Are Those AAdvantage Miles Buys EVER a True "Bargain?"
Jul 22, 2020, 6:21 pm
#16
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Washington DC
Posts: 1,357
I've purchased miles when I only needed a few miles (typically 2-5k) to qualify for a certain category of award seats/upgrades. It was worth the price paid. But, I would not buy them if I wasn't going to be using them in the next month or two!
Jul 22, 2020, 7:41 pm
#17
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2004
Location: DFW/DAL
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, AS MVPG, HH Diamond, NCL Platinum Plus, MSC Diamond
Posts: 21,422
I would only buy miles if it made economic sense for a trip I already have on hold.
Jul 22, 2020, 9:22 pm
#18
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Manhattan Beach, California
Programs: BMI Diamond Club Gold forever
Posts: 6,367
Milesaaver biz availability is insanely good right now, Who knows if we US based folks will be able to fly them. But US to ME can be had for $1300 one way at the current rate. It's not a great deal, there are some cash fares in the same range (RT though). If you had enough for one direction, you could buy the other direction. I am sure there are even better values than the 70k US-ME. The availability is certainly there now...
Jul 22, 2020, 11:36 pm
#19
Join Date: May 2008
Location: PHL (kinda, no airport is really close)
Programs: AA Exp, but not sure for how long. Enterprise Platinum woo-hoo!
Posts: 4,550
About 8-10 years ago, USAir would periodically have a promotion where if you transferred miles, you would get 2x the miles, so if you gave someone 100K miles and paid the transfer fee of about $.01/mi + tax, you'd basically pay around $1100 and net a gain of 100K miles. This was when they were part of *A and I got my (now ex-) wife a first class ticket on United to Bucharest, where her parents lived, for 125K miles. So at that time, I paid about $1400 for a first class ticket on a route where coach would have cost around $1000 and biz - I have no idea, probably minimum $4K. So this was an example of a really good deal.
Jul 22, 2020, 11:39 pm
#20
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: HH Diamond, Marriott Gold, IHG Gold, Hyatt something
Posts: 33,539
About 8-10 years ago, USAir would periodically have a promotion where if you transferred miles, you would get 2x the miles, so if you gave someone 100K miles and paid the transfer fee of about $.01/mi + tax, you'd basically pay around $1100 and net a gain of 100K miles. This was when they were part of *A and I got my (now ex-) wife a first class ticket on United to Bucharest, where her parents lived, for 125K miles. So at that time, I paid about $1400 for a first class ticket on a route where coach would have cost around $1000 and biz - I have no idea, probably minimum $4K. So this was an example of a really good deal.
Jul 24, 2020, 2:57 am
#21
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Programs: DL, OZ, AC, AS, AA, BA, Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, IHG
Posts: 19,900
What about buying AA miles for upgrading cheap economy fares to business? I know there's co-pay, but is this worth it? The nice thing is that the flight will count toward status.
Jul 24, 2020, 3:21 am
#22
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,600
It only counts the economy portion towards status - the mileage portion has no value for that
If the additional cost makes it affordable to travel business class, then that is just allowing a more expensive flight but in more comfort
Jul 24, 2020, 3:25 am
#23
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Join Date: Mar 2010
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I wouldn't class it as a bargain item unless you would have purchased a business class ticket otherwise and that to purchase directly would be more expensive
It only counts the economy portion towards status - the mileage portion has no value for that
If the additional cost makes it affordable to travel business class, then that is just allowing a more expensive flight but in more comfort
It only counts the economy portion towards status - the mileage portion has no value for that
If the additional cost makes it affordable to travel business class, then that is just allowing a more expensive flight but in more comfort
I think for RT North America to Asia would be 50,000 miles plus $700 in co-pay. It's still going to be cheaper than buying discounted J right? I'm not saying this is cheap. Under which scenario can one extract the most value from this? Seems like AA have lots of sales for points.
Jul 24, 2020, 4:02 am
#24
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,600
All AA economy fares except for basic earn 100% EQM right?
I think for RT North America to Asia would be 50,000 miles plus $700 in co-pay. It's still going to be cheaper than buying discounted J right? I'm not saying this is cheap. Under which scenario can one extract the most value from this? Seems like AA have lots of sales for points.
I think for RT North America to Asia would be 50,000 miles plus $700 in co-pay. It's still going to be cheaper than buying discounted J right? I'm not saying this is cheap. Under which scenario can one extract the most value from this? Seems like AA have lots of sales for points.
I wouldn't say that it will always be cheaper than a discount business class fare and wouldn't seem to be good value at the moment vs buying and redeeming miles
50,000 miles currently costs $1217 . Add the $700 and it is already $1917 - then need to pay for an economy ticket
115,000 miles currently costs $2210
Compared against ,say, lowest paid business class from Rome to Chicago r/t which is $2323 plus taxes - of course would earn 23,230 miles from this ticket
Jul 24, 2020, 4:06 am
#25
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Join Date: Mar 2010
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50,000 miles plus $700 PLUS the economy fare
I wouldn't say that it will always be cheaper than a discount business class fare and wouldn't seem to be good value at the moment vs buying and redeeming miles
50,000 miles currently costs $1217 . Add the $700 and it is already $1917 - then need to pay for an economy ticket
115,000 miles currently costs $2210
Compared against ,say, lowest paid business class from Rome to Chicago r/t which is $2323 plus taxes - of course would earn 23,230 miles from this ticket
I wouldn't say that it will always be cheaper than a discount business class fare and wouldn't seem to be good value at the moment vs buying and redeeming miles
50,000 miles currently costs $1217 . Add the $700 and it is already $1917 - then need to pay for an economy ticket
115,000 miles currently costs $2210
Compared against ,say, lowest paid business class from Rome to Chicago r/t which is $2323 plus taxes - of course would earn 23,230 miles from this ticket