I am trying to decide whether to transfer my Airtran credits to Standard Awards now, or wait until they are automatically converted to RR points in November.
Here's my understanding:
Standard Awards (transfer A+ credits before Nov. 1)- -capacity controlled
- -expire in one year
- +sometimes available for off-peak flights at last minute when cash/RR points cost would be very high
- A WN telephone agent told me that if I needed to cancel a Standard Award reservation, the award would still be available for a future flight before the expiration date
RR Points (automatic conversion post Nov. 1)- +no capacity control
- +points don't expire
- -Redemption very expensive/poor value for last minute flights
Here are the decision principles I have in mind, but would appreciate any feedback from nsx or others:
- A+ credits expiring before Nov. 1 should be converted to RR credits before Nov. 1. My wife has a few credits expiring in Oct. Since A+ Elite members can transfer credits, I plan to top off her account with enough credits to create a standard award.
- Otherwise I think Standard Awards are useful for last minute travel, but you don't want to create more standard awards than you expect to use within a year.
- To the extent I'm not confident of using the awards within a year, I plan to let them transfer into RR points.
Am I missing something? Thanks