Convince that MR points are worth earning
Feb 21, 2015, 11:39 am
#16
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Austin, TX
Programs: Ritz-Carlton Gold, Hyatt Plat, AAdvantage Gold, SPG Gold
Posts: 135
Yes everyone has different needs. I stick with Hilton because I get 10 base points doubled to 20 plus 5 points plus 25% gold bonus plus 12 points from Amex. I end up with at least 39.5 points per $. I also transfer at least 1000 points to HHonors every month from e-Miles, another 1000 from e-rewards. I earn 6 points per dollar on gas groceries and dining, and 3 points per $ on CVS and everything else. I earn $5 per $ on airlines and car rentals. Citi gives me one free night per year with the Reserve card. The Prestige card earns me 4.5 points per dollar through TYP and transfer. I recently received 3000 points per order from FTD, and in and on it goes. 100,000 HHonor points a month is easy for me, and I am a small spender compared to what I read on the Forums.
That's definitely competitive with my Marriott earning strategy. I wouldn't go that route myself though, since me and Citi are not on good terms and probably won't be for sometime.
I'm only saying the scenario of doing it using EDP on it's own is not very valuable and, like you laid out, a strategy to get good value out of the Hilton program would need to be pretty comprehensive.
Last edited by TReckoner; Feb 21, 2015 at 11:54 am
Feb 21, 2015, 1:07 pm
#18
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2012
Location: NYC
Programs: AA PLT
Posts: 223
Yes everyone has different needs. I stick with Hilton because I get 10 base points doubled to 20 plus 5 points plus 25% gold bonus plus 12 points from Amex. I end up with at least 39.5 points per $. I also transfer at least 1000 points to HHonors every month from e-Miles, another 1000 from e-rewards. I earn 6 points per dollar on gas groceries and dining, and 3 points per $ on CVS and everything else. I earn $5 per $ on airlines and car rentals. Citi gives me one free night per year with the Reserve card. The Prestige card earns me 4.5 points per dollar through TYP and transfer. I recently received 3000 points per order from FTD, and in and on it goes. 100,000 HHonor points a month is easy for me, and I am a small spender compared to what I read on the Forums.
Feb 21, 2015, 2:45 pm
#19
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania
Programs: Milege+, SkyMiles, AAdvantage, HHonors Diamond, Marriott Gold
Posts: 1,685
You can earn a lot at emiles when you select HHonors as your account partner. With e-rewards, you are allowed to make one deposit to HHonors I think every ninety days, but no limit on how large the deposit. The e-rewards requires answering surveys. The emiles is quicker, easier. You view 30 second requests for different things or give donations to charities, etc.
Feb 21, 2015, 3:00 pm
#20
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 202
OP I am also an AA PLT in NYC. My programs of choice are MR and... TYPs. UR are third.
MR is useful in NYC for the Avios as you mentioned, but also, NYC has TWO Delta hubs in LGA and JFK. The options for direct flights are MUCH greater with DL than with either AA or US. Lastly, even tho it's not the greatest value, Jetblue's main hub is here as well. I think it only makes sense for NYC residents to build up MRs due the much greater availability of non-stops.
Maybe I am the only one here crazy about TYPs but I like them as my #1 option for revenue flights. I realize that they now have transfer partners that can be useful, but with the grandfathered 5x Forward card, I rack them up in terrific amounts. I have the Prestige card paired with it and the 1.6 cents per point for AA flights is amazing value IMO.
If I am not hitting a bonus, all non-category spend along with Costco and groceries go on the Amex Everyday. Restaurants, flights, Amazon purchases, and other entertainment get split into the Prestige/Forward. My phone/cable bill go on an Ink. If I buy anything online I go through Chase UR Mall.
Has been working well for me.
MR is useful in NYC for the Avios as you mentioned, but also, NYC has TWO Delta hubs in LGA and JFK. The options for direct flights are MUCH greater with DL than with either AA or US. Lastly, even tho it's not the greatest value, Jetblue's main hub is here as well. I think it only makes sense for NYC residents to build up MRs due the much greater availability of non-stops.
Maybe I am the only one here crazy about TYPs but I like them as my #1 option for revenue flights. I realize that they now have transfer partners that can be useful, but with the grandfathered 5x Forward card, I rack them up in terrific amounts. I have the Prestige card paired with it and the 1.6 cents per point for AA flights is amazing value IMO.
