Due to the faffing around of IHG Priority Club on the cashback front, ClubCarlson were becoming my alternative for 2 night weekend stays due to their 2-for-1 rate.
However it seems they have cut their airline conversion rates without warning.
Previously:
| Points | Airline Exchange |
| 2000 points | 250 miles/points |
| 50,000 points | 8,000 miles/points |
| 100,000 points | 18,000 miles/points |
Now:
| Points | Airline Exchange |
| 2,000 points | 200 miles/points |
| 50,000 points | 5,000 miles/points |
| 100,000 points | 10,000 miles/points |
Is this a mistake? It certainly seems pointless to have tiers if they are just as good as each other (10:1), rather than the previous 8:1, 6.25:1 and 5.55:1. What about the lack of notice?
And to think they were selling points in flash sales last week with big 75% bonuses – must have wanted some cash in before 30th June.
EDITED TO ADD: No it is clearly not a mistake, they have done it -cut rates overnight without warning. They are responding to people saying:
Airline redemptions are an important part of the Club Carlson program, and we’ve adjusted our redemption levels to continue to offer a competitive and enjoyable variety of redemption options.
If they know they are important I don’t see how they can defend cutting them in half overnight without advance notice or grace period. It is one thing to slowly evolve change, another to cut overnight.
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If they were offering up to 75% bonus on purchases in a promotion last week, surely this immediate devaluation, which they must have known about, means that promoting extra purchase opportunities at an advantageous rate just beforehand must have been fraud or at least misrepresentation? There does seem to be a lack of good faith here.
Just as it looks like they needed to get some cash in before 30th June, which is perhaps a halfyear reporting point? then as presumably there is a liability on their balance sheet for points issued, as well as grabbing the cash by this fraudulent promotion presumably they’ve also managed to reduce the value of the liability of outstanding points on their balance sheet by this devaluation?