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/Nov 04, 2019
Special offersLast days for American Express AIR MILES card offers
To the pointThese offers on those AIR MILES credit cards issued by American Express end on January 20th! Apply for it before this date!
The AIR MILES Platinum credit card offerAn improved welcome bonus until January 20, 20202 new earning rates1 mile for every $51 mile per $10A new Annual Travel Redemption BenefitOur opinion on this new offer
The AIR MILES Reserve Credit Card offerAn improved welcome bonus2 earning ratesBenefits for your travelsOur opinion on this new offer
Conclusion
The AIR MILES Platinum credit card offer
On November 4, 2019, American Express introduced the changes announced in September on the American Express® AIR MILES®* Platinum Credit Card. And Amex introduced a new welcome offer valid until January 20, 2020.
Here are the main features of the card (more details after that):
An improved welcome bonus until January 20, 2020
By applying for the American Express® AIR MILES®* Platinum Credit Card BEFORE January 20, 2020, you could get a welcome bonus of up to 3,500 AIR MILES bonus miles.
Here’s how:
- Earn 1,700 miles when you charge $1,500 in purchases to the card in the first 3 months
- Earn up to 1,800 Bonus miles: 150 miles for every $500 you spend per month in your first 6 months (up to a maximum of 300 Miles per month)
Thus, to earn the full welcome bonus of 3,500 AIR MILES Bonus Miles, you will need to spend $6,000 as follows:
Month | Monthly spending | Bonus Miles |
1 | $1,000 | 300 |
2 | $1,000 | 300 – 1,700 (welcome bonus) |
3 | $1,000 | 300 |
4 | $1,000 | 300 |
5 | $1,000 | 300 |
6 | $1,000 | 300 |
Total | $6,000 | 3,500 miles |
Here, American Express encourages you to use your card every month, rather than a “welcome bonus race” for the first 3 months. American Express repeats what has been done with the Cobalt Card or the new Business Edge Card. To get the full 3,500 Bonus Miles welcome bonus, you’ll need to charge $6,000 in purchases to your card within the first 6 months.
Now let’s say you charge $500 a month to your new American Express® AIR MILES®* Platinum Credit Card:
Month | Monthly spending | Bonus Miles |
1 | $500 | 150 |
2 | $500 | 150 |
3 | $500 | 150 – 1,700 (welcome bonus) |
4 | $500 | 150 |
5 | $500 | 150 |
6 | $500 | 150 |
Total | $3,000 | 2,600 miles |
Here, you still get the 1,700 miles welcome bonus, but by charging fewer monthly expenses, the additional welcome bonus is less attractive. In that case, it is still possible to earn 2,600 AIR MILES Bonus Miles by charging $3,000 in purchases to your card in the first 6 months.
Finally, if you only charge $1,500 in purchases to your card in the first 3 months, you will earn about 2,150 Bonus Miles.
2 new earning rates
As of November 4, 2019, current and new holders of the American Express® AIR MILES®* Platinum Credit Card have two new purchase-based accumulation rates:
- 1 mile for every $5
- 1 mile for every $10
1 mile for every $5
First, American Express significantly improves the earning rate for purchases made in some categories.
As of November 4, current and new Cardholder of the American Express® AIR MILES®* Platinum Credit Card can earn 1 mile for every $5 of purchases in:
- Grocery stores
- Gas stations
- Local transit (local train, tram, taxi, ridesharing services)
- Restaurants
- Coffee shops and bars
In Quebec, most Metro and Super C grocery stores accept American Express.
Most of the IGA grocery stores (AIR MILES sponsor) do not accept American Express. So here, this is a way for AIR MILES members to earn miles with their American Express® AIR MILES®* Platinum Credit Card for their grocery purchases at Metro or Super C, for example! It’s also an excellent way to earn AIR MILES bonus miles by purchasing gift cards at these grocery stores!
For gas stations, AIR MILES members are used to go to Shell (AIR MILES sponsor) for double-dipping by showing their AIR MILES loyalty card and paying with their American Express® AIR MILES®* Platinum Credit Card!
But you could also choose other gas stations and get 1 mile per $5 in Card purchases!
Finally, it is nice to see American Express offering 1 mile for every $5 in Card purchases for public transit or ridesharing services (Uber, Lyft) as well as for restaurants/coffee shops/bars.
This improved earning rate of 1 mile per $5 in Card purchases is offered up to $30,000 annually. Beyond that, it will switch to 1 mile by $10 in Card purchases.
1 mile per $10
Previously, for all other types of purchases, you were able to earn 1 mile for every $15 in Card purchases with the American Express® AIR MILES®* Platinum Credit Card.
Since November 4th, it’s 1 mile for every $10 of purchases! A substantial improvement then!
A new Annual Travel Redemption Benefit
As of November 4, 2019, current and new holders of the American Express® AIR MILES®* Platinum Credit Card have a new advantage: an annual travel credit exchange.
Once per calendar year, when you use Dream Miles with the AIR MILES program to book:
- a first flight
- a first package vacation
… you will be able to get Bonus Miles equivalent to 25% of the net number of Miles used (up to a maximum of 750 Bonus Miles)
Here, you will have to be strategic when using your Dream Miles, each calendar year!
With a maximum of 750 Bonus Miles, this means that your first annual use might be 3,000 miles or more!
For example, if you use 1,500 Dream Miles to buy a plane ticket, you will only get 375 Bonus Miles.
