25% extra points when transferring from hotel partner [~£350 for 31,250 BA Miles]
Nov 9, 2010, 2:18 am
#47
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: In the air
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Bonvoy LT Plat, Hilton Gold, GHA Tit, BA Gold, Turkish Elite
Posts: 8,720
G-BOAC got there before me. My 62,500 miles just posted.
A great deal for 40,000 points (i.e. one night in an upmarket SPG hotel).
As an aside, I had been wondering even before this promotion why anyone would book SPG hotels on points as opposed to transferring to airmiles.
Unfortunately the 40K miles I was hoping for from BA AMEX this month has turned into -11k (as expected). There's definitely no silver lining in the cloud to having an incompetent corporate travel agent which results in each flight being booked and rebooked a few times before they get it right.
A great deal for 40,000 points (i.e. one night in an upmarket SPG hotel).
As an aside, I had been wondering even before this promotion why anyone would book SPG hotels on points as opposed to transferring to airmiles.
Unfortunately the 40K miles I was hoping for from BA AMEX this month has turned into -11k (as expected). There's definitely no silver lining in the cloud to having an incompetent corporate travel agent which results in each flight being booked and rebooked a few times before they get it right.
Nov 9, 2010, 3:44 am
#48
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: London
Programs: BA, VS, HH, IHG, MB, MR
Posts: 26,871
For other hotel chains it is less clear cut. 1 night in the best Hiltons is 50k points which is only 5000 miles, I think - take the hotel. 1 night in the best InterConti is 40k points or 8000 miles - I'd take the hotel in most big cities (and I'd certainly take a Crowne Plaza night for 25k points rather than 5000 BA Miles).
Marriott is less attractive. I got 30,000 points from a long stay in a Ritz-Carlton over half-term, and I can convert that into 10k BA (12.5k with this promo) or 1 night in a mid-tier Marriott. I think I'll take the miles.
Nov 9, 2010, 5:03 am
#49
Join Date: May 2009
Location: UK
Posts: 3,951
You can get 5* SPG properties(in cities) for as little as 12k miles.
Plus a full points redemption is not seen as the best value, a cash and points booking is more popular. I value BA miles quite highly(MFU's and F 2-4-1's) although i am likely to hold on to my SPG points despite the appealing exchange rate.
Plus a full points redemption is not seen as the best value, a cash and points booking is more popular. I value BA miles quite highly(MFU's and F 2-4-1's) although i am likely to hold on to my SPG points despite the appealing exchange rate.
Nov 9, 2010, 7:23 am
#50
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Left
Programs: FT
Posts: 7,285
I've never flown BA, I use my miles for CX for Bus. and first class tickets to Bali. I like the fact that I'm able to book directly online through BA website and for some reason the same ticket cost less miles than a CX ticket using AA miles. Business Class to Bali (DPS) with BA miles 100,000 with AA Miles 110,000. FYI last time I checked was a year ago.
added Q...
for the experts, it should not be an issue for my wife and child to each purchase 20K along with my purchase of 20K and the have each of my wife and child transfer to my account such 20K....since we are all at the same address...correct. i can then transfer into my BA account...no HHA since my miles are used for many outside of the HHA.
Last edited by mkjr; Nov 9, 2010 at 7:28 am
Nov 9, 2010, 8:25 am
#51
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Merced, CA
Programs: Lifetime Gold AA, Gold Delta, Gold Starwood, Silver UA, Silver Hyatt, etc.
Posts: 288
Great Value for Me!
Received my 93,750 miles today from my 60,000 SPG points transfer. Really good value for my use on booking tickets on CX. Even though AA requires less miles for first on CX, with the BA credit card from Chase that offers 1.25 miles for everyday spending (which I use for places that do not accept AMEX), all Chase's other frequent promotions, not to mention this promotion make this a great value for me. I wish I could do the Chase 100,0000 BA bonus miles promotion all over again. ^^^
Nov 9, 2010, 8:35 am
#52
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: In the air
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Bonvoy LT Plat, Hilton Gold, GHA Tit, BA Gold, Turkish Elite
Posts: 8,720
I use Hilton points for hotel stays because the exchange rate to BA points is so poor - and even with the devaluation, their multi-stay deal for elites isn't that bad value. The same goes for Hyatt for me, although I only use my points for Park Hyatt reservations: 22K points for one night are worth only 9-11K miles.
Nov 9, 2010, 8:54 am
#53
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: ORD
Programs: HH Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Bonvoy Platinum
Posts: 1,028
Nov 9, 2010, 9:00 am
#54
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: London
Programs: BA, VS, HH, IHG, MB, MR
Posts: 26,871
50k Hilton can be transfered to 5000 BA Miles, which is worth less than £100 even if you buy them at ba.com, and in reality is only worth £40 of free flights (£80 with a 2-4-1). Given the choice of that or a free night at a top level Hilton (New York, Paris, London) you'd be crazy not to take the hotel.
Nov 9, 2010, 10:56 am
#55
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: ORD
Programs: HH Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Bonvoy Platinum
Posts: 1,028
50k Hilton can be transfered to 5000 BA Miles, which is worth less than £100 even if you buy them at ba.com, and in reality is only worth £40 of free flights (£80 with a 2-4-1). Given the choice of that or a free night at a top level Hilton (New York, Paris, London) you'd be crazy not to take the hotel.
Nov 17, 2010, 1:40 pm
#56
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,885
I'd broadly agree with Raffles on this, but it's horses for courses. If you have the sort of life that allows you to buy during J sales well in advance and know for sure that you'll be able to use heavily discounted, non-flex non-refundable tickets, then you'd be advised to go that route where you can.
However, though I'm a Gold, flying a lot and have a whopping BA balance, I'm certainly going to have some of this. That's because I'm self-employed. When I'm booking leisure travel for myself I do it with miles so I know that I can always cancel if my plans change. Any source of miles around the 1.2p per mile mark works well for me.
YMMV, as they say.
Nov 22, 2010, 7:36 am
#57
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: London
Posts: 3,459
I'd broadly agree with Raffles on this, but it's horses for courses. If you have the sort of life that allows you to buy during J sales well in advance and know for sure that you'll be able to use heavily discounted, non-flex non-refundable tickets, then you'd be advised to go that route where you can.
However, though I'm a Gold, flying a lot and have a whopping BA balance, I'm certainly going to have some of this. That's because I'm self-employed. When I'm booking leisure travel for myself I do it with miles so I know that I can always cancel if my plans change. Any source of miles around the 1.2p per mile mark works well for me.
YMMV, as they say.
However, though I'm a Gold, flying a lot and have a whopping BA balance, I'm certainly going to have some of this. That's because I'm self-employed. When I'm booking leisure travel for myself I do it with miles so I know that I can always cancel if my plans change. Any source of miles around the 1.2p per mile mark works well for me.
YMMV, as they say.
Nov 22, 2010, 9:58 am
#58
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: LHR and ZRH
Programs: BA GGL, SQ PPS, HH Diamond, SPG LTP/100, Marriott Platinum, Mucci des Lois Constitutionelles
Posts: 1,007
Is it still the case that reward flights booked with SPG points book into 'paid' (rather than reward) fare classes, and receive TPs / BA Miles?
If so, I think I'd rather save up the SPG points for that...
If so, I think I'd rather save up the SPG points for that...
Nov 23, 2010, 12:58 am
#60
Join Date: Jul 2009
Programs: BAEC Silver, IHG Diamond
Posts: 7,770
Was looking at this for my 42,000 goldpoints (Radisson) but probably not worth it for 5250 BA miles + 25%. That said, when I looked at reward nights in NYC recently, still needed over 35,000 for one of those!