Where to park 150k MR points?
Mar 15, 2016, 12:12 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Austin, TX
Programs: AA ExPlat, UA Silver, Marriott Lifetime Gold
Posts: 715
Where to park 150k MR points?
Through my corporate card, I've racked almost 150k MR points, but I'm likely changing jobs soon. What's my best bet to park my points?
Some considerations:
Do you have any ideas? What's my best bet?
Some considerations:
- Only other Amex card is Everyday Cash Back, which cannot be converted to the Everyday MR card
- I have cards with other issuers (Freedom, Marriott Premier, US Bank REI, Travel Rewards BoA)
- I may apply for a mortgage in the next three months, so I'm trying to avoid new card applications unless absolutely necessary
- I don't have trips planned soon (and I have more than enough airline and hotel miles/points to cover them)
- I got an offer for the Gold Rewards Card 50K points after $5000 spend in three months, though I'm not sure I'd even be able to hit that spend and I wouldn't use it enough to break even with the annual fee
- Trying also to avoid annual fees, unless perks outweigh them
- My spend is under $20k a year
Do you have any ideas? What's my best bet?
Mar 15, 2016, 12:36 pm
#2
Join Date: Mar 2012
Programs: DL FO
Posts: 236
I think your best bet may be to bite the bullet and apply for the Everyday MR card (no annual fee). Personally, I'd rather have an additional inquiry on my CR than lose out on 150k MR points, but your situation may be different. As long you have any MR card open (and tied to your current account with the balance of 150k), your points will not expire. See here: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...nup-bonus.html
Mar 15, 2016, 3:50 pm
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: ZOA, SFO, HKG
Programs: UA 1K 0.9MM, Marriott Gold, HHonors Gold, Hertz PC, SBux Gold, TSA Pre✓
Posts: 13,811
I think your best bet may be to bite the bullet and apply for the Everyday MR card (no annual fee). Personally, I'd rather have an additional inquiry on my CR than lose out on 150k MR points, but your situation may be different. As long you have any MR card open (and tied to your current account with the balance of 150k), your points will not expire. See here: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...nup-bonus.html
1. Your mortgage originator can mitigate your new inquiry issue, as your credit report is reviewed manually. So long you are able to explain it (and accepted by the originator), the worrying is a non-issue.
2. As always, the true value miles, points, etc. depends on the redemption. In that case, no program per se meets OP's need, especially given OP is silent on the issue as well.
Mar 15, 2016, 4:43 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Austin, TX
Programs: AA ExPlat, UA Silver, Marriott Lifetime Gold
Posts: 715
Ideally, I'd like to redeem these points for a first class international trip to get the most out of them. But I don't have a desired itinerary nor time to travel in the near future and I'm still trying to burn AA miles before they're devalued next week. That's why outright transferring them to an airline is not an option. Should I consider this?
Mar 15, 2016, 4:53 pm
#6
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,949
I think you have answered your own question. The only ways to "park" the balance are to transfer to an airline/hotel program or to apply for another card which earns Membership Rewards. The only card that will accomplish this without an annual fee is the Everyday card. Just make sure it is linked to the same Membership Rewards account before the Corporate card is closed.
Mar 15, 2016, 10:25 pm
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Austin, TX
Programs: AA ExPlat, UA Silver, Marriott Lifetime Gold
Posts: 715
I think you have answered your own question. The only ways to "park" the balance are to transfer to an airline/hotel program or to apply for another card which earns Membership Rewards. The only card that will accomplish this without an annual fee is the Everyday card. Just make sure it is linked to the same Membership Rewards account before the Corporate card is closed.
While the 50k targeted bonus for the premier good looks tempting, it's likely I won't event hit the required spend so makes more sense to go with the Everyday card.
Thank y'all for the input!
Mar 16, 2016, 2:37 am
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Austin, TX
Programs: AA ExPlat, UA Silver, Marriott Lifetime Gold
Posts: 715
Mar 16, 2016, 2:08 pm
#10
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,932
The OP is in Austin (per their FT Profile), and BA Avios for AA trips is only a good value usually for shorter nonstop hops. And there aren't so many of those available from Austin, because it's close enough to DFW that most routes get routed through DFW (but far enough away and with enough traffic for there to be frequent mainline-jet nonstops to DFW for further connections).
Mar 16, 2016, 5:35 pm
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Austin, TX
Programs: AA ExPlat, UA Silver, Marriott Lifetime Gold
Posts: 715
The OP is in Austin (per their FT Profile), and BA Avios for AA trips is only a good value usually for shorter nonstop hops. And there aren't so many of those available from Austin, because it's close enough to DFW that most routes get routed through DFW (but far enough away and with enough traffic for there to be frequent mainline-jet nonstops to DFW for further connections).
Mar 17, 2016, 4:58 am
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: ZOA, SFO, HKG
Programs: UA 1K 0.9MM, Marriott Gold, HHonors Gold, Hertz PC, SBux Gold, TSA Pre✓
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Ideally, I'd like to redeem these points for a first class international trip to get the most out of them. But I don't have a desired itinerary nor time to travel in the near future and I'm still trying to burn AA miles before they're devalued next week. That's why outright transferring them to an airline is not an option. Should I consider this?
But once transferred, your converted miles will be subject to the expiration policy.
So ideally, it is not wise to transfer when you don't have a plan yet.
Mar 17, 2016, 12:14 pm
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,932
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/miles...nt-expire.html (in the MilesBuzz forum)
which shows that Singapore Airlines (SQ) has hard (unextendable) 3-year expiration 
.
Mar 17, 2016, 6:40 pm
#14
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Austin, TX
Programs: AA ExPlat, UA Silver, Marriott Lifetime Gold
Posts: 715
Quote:
Originally Posted by garykung
But once transferred, your converted miles will be subject to the expiration policy.
For which a resource is the wiki in this thread:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/miles...nt-expire.html (in the MilesBuzz forum)which shows that Singapore Airlines (SQ) has hard (unextendable) 3-year expiration .
Originally Posted by garykung
But once transferred, your converted miles will be subject to the expiration policy.
For which a resource is the wiki in this thread:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/miles...nt-expire.html (in the MilesBuzz forum)which shows that Singapore Airlines (SQ) has hard (unextendable) 3-year expiration .
I think I'm going to pull the trigger on the Everyday card.
Mar 18, 2016, 8:59 am
#15
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: New York, NY
Programs: AA Gold. UA Silver, Marriott Gold, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt (Lifetime Diamond downgraded to Explorist)
Posts: 6,776
If you're thinking about getting the Amex Everyday MR card give a second look at the Gold Premier Rewards card. The 50k points is a good offer if you can hit the spending, 100$ annual (2 years with 1 annual fee) airline fee reimbursement is a good feature, it's a charge instead of credit card which if you have a good relationship they may not even run your credit. Amex granted me my Gold card from Green because I have been a member since I was 18 and never missed a payment on either my Green nor my Everyday MR. Also you don't pay the annual fee the first year. So you have a year of free use to figure out your plan.
