Help me us MR to go to Miami!
May 10, 2012, 10:36 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 9
Help me us MR to go to Miami!
Hello!
This forum has been a huge help to me in the past!
Well here is the story - I have 53k MR rewards points on my Amex Platinum. I am trying to go to South Beach Miami with my girlfriend and myself for our 10 year anniversary. I called Amex Travel and they gave me my best flight options. Best one is through Delta - $330 round trip per person. I have this flight on a 24 hour hold. My 53 points would leave me spending a little over $100 out of pocket for the flights and then the entire hotel. Booking the flights through FHR I would get 20% back (around 10,000 MR points).
Is there a better way to do this? Should I transfer my points to an airline rewards program to maximize their use? I don't know how to transfer them or where to transfer them but I feel like I am not using them to their full potential.
Also if you have any recommendations on hotels right on South Beach Miami. The preferred ones through Amex seem nice, especially with late check out and other amenities. Is it worth it to stay at a preferred? Thanks again!
This forum has been a huge help to me in the past!
Well here is the story - I have 53k MR rewards points on my Amex Platinum. I am trying to go to South Beach Miami with my girlfriend and myself for our 10 year anniversary. I called Amex Travel and they gave me my best flight options. Best one is through Delta - $330 round trip per person. I have this flight on a 24 hour hold. My 53 points would leave me spending a little over $100 out of pocket for the flights and then the entire hotel. Booking the flights through FHR I would get 20% back (around 10,000 MR points).
Is there a better way to do this? Should I transfer my points to an airline rewards program to maximize their use? I don't know how to transfer them or where to transfer them but I feel like I am not using them to their full potential.
Also if you have any recommendations on hotels right on South Beach Miami. The preferred ones through Amex seem nice, especially with late check out and other amenities. Is it worth it to stay at a preferred? Thanks again!
May 10, 2012, 10:50 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 9
We are flying out of Buffalo Niagara International Airport (BUF). We fly out Fri Sep 7 morning and depart Mon Sep 10 evening. I do not intend on renting a car, just taxi it to the hotel and I believe most everything we want to do is right there.
Thanks for your help.
May 10, 2012, 1:20 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 9
Is there any advantage to transferring my points to a delta rewards program and booking directly through them? Would I be able to pay for more of the tickets?
Is there an option of me transferring to starwood and booking the hotel with the points instead?
I'm just looking for a little guidance on how to get the most out of the points I have.
Is there an option of me transferring to starwood and booking the hotel with the points instead?
I'm just looking for a little guidance on how to get the most out of the points I have.
May 10, 2012, 1:42 pm
#5
Join Date: Jun 2007
Programs: UA Gold
Posts: 386
Hello!
This forum has been a huge help to me in the past!
Well here is the story - I have 53k MR rewards points on my Amex Platinum. I am trying to go to South Beach Miami with my girlfriend and myself for our 10 year anniversary. I called Amex Travel and they gave me my best flight options. Best one is through Delta - $330 round trip per person. I have this flight on a 24 hour hold. My 53 points would leave me spending a little over $100 out of pocket for the flights and then the entire hotel. Booking the flights through FHR I would get 20% back (around 10,000 MR points).
Is there a better way to do this? Should I transfer my points to an airline rewards program to maximize their use? I don't know how to transfer them or where to transfer them but I feel like I am not using them to their full potential.
Also if you have any recommendations on hotels right on South Beach Miami. The preferred ones through Amex seem nice, especially with late check out and other amenities. Is it worth it to stay at a preferred? Thanks again!
This forum has been a huge help to me in the past!
Well here is the story - I have 53k MR rewards points on my Amex Platinum. I am trying to go to South Beach Miami with my girlfriend and myself for our 10 year anniversary. I called Amex Travel and they gave me my best flight options. Best one is through Delta - $330 round trip per person. I have this flight on a 24 hour hold. My 53 points would leave me spending a little over $100 out of pocket for the flights and then the entire hotel. Booking the flights through FHR I would get 20% back (around 10,000 MR points).
Is there a better way to do this? Should I transfer my points to an airline rewards program to maximize their use? I don't know how to transfer them or where to transfer them but I feel like I am not using them to their full potential.
Also if you have any recommendations on hotels right on South Beach Miami. The preferred ones through Amex seem nice, especially with late check out and other amenities. Is it worth it to stay at a preferred? Thanks again!
May 10, 2012, 1:43 pm
#6
Join Date: May 2008
Location: PHL (kinda, no airport is really close)
Programs: AA Exp, but not sure for how long. Enterprise Platinum woo-hoo!
Posts: 4,550
As far as hotels, try this:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/onlin...ng-primer.html
For flights, you can look for award availability on partner airlines, but do not transfer your points until you have found the flights you want. Delta is one option, transferring to British Airways (transfer promo going on now) and booking on American is another.
Since you get some points back, in practice your points are worth 1.25 cents each. If you find a 25K mile award, you are in effect getting a $330 ticket for $312.50 worth of points, but since there will be some fees on the award ticket, it's basically a break-even. I assume you will eventually use the 10K points you get back. One advantage to using your points this way is that you will get mileage credit for the flights.
