Originally Posted by
eggsbenedict
While I understand the appeal as a way to get a very general baseline, I don't like getting too in the weeds over CPM. My best redemptions would in theory be silly things like last minute YVR-YXS in Y for 5500 points that AC was trying to sell for nearly $1000. Which is really boring.
I have no idea what the cash cost of my LHR-AUH flight in Ethiad F on the A380 would have been and don't really care, happy to have paid 65000 points for it though, and will do so again if it's ever possible.
Your example of 65k points for Etihad F is by default a good value even if you didn't look up the value in dollar, I surmise you know that cash number was a high cash amount and likely got $0.10+ per mile out of that one.
Kind of like @Deathray I try to maximize the cost per mile when I can and will judge whether using points or cash has the best value setting an acquisition cost of the points at apx $0.015 each. It's getting harder and harder to get the best value (as with everything else). One needs to pick and hint to find exceptional deals.
Of course, if someone is sitting on 2,000,000 points in the bank their value is much more elastic than someone who only has 100,000, but the same concept applies for cash booking too. Hence why airlines are selling seats at the price that makes people on FT post about ridiculously expensive fares and calming the airline is out of touch. I know people who buy LH F and don’t even know the existence of the FCT in FRA.
A few personal hits:
• FRA-ORD in LH-F as a bucket list, as I would never be able to justify paying a flight like that with money
• Was doing a boys trip for 4 days in CUN and found YUL-CUN in PY on a 787 for 10k points and $100-ish versus Y at 35.5k points and $85 each way.