Not sure if it's targeted.
On my Amex card. I can see on top of all my shop small shops, I have a link get 30 percent more value when you pay by points.
The offer is only on Small shops spend. And I am getting this offer on all spends (Multiple spend on the same shop)
Shop Small 30% Promotion
1000 points = $9.63
Referrer: 40,000 Reward Points
Referee gets 200,000 MR points. Referrer gets 150,000 MR points.
With 30% more, it it worth more than save it to buy air ticket?
Depends on the card I suppose.
Personally I think it's better to cash out the points with this promotion and try to find deals with flights search engines. I haven't found AMEX Travel to be the cheapest.
Why would you use Amex Travel to use your points? I agree that Amex Travel is not always the cheapest (and their search engine is not great) but that only affects me for the annual travel credit, the points I just transfer to SPG or one of my freq flyer programs.
Because 1 point = 1 cent with amex travel, as opposed to the usual 0.7c to cash out.
Better still is converting to frequent flyer points, for those who play the travel game.
GundamZeta was asking "it it worth more than save it to buy air ticket?" which I'm guessing he's referring "it" to Amex Rewards Points. You can purchase flights directly with Amex Reward Points and indirectly by converting the Amex Reward Points to other FF points. If it's directly, then it's via Amex Travel. If it's indirectly, then the answer is similar.
It really comes down to several factors:
If you massage the AMEX travel results with advanced search, you should be able to get the same deals you see on Skyscanner and Momondo. I was able to do a multi-city deal I saw on Secret Flying, but I had to filter to just Fiji Airways, otherwise the default result was Qantas at twice the price.
I'd imagine most here would say it's still not worth more than saving for an air ticket, but I'd generally agree with what ronnknee said.
Unless you are looking to fly Business or First right?
Only if you still value the redemption at more than whatever you would otherwise get in equivalent cash.
Otherwise, if you just want to get from A to B for the cheapest price, then no. Cashing out is better.
convert your points to Velocity Frequent Flyer and sell it at 1.2c - 1.3c per point. Currently there is bonus 15% if you transfer to Velocity by end of Nov
Where do you sell it for 1.2-1-3c/pt?
You can sell it in the ozbargain classified. There will be low ballers trying to pay less than that but if you're not desperate, just hold it until you find a buyer.
I was gonna say, highly doubt you'd get 1.2-1.3c/pt on Ozbargain. Never seen it go for more than I think 1.1c.
Are you sure you can realistically sell them here for that high?
@illumination: I've sold them for 1.2c but if there are buyers needing bulk points urgently, you can get them for 1.3.
i don't have it
I think you just need to click on the Pay by points and it will automatically show. I didn't see it from outside too.
Where is "pay by points"? thank you
When you log into your Amex Account, there is 1 part on the right is "View Points Earned" - Green colour
And below of it is "Use POints for Charges". Thats where you will see 30% off.
YES! Been saving my points for this for ages. Thanks op.
Maybe ages to Super Kami Dende is 2 months? Haha
Thought that one was targeted because it didn’t show up for me.
I was looking on Saturday and noticed I wasn't getting the shop small bonus. Wake up today to see this! Thanks
Anyone managed to pay with NAB Amex ? or this deal only can use with Amex Explore card
:)
Cool, thanks a lot OP! More discounts :)
Do we still have $10 credit from shop small promotion ?
I think its valid till 30th Nov
hmm am I reading this deal wrong - does this value the points at under 1c per point?
Yes.
It is just less than 1%.
I would still save the points for SPG group.
I've heard people say this before but the return on SPG seems pretty bad to me.
depends on where you book, some of the high cat hotels cost a lot of $$$ to book, and if you book for 5 nights, you get 1 free.
Depends how you use. If you have a boatload of points, going SPG and then converting further to Marriott Rewards, can get you one of their travel packages which are awesome value.
You need around 200000 MR points to start considering this though.
Thanks Jason I looked into booking a hotel with about 110,000 MR points by converting to SPG but I was surprised to see I was getting very poor $/point. My experience with Amex explorer thus far has been pretty disappointing.
@scrone: check out the partner frequent flyer program with spg.
ANA mike points for example are quite hard to get and you can get good value for trips to japan.
Marriot stay 4 nights + get 1 night free deals are pretty good as wel if you find a a good hotel (low point redemption and high quality - time square, Bali ritz Carlton etc). You need a fair bit of points but definitely doable.
Otherwise a cash redemption is much better if you don’t value hotel/flights.
the odd thing is that my Amex Platinum Edge account says:
Shop Small 30% Promotion 1000 points = $9.10
I wonder why it doesn't say $9.63?
got it on my Explorer account with $9.63
Same, my Explorer says 9.63$ too
mex Platinum Edge says 1000 points = $9.10
thanks all. Fair enough, Explorer annual fee > Platinum Edge annual fee ($400 vs $195), I guess reward points structure is different too
Just wonder if Platium edge got 400$ voucher for travel ? Otherwise I think Explorer pays $ for annual fee.