If I am not hitting a bonus, all non-category spend along with Costco and groceries go on the Amex Everyday. Restaurants, flights, Amazon purchases, and other entertainment get split into the Prestige/Forward. My phone/cable bill go on an Ink. If I buy anything online I go through Chase UR Mall.
Has been working well for me.
Feb 21, 2015, 3:12 pm
#21
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BOS
Posts: 15,027
DL has a HUGER devaluation. AF had a smaller as well. MR points have taken a major value hit.
Last edited by Dieuwer; Feb 21, 2015 at 6:36 pm Reason: Grammar
Feb 21, 2015, 6:35 pm
#22
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: DFW
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold, Admirals Club, Global Entry
Posts: 1,141
To correct a math error, Prestige earns 4.8% on flights/hotels, not 4.5%; and it's over 5% if you have a Citi Gold account. That's the card I'm getting next for 3 reasons: bonus categories, 1.6x for AA flights, and cheap AA club access. Plus, and more to the point, I'm starting to lose confidence in "saver" space availability at workable times.
For me, as a DFW hub captive, I value MR points for the Avios transfer and AA domestic flights at 20K to the East Coast. Critical here was the 100K sign-up bonus. Also critical to my thinking was the transfer bonus potential. I obviously jumped on the recent 40% one -- for me effectively 3.2 cents per MR point -- but I'm not sure it'll ever be repeated.
That non-repetition fear coupled with the "saver" space issue on AA is making me start to lean against MR points and towards TYPs. Sure, 25K TYPs and the Prestige card only buy a $400 ticket, but at least there's no need for "saver" availability.
TYPs are cash for AA flights. MR points are great, but they're not cash. QED
I do have to admit, though, that my logic holds only for bonus spend. For non-bonus stuff, I'm better off with the Citi 2% cash back card.
For me, as a DFW hub captive, I value MR points for the Avios transfer and AA domestic flights at 20K to the East Coast. Critical here was the 100K sign-up bonus. Also critical to my thinking was the transfer bonus potential. I obviously jumped on the recent 40% one -- for me effectively 3.2 cents per MR point -- but I'm not sure it'll ever be repeated.
That non-repetition fear coupled with the "saver" space issue on AA is making me start to lean against MR points and towards TYPs. Sure, 25K TYPs and the Prestige card only buy a $400 ticket, but at least there's no need for "saver" availability.
TYPs are cash for AA flights. MR points are great, but they're not cash. QED
I do have to admit, though, that my logic holds only for bonus spend. For non-bonus stuff, I'm better off with the Citi 2% cash back card.
Last edited by FallenPlat; Feb 21, 2015 at 6:38 pm Reason: Final admission.
Feb 21, 2015, 8:19 pm
#23
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2012
Location: NYC
Programs: AA PLT
Posts: 223
OP I am also an AA PLT in NYC. My programs of choice are MR and... TYPs. UR are third.
MR is useful in NYC for the Avios as you mentioned, but also, NYC has TWO Delta hubs in LGA and JFK. The options for direct flights are MUCH greater with DL than with either AA or US. Lastly, even tho it's not the greatest value, Jetblue's main hub is here as well. I think it only makes sense for NYC residents to build up MRs due the much greater availability of non-stops.
Maybe I am the only one here crazy about TYPs but I like them as my #1 option for revenue flights. I realize that they now have transfer partners that can be useful, but with the grandfathered 5x Forward card, I rack them up in terrific amounts. I have the Prestige card paired with it and the 1.6 cents per point for AA flights is amazing value IMO.
If I am not hitting a bonus, all non-category spend along with Costco and groceries go on the Amex Everyday. Restaurants, flights, Amazon purchases, and other entertainment get split into the Prestige/Forward. My phone/cable bill go on an Ink. If I buy anything online I go through Chase UR Mall.
Has been working well for me.
MR is useful in NYC for the Avios as you mentioned, but also, NYC has TWO Delta hubs in LGA and JFK. The options for direct flights are MUCH greater with DL than with either AA or US. Lastly, even tho it's not the greatest value, Jetblue's main hub is here as well. I think it only makes sense for NYC residents to build up MRs due the much greater availability of non-stops.
