Buying 50k miles?
Aug 31, 2011, 7:33 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2002
Programs: Marriott Plat Premier/LT Plat; SPG Plat/LT Gold; Hilton Gold; Hyatt Plat
Posts: 2,356
Buying 50k miles?
With the 50k mile offer expiring today, how good a value is it for $1000?
I want to get closer to Lifetime Status but don't want to throw money away.
Is 2 cents a mile a decent deal?
Is there any credit card which I should use to get more pts in buying it (AA?)
I want to get closer to Lifetime Status but don't want to throw money away.
Is 2 cents a mile a decent deal?
Is there any credit card which I should use to get more pts in buying it (AA?)
Aug 31, 2011, 7:40 am
#2
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: CTS
Programs: AA:1MM
Posts: 743
you're forgetting about the taxes when you compute it to 2c/mile.
but I would only do it if
(a) it guaranteed a push to the next MM [in my case that would be 2MM]
AND
(b) I had $1000 lying around idle OR i had a shortage of RDM and intended to use the miles I was paying for.
but I would only do it if
(a) it guaranteed a push to the next MM [in my case that would be 2MM]
AND
(b) I had $1000 lying around idle OR i had a shortage of RDM and intended to use the miles I was paying for.
Aug 31, 2011, 8:16 am
#3
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
Yes, if you use SPG and transfer points (soon), or you use an AAdvantage miles earning card, you will earn ~1,000 more miles. You are purchasing the limit of miles allowed in one year, iirc, 40k, and earning a 10k bonus. If you need the RDM for MM or other purposes to fulfill a goal, go for it; if you do not, it's merely the appearance of a vanishing and attractive offer. (And if you need miles consider the 3x-4x miles multiplier when you next fly, though it is mot quite as good a deal.)
Aug 31, 2011, 8:28 am
#4
Join Date: Mar 2010
Programs: AA Plat, Marriott Plat
Posts: 736
Yes, if you use SPG and transfer points (soon), or you use an AAdvantage miles earning card, you will earn ~1,000 more miles. You are purchasing the limit of miles allowed in one year, iirc, 40k, and earning a 10k bonus. If you need the RDM for MM or other purposes to fulfill a goal, go for it; if you do not, it's merely the appearance of a vanishing and attractive offer. (And if you need miles consider the 3x-4x miles multiplier when you next fly, though it is mot quite as good a deal.)
Aug 31, 2011, 8:35 am
#5
Join Date: May 2011
Location: DFW
Programs: AA EXP, LT Gold
Posts: 3,145
I'm going to take "AAdvantage" of this deal today, here's how / why...
I was recently approved for my 2nd CitiBiz card with a 50k miles bonus after $2k in spend. So I buy the 40k +10k bonus for $1030, cover half of my req. spend to get the 50k Citi bonus, and get 1030 miles in the process. TOTAL: 101,030 miles. Since I'm going to be spending another $970 on every day stuff, you could say that this complete transaction nets me a CPM of $0.01 - not bad. This will also put me over 500K LTM, making the march to 1M a little easier.
I can make good use of the 50k miles purchased with an AAward ticket, as well. Since we're entering off-peak season, 50k miles can really stretch your trips!
Just my take on all this. YMMV, of course.
I was recently approved for my 2nd CitiBiz card with a 50k miles bonus after $2k in spend. So I buy the 40k +10k bonus for $1030, cover half of my req. spend to get the 50k Citi bonus, and get 1030 miles in the process. TOTAL: 101,030 miles. Since I'm going to be spending another $970 on every day stuff, you could say that this complete transaction nets me a CPM of $0.01 - not bad. This will also put me over 500K LTM, making the march to 1M a little easier.
I can make good use of the 50k miles purchased with an AAward ticket, as well. Since we're entering off-peak season, 50k miles can really stretch your trips!
Just my take on all this. YMMV, of course.
Last edited by econometrics; Aug 31, 2011 at 8:38 am Reason: Added note about AAward tickets.
Aug 31, 2011, 8:36 am
#6
Join Date: Sep 2006
Programs: AA LT Plat - 2MM;HH Diamond
Posts: 239
Dan
Aug 31, 2011, 8:38 am
#7
Join Date: Jul 2011
Programs: AA LTP, Delta Gold
Posts: 66
I suppose this depends on how much you value miles and how much $1,000 is to you.