@castaway: Plat Edge gets $195 travel credit which pays for the $195 annual fee. I think Explorer card wasn't out when I got the Plat Edge otherwise would have gotten that one!
Plat Edge is actually $200 credit for $195 annual fee (sorry to be pedantic lol)
Explorer came out around August 2016, and agree that the Explorer is generally better
The notion that the travel credit pays for the annual fee is nonsense. Based on my research Amex travel is probably 20-30% overpriced, so the $400 travel credit is worth closer to $300.
I suppose if the lounge entry, insurance, amex offers are worth $100 to you then I guess the card is decent, but I'm inclined to drop back to a fee-free amex when my Explorer renewal comes up.
Actually its not correct 100%, it depends on which airlines you are taking.
I go to Singapore using Singapore Airlines and its have the same price as offer of Singapore airlines so no different at all.
Its same for Virgin or Qantas.
Unless you take Scoot or Jetstar or some other budget airlines then it doesn't work with those airlines.
@castaway: Flights tend to be within a dollar of the airline's website (actually works out cheaper because you don't cop a CC fee using Amex travel).
Hotels are significantly more expensive on Amex travel I've found, compared to other aggregators like hotels.com
So it depends how you use them.
Sadly, I tend to do my flight bookings on points so burning travel credit for flights doesn't really work for me.
@scrone: From my limited experience (which seems consistent with what some other Ozbargainers have said) is that AMEX Travel can be hit or miss.
Sometimes cheaper.
Sometimes same.
Sometimes more expensive.
i.e. you can't pick it.
Don't forget, you've got the option of using it on not just flights, but also accommodation, car hire and "experiences".
@castaway: It may be true that Amex flights are comparable to the airline's website, but the airline's website is often one of the most expensive sources to purchase flights. If you utilise skyscanner (for example) you can often get heavily discounted flights through third-party sellers.
Sorry but I have to disagree with you on this. I only use those expedia or skyscanner or google flight (my favourite) for searching and comparing the flight fare but in the end, I still go to airlines website to book that flight and its always same price as those websites (some comparing website still charge the fee).
The only time I find its cheaper is through STA but then they charged me some fee too.
The reason I want to book directly with the airlines is because if something happens with my booking or flight (delay, cancelled), dealing with airline companies directly is so much easy than through 3rd party.
P.S : Sometimes, the comparing website uses US$ while some airlines we take is charging A$
@scrone: Booking with third parties can be cheaper initially, but you better hope you don't have to change anything. You get charged double fees - fees charged by the third party in addition to fees charged by the airline.
As castaway said, the airline's own website is not always more expensive. If it's the same (or a tad more expensive), I'd argue it is worth buying it directly from the airline to cut out the middleman.
@castaway: "its always same price as those websites (some comparing website still charge the fee)."
Almost invariably when I book an international flight I get a cheaper deal booking with third-parties. As you've suggested you get a better level of service dealing with the airline directly, which is why you pay more.
Is this targeted? I can't see this on my Platinum Edge offers
It may be targeted, but if you're looking in the offers, you're in the wrong place. You need to go to Pay With Points, or "Use Points For Charges"
It's bizarre, Explorer (Gateway) points are normally worth less than Edge (Ascent) points, but worth more for cash back.
Much rather save it for suite class on singapore airlines
Will be harder to find availability going forward - assuming this based on the new suites of which there are only half.
Book early and be flexible with dates, you'll get there.
Of course. Not saying it's not possible - just pointing out that it'll be more scarce.
However, this is part of the reason why points are not all they're made out to be when it comes to searching for flights (especially in premium cabins).
How far in advance you reckon do we have to book?
I had a look in June and was able to find availability for January. I had a look last week, and was able to find some in March. if you arent picky over what day you go, its not that hard
Cairns to Tokyo I think it was, for suites/first class. Need to check on seatguru I think to see which one it is that day
Doing the same myself :)
Finally! I loved this feature and have been saving my points since this time last year.
When Shop Small started a few weeks ago I checked and saw the same rate for everything. It was very disappointing to think it wasn't happening. So glad it's back. Thanks for letting us know!
Best value of points is spg points or air ticket. I won’t consider the others.
Registration Capped
Did it just disappear for everyone else too?
No you have to log in
I re-logged into my app. The deal is back
So I confirm this deal.
You pay using ur points but you get a 30% discount?
However, if you intend to use the points to upgrade from economy to first/business class then it's better to stay as is. (I have over 200,000 points)
I see it as a 30% bonus not a "discount"
I can see it too. Good one!