[QUOTE=camachinist]Have you thought about getting a travel package instead? IMO, a much better (value-wise) use of points. In this circumstance, you could value each of those 20K points as one mile/point and figure your cost-benefit accordingly. If I were looking at it this way and needed one more night for the 20K, I'd take it.

Thanks for the suggestion. I looked at the travel packages and it appears that 20,000 points would go a long way. I am so used to using points for miles, I never really looked at the packages. Since I am now Elite on two airlines through 2006, I will stop worrying about miles and get a travel package.