Can I move my Amex Membership Rewards Gateway points to Membership Rewards Ascent?

Credit Cards & Credit Card Programs
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Hi All
I have an Amex Gold card for 17 years (no annual fee), and 2 years ago I cancelled my Platinum Reserved which I had for more than 7 years and since continued to use my Amex Gold card which I have not cancelled since I received it. Currently I have a balance of almost 300k Amex rewards.

A month ago I had a look at my Amex points thinking of converting some of my Amex rewards to Krisflyer, to my surprise my Amex rewards conversion to Krisflyer is 4 Amex to 3 Krisflyer.

I remembered it used to be 1 to 1 a few years ago.

To cut the story short, after 3 emails to Amex and 3 calls to Amex, the reason for the 4Amex to 3 Krisflyer is that when I had my Platinum Reserve I was on a Membership Rewards Ascent program which gives me 1Amex point to 1Krisflyer. Sometime after my card was cancelled I was moved to the Gateway program which only gives 4Amex to 3Krisflyer. The reason I had to contact Amex several times is that I received conflicting responses to my queries how can I move all my existing Gateway point into the Ascent program.

Some of the conflicting advice includes:

  • I can or I cannot enrol in the Platinum Edge and move my point from Gateway to Ascent
  • I have to cancel my Gold card and upgrade to Platinum Edge to move my point from Gateway to Ascent
  • Pay a fee to convert from Gateway to Ascent points

Finally I wrote another email to Amex, explaining all the conflicting information I have received. A week later I received a call from the Executive Customer relation, stating that:

  • I cannot convert any of my existing Gateway to Ascent points
  • I can apply for Amex Platinum and any points I earn from there I can get the 1Amex to 1Krisflyer conversion, all existing points will convert at 4 to 3.
  • If I cancel my Gold card and upgrade to Amex Platinum I will lose all my Gateway points.
  • Amex would have send me a letter 2 years ago stating my points were to move from Ascent to Gateway, which I don’t remember reading the letter.

I asked if I can escalate my issue higher within Amex he said no and I have to contact the Complaint Ombudsman.

I am very annoyed that all the points I earned from Platinum Reserved card and yearly fees I paid now worth less than before. I don’t mind paying for the Platinum Edge if my existing points can be transferred to Ascent program.

I hope someone can provide some suggestions.

Thanks.

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The changes to Gateway happened back in November 2015 from memory, not two years ago, and they did give notice to existing cardholders (which is a pain if you missed it or did not receive it, of course).

It sounds like you’ve got some clarity from Amex though in terms of what the options are, but it’s just not what you’d hoped would be the case, is that right? Or is there still ambiguity in terms of what your options are?

One option could be to discuss account closure with them and see if they offer any bonus points to keep you. That might at least offset some of the loss, hard to say without knowing how many points you are sitting on.

Otherwise I don’t know what else you can do really other than try to take it higher up, but given that Amex did give notice to cardholders (not disputing though that you didn’t know about it until now) the question becomes about did they try hard enough to tell you about the changes, and how well you can push them on that as a means to push for goodwill compensation, rather than what the options are for you.

Good luck.

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Hi Keith
Thanks for your reply, I have almost 300k Amex rewards points.

The Executive Customer Relation did clarify what I did not want to hear.

As you suggested, I can try to discuss account closure and see if they can offer bonus points or anything.

When I called to cancel my Platinum Reserved 2 years ago, they did not try to offer anything to me to keep my Reserved card.

2 years ago when I received my Citibank Platinum card, I stopped using Amex, so that is why I think I might have missed out on that particular letter from Amex.

Thanks.

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