If you read other blogs, you’ll have noticed a lot of posts about a new offer on the Blue Business Plus for 10,000 points. That offer has actually been available since late February via referral links (both parties get 10,000 points) so it’s not exactly new. In addition it’s frequently possible to get a bonus of 20,000 points, either by calling in or getting a targeted offer. If you’re going to sign up for this card, I’d recommend using a readers referral link instead.
Look like Amazon is offering this deal
https://www.amazon.com/adlp/american-express-blue-business-credit-card?pf_rd_r=5GYWV2GQGA6SZFNRN6VW&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_t=69701&pf_rd_p=de61cb6c-4137-40f3-a16f-68a85c42a2dd&pf_rd_s=desktop-hero-1&pf_rd_i=ab-desktop
My wife was just approved for this card and in the post-approval screen, it asked her to log in to her existing AMEX account; she did, but it then said the card couldn’t be added to that account and she was forced to create a new account login. She wants to add this card to that account to preserve other MR points on a recently-cancelled Plat card. What can she do to make this happen?
This happened to me a few weeks ago. She just needs to wait until she receives the physical card. She will then be able to add it to her account online as part of the card activation process.
Did you create the new account upon approval? Or did you skip that step?
Okay, I have a dumb question: What is 20000 MR points worth? I only have the cash cards from Amex.
its not a dumb question but it is a very n00b question. meaning anyone could write a dissertation to answer your question. its too complicated. i suggest you go on reddit and read a lot. no way anyone could answer that easily without explaining a shitload first.
Very roughly, 20,000 MR are worth around $200.
Depending on your usage, they could be worth as little as $150, or $400 or more.
But 1 cent per point is a good rough approximation without knowing about your spending and travel needs.
Thank you. That helps a lot.
@Celia aim for 1.5 – 2.0 cents per point as a realistic goal. Anyone settling for 1 cent per MR point is playing this game all wrong.
I imagine you’re correct. I was trying to gauge whether I wanted to use a hard pull to get into using MR points. I use the UR points well, never looked at the Amex side. Thank you.
When I applied for this card last year with a business tax ID number, they didn’t do a pull on my credit report. That’s just one data point.
I would say that anyone who values 1 MR above 1 cent is just playing games. Real value is barely at it.
Last yearI redeem a $11000 air ticket for 115000 MR which is 1 MR to 9 cent
You very likely didn’t value that flight at $11k (would you have actually paid that much cash for it??), so it’s not really 9 cpp of value. I’m sure it was good value for you, but the sticker price overstates it.
This is the itinerary of my trip (This is round the world ticket in 30 days)
Air Canada: JFK-YUL, YUL-LYS
Aegean Air: LYS-ATH
Turkey Airline: ATH-IST, IST-HKG
Cathay Pacific: HKG-TPE*
Thai Air: TPE-ICN
Asiana: GMP-HND, HND-ICN, ICN-JFK
All the flights are in Biz class. Now you go quote it anyway, online travel agency and let me know whether you can do it in less than 11K. it might not be exactly 11K depend on your travel season (I travel during X’mas and New Year Holiday) but highly doubt it can be done less than 10K. Even econ for such ticket will probably cost you at least 4K
What did you do with the $11K you saved?
You also need to compare it to what the retail cost of any similar ticket would be. Let’s just say you got an $11,000 first class ticket on Delta and Air France was offering the same route first class for $5000 then you *really* got $5000 value out of it. And if you would only pay $1000 for the coach variety then you need to determine what the incremental value over $1000 is.
I recently booked two nights in a Hyatt Place for 24,000 pts. Retail price was $1238. I could have booked another similar hotel in a similar area for $600 for the two nights. So I consider myself getting 2.5cpp on this redemption, not 5.15cpp.
“And if you would only pay $1000 for the coach variety then you need to determine what the incremental value over $1000 is.”
I’ve heard that argument before and it is extremely flawed. Prices are determined by the marketplace as a whole, not what one particular individual values something at. If the marketplace didn’t value first / business class tickets at thousands of dollars, then they wouldn’t be priced that way. Just because I can’t afford an $11,000 first class flight, or wouldn’t pay that much for it, doesn’t mean that the flight is only worth $1,000.
Similarly, If you would only pay $75 for a Rolex that retails for $7800, because you can’t afford to spend $75 or don’t care about watches that much, that doesn’t make a Rolex worth only $75. Plenty of people can and do pay thousands of dollars for a Rolex the same way they pay thousands of dollars for premium airline tickets.
If my boss gave me a Rolex, I would then feel like I had to wear it everyday to work, but I hate wearing watches. I would actually be willing to pay to prevent this from happening. So, a Rolex that I can’t sell and have to wear has a negative value for me. The market value only comes into play when I can sell it to someone who values it typically.
Membership rewards are currency and once you spend them they are gone. I hate when people say they traveled for free when they use credit card points. Since MR can be redeemed for cash at 1 cent per point, I always input the actual cash value as how much I spent in my budget.
In all honesty its far easier to calculate “the air-speed velocity of an unladen swallow?” But first you need to know if it is an”African or European swallow”. Yet if you regularly reference your self as the “royal we” in the third person it should be as simple as knowing the correct answer to: “What is your favourite colour ?”
HT to The full Monty and the search for one more pale ale 😉
(Monty Python and search for the Holy Grail)
Seems that is you start an application and not finish, it’s a surefire way to get Amex to send an email offer for 20,000 points.
I’ve got at least 3 experiences on it
Thanks for the heads up! Testing this out. Started an application while logged into AMEX, but did not complete.
Thanks, will try this tonight
How long did it take for you to get a email with the 20k offer after you saved the application?
Just tried this. Will report back if I get an email offer later.
at which stage of the application do you leave? Do you get hit with a hardpull? not sure how soon it asks for your permission to pull your CR.
Thanks, just went to the application page and logged in (next step is submit), will wait to see if I get an email.
Did you use a referral link?
C