What's a good return in using miles for car rental?
May 2, 2012, 8:36 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: singapore
Posts: 116
What's a good return in using miles for car rental?
I'm thinking of renting a car from ANC for 6 days.
So far, based on what I can find, the best value I can get for a paid reservation is about $480.
I also checked and it will be 28.5k miles to book a reservation through my MileagePlus. The fine print seems to say that the normal taxes are included, but 'additional' fees may apply (not sure how much they will work out to).
I will also have to fork out about $60-$90 more for young driver fee.
So that means $400 value for 28.5k miles redeemed. Is it a good idea to use miles in this case? 25k miles gets me a domestic return flight, but of course there's the opp cost of miles forgone for that flight.
So far, based on what I can find, the best value I can get for a paid reservation is about $480.
I also checked and it will be 28.5k miles to book a reservation through my MileagePlus. The fine print seems to say that the normal taxes are included, but 'additional' fees may apply (not sure how much they will work out to).
I will also have to fork out about $60-$90 more for young driver fee.
So that means $400 value for 28.5k miles redeemed. Is it a good idea to use miles in this case? 25k miles gets me a domestic return flight, but of course there's the opp cost of miles forgone for that flight.
May 7, 2012, 1:37 pm
#2
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: LAX
Programs: WN A-List
Posts: 1,020
Assuming you don't save up UA miles for international Y or C tickets I actually think that's a pretty good value. I have not had much luck finding 25k mile domestic Y saver awards on United. If I'm lucky I can find a ticket for 37.5k miles for tickets in the $400-500 range. Plus, a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
May 7, 2012, 7:51 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: singapore
Posts: 116
looks like they fluctuate a tonne too.. the lowest i can get now for the same reservation is 35k miles :S
May 20, 2012, 1:45 pm
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SGF
Programs: AS, AA, UA, AGR S (former 75K, GLD, 1K, and S+, now an elite peon)
Posts: 23,194
Taxes in ANC are 29.11% plus $6.50 per day. You'll want to factor that in to your value equation, since some (although not all) agencies do charge tax on award rentals.
Jun 27, 2012, 8:20 am
#5
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 3
Miles Value
I am a Delta SkyMiles member. 2 years ago I used 41,890 miles for 16 full days of rental (including tax). I walked away not shelling out one penny of cash. I am looking now, from the same location and almost same exact dates (just 2 years later) for a 19 day rental instead of 16 days and Delta wants 72,150 miles.
If you can get any rental under 2,700 miles/day you're in a great position but 3,000/day is still ok. IMO 3,500 plus is way too much.
If you can get any rental under 2,700 miles/day you're in a great position but 3,000/day is still ok. IMO 3,500 plus is way too much.
Jul 7, 2012, 2:59 pm
#6
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Snohomish, WA
Programs: AS MVP Gold, HHonors Diamond
Posts: 2,793
This doesn't seem worth using miles for. My wife and I did a 3-day car rental from Entrprise, starting in ANC, via Costco Travel. Base rate was $8 a day for the lowest-level car. Total for the whole thing was $51 after all the taxes and airport fees.
Neil
Neil