145% LifeMiles Bonus Purchase
Dec 2, 2018, 1:25 am
#16
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Australia
Programs: KrisFlyer, AA, Qantas, SPG, Marriott
Posts: 592
As an example, my Amex Plat Charge gives me 2 x points per $ spent, and I was about to spend $2,000 AUD, which would have given me 4000 points/miles (since it's a 1:1 conversion) - that + the low points value would have given me great value. But I didn't buy because it seems like they are specifically targetting Amex cards from the payment side (did a bit of googling). I did check with Amex, it's not even going through into their system as a check.
If I was desperate for a flight, sure I would go for it, but rarely the case.
Last edited by jubbing; Dec 2, 2018 at 1:32 am
Dec 2, 2018, 6:42 pm
#17
Join Date: May 2004
Location: SIN (LEJ once a year)
Programs: SQ, LH, BA, IHG Diamond AMB, HH Gold, SLH Indulged, Accor Gold, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 7,739
I have used Amex to buy several times, never had an issue with the transactions contrary to Visa transactions failing (fraud prevention etc.). YMMV.
Dec 3, 2018, 7:59 pm
#18
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: SFO/YYZ
Programs: AC 25K, AS MVP Gold, BA Bronze, UA Silver, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 2,468
My AMEX failed to process when I bought $2000 worth of miles during the promo, but I got a good agent on the phone who was able to manually process the purchase. My card has never failed for paying taxes or cash + points though, so I don't know if it was the size of the transaction that caused a problem, or something else.
Dec 6, 2018, 12:50 am
#19
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Seattle
Programs: AS MVP100K, Hilton Diamond, IHG Gold
Posts: 3,215
I read that when you cancel a reward it was only $50, and since F opened I upgraded my cousin on our flight where I was in F and he was in J.
So I just restarted and booked him a new ticket. Then I got upset to learn it was $200 to redeposit the J award. How do you know when it’s more advantageous to just change an award ticket or just start over?
So I just restarted and booked him a new ticket. Then I got upset to learn it was $200 to redeposit the J award. How do you know when it’s more advantageous to just change an award ticket or just start over?
Dec 6, 2018, 1:02 am
#20
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: AU
Programs: former Olympic Airways Gold (yeah - still proud of that!)
Posts: 14,405
I read that when you cancel a reward it was only $50, and since F opened I upgraded my cousin on our flight where I was in F and he was in J.
So I just restarted and booked him a new ticket. Then I got upset to learn it was $200 to redeposit the J award. How do you know when it’s more advantageous to just change an award ticket or just start over?
So I just restarted and booked him a new ticket. Then I got upset to learn it was $200 to redeposit the J award. How do you know when it’s more advantageous to just change an award ticket or just start over?
Dec 7, 2018, 5:44 am
#21
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Seattle
Programs: AS MVP100K, Hilton Diamond, IHG Gold
Posts: 3,215
I quickly googled and did not pay attention to the date so started over and thought it was $50. Oh well... life goes on.
it’s a shame the miles expire after one year because if they lasted longer I’d probably buy 490,000 as it would always be good to have a stash of miles for last minute trips. Does posting of miles from credit card spend prolong the miles another year?
it’s a shame the miles expire after one year because if they lasted longer I’d probably buy 490,000 as it would always be good to have a stash of miles for last minute trips. Does posting of miles from credit card spend prolong the miles another year?
Dec 7, 2018, 6:16 am
#22
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: AU
Programs: former Olympic Airways Gold (yeah - still proud of that!)
Posts: 14,405
I quickly googled and did not pay attention to the date so started over and thought it was $50. Oh well... life goes on.
it’s a shame the miles expire after one year because if they lasted longer I’d probably buy 490,000 as it would always be good to have a stash of miles for last minute trips. Does posting of miles from credit card spend prolong the miles another year?
it’s a shame the miles expire after one year because if they lasted longer I’d probably buy 490,000 as it would always be good to have a stash of miles for last minute trips. Does posting of miles from credit card spend prolong the miles another year?
Dec 7, 2018, 8:45 pm
#23
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Seattle
Programs: AS MVP100K, Hilton Diamond, IHG Gold
Posts: 3,215
Dec 7, 2018, 10:51 pm
#24
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: AU
Programs: former Olympic Airways Gold (yeah - still proud of that!)
Posts: 14,405
Once you have found an award - for this example we'll use one priced at 40K one way - you'll see a slider on the right hand side of the screen.
This allows you to mix points + a cash component.
You need to use a minimum of 40% of your existing points, the rest can be topped up with cash.
The slider is variable in its pricing. For a 40K award, the cash top starts at zero (using your full existing 40K from your account). But if you want to use 39K of your miles and top up, there is a price for that 1000 miles (quite expensive). As you keep clicking the slider in 1000 point increments, the price of the top up miles keeps dropping, to a point where the cost of the top up is actually negative.
The end result - almost until the end of the slider, is that the average cost of the top us is 1.5c per mile. This is available at any time, even outside 140% bonus miles offers.
The one thing to beware however is that the last two clicks (in the 40K award this wuld be at 17K and 16K) you actually see an increase in the cost of top up miles. At 41% (17K) the cost is something like 3.3c per mile, as is the last click (to 16K).
So if topping up, and wanting to get the lowest 1.5c per mile, you need your slider to be in the range anywhere from somewhere in the middle, to just before the last two clicks.
Try it for yourself with a dummy booking and watch how the price of top up miles starts high, then goes negative, then has a long period of 1.5c, then increases up.
The top up option means you can limit your liability of hoarding points. You only need ~42% (or even 50%) of the base miles and you can buy those at 1.345c during a 145% promo. The rest of the points you can top up for 1.5c.
Sure, there's a slight difference in total cost between the 145% miles and top up miles (1.5c - 1.345c), but for many, that tiny marginal cost is worth it not to have to sit on tens of thousands of LM.
This allows you to mix points + a cash component.
You need to use a minimum of 40% of your existing points, the rest can be topped up with cash.
The slider is variable in its pricing. For a 40K award, the cash top starts at zero (using your full existing 40K from your account). But if you want to use 39K of your miles and top up, there is a price for that 1000 miles (quite expensive). As you keep clicking the slider in 1000 point increments, the price of the top up miles keeps dropping, to a point where the cost of the top up is actually negative.
The end result - almost until the end of the slider, is that the average cost of the top us is 1.5c per mile. This is available at any time, even outside 140% bonus miles offers.
The one thing to beware however is that the last two clicks (in the 40K award this wuld be at 17K and 16K) you actually see an increase in the cost of top up miles. At 41% (17K) the cost is something like 3.3c per mile, as is the last click (to 16K).
So if topping up, and wanting to get the lowest 1.5c per mile, you need your slider to be in the range anywhere from somewhere in the middle, to just before the last two clicks.
Try it for yourself with a dummy booking and watch how the price of top up miles starts high, then goes negative, then has a long period of 1.5c, then increases up.
The top up option means you can limit your liability of hoarding points. You only need ~42% (or even 50%) of the base miles and you can buy those at 1.345c during a 145% promo. The rest of the points you can top up for 1.5c.
Sure, there's a slight difference in total cost between the 145% miles and top up miles (1.5c - 1.345c), but for many, that tiny marginal cost is worth it not to have to sit on tens of thousands of LM.
Dec 8, 2018, 10:25 pm
#25
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: SFO/YYZ
Programs: AC 25K, AS MVP Gold, BA Bronze, UA Silver, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 2,468
It's also really helpful if you're willing to transfer in from AMEX because if you're okay with the 1.5c rate you can transfer in 25-30k points on demand and then book J/F with a "co-pay" of ~$700 without holding any miles in Lifemiles until the moment of booking.
Dec 9, 2018, 5:36 am
#27
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Seattle
Programs: AS MVP100K, Hilton Diamond, IHG Gold
Posts: 3,215
When I type individually PEK-NRT-LAX the flights I want come up. But when I type in PEK-LAX the flight from Tokyo-LA doesn’t show up.
Is there anyway to call LifeMiles and have them piece together itineraries where I know there is space?
Is there anyway to call LifeMiles and have them piece together itineraries where I know there is space?
Dec 9, 2018, 5:48 am
#28
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: AU
Programs: former Olympic Airways Gold (yeah - still proud of that!)
Posts: 14,405
The call centre can only see what we see (so basically no point using them).
You'll have to use the screenshot method for any flights which are there individually, but not available end-to-end. (Take a screenshot of each individual sector(s) and then one screenshot showing no availability end-to-end and send 'em off.)
Dec 9, 2018, 8:16 pm
#29
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Seattle
Programs: AS MVP100K, Hilton Diamond, IHG Gold
Posts: 3,215
No.
The call centre can only see what we see (so basically no point using them).
You'll have to use the screenshot method for any flights which are there individually, but not available end-to-end. (Take a screenshot of each individual sector(s) and then one screenshot showing no availability end-to-end and send 'em off.)
The call centre can only see what we see (so basically no point using them).
You'll have to use the screenshot method for any flights which are there individually, but not available end-to-end. (Take a screenshot of each individual sector(s) and then one screenshot showing no availability end-to-end and send 'em off.)