Episode 16: “Should I Ever Buy Airline Miles? Ebates Now Partnering with American Express, $750 Wells Fargo Business Credit Card Offer & More”

We’re back with a Jam Packed show this week. New Ebates/MR partnership, Negative changes from AA/Amex, and A new reader question. 

0:40 Ebates Membership Rewards partnership (link)

  • Can existing customers convert to MRs? No.
  • Can you spin up a new account? It’s against T&Cs to have 2 accounts, but you can try.
  • Can you refer for the MR-earning account? I don’t think so?
  • I signed up spouse who has never had an Ebates account (H/T JJ)
  • Ebates can now earn 1 MR instead of 1 cent?
  • Does Ebates pay out of MCGCs from giftcards.com?
  • What about the 3x Ebates card? Does it earn 3x at giftcards.com?
  • Do you have to use an Amex card? T&Cs say so (link)

04:00 Amex Bonvoy Brilliant 100,000 Available for Referral (link)

  • Referral with Business Gold 20k MR + 100k Marriott
  • $450 annual fee– $300 Marriott credit

05:13 Wells Fargo Business Platinum 50,000 Offer (worth $750) (link)

08:58 AA GCs not triggering Amex air incidental credits (FlyerTalk link)

09:50 Amex Ameriprise Platinum no longer first-year fee waived (60,000 bonus instead) (link)

  • Bad News: If you’ve been churning this card
  • Good News: if you’ve never had the card (Another 60k Platinum card)

12:05 Hyatt Hotel Category Changes (link)

  • Seasonally miscategorized Hyatts
  • Andaz Papagayo: 15,000 -> 20,000
  • Hyatt Coconut Point: 15,000 -> 20,000
  • Park Hyatt Milan: Unchanged at 30,000
  • Park Hyatt Maldives: 25,000 -> 30,000
  • Park Hyatt New York: Unchanged at 30,000
  • Park Hyatt St Kitts: Unchanged at 30,000
  • Of interest
  • Park Hyatt Mallorca: 20,000 -> 25,000 (was already the worst winter value)
  • Andaz Maui: 25,000 -> 30,000 (wasn’t a good per-point value to begin with, especially for a property that plays games with award availability)

14:50 Listener Question:

I’m curious…is it ever a good idea to buy points for a flight? I see Southwest has 30% off points right now…just wondering if it is a good deal or is it better to just pay cash if you don’t have points or only have very little points?

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About the author

- Written by Sam Simon. All ideas are my own, but I encourage you to see my point of view and I promise I'll try to do the same. Connect with me on Twitter @Milenomics.

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