What's the best way of using Asia Miles points
Sep 22, 2018 | 9:16 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 92
What's the best way of using Asia Miles points
Hello All,
In my opinion, the best way of using AM pts is to book flights. However, the air fares bought via AM is greater than booking via other places. For example, yesterday 9/21/18 I tried to book a flight from LAX to Tokyo Haneda airport and Chase shows me $559 before 1.25 factor of the Sapphire card. At the same time, Asia Miles shows me 47,000 pts to HND and 42,000 back to LAX. So total is 89,000 pts which is $890. $890 >>> $559 and both are economy seats and about the same flight durations. My AM pts are expiