@imaximous wrote:
@UncleB wrote:
@imaximous wrote:
@NRB525 wrote:
Your basic question is, what if the travel charge is more than the available Altitude Points?
If you have a charge of $150 airline ticket that requires 10,000 points, and only 50 Altitude points, can you redeem the 50 as partial, to go to zero points.
Good question. I hope soNot sure how I missed to respond a while back. My question goes a little beyond that because of the way airlines post ticket purchases when you buy more than 1 ticket. To illustrate my question a little better:
Let's say, I buy 3 tickets at $500 each. The initial authorization on the credit card will show a full $1,500 as a single transaction.
However, a few days later, the airline will take away that $1,500 authorization, and split the purchase into 3 separate transactions. So, now you'll see 3 different $500 pending authorizations, which eventually become posted transactions for $500 each and not as a whole $1,500.
Going back to my question, if I had 99,000 points and taking into account 1.5x to cover the full $1,500 purchase, RTR would not trigger because you need the entire purchase to be covered with points. So you'd barely miss an opportunity to use your points.
But then, since the airline is splitting the full charge into 3 transactions, I have enough points to cover at least 2 tickets at $500 each. So I've been wondering if the re-posting of the charges will trigger another opportunity to use points using RTR because it's no longer a $1,500 single charge, but 3 charges of $500. Do people get another RTR text for the re-posted transactions? That's my question.
I also understand that in the event of successive charges, only the last one will work with RTR, so that means I could only use my points at 1.5x for 1 ticket. But that's still better than not being able to use them at all.
It may sound like I'm over analyzing this scenario, but I'm really curious because aside from work, I always travel with family and that means buying at least 5 tickets or more.
+1
This is actually a very meaningful question for those who purchase airline tickets for families.
Basically, what happens when the auth amount that triggers RTR is different from the actual charge (or in the case of airline tickets, the same total amount posts as multiple smaller transactions later on).
I kinda know the answer to one part of your question. Once you've been sent an RTR text to redeem for X amount, there's no refund of points if you cancel the transaction/purchase or if the amount differs from the original charge. For instance, if you cancel a purchase for $150, you can't get your 10,000 points back, but the redeemed amount would still be applied to your statement, which is really not a bad thing if you think about it. The same happens if the final purchase differs from the original charge. No refunds but they apply the original redemption towards your statement balance.
I can also see abuse with this policy. People could be buying tickets and canceling right after getting the RTR text and redeeming just so they can use their points at 1.5x for statement credit, which would otherwise be only 1x.
Ahh... that makes sense. I agree with you, though, that I suspect they wouldn't put up with abuse of the 'loophole' for very long, especially knowing how they can be when they think gift cards are being purchased.
In any case, your original concern still stands... unless someone has a data point, it's looking like the scenario of just wanting to cover a single seat wouldn't work, which is a shame.
BBVA/Compass also has RTR, but it's not via text - it's in their 'wallet' app. If you miss the notification you can still pay for a charge manually on the website, though. If U.S. Bank offered that ability our concerns would be cared for.
@UncleB wrote:
@imaximous wrote:
@UncleB wrote:
@imaximous wrote:
@NRB525 wrote:
Your basic question is, what if the travel charge is more than the available Altitude Points?
If you have a charge of $150 airline ticket that requires 10,000 points, and only 50 Altitude points, can you redeem the 50 as partial, to go to zero points.
Good question. I hope soNot sure how I missed to respond a while back. My question goes a little beyond that because of the way airlines post ticket purchases when you buy more than 1 ticket. To illustrate my question a little better:
Let's say, I buy 3 tickets at $500 each. The initial authorization on the credit card will show a full $1,500 as a single transaction.
However, a few days later, the airline will take away that $1,500 authorization, and split the purchase into 3 separate transactions. So, now you'll see 3 different $500 pending authorizations, which eventually become posted transactions for $500 each and not as a whole $1,500.
Going back to my question, if I had 99,000 points and taking into account 1.5x to cover the full $1,500 purchase, RTR would not trigger because you need the entire purchase to be covered with points. So you'd barely miss an opportunity to use your points.
But then, since the airline is splitting the full charge into 3 transactions, I have enough points to cover at least 2 tickets at $500 each. So I've been wondering if the re-posting of the charges will trigger another opportunity to use points using RTR because it's no longer a $1,500 single charge, but 3 charges of $500. Do people get another RTR text for the re-posted transactions? That's my question.
I also understand that in the event of successive charges, only the last one will work with RTR, so that means I could only use my points at 1.5x for 1 ticket. But that's still better than not being able to use them at all.
It may sound like I'm over analyzing this scenario, but I'm really curious because aside from work, I always travel with family and that means buying at least 5 tickets or more.
+1
This is actually a very meaningful question for those who purchase airline tickets for families.
Basically, what happens when the auth amount that triggers RTR is different from the actual charge (or in the case of airline tickets, the same total amount posts as multiple smaller transactions later on).
I kinda know the answer to one part of your question. Once you've been sent an RTR text to redeem for X amount, there's no refund of points if you cancel the transaction/purchase or if the amount differs from the original charge. For instance, if you cancel a purchase for $150, you can't get your 10,000 points back, but the redeemed amount would still be applied to your statement, which is really not a bad thing if you think about it. The same happens if the final purchase differs from the original charge. No refunds but they apply the original redemption towards your statement balance.
I can also see abuse with this policy. People could be buying tickets and canceling right after getting the RTR text and redeeming just so they can use their points at 1.5x for statement credit, which would otherwise be only 1x.
Ahh... that makes sense. I agree with you, though, that I suspect they wouldn't put up with abuse of the 'loophole' for very long, especially knowing how they can be when they think gift cards are being purchased.
In any case, your original concern still stands... unless someone has a data point, it's looking like the scenario of just wanting to cover a single seat wouldn't work, which is a shame.
BBVA/Compass also has RTR, but it's not via text - it's in their 'wallet' app. If you miss the notification you can still pay for a charge manually on the website, though. If U.S. Bank offered that ability our concerns would be cared for.
Definitely 100%. Unfortunately, USB hasn't updated their tech to current 'standards' if you compare their mobile app and online account management site with other major banks'. They're pretty awful.
It's also obvious they want to make it a little more difficult for us to redeem without using their portal. Otherwise, the program could be as simple as what you mentioned with BBVA (which I'm not familiar with) or even Capital One Venture that allows you to select what purchase you want to apply credit towards.
RTR is definitely a thousand steps forward from using their portal, so I hope they keep moving in the direction of simplicity.
@imaximous wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@UncleB wrote:
@imaximous
Basically, what happens when the auth amount that triggers RTR is different from the actual charge (or in the case of airline tickets, the same total amount posts as multiple smaller transactions later on).
That's actually a great question. I'm thinking a good way to test this might be to use my Altitude card at a restaurant where the checkout process allows me to add a tip to the check. So the pre-tip amount should be authorized, then the post-tip amount would actually be charged. I can't guarantee it, but I'm thinking this would end up working the same way as the 3/1 airline flight situation.
Chris.
Don't waste your time. Restaurants and gas stations are excluded from RTR.
Well, fiddlesticks. 
Thanks for the info, though.
Chris.
If the initial authorization exceeds available points to redeem, the question becomes, does the individual smaller transaction trigger the RTR?
The immediate crediting of the RTR, treating it as a cash payment, is nice even if the actual transaction changes later. At least you got the recovery for equivalent value.
The requirement to have enough points for the entire charge makes it beneficial to focus spend on the card. I have been considering getting the FlexPerks AMEX to use the dining and gas points. As with several programs, if you can concentrate spend to a few cards in the program, that simplifies card usage and rewards.
The immediate crediting of the RTR, treating it as a cash payment, is nice even if the actual transaction changes later. At least you got the recovery for equivalent value.
The requirement to have enough points for the entire charge makes it beneficial to focus spend on the card. I have been considering getting the FlexPerks AMEX to use the dining and gas points. As with several programs, if you can concentrate spend to a few cards in the program, that simplifies card usage and rewards.