Personally, I bought the miles. I have no problem using up miles when I have them (among other things, my sister likes to use them for me
) and it helped me get over 2 million prior to the deadline.
It's certainly not a rip off or anything, if that is what you are asking.
Personally, I bought the miles. I have no problem using up miles when I have them (among other things, my sister likes to use them for me
) and it helped me get over 2 million prior to the deadline.It's certainly not a rip off or anything, if that is what you are asking.
Aug 31, 2011, 10:04 am
#8
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: LAX/SNA
Programs: AA PLT/1.9MM
Posts: 500
Anybody tried buying miles today? After entering my CC info, I get "unexpected error, please restart session."
Edit: Works now.
Edit: Works now.
Last edited by Jumpcut; Aug 31, 2011 at 11:19 am Reason: Update
Aug 31, 2011, 10:18 am
#9
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
No, and it's not 2 miles : $1 for everything you spend on aa.com.
Earn 2 American Airlines AAdvantage® miles per $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases
You will earn two American Airlines AAdvantage® miles per $1 spent on eligible purchases made with your Citi ExecutiveSM / AAdvantage® World EliteTM MasterCard® credit card for items billed by American Airlines as merchant of record. Products or services that do not qualify are car rentals, hotel reservations, American Airlines VacationSM packages, purchases of American Airlines AAdvantage® miles, duty-free purchases and AA CargoSMproducts and services. AAdvantage® bonus miles will be posted to your AAdvantage® account 8-10 weeks after a qualifying purchase.
Originally Posted by Citi ExecutiveSM / AAdvantage® World EliteTM MasterCard® T&Cs
Earn 2 American Airlines AAdvantage® miles per $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases
You will earn two American Airlines AAdvantage® miles per $1 spent on eligible purchases made with your Citi ExecutiveSM / AAdvantage® World EliteTM MasterCard® credit card for items billed by American Airlines as merchant of record. Products or services that do not qualify are car rentals, hotel reservations, American Airlines VacationSM packages, purchases of American Airlines AAdvantage® miles, duty-free purchases and AA CargoSMproducts and services. AAdvantage® bonus miles will be posted to your AAdvantage® account 8-10 weeks after a qualifying purchase.
Aug 31, 2011, 4:03 pm
#10
Join Date: Jan 2010
Programs: AA EXP/LT PLT
Posts: 1,467
I just bought 40K+10K for $1,105 detailed as follows.
Miles Purchased: 40,000
Total Cost: $1,000.00 USD
Federal Excise Tax: $75.00 USD
Processing Fee: $30.00 USD
Total (billed to your credit card):$1,105.00 USD
Am I only one who was charged $75 Federal Excise Tax
Miles Purchased: 40,000
Total Cost: $1,000.00 USD
Federal Excise Tax: $75.00 USD
Processing Fee: $30.00 USD
Total (billed to your credit card):$1,105.00 USD
Am I only one who was charged $75 Federal Excise Tax
Aug 31, 2011, 9:36 pm
#11
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 48
i was going to buy as well, but i see it is charging me a $75 excise tax fee as well. Whats the deal? Can i get that removed?
Aug 31, 2011, 9:42 pm
#12
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: PDX/AUS
Programs: AA-UA-AS IHG-SPG-Carlson
Posts: 4,562
Unless you can get congress to "remove" (expire) it again.
That is the standard 7.5%
Last edited by MrHalliday; Sep 3, 2011 at 9:29 pm
Aug 31, 2011, 10:06 pm
#14
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: DFW
Programs: AA EXP, Marriott Plat
Posts: 699
Can you buy miles with VDB vouchers?
Aug 31, 2011, 10:15 pm
#15
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: yyz Ontario
Programs: BA Silver, AA Life Gold 1 MM, Flying Blue Silver, Marriott Life Plt, Hilton Gld
Posts: 58
Miles Purchased: 40,000
Total Cost: $1,000.00 USD
Federal Excise Tax: $75.00 USD
Processing Fee: $30.00 USD
HST (Canadian Residents Only):
GST Registration No. 86696 5676 RT0001
$133.90 USD
Total (billed to your credit card):* $1,238.90 USD
