Which points to use/airlines to fly from Chicago to Puerto Plata or Santiago
Jan 18, 2017, 10:39 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Chicago
Posts: 5
Which points to use/airlines to fly from Chicago to Puerto Plata or Santiago
Hi!
I'm trying to find the best way to use points on flights for my family (3 people) to Dominican Republic June 30-July 9. We are going to Cabarete, so we are trying to find flights from ORD to POP, but since they're expensive, we are also considering STI. It's a long drive, but we have done it before. If the difference in price is substantial, we are willing to do it again. The thing is - in the past I was able to find 35K AA tickets, now even the 50K are limited... And with 2 connections... It's been a while since we traveled on any airline other than SW.
I have spent 2 past days looking at different options, trying to figure out which airline is my best bet.
I have
68K Citi Thank you points (Premier card)
78K Amex Membership Rewards
100K SPG points
100K BA points
180K Ultimate Rewards (which I'm usually clinging to, so I can use them on Southwest
I also applied for Sapphire Reserve last week, hoping for approval...
It looks like JetBlue would make sense at 38K to POP (+$100tax) or 22K to STI (+$100tax). I could transfer points from Citi and Amex. We concerned about baggage fees though, since we travel with bunch of equipment, including kite boards... We have AA Aviator Red cards, so that shouldn't be a problem on AA.
As you can see - I'm totally confused...
So if anyone has any advice where else I could transfer my points or what's my best bet here - I would appreciate your help... Thank you!
I'm trying to find the best way to use points on flights for my family (3 people) to Dominican Republic June 30-July 9. We are going to Cabarete, so we are trying to find flights from ORD to POP, but since they're expensive, we are also considering STI. It's a long drive, but we have done it before. If the difference in price is substantial, we are willing to do it again. The thing is - in the past I was able to find 35K AA tickets, now even the 50K are limited... And with 2 connections... It's been a while since we traveled on any airline other than SW.
I have spent 2 past days looking at different options, trying to figure out which airline is my best bet.
I have
68K Citi Thank you points (Premier card)
78K Amex Membership Rewards
100K SPG points
100K BA points
180K Ultimate Rewards (which I'm usually clinging to, so I can use them on Southwest
I also applied for Sapphire Reserve last week, hoping for approval...It looks like JetBlue would make sense at 38K to POP (+$100tax) or 22K to STI (+$100tax). I could transfer points from Citi and Amex. We concerned about baggage fees though, since we travel with bunch of equipment, including kite boards... We have AA Aviator Red cards, so that shouldn't be a problem on AA.
As you can see - I'm totally confused...
So if anyone has any advice where else I could transfer my points or what's my best bet here - I would appreciate your help... Thank you!
Jan 19, 2017, 12:12 am
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 21,022
kitemama Welcome to FT
- What research have you done yourself on airline ffp's that could get the trip you want?
- What ffp's are you a member of now? How many ff miles/points? Only BA?
- What airline ffp’s are common transfer partners of your credit cards? (It does vary by the country of credit card issue)
- FF miles are not equal to earn or burn. They are not 1 to 1.
- Some ffp's allow one way awards. So you could uses 2 or more different ffp's
- Consider cash fares
Credit card transfer links
Credit, Debit and Prepaid Card Programs forum
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...l-program.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/chase...mes-rules.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/citi-...-partners.html
Note that FT is not a frequent flyer award search booking service. Nor do we have secret access to awards or cheap flights.
Consider these http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...e-reviews.html
Look here http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/infor...help-here.html
Awards assistance tools
Use at your own risk. These may not be up to date. (These are not recommendations)
Award flights are never guaranteed. You need to be flexible with date and route.
Frequent flyer miles/points are not equal to or burn. They are not 1 to 1
If a multi segment award check the rules/cost carefully. With some ffp’s it can be 2 or more awards or cost more ff miles/points than a direct flight.
If the award is on partner airline it may cost more miles/points than an award on the ffp airline.
Some awards/airlines/routes can have cash surcharges, in addition to real taxes.
-AwardAce: Compare Award Redemptions Across Airlines In Seconds --> http://www.awardace.com/
-Economical Excursionist's Tools to compare Frequent Flyer Mile Redemptions --> http://www.flyermiler.com/
-http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...ast-miles.html --> http://www.awardhacker.com/
- What research have you done yourself on airline ffp's that could get the trip you want?
- What ffp's are you a member of now? How many ff miles/points? Only BA?
- What airline ffp’s are common transfer partners of your credit cards? (It does vary by the country of credit card issue)
- FF miles are not equal to earn or burn. They are not 1 to 1.
- Some ffp's allow one way awards. So you could uses 2 or more different ffp's
- Consider cash fares
Credit card transfer links
Credit, Debit and Prepaid Card Programs forum
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...l-program.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/chase...mes-rules.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/citi-...-partners.html
Note that FT is not a frequent flyer award search booking service. Nor do we have secret access to awards or cheap flights.
Consider these http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...e-reviews.html
Look here http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/infor...help-here.html
Awards assistance tools
Use at your own risk. These may not be up to date. (These are not recommendations)
Award flights are never guaranteed. You need to be flexible with date and route.
Frequent flyer miles/points are not equal to or burn. They are not 1 to 1
If a multi segment award check the rules/cost carefully. With some ffp’s it can be 2 or more awards or cost more ff miles/points than a direct flight.
If the award is on partner airline it may cost more miles/points than an award on the ffp airline.
Some awards/airlines/routes can have cash surcharges, in addition to real taxes.
-AwardAce: Compare Award Redemptions Across Airlines In Seconds --> http://www.awardace.com/
-Economical Excursionist's Tools to compare Frequent Flyer Mile Redemptions --> http://www.flyermiler.com/
-http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...ast-miles.html --> http://www.awardhacker.com/
Jan 20, 2017, 10:51 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Chicago
Posts: 5
Thank you for your reply, Mwenenzi
Thank you so much for links to AwardAce, flyermiler and awardhacker - I wish I've known about them sooner!
I also have about 100K AA and 60K United. I have to fly to Europe this summer as well, so that's my other issue - which miles to use on which flights...
I know FT is not an award booking service, I just asked about DR in case there are some obvious things to do or not to do on that route that I'm not aware of (like don't fly on BA to Europe).
I do a lot of research, but it's really overwhelming in the beginning. I'll keep looking. Thanks.
Thank you so much for links to AwardAce, flyermiler and awardhacker - I wish I've known about them sooner!
I also have about 100K AA and 60K United. I have to fly to Europe this summer as well, so that's my other issue - which miles to use on which flights...
I know FT is not an award booking service, I just asked about DR in case there are some obvious things to do or not to do on that route that I'm not aware of (like don't fly on BA to Europe).
I do a lot of research, but it's really overwhelming in the beginning. I'll keep looking. Thanks.