer bonuses for Qantas Points from credit cards - Point Hacks guide

Edited: Ive just looked at the email I received from QFF on 8 November "Transfer now for up to 45% more Qantas points" and it says:
"We are sending you this offer as you have transferred reward points earned on a credit or charge card to Qantas Points in the past." and "This offer is available to the recipient of this email only and should not be shared. Bonus Qantas Points will only be awarded for transfers of credit or charge card reward points to Qantas Points that take place between 12:01am (AEST) 1 November and 11:59pm (AEST) 30 November 2018." I also received the letter by snail mail a week or so earlier.

I have never transferred points to QFF from MR before and I received the offer although the wording is different:

Dear Mr_Orange,

Do you hold a credit or charge card that allows you to transfer your bank’s reward points to Qantas Points? If so, simply transfer before 30 November 2018 and you’ll receive up to 45% more Qantas Points.*
The more you transfer, the more bonus points you'll receive.

 

[amaroo]

I have never transferred points to QFF from MR before and I received the offer although the wording is different:

Same here .... I posted about it here 15-45% bonus Qantas Points on transfers from cards (possibly targeted)

 

[Bell21]

QANTAS bonus offer - interesting - I received the transfer bonus offer, but I'd deliberately transferred amounts in the past, due to point hacks suggestions - although my partner, who is only a supplementary card holder and has never transferred from the Plat card to her QANTAS account also received the offer, so it does appear to be less targetted than in the past

 

[Mr_Orange]

QANTAS bonus offer - interesting - I received the transfer bonus offer, but I'd deliberately transferred amounts in the past, due to point hacks suggestions - although my partner, who is only a supplementary card holder and has never transferred from the Plat card to her QANTAS account also received the offer, so it does appear to be less targetted than in the past

I didn't think supplementary card holders could transfer anything as all the points end up in the primary cardholders MR account.

 

[Bell21]

Double Ascent Premium points - following up other members' comments, I rang AMEX Platinum's service centre today to find-out if it applies to my card, and thankfully, they said it does, which is great, although in contrast to the experience of other members, I was told that I wouldn't be receiving a letter because it's an 'automated process' --- I made sure to take down the rep's name and ask for a case number!

Other points of interest ---
1) The rep seemed to be relatively less experienced than others I've spoken to in the past - an intuition, so unsure how reliable below is
2) Doubling only applies to Ascent Premium and not Ascent or Gateway, as others have posted
3) Confirmed it was a targeted offer, although to provide other members with context, I've only been a Platinum member for a few months, so hopefully if it applies to me, it will apply to most

A BIG THANKS to the AFF community because if I don't receive a letter, then I wouldn't have known about this benefit otherwise, and would have made decisions about transferring points without having all the important facts at my disposal.

 

[Bell21]

I didn't think supplementary card holders could transfer anything as all the points end up in the primary cardholders MR account.

Yes, that's correct --- I just think it makes it interesting that she received the offer, when in fact, as you indicate, she wouldn't formally be considered a Plat card holder as a supplementary

 

[Saltywings]

2) Doubling only applies to Ascent Premium and not Ascent or Gateway, as others have posted

Say it ain't so! :O

 

[Moopere]

Probably hang onto Platinum edge...

I'm reading this thread for the first time today, and my Edge renewal was yesterday. Argh! With conversions to Airlines at 2:1 I'm no longer sure where the value is. Really.

I'm going to post a thread elsewhere, but I had an experience a few days ago where I booked a Hilton Exec room at close to half price by going through a third party site (Amex as it happens!). I'm not expecting to gain any HH points or to have my Diamond status recognised (per HH own T&C about 3rd party bookings) but are we entering a period now where we're actually going to be better off simply paying for perks we want? At half price, I don't much care about my status based 'points & perks' .. the exec room will provide me everything that the status card would have.

My point being ... is the era of perks for points now essentially over? VA devaluation via their redemption surcharge, Amex halving their points value ... its already a tough game with margins in the small percentiles. Big changes like this ... well, at what point do we just put away these high cost cards and start using cash again? Just buy what we want?

Now what to do with my hefty MR balance with no big redemptions on the horizon. Makes me sick knowing im most probably going to dump into velocity where i already have a nervously high balance. But do i do it now and take advantage of 15% November promo or hang out to next year and hope for a better deal... Anyone else have a plan?

Yes, its the first thing that came to my mind as well. I have a half million at Amex and another half million or so at VA. Something has to give before April with the Amex, I can't live through a 50% value reduction there. VA has annoyed me with their devaluation too. I've already got too many points with them and their deval was making me think of moving those points out to somewhere else.

The easy choice would appear to be KF and would solve both problems. But their three year expiry policy makes me nervous. A million or so points to use up in 3 years? Easy to do if forced I guess, but I like to pace myself and not simply burn points.

 

[gregff]

Today I received my only letter from Amex so far relating to the pending 50% devaluation of the FF transfer rate for existing Membership Rewards points. I am a Platinum Charge customer and have been an Amex holder for over 30 years. I have never missed a payment or had a dispute with them.
The letter referred to my companion card for the Charge - the Platinum Reserve Credit card - which, along with the Platinum Charge, is enrolled in Ascent Premium.
There was NO mention of my existing points being doubled after April 15.
Needless to say, I am incensed! The letter said if I had other cards I would be receiving a letter outlining changes applicable to them. However, unless they can separate out the Platinum reserve points and treat them differently to the Platinum Charge points (which all are in the Ascent Premium program), I am not optimistic that still-to-be received letters will bring better news.

 

[potm]

Today I received my only letter from Amex so far relating to the pending 50% devaluation of the FF transfer rate for existing Membership Rewards points. I am a Platinum Charge customer and have been an Amex holder for over 30 years. I have never missed a payment or had a dispute with them.
The letter referred to my companion card for the Charge - the Platinum Reserve Credit card - which, along with the Platinum Charge, is enrolled in Ascent Premium.
There was NO mention of my existing points being doubled after April 15.
Needless to say, I am incensed! The letter said if I had other cards I would be receiving a letter outlining changes applicable to them. However, unless they can separate out the Platinum reserve points and treat them differently to the Platinum Charge points (which all are in the Ascent Premium program), I am not optimistic that still-to-be received letters will bring better news.

It’s probably just a generic letter. Your charge one will likely mention the doubling of points like all the others. As long as all your points are in ascent premium, you should be fine. Things should clear up once all the dust settles.

 

[bbqwer]

Received 2 mail today, Both for Amex explorer wife and me - No mention doubling of points.

There is still a hope for platinum edge ascent points - Still waiting letters for this.

I think AMEX sending letter to customers for the most expensive annual fees first, then going down to the cheapest fees.