260K AmEx Member Rewards Point - Best Use to Get to New York

jollster101 on 27/08/2018 - 15:57
Last edited 27/08/2018 - 21:20

Hi all

I have an AmEx Explorer card that I have amassed 260K points on so far. Dec 2019 is the wife's 40th birthday and I am looking at going to New York around mid-Nov '19 to celebrate. It will just be the two of us and so I am keen to see if we can purchase flights and then upgrade to business using points that I transfer to one of the airlines available via AmEx.

Does anybody know the best bang for buck when transferring points, general flight availability for upgrades and any other detail that may help me that I haven't thought of?

I have contemplated taking another credit card that has bonus points for say Qantas or Virgin if that would benefit what I am hoping to do. I don't think you can transfer points from AmEx to Qantas but can to Emirates but not sure the best options when trying to work this out via partner airlines and the like.

Any pointers would be welcome.

Travel

Comments

  • DealMeIn on 27/08/2018 - 16:43
    +2

    Upgrading using points is almost always much worse than just using points to buy business; more conditions and less certainty. You've got enough points to both one way to the USA on Singapore airlines business class. You'll need to come home economy on a separate ticket. If you can find another 100k points you'd be in. Maybe your wife is eligible for the platinum charge card?

    • jollster101 on 27/08/2018 - 20:29

      She is a supplementary card holder on my explorer card. I wonder if she can still apply for her own charge card and be eligible for the points.

      Singapore generally have the best redemption rates?

      • Kenb0 on 27/08/2018 - 23:19

        Yeah supplementary cardholder doesn't count, won't disqualify her from being a "new customer" to Ames to be avail herself of sign up bonuses

        Then your next problem will be how to consolidate the points into one account, if using Singapore KrisFlyer as they don't allow inter-account transfers. Amex does allow it but only 50k per calendar year. If you don't consolidate the points into one account, then you may have to book tickets separately

        • jollster101 on 28/08/2018 - 09:31

          Does calendar year start from when the account starts or do they run from 01/01 each year?

          If its the latter then I could be ok as she could apply and then we could transfer 50K this calendar year and then a further 50K in Jan or Feb.

          We aren't planning to travel until Nov 19 so this would still hopefully allow access to decent reward offerings.

        • Kenb0 on 28/08/2018 - 11:07

          @jollster101: 01/01, as per the calendar

  • djkelly69 on 27/08/2018 - 16:51
    +1

    I assume you have Gateway points not Ascent, since you have the Explorer?

  • jollster101 on 27/08/2018 - 20:24

    Yep, member rewards gateway points are what I have.

    • ron ron on 29/08/2018 - 21:55
      +1

      Hey Jollster,

      Get a platinum charge card then ask them to link the two cards together. That way, all your points on your explorer will be upgraded to ascent program. Then exchange 1:1 for points instead of 4:3. I did it just last Monday and its worked. It might take a few times in calling to ask but in the end it'll be worth it. Either keep the card for the 200 travel credit or ditch it after a year. Might cost you the 200 for now, but will mean your points add up faster. Just a thought.

  • Egilmore on 27/08/2018 - 22:31

    I don't know about upgrading or getting to NY, however we recently used our AMEX member rewards points to book hotel accommodation (in Malaysia not USA) through Webjet and it was straightforward and worked well. The hotel was competitively priced on Webjet so we were able to make genuine savings on the booking using points. 13500 points =$100 credit so your points would be worth a little over $1900. I'm guessing that won't even go close to covering flights though, let alone business class… But hey it's better than nothing!

    • Kenb0 on 27/08/2018 - 23:24
      +1

      Just FYI, redeeming Amex points for gift cards or "equivalents to cash" to pay for stuff like that is generally considered very poor value. Much better value can be found converting those member rewards points to frequent flyer miles and redeeming for business/first class flights. Obviously more work involved, but better value

      • Egilmore on 28/08/2018 - 07:04
        +1

        That is true and we likely could have got more $ value had we done that. For us we already had flights booked which we purchased cheaply during a sale so we just decided to use the points on accommodation instead. We choose not to stay in a SPG hotel so using Webjet meant we could get the hotel we wanted at least

        • Kenb0 on 28/08/2018 - 09:18
          +1

          Fair enough, you sound like you were happy with the deal you got so that's the main thing :) and the fact that you mentioned SPG also means that you were aware of that other method of redeeming Amex MR points which means you had already done your research as well. A well-researched decision is a good decision!

  • yoyo6 on 30/08/2018 - 10:10
    +1

    You don't need to get the points into one account, you can book a ticket from each account or even one way on one account and one way on the other. If you have Membership Rewards points you can use them to book via Singapore airlines on Singapore airlines, United or Air Canada. All of those will be hard to get in Business class. Alternatively, look at booking through Asia Miles (cathay pacific) and go via Hong Kong or Japan on Japan Airlines or American Airlines or even Hawaiian airlines if you are in Sydney or Brisbane.

    You should be able to sign up for some more cards and refer some friends to boost your points. if you want to fly Business class, you should be open to flying via Asia rather than west coast US as it is much easier to get. I have family in NY and have done that many times.

    • jollster101 on 31/08/2018 - 08:22

      Top advice, thanks.

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