Here's the way I would value your trip. You can buy miles from the airline for 2.5 cents (usually limited to 10,000 miles). So we can assume the miles are probably worth a little less than that. I use 2 cents but to be real conservative let's say 1.5 cents. So the 18,000 miles you will earn are worth $270. subtract that from the ticket price of $700 leaves $430 divided by the 50,000 points to get a value for your points spent of .0086 or about half of the 1.5 cent value established above. If we make the same calculation for the above and value miles at 1 cent then the value of your miles is 1.04 cents. This does not take into consideration the value of the miles toward requalifying for elite status next year. All this to say that if the miles are worth at least a penny to you then it is probably better to buy the ticket. Oh yeah I almost forgot. Don't forget to calculate in the value of purchasing the ticket with an airlines credit card which usually gives 2 miles per $ or 1,400 miles.


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"A day without FF Miles is like a day without SUNSHINE"

[This message has been edited by Superd1 (edited 11-05-2003).]