Originally Posted by
heynow999
op here.
so I'm learning alot. I now realize I have to book travel on points well in advance so as mentioned I don't have time to collect the necessary points. I have managed to collect about 110k points, just shy of the 120k for 2 tickets. I thought I would modify my plan and book two on points, then two for cash. In my searching I have found cash tickets on TAP for a little over $1k. The flight leaves from my preferred airport, yyz, and the allow you to spend a few nights in Lisbon. I'm tempted to just buy them.
I am a little disillusioned with collecting as I spent $699 for an annual fee on an Amex platinum card to get points worth $1k in plane tickets, which I have to jump through many hoops to get, with next to zero availability.
Am I better off to just buy the tickets? should I use my Amex platinum and will I be able to at least use the $200 travel credit?
The travel credit is for incidentals like baggage fees (although a Canadian Amex may be different). I’m seeing YYZ-CDG and MUC nonstop and various others for three weeks in July for $650-1k USD in case you don’t want a stopover. Always look for round trip or at least a ticket with a return even if from another city bc I’ve noticed esp with Canada and Europe RT will price the same as OW.
The problem with doing some awards and some revenue (paid) tickets is that they may not match up as the best redemptions. Award flight that you’ve got the points for may be more expensive as a paid ticket.
I understand your frustration. We have three kids and it’s hard to get award seats for us all. I realized long ago that I have to plan two years out. A year to accrue points and then be ready to ticket a year before flights. That’s the only way I’ve managed to make it work.