Originally Posted by
LongviewTX
The biggest trap I see Flyertalkers get into from time to time is purchasing (directly or indirectly) points based on the 'inflated' valuation (3c/point above) and thinking they got a great deal when in fact they would never pay the cash equivalent on a paid stay
but isn't that the point of why we do what we do? To get that F seat or stay at that hotel we never really would (and for a great chunk of us could afford) otherwise?
so then wouldn't the valuation be set not on what you can afford but on what you can't afford?
You can blow 50k avios on a $350 LAX-BOS-LAX ticket ... or you can blow 50k Avios on a $1000+ JFK - MAD - JFK ticket. Same avios, one is more economically feasible than the other, but people would gun for the MAD vs the BOS flight.
Hence my dilemma. I want to value redemption based on high valued items to compare if I should go cash & get status+points or redeem & save a ton.
It's a lot like poker really ... you get dealt a full house holding 3 A's .. do you keep the full house or do you go for 4 deuces? That is the big dilemma. I know what to do in poker, I need to figure out the odds in the point game