Here’s a table to sum up this benefit for your first annual reward booked with dream miles:
Dream Miles used | Bonus miles (25%) |
1,500 | 375 |
2,000 | 500 |
2,500 | 625 |
3,000 | 750 (cap) |
3,500 | 750 (cap) |
4,000 | 750 (cap) |
Since it’s a benefit offered per calendar year, you could use it twice as part of your first year!
Our opinion on this new offer
As a result, American Express has made significant improvements to the American Express® AIR MILES®* Platinum Credit Card, including the accumulation of AIR MILES bonus miles.
The Annual Travel Redemption Benefit can be attractive if you use Dream Miles. On the other hand, if you prefer Cash rewards, for example, to buy gift cards from Jean Coutu, it will not be useful to you.
American Express is trying to engage its customers to charge their monthly purchases on their credit cards. In the past, it was enough to charge a total of $1,500 in purchases to your card in 3 months to get 2,000 AIR MILES bonus miles. Now American Express offers more miles if you use your card more regularly.
If you would like more information or to apply for the American Express® AIR MILES®* Platinum Credit Card, click here.
The AIR MILES Reserve Credit Card offer
American Express doesn’t change the American Express® AIR MILES®* Reserve Credit Card key features. But there is a new welcome offer.
Here are the main features of the card (more details after that):
An improved welcome bonus
By applying for the American Express® AIR MILES®* Reserve Credit Card, you could earn a welcome bonus of up to 3,800 AIR MILES Bonus Miles.
Here’s how:
- Earn 1,400 miles when you charge a total of $3,000 in purchases to your Card in the first 3 months
- Earn up to 2,400 Bonus Miles: 200 miles for every $750 you spend in purchases each month for 6 months (up to a maximum of 400 Miles per month)
To get the full 3,800 Bonus Miles welcome bonus, you’ll need to charge $9,000 in purchases to your card within the first 6 months.
Month | Monthly spending | Bonus Miles |
1 | $1,500 | 400 |
2 | $1,500 | 400 – 1,400 (welcome bonus) |
3 | $1,500 | 400 |
4 | $1,500 | 400 |
5 | $1,500 | 400 |
6 | $1,500 | 400 |
Total | $9,000 | 3,800 miles |
Here, American Express encourages you to use your card every month, rather than a “welcome bonus race” for the first 3 months. American Express repeats what has been done with the Cobalt Card or the new Business Edge Card. To get the full 3,800 AIR MILES Bonus Miles welcome bonus, you’ll need to charge $9,000 in purchases to your card within the first 6 months.
2 earning rates
The American Express® AIR MILES®* Reserve Credit Card has two purchase earning rates:
- 1 mile for every $10 in Card purchases at eligible AIR MILES partners as well as grocery stores, gas stations and drugstores
- 1 mile for every $15 in Card purchases everywhere else
If you have a lot of purchases at grocery stores or gas stations (up to $30,000 per year), it’s best to get the American Express® AIR MILES®* Platinum Credit Card, which offers 1 mile per $5 in Card purchases.
Benefits for your travels
The American Express® AIR MILES®* Reserve Credit Card sets itself apart from other AIR MILES credit cards by offering:
- AIR MILES Onyx status
- A Companion Flight (up to a maximum of 1,700 Miles)
- 4 annual access to Priority Pass airport lounges
- Access to Pearson Priority Security Lane (YYZ)
- Access additional airlines and destinations, departure times, and economy, business and first class seats on flights not available within the AIR MILES Flight Program
Also, the American Express® AIR MILES®* Reserve Credit Card offers reliable insurance for your travels or purchases.
Our opinion on this new offer
With a $299 annual fee, the American Express® AIR MILES®* Reserve Credit Card is primarily for those who earn many miles through purchases and frequently use the AIR MILES program withDream Miles.
The American Express® AIR MILES®* Reserve Credit Card gives them access to great benefits such as more reward ticket availability, an annual companion flight, 4 airport lounge access and Onyx status within AIR MILES program.
For a casual user of the program, we’ll recommend the American Express® AIR MILES®* Platinum Credit Card.
If you would like more information or apply for American Express® AIR MILES®* Reserve Credit Card, click here.
Conclusion
After starting this monthly rewards mechanism based on card use card the Cobalt Card introduces a similar mechanism with the American Express® AIR MILES®* Platinum Credit Card Card and the American Express® AIR MILES®* Reserve Credit Card.
The goal is to encourage customers to charge their expenses to their American Express card rather than on their other card (s).
But if as part of the Cobalt American Express Card, the goal was achievable ($500 per month for 12 months), here, to get the full bonus, we’re talking about $1,000 a month for 6 months to the American Express® AIR MILES®* Platinum Credit Card or $1,500 for American Express® AIR MILES®* Reserve Credit Card, which can be challenging to achieve.
For those who would not be able to reach those purchases levels, it will still be possible to catch up with the new earning rate of1 mile for every $5 in Card Purchases on some categories offered by American Express® AIR MILES®* Platinum Credit Card, a ratio never offered on an AIR MILES credit card!
Welcome bonus offers end January 20, 2020.
This post was not sponsored. The views and opinions expressed in this article are purely my own.
Come to discuss that topic in our Facebook Group!
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4.6 Milesopedia Rating
Jean-Maximilien
Jean-Maximilien is an expert in Canada and France about Loyalty programs, Credit cards and Travel. He is the Founding President of Milesopedia.
All posts byJean-Maximilien
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