VegasGambler

The assumption is that you will get more than one award ticket in your lifetime, so the excess miles can be used towards your next award, and therefore do have value. I suspect that that's true for most people here.

If your goal is to get this one award ticket and then never use the program again, then your points are valid. I just don't think that that's generally the situation we are talking about here.

channa

Sure, or any card you choose to use. But that would be spread across all purchases and offset with the perks of that card. AMEX Plat can have a negligible net cost if you maximize the benefits that come with it.

VegasGambler

5 MR pts per dollar is really obscene, especially since Amex had some transfer partners that are not easy to come across (eg, ANA miles are extremely valuable and a pain to get if you don't have an Amex)

However, I've always found that the Amex benefits are more about driving business towards their partners rather than giving the customer any real benefit, which is why I stick with the CSR.

I'm not sure what this has to do with the worthiness of obtaining 75k I think that people make this more complicated than it needs to be. Everything does not need to be calculated down to the last cent. 75k gets you 50k AS miles, plus maybe an extra 10-15k miles the following year (over being Gold). If the ability to nominate someone as MVP has value to you, that might get them another 5k miles (certainly no more than 10k, otherwise they would be getting MVP on their own) and a few saved checked bag fees (if they are ineligible for the CC)

So, a reasonable valuation of 75k (vs Gold) is about $1300-$1400. Of course different people value things differently, but there are limits. Maybe it's worth closer to $1000 to you (if you don't have an opportunity to make 2c redemptions), or maybe closer to $1700 (if you really care about the GGUs and increased upgrade rate). But, if you are valuing it at $3k you are probably doing something wrong. Same if you are valuing it at $500.

rbAA

This has been endlessly debated on FT for decades. While you can buy miles for apx 2 cents, that is only one factor. I actually have to go someplace, so the miles are not the only factor. For example, I need to go back to BKK from JFK in June and I hate flying coach, though I did find a LGA-DFW-HKG-SIN one way on AA for $473. Plus a SWU (or miles+copay for those that aren't also EXP.) But, I'd need to pay $200 for a CX one-way SIN-BKK though I have $100 in CX vouchers from an IFE outage on a HKG-PEK flight. But I opted for a CX J award for 50k and only one stop (HKG.) the CX one way fare is $4697 (though RT is $4945.) Although I don't need a return, yet, and I probably wouldn't pay $4697, I still look at it as 9 cents per mile redemption value. Others might feel it's the $473+SWU+CX oneway, or 50k times 2 cents on a purchase, but isn't it just as accurate to look at the "rebate" value for the use of the miles for awards. Sure, I'll spend 2 cents to get a 9 cent value.

And for any valuation of MVP Gold 75k, I think you need to factor in other aspects: the value of the UPG's i.e. I paid $144 for a SFO-MCO and got the UPG to FC which was selling at over $500, all one-ways; also, I ticketed a JL J award that I'm busting and saved the $125 redeposit fee. Do that a few times and the value substantially increases. Plus the extra 25% RDM's (or 125% from no elite status.) All valauble and need to be considered in any discussion.

Thanks for listening, err reading.

Anyway, as always, it depends on what you like and how you look at things. It's neither right or wrong, just a matter of personal values based upon how you want to fly.

beckoa

Change fee waiver and companion upgrades are my favorite aspects of MVPG. Of course, G75K gives one better odds with upgrades, plus 50K more miles ^

washeelers747

rbAA

I would agree with your math, and I'm in a similar situation. International flights mainly since I live in BKK, so MVPG should be fine. I'm about 30k short of requalifying MVP Gold 75k, so maybe those 50k bonus miles would not be worth the extra costs. It's only June, so we'll see what the rest of the year holds.

NYC Flyer

This is my first year as an elite with AS...seems that other than the bonus miles, the ability to jump to the top of the airport upgrade list is the most useful benefit. My read of the lengthy upgrade thread discussion suggests that MVPGs doing a SDC are placed on the list among regular MVP passengers based on time of request (if added to the airport list at all...but that's another topic).

ctporter

I agree that it is better for those that fly mostly domestic and cannot buy FC (corporate travel policies) but still get a good percentage of upgrades. The no bag fees, no change and cancellation fees can be obtained without having to reach that extra tier. The OP mentioned they are not relying on upgrades, they purchase FC for domestic flights so it makes even less sense I think.

jimmygottfredson

Last year I reached 75K for the first time. In 2018 we traveled on BA discounted F a couple times, and as you indicate the miles really add up (both elite and redeemable). Without getting into a lot of number crunching I've noticed a couple things. 1. F upgrades on medium and short routes are very plentiful. 2. The couple times I've needed phone customer service, they were even more accommodating. Alaska really has wonderful customer service.

I won't get 75K again without extra effort, and I'm thinking I'm OK with this. MVP Gold is an excellent sweet spot - a lot of benefits for 40K in Alaska miles. Starting in 2020 we'll be in a better position for more travel, and then I can lookout for those discounted BA F flights again.

MeanwhileBackAtFAI

Thanks for the healthy discussion folks, I really appreciated.

Since I can't leave well enough alone despite my award DXB trip I kept looking into how to get to the 55,320 partner miles I will likely be missing to renew MVP75G.

I found SFO-HKG-JNB RT in W on CX for $2,190 with plenty of availability at that price in Q4 2019. That's 54,232 miles for the RT +10% booking class +125% Elite for a total of 127,447 miles earned plus 50k 75G miles for a grand total of 177,447 miles. Even at a 2c valuation that's still $3.5k worth of miles for a $2.1k payment. Or looking at it another way it's another long-haul J award.

Unless I get word of some ATL-ZHR business travel that may be happening this summer I will go ahead and buy that CX trip and be done worrying about it.

VegasGambler

That's a good deal. I found the CX PE seats quite comfortable.

Flying for Fun

Make a vacation out of it and do a Safari in Kruger national Park. Incredible experience.

James

rbAA

Actually, looks like it's 23,562 BIS so 25,918 EQM's with the 10% COS bonus and 55,371 RDM's per RT for MVPG75k (125% bonus.) Most of the dates at $2190 are E so not UPG'able with Asia Miles. A fairly comfortable PE seat though and nice layover in HKG on the outbound, a little too long on the return but OK if you're spending the day in HKG.

VegasGambler

Is this fare on the premium fare deals forum? It should be. As MVPG it's buying RDM at about 2c, which in my books counts as a free vacation And, again, I'm very happy with the PE product. Not business class by any stretch but I found it easy to sleep in those seats. Window seat bulkhead is especially good as you will be undisturbed with extra legroom (I managed that on my outbound segment)

My travel for this year is pretty much booked, but if it's possible to get this in the early oart of 2020 I'm going to be all over it. It would allow me to maintain 75k next year while burning off 500k+ miles in premium award travel to Asia.

There is a very good chance I will not be working for much of the 2nd half of 2020 (or will at least take a big chunk of unpaid time off)... time to get some real travel in I am seriously considering a 3-month RTW using mostly (if not all) award travel.