Best way to use 1 million points?
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 101
Best way to use 1 million points?
Hey,
I hope this is the correct place for this. I have 1 million combined points (320K Aeroplan and rest between Marriott and SPG) and would like to spend it on an amazing vacation. I am willing to top it up with cash if it helps.
I have been thinking about traveling business class to Asia for 3 weeks and visiting 3 cities. Any other vacations you would suggest? Completely open to suggestions and am very flexible with time. Only requirements are that it's international (flying out of Toronto) and it's business class.
Thank you.
I hope this is the correct place for this. I have 1 million combined points (320K Aeroplan and rest between Marriott and SPG) and would like to spend it on an amazing vacation. I am willing to top it up with cash if it helps.
I have been thinking about traveling business class to Asia for 3 weeks and visiting 3 cities. Any other vacations you would suggest? Completely open to suggestions and am very flexible with time. Only requirements are that it's international (flying out of Toronto) and it's business class.
Thank you.
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: New York, NY
Programs: BAEC Gold, Delta Platinum, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold, AMEX Platinum (US)
Posts: 18,485
#5
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Cockeysville, MD
Programs: Marriott Rewards Lifetime Titanium, Amex Plat, Hertz Gold 5*, National Exec, AA Plat
Posts: 9,463
You need to read the Marriott thread on Travel Packages. Allows you to get hotel stays on points and Airline miles at a 1:1 ratio for MR points. Best use of MR points in most opinions.
#7
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: SJC/SFO
Programs: WN A+ CP, UA 1MM/*A Gold, Mar LT Tit, IHG Plat, HH Dia
Posts: 6,282
BTW, how many are traveling? It affects how far your air miles will go....
#8
Join Date: Jul 2009
Programs: none
Posts: 1,668
You know that your miles will go a lot further if you choose economy instead of a premium fare, don't you? And if you choose a lower-cost room instead of a premium, if that's your preference. In the end, it's YOUR call.
People who respond after reading a couple sentence question do not really know your situation and don't have enough information to be offering advice.
People who respond after reading a couple sentence question do not really know your situation and don't have enough information to be offering advice.
#9
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: SJC/SFO
Programs: WN A+ CP, UA 1MM/*A Gold, Mar LT Tit, IHG Plat, HH Dia
Posts: 6,282
#10
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: SFO
Programs: Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold, IHG Plat
Posts: 756
Hey,
I hope this is the correct place for this. I have 1 million combined points (320K Aeroplan and rest between Marriott and SPG) and would like to spend it on an amazing vacation. I am willing to top it up with cash if it helps.
I have been thinking about traveling business class to Asia for 3 weeks and visiting 3 cities. Any other vacations you would suggest? Completely open to suggestions and am very flexible with time. Only requirements are that it's international (flying out of Toronto) and it's business class.
Thank you.
I hope this is the correct place for this. I have 1 million combined points (320K Aeroplan and rest between Marriott and SPG) and would like to spend it on an amazing vacation. I am willing to top it up with cash if it helps.
I have been thinking about traveling business class to Asia for 3 weeks and visiting 3 cities. Any other vacations you would suggest? Completely open to suggestions and am very flexible with time. Only requirements are that it's international (flying out of Toronto) and it's business class.
Thank you.
Second, you should be able to book 4 award flights in business for less than 300k miles in business class. Though, depending on if you want to burn all your miles/points or not, you could consider flying first for the long haul flights to/from Toronto.
#11
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: MCI
Programs: AA Gold 1MM, AS MVP, UA Silver, WN A-List, Marriott LT Titanium, HH Diamond
Posts: 52,496
It would totally *not* be worth it to fly United F. If you can score SQ or ANA...might be worth talking about. Those were always tough to get in my UA 1K days and I doubt they're easier to find now.
AC J is pretty solid. I wouldn't hesitate to book that.
Do you hold a Marriott or Starwood status? If no, I'd be tempted to redeem one or two Ritz Travel Packages. If yes, I'd probably look at the top JW's and go for those. St. Regises are great too, and you'd probably have points to do some straight awards, but they wouldn't be the Marriott Travel Packages. (They'd just be Starwood 5-night awards or whatever.)
#14
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: MCI
Programs: AA Gold 1MM, AS MVP, UA Silver, WN A-List, Marriott LT Titanium, HH Diamond
Posts: 52,496
Pick your 3 cities first. Then figure out what the best Marriott options are. I'd look at everything: cash rates, hotel categories for awards, and which of the cities you'd really want to spend a full week in.
With 700k Marriott (and nothing else), my target approach would be to redeem two Marriott Travel Packages and do the third city as a paid stay. You *could* do all three as regular hotel award stays, but I personally value the TPs so much that I'd be willing to accept paying for some nights where it made the most sense.
Once I was looking at 3 cities, it would probably become evident where to redeem. 1 of my cities would maybe have really good rates, or no great Marriott, or it just works out that I'm only there 4-5 nights and it makes sense to just look for a good hotel deal even if it's not Marriott.
Also note that 240,000 miles in a different alliance could come in handy if you're having trouble finding Aeroplan award availability one direction or the other. There's a thread on the Marriott board about how fast they post miles to various airlines: it's usually quite fast.
With 700k Marriott (and nothing else), my target approach would be to redeem two Marriott Travel Packages and do the third city as a paid stay. You *could* do all three as regular hotel award stays, but I personally value the TPs so much that I'd be willing to accept paying for some nights where it made the most sense.
Once I was looking at 3 cities, it would probably become evident where to redeem. 1 of my cities would maybe have really good rates, or no great Marriott, or it just works out that I'm only there 4-5 nights and it makes sense to just look for a good hotel deal even if it's not Marriott.
Also note that 240,000 miles in a different alliance could come in handy if you're having trouble finding Aeroplan award availability one direction or the other. There's a thread on the Marriott board about how fast they post miles to various airlines: it's usually quite fast.
#15
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: 6km East of EPAYE
Programs: UA Silver, AA Platinum, AS & DL GM Marriott TE, Hilton Gold
Posts: 9,582
Use Marriott points for hotels (I suggest JW khao lak in Phuket for an amazing deal). Try to get UA direct to SIN from SFO and come home on AC or maybe via Europe on LX or LH if you enjoy the extra flying like I do.
Have a great trip!