Maybe I am the only one here crazy about TYPs but I like them as my #1 option for revenue flights. I realize that they now have transfer partners that can be useful, but with the grandfathered 5x Forward card, I rack them up in terrific amounts. I have the Prestige card paired with it and the 1.6 cents per point for AA flights is amazing value IMO.
If I am not hitting a bonus, all non-category spend along with Costco and groceries go on the Amex Everyday. Restaurants, flights, Amazon purchases, and other entertainment get split into the Prestige/Forward. My phone/cable bill go on an Ink. If I buy anything online I go through Chase UR Mall.
Has been working well for me.
I'm looking at TYP as something else I need to pay closer attention to. The favorable uses for redeeming on AA are appealing. The thing about those two Delta hubs is I never find award availability when I need it. Maybe I'm just looking at the wrong time but I find DL maddening in this respect.
Feb 21, 2015, 9:27 pm
#25
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 27
Yes everyone has different needs. I stick with Hilton because I get 10 base points doubled to 20 plus 5 points plus 25% gold bonus plus 12 points from Amex. I end up with at least 39.5 points per $. I also transfer at least 1000 points to HHonors every month from e-Miles, another 1000 from e-rewards. I earn 6 points per dollar on gas groceries and dining, and 3 points per $ on CVS and everything else. I earn $5 per $ on airlines and car rentals. Citi gives me one free night per year with the Reserve card. The Prestige card earns me 4.5 points per dollar through TYP and transfer. I recently received 3000 points per order from FTD, and in and on it goes. 100,000 HHonor points a month is easy for me, and I am a small spender compared to what I read on the Forums.
Feb 21, 2015, 10:10 pm
#26
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania
Programs: Milege+, SkyMiles, AAdvantage, HHonors Diamond, Marriott Gold
Posts: 1,685
Last year I reserved my hotel stays for all my vacations up through August 2015. I purposely chose properties offering double points rates. The rates cost only about ten dollars more per night vs. their standard rates. I believe many properties are still offering double points.
Feb 22, 2015, 8:07 am
#28
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania
Programs: Milege+, SkyMiles, AAdvantage, HHonors Diamond, Marriott Gold
Posts: 1,685
Feb 22, 2015, 11:26 am
#29
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: DFW
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold, Admirals Club, Global Entry
Posts: 1,141
One key here is whether your life affords you the calendar flexibility to find and use "saver" space reliably. For people tied to work and school calendars, that can often be a challenge generally and, on Delta, hopeless. But if you're young and unmarried . . . .
Feb 22, 2015, 12:59 pm
#30
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 125
Its easy to see that everyone is very unique when it comes to what works best.
I'll admit I am relatively new to all this. But I honestly don't see devaluation in most areas.
I use my points exclusively for business award plane tickets. I've yet to see anything come close to that value. Please educate me if I'm wrong. If I could get $4-6k worth of hotel stays for ~100k points. I'd be all over it.
I've just recently booked int'l awards in business on virgin atlantic, klm, and airfrance all for 62500 one ways. Im usually a little bit flexible, within a couple days.
I thought I would try SPG for this. Ooops what a mistake. My transfer started 6 days ago. Still not transfered. Those low awards are long gone. Thank goodness I had enough MR to cover the rewards. BC those transfers occur instantly every time.
If SPG works better as free nights at hotels, I still think I'm way behind. 1 night in a top tier hotel is what 30k points?
I'll admit I am relatively new to all this. But I honestly don't see devaluation in most areas.
I use my points exclusively for business award plane tickets. I've yet to see anything come close to that value. Please educate me if I'm wrong. If I could get $4-6k worth of hotel stays for ~100k points. I'd be all over it.
I've just recently booked int'l awards in business on virgin atlantic, klm, and airfrance all for 62500 one ways. Im usually a little bit flexible, within a couple days.
I thought I would try SPG for this. Ooops what a mistake. My transfer started 6 days ago. Still not transfered. Those low awards are long gone. Thank goodness I had enough MR to cover the rewards. BC those transfers occur instantly every time.
If SPG works better as free nights at hotels, I still think I'm way behind. 1 night in a top tier hotel is what 30k points?