Originally Posted by
Happy
The fee was $2.95 and raised to $3.95 for almost a year now.
I suggest you look at your usage of the points because the value lies in the actual usage (redemption) and not an artificial value assigned to it (as the bloggers all want to claim so).
Take the example of SPG - 1000 SPG pts cost about $9 to $10 depending on liquidation mechanism. S0 10K SPG pts cost about $90 to $100. As an example, the Sheraton Gateway at LAX is a 10K property. If you can find a LAX hotel thru normal channel under $150 (not a motel type such as La Quinta or such), and have lounge access - then you would have found an Unicorn. But with your SPG biz card, you get that night with lounge access for a grand total of $100 or less.
Hyatt pts may work at the 8K property but above that, it is of very minimal value to MS the pts using Hyatt card. You would be better off with an Ink card at 5x place or better yet, at 5x dot com. Then your cost per pt is down to $0.006 to $0.007. So a Cat 4 15K cost you $90 to $100 real money at places such as Hyatt Regency TST in Hong Kong that the nonrefundable rate usually runs at HKD1450+10% service when 1USD=7.75HKD and you do the math.
So your question is actually to ask yourself - HOW will I use the points I MS for? then you would see whether you want to go thru the trouble or not worth to you at all.
It's been almost two years since the fee became $3.95 here. Maybe it varies in different markets.
I would also add, it's not about the pure value of the points earned but what can be obtained by doing so, if you are able to hit levels not attainable through regular spend. While getting 40k in HGP points may not seem like a great value if you value them at 1.8¢, spending that same 40k gets you 10 additional nights towards Diamond qualification, which could be worth much more. Likewise, hitting 60k on the DL Reserve can go a long way towards helping retain or boost Medallion status. There are plenty of other examples like this that may not directly seem to translate to a perfect 2% return but have a different sort of value.