Originally Posted by
bettybreck
would it be worth it to sign up for this AmEx and use the 100,000 miles to help offset flights from Denver? I only have Rapid Rewards with SouthWest and just depleted them for a Spring Break in Mexico. They don't go to Hawaii anyway (I don't think) so I have no airline allegiance. Our trip will be next June so hopefully the credits will be available before January so I can start looking for flights.
Actually, Southwest
is starting up service to Hawaii next year:
WN going to Hawaii
but they haven't announced all the details yet (except for the 4 main airports in Hawaii they'll be flying to).
Meanwhile, it's hard to use miles to "offset" flights. You either book the flights with points, or you transfer to miles and then book the flights entirely with miles (except for a few taxes/fees). The only way you can "offset" (rather than "replace") is if you either book one way with miles and the other way with cash (to some destinations that cuts costs, to others it doesn't), or one person with miles and the other person with cash.
Originally Posted by
bettybreck
AmEx Platinum is offering me 100k in miles if I sign up with them.
I doubt Amex is offering you 100k
just for signing up for the card. There's probably a "minimum spend" requirement too. And what exactly they're asking of you will help explain when the points will be available. For example, if they require $5000 spend in the first 3 months after card approval, then you'll likely have the points within 4 months (if you followed all the rules, including
not buying gift cards), or you won't get them ever (if you didn't follow all the rules). So "by January" is no question if you know how to properly do the minimum spend in such a way that it counts (and if that amount of minimum spend will be no problem for you).