How do you decide if you should use miles or just pay for it?
Aug 24, 2010, 11:27 am
#76
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: DFW
Programs: AA 1M
Posts: 31,474
My main use of miles is to fly to India. Tix are approx 1,200 or more if in holiday season. Since it costs a minimum 80K to get an award, I generally value my miles at 1.5 cpm. If I can fly at less than that price by paying, i will otherwise just redeem.
Aug 24, 2010, 11:44 am
#77
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Chicago
Posts: 2,682
What about the 15,000 miles you would earn on a paid ticket? That means you really are losing 95,000 miles for 1200. Now you are at only 1.25 cpm. IMO, It is way easier to find a $1200 ticket to India during peak periods then it is to find an available award seat.
Sep 15, 2010, 9:01 pm
#78
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Miami, FL
Programs: AA, MR, HH
Posts: 116
Is there a formula for redeeming miles?
Do you guys use some formula for deciding whether or not to use points or cash for a redemption?
I just signed up for an AA credit card. I already had 43K points and with the 50K bonus for getting the citicard I'll have 93K points. I want to maximize my redemptions so how do you decide when to redeem?
I'm shooting for Australia with a Hawaii stopver in 2012 from Miami.
Any strategies?
TIA.
I just signed up for an AA credit card. I already had 43K points and with the 50K bonus for getting the citicard I'll have 93K points. I want to maximize my redemptions so how do you decide when to redeem?
I'm shooting for Australia with a Hawaii stopver in 2012 from Miami.
Any strategies?
TIA.
Sep 15, 2010, 9:10 pm
#79
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: CTS
Programs: AA:1MM
Posts: 743
by points, do you mean miles (i.e. redeemable miles or RDMs)?
I usually look at the chart on aa.com that explains how many miles it costs to redeem to any destination or use their handy search feature where you can say where you want to go and it shows you how many miles.
I usually look at the chart on aa.com that explains how many miles it costs to redeem to any destination or use their handy search feature where you can say where you want to go and it shows you how many miles.
Sep 15, 2010, 9:19 pm
#80
Original Member, Ambassador: OneWorld Alliance
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Austin, TX, USA
Programs: AA ExecPlat & 3MM; Marriott Titanium
Posts: 1,015
- If you know your dates, book 330 days in advance - always worked for me, but I have never tried it going to Australia.
- Be flexible with your routes - check possible routes before you call.
- Have alternatives dates - Something like 2-3 days around your "perfect dates"
Sep 15, 2010, 9:26 pm
#81
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
I've taken the liberty of changing the thread title slightly - EQ points (sensu stricto) can not be redeemed, miles can. But look for threads discussing value and you will find most of us would spend miles if the cost exceeded ~3 cents per mile. Some of us hoard and spend on J or F cabin travel to maximize what we do with our hard-won miles.
Sep 15, 2010, 9:32 pm
#82
In Memoriam
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Always on vacation
Programs: aa exp - spg gold - Hyatt Diamond - HH Gold
Posts: 6,007
I've taken the liberty of changing the thread title slightly - EQ points (sensu stricto) can not be redeemed, miles can. But look for threads discussing value and you will find most of us would spend miles if the cost exceeded ~3 cents per mile. Some of us hoard and spend on J or F cabin travel to maximize what we do with our hard-won miles.
Value of AAdvantage miles - How much is 1 mile worth to you? (consolidated)
Sep 15, 2010, 9:33 pm
#83
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: los angeles, calif.
Programs: Alaska Airlines Gold MVP
Posts: 7,170
I hoard my miles to use them on luxury travel that I otherwise can't afford or would never spend such excessive amounts on, like an F class ticket on Cathay to Hong Kong.
Sep 15, 2010, 9:42 pm
#84
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SJC
Programs: AA EXP, BA Silver, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 33,533
There are several factors at play here. First, most of us want to maintain some sort of AA status. As a result, we will prefer to pay in many cases as award tickets don't earn miles. After that, it's a question of looking for flights that just cost too much for the miles returned. Some examples for us:
We were going to KEF (Iceland) out of Halifax,NS. Going SFO-JFK was reasonable priced, but getting to Halifax was outrageous. So, we bought tickets to JFK and awards to Halifax.
