AMEX MR value
One of the advantages of AMEX Cards is their MR (member rewards) points can be transferred to hotel programs which can yield better value.
No other CC in SG can normally transfer to hotel reward programs.
Suppose you get 24k MR after $1500 spend (3 months 100% + 21k bonus) for AMEX rewards.
If you transfer to HHonors (hilton), you get 24k x 1.25 = 30k HH points. You pay $20 transfer fee.
For HHonors, there are pointstretcher hotels that can be redeemed worldwide for 40% less points.
http://hhonors1.hilton.com/en_US/hh/rewards/psdates.do
Suppose you want to stay at Doubletree KL for 2 nights for 23-26th Sep 2011. Each night in 1-King deluxe room cost 16,599 points. 2 x nights = 33,198 HHonor points.
The BAR rate is RM$375, add 16% tax is RM$435. 2 x nights = RM$870. Why compare to BAR rate? Coz HHonor reward redemption can be cancelled with no penalty 1 day before the actual date, same as the BAR rate.
so RM$870 = SGD$355 (2.45 conversion rate)
So your 30k HH points are worth ( $355 / 33,198 ) x 30k = SGD$320
Minus off your $50 annual fee and $20 conversion fee, your 30k HH / 24k MR is worth $250.
In case you want to transfer to Starwood, you can redeem for high value properties such as W Taipei for points and cash and can get at least US$300 value for your 24k MR.
You might say you have only 30k HH after spending $1.5k, so how about the balance 3,198 points? that is equivalent to 2560 MR points so you can spend $520 at 5x merchants during Xtraordinary weekends or you can spend $1280 more during your 1st 3 months to get the points or just spend on other expenses slowly to accumulate the points.
If you really want to buy the extra 3200k points from HHonor, just pay SGD$50 to buy it direct from HHonors.
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How to reduce your HH points expense -
The previous example was for 2pax. But if you select 1 pax, the same room would only cost 15,946 HH points.
When you enroll in HHonor, you automatically get BLUE Tier membership. For BLUE, spouse stays FREE in the room. So you book for 1 pax, and 2 pax can stay -
https://secure3.hilton.com/en_US/dt/reservation/book.htm?execution=e1s1
So for 2 nights is 15,946 x2 = 31,892 HH points
so you would need 1,892 HH points more only if you have just 24K MR. That will just cost you SGD$32 to buy.
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Have fun with your MR!