Using your points as you described is not a particularly bad deal, especially if you aren't saving them for something in particular, like an overseas trip, but it's not an awesome deal either.
I won't even comment on 10 years with a girlfriend. I've never waited more than about 3 years before getting married.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/onlin...ng-primer.html
For flights, you can look for award availability on partner airlines, but do not transfer your points until you have found the flights you want. Delta is one option, transferring to British Airways (transfer promo going on now) and booking on American is another.
Since you get some points back, in practice your points are worth 1.25 cents each. If you find a 25K mile award, you are in effect getting a $330 ticket for $312.50 worth of points, but since there will be some fees on the award ticket, it's basically a break-even. I assume you will eventually use the 10K points you get back. One advantage to using your points this way is that you will get mileage credit for the flights.
Using your points as you described is not a particularly bad deal, especially if you aren't saving them for something in particular, like an overseas trip, but it's not an awesome deal either.
I won't even comment on 10 years with a girlfriend. I've never waited more than about 3 years before getting married.
May 10, 2012, 3:03 pm
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 9
As far as hotels, try this:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/onlin...ng-primer.html
For flights, you can look for award availability on partner airlines, but do not transfer your points until you have found the flights you want. Delta is one option, transferring to British Airways (transfer promo going on now) and booking on American is another.
Since you get some points back, in practice your points are worth 1.25 cents each. If you find a 25K mile award, you are in effect getting a $330 ticket for $312.50 worth of points, but since there will be some fees on the award ticket, it's basically a break-even. I assume you will eventually use the 10K points you get back. One advantage to using your points this way is that you will get mileage credit for the flights.
Using your points as you described is not a particularly bad deal, especially if you aren't saving them for something in particular, like an overseas trip, but it's not an awesome deal either.
I won't even comment on 10 years with a girlfriend. I've never waited more than about 3 years before getting married.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/onlin...ng-primer.html
For flights, you can look for award availability on partner airlines, but do not transfer your points until you have found the flights you want. Delta is one option, transferring to British Airways (transfer promo going on now) and booking on American is another.
Since you get some points back, in practice your points are worth 1.25 cents each. If you find a 25K mile award, you are in effect getting a $330 ticket for $312.50 worth of points, but since there will be some fees on the award ticket, it's basically a break-even. I assume you will eventually use the 10K points you get back. One advantage to using your points this way is that you will get mileage credit for the flights.
Using your points as you described is not a particularly bad deal, especially if you aren't saving them for something in particular, like an overseas trip, but it's not an awesome deal either.
I won't even comment on 10 years with a girlfriend. I've never waited more than about 3 years before getting married.
Lol thanks! So you've been married more than once
?I appreciate the help. So is Miami beach considered south beach or is south beach just a small part of Miami beach? I'm just trying to understand the zones on Priceline and Hotwire.
May 10, 2012, 3:28 pm
#8
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: RSW
Programs: Delta SkyMiles
Posts: 152
21st to 80th is Miami Beach
Beyond that is North Miami Beach
St run north-south
Ave run east-west
May 10, 2012, 6:55 pm
#9
Join Date: May 2008
Location: PHL (kinda, no airport is really close)
Programs: AA Exp, but not sure for how long. Enterprise Platinum woo-hoo!
Posts: 4,550
Danpass's post is very helpful. As a general rule you just have to look at the zone maps on Priceline. You can usually figure out what is where, although it sometimes take a little effort and a little zooming in and out, and comparing to other maps.
May 10, 2012, 8:34 pm
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 9
Okay now I want to book my hotel through Priceline.
Only problem is I found out I could get a round trip ticket through southwest for only $220 and it is a direct flight instead of connecting but it flies to fort lauderdale not Miami. It's only about a 20-25 min difference in drive.
Do you guys know of a way I could transfer some of my MR to southwest rapid rewards or can you no longer do that?
Also wouldn't you guys agree direct to Fort Lauderdale for 100$ less is better than connecting to Miami?
Only problem is I found out I could get a round trip ticket through southwest for only $220 and it is a direct flight instead of connecting but it flies to fort lauderdale not Miami. It's only about a 20-25 min difference in drive.
Do you guys know of a way I could transfer some of my MR to southwest rapid rewards or can you no longer do that?
Also wouldn't you guys agree direct to Fort Lauderdale for 100$ less is better than connecting to Miami?
May 11, 2012, 6:18 am
#11
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 197
You can no longer transfer Amex points to Southwest. However, Amex Travel will book a Southwest flight with your MR points, you just have to call them.
Last edited by mia; May 11, 2012 at 6:46 am
May 11, 2012, 6:46 am
#12
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,955
This is the reason I asked if you would be renting a car. The airfares to FLL are often lower than to MIA, but the cost of travelling between FLL and Miami Beach will consume some of the savings. This can be done by public transit if you like, but it will involve several changes and same waiting for connections.