Several years back we flew to SIN and HKG in AA/JL and CX F. Definitely miles
Cheers.
We were going to KEF (Iceland) out of Halifax,NS. Going SFO-JFK was reasonable priced, but getting to Halifax was outrageous. So, we bought tickets to JFK and awards to Halifax.
Several years back we flew to SIN and HKG in AA/JL and CX F. Definitely miles
Cheers.
Sep 15, 2010, 9:59 pm
#85
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: STL
Programs: AA 2MM, AS MVP Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 12,966
First, the top end. You can buy miles for about 2 cents per mile, so subtract the taxes from the cost of the ticket, and divide by the miles you would have earned plus the miles required for the award ticket. If the answer is more than 2 cents per mile, you ought to be thinking about using miles.
Personally, my bottom end is one cent per mile. I will fly almost anywhere if I can do so for one cent for every mile I receive. Harder to do than it used to be.
In between the two is a judgement call.
Personally, my bottom end is one cent per mile. I will fly almost anywhere if I can do so for one cent for every mile I receive. Harder to do than it used to be.
In between the two is a judgement call.
Sep 15, 2010, 11:06 pm
#87
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: CT
Programs: AA EXP, UA, DL Gold, ANA Plat
Posts: 157
Hoard
I'm with JDiver. We save and use for FC to Asia.
Seems more effective to me.
Seems more effective to me.
Sep 16, 2010, 11:19 am
#88
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: ORD/PSP
Programs: AA LT Plat, 6.0 MM, Marriott LT Platinum
Posts: 1,002
I'll use my wife's miles for the kids to fly domestic coach at around 1.6 to 2 cents per mile. That's because she doesn't earn enough miles to get us overseas in business. I save mine for the two of us to fly international business class, usually works out to around 5 cents per mile. Personally I don't think that F is worth the extra miles at all, but that's a matter of preference (I might do F for our celebratory retirement trip to Australia).
My wife has no status to maintain, however if this was a problem then I'd be slightly more willing to buy a ticket and so would like a (slightly) higher value before using miles domestically.
My wife has no status to maintain, however if this was a problem then I'd be slightly more willing to buy a ticket and so would like a (slightly) higher value before using miles domestically.
Sep 16, 2010, 1:17 pm
#89
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2006
Programs: AAdvantage PP
Posts: 13,913
Do you guys use some formula for deciding whether or not to use points or cash for a redemption?
I just signed up for an AA credit card. I already had 43K points and with the 50K bonus for getting the citicard I'll have 93K points. I want to maximize my redemptions so how do you decide when to redeem?
I'm shooting for Australia with a Hawaii stopver in 2012 from Miami.
Any strategies?
TIA.
I just signed up for an AA credit card. I already had 43K points and with the 50K bonus for getting the citicard I'll have 93K points. I want to maximize my redemptions so how do you decide when to redeem?
I'm shooting for Australia with a Hawaii stopver in 2012 from Miami.
Any strategies?
TIA.
My suggestion is to call AA 330 days out and be flexible with dates. Since all partner award must be booked by phone (and if you aren't EXP you will also need to pay the telephone fee in addition to taxes) call soon as possible. Jetstar goes to Hawaii IIRC but Jetstar is not part of Oneworld/Award Travel.
Sep 16, 2010, 1:23 pm
#90
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Miami, FL
Programs: AA, MR, HH
Posts: 116
by points, do you mean miles (i.e. redeemable miles or RDMs)?
I usually look at the chart on aa.com that explains how many miles it costs to redeem to any destination or use their handy search feature where you can say where you want to go and it shows you how many miles.
I usually look at the chart on aa.com that explains how many miles it costs to redeem to any destination or use their handy search feature where you can say where you want to go and it shows you how many miles.
Yes I was thinking redeeming miles, but for me they give you points.
It's so confusing.
