American Categorical is making some large modifications to its Membership Rewards program in Australia. This can influence how cardholders can use their factors, particularly those that like to journey. The modifications are approaching December 15, 2025 so you’ve got a bit of little bit of time to arrange. Find out how these modifications may have an effect on you.
It hasn’t been clean crusing within the rewards credit card area these days. There’s been a raft of modifications throughout Westpac, Citi and CBA. These shifts, together with level devaluations and the elimination of switch companions, are possible linked to approaching modifications from the Reserve Financial institution of Australia (RBA).
For collectors of Membership Rewards, this system is evolving with new partnerships and up to date switch and earn charges. Whereas some modifications will influence how you exchange factors, in addition they current new alternatives in your rewards technique. Right here’s every thing it’s essential to know to navigate these updates and proceed to get essentially the most out of your factors.
So, what precisely is altering?
Essentially the most vital change is the devaluation of factors for a number of worldwide airline companions. You’ll quickly want extra Membership Rewards factors to get the identical variety of frequent flyer factors.
- Devaluation of Switch Charges: The toughest hit is the switch charge for British Airways, Cathay, Etihad, Malaysia Airways, Qatar Airways, and Virgin Atlantic is altering from 2:1 to three:1. This successfully means you’ll want 50% extra Membership Rewards factors to get the identical variety of miles. The conversion charge for Emirates Skywards can also be altering, from 3:1 to 4:1.
- Elimination of a Associate: Thai Airways’ Royal Orchid Plus will now not be a switch companion from December 15, 2025.
- New Switch Associate: On the upside, American Categorical is including a brand new companion: On a regular basis Rewards. This can permit you to convert your Membership Rewards factors to On a regular basis Rewards factors at a 5:4 charge. From there, you’ll be able to convert On a regular basis Rewards factors to Qantas Frequent Flyer factors at a 2:1 charge, which offers a brand new, albeit oblique, approach for many cardholders to earn Qantas Factors.
- New Factors Calculation Methodology: Amex can also be altering how it calculates points. Beforehand, factors have been solely earned on entire greenback quantities, however from December 15, 2025, they’ll be rounded to the closest greenback earlier than factors are calculated. This small change may imply a number of further factors on many low-value transactions.
It’s not all unhealthy information!
Some cardholders can breathe a sigh of reduction as not all switch companions are affected. When you’re banking:
the earn charge will stay the identical. The switch charge for Qantas Frequent Flyer additionally stays unchanged for American Categorical Platinum cardholders. The modifications don’t have an effect on co-branded Qantas and Velocity playing cards or the Enterprise Ascent, Company Selections, Company Membership Rewards and Company Spirit accounts.
One other New Pathway to Qantas Factors
American Categorical can also be including On a regular basis Rewards as a brand new switch companion at a 5:4 charge. This new partnership offers a approach for cardholders to not directly switch their factors to Qantas Frequent Flyer.
Whereas particular particulars for the brand new American Categorical and On a regular basis Rewards partnership are nonetheless rising, some basic details about level transfers is offered:
- Switch Time: The time it takes to switch factors varies by companion. Transfers to some applications like Qantas and Velocity are typically immediate, whereas others can take as much as seven enterprise days. It could actually take as much as 72 hours for On a regular basis Rewards factors collected within the extraordinary course to seem in an account.
- Minimal Switch: Minimal switch quantities for different companions could be as little as 1,000 factors, however a particular minimal for the On a regular basis Rewards partnership has not been introduced.
Charges: There are sometimes no charges for changing factors to airline applications. Nonetheless, there could also be particular circumstances relying on this system.
Or, you may use it for money off on the checkout in your subsequent Woolies store.
Don’t panic simply but!
With these modifications on the horizon, it’s time to evaluation your factors technique. Fortunately Amex gave us all a bit of heads-up. The devaluations for some worldwide airline companions imply that transferring factors to these applications might now not supply the identical worth. When you have a big stability of Membership Rewards factors, contemplate transferring them to your most well-liked frequent flyer program earlier than the December 14 deadline to reap the benefits of the present charges.
For individuals who depend on incomes Qantas Factors, the brand new partnership with On a regular basis Rewards provides a precious different. Be sure you perceive the conversion course of and any related timelines to get essentially the most out of this new redemption choice. When you’re hoarding British Airways, Cathay, Etihad, Malaysia Airways, Qatar Airways and Virgin Atlantic, now is likely to be the time to evaluation your technique.
Keep knowledgeable by recurrently checking for updates from American Categorical and its companions. Be proactive in your factors technique to make sure you proceed to maximise the worth of your Membership Rewards.
