Originally Posted by
Happy
I would not count on 2 1/2 years, but rather the next 12 months - because there is no guarantee the program would not devalue, i.e. redemption levels go way up, just like what happened to the properties in New Zealand last year. The increase of points required jumped 3 folds!
Yeah, devaluation happens. That said, this is a pretty sleepy program. I participated a lot (on free points) in 2006 through 2008 and now that I'm revisiting the program, things look much the same. If anything, there are -- overall -- better hotel selections (their Ascend properties seem new).
But that's why it's important to make sure you're getting an exceptional deal under the current rules. With current redemption levels, a nice hotel in Manhattan can be had for $75 to $91. Even if we got a 50% devaluation -- which I certainly don't expect -- that would still be a pretty good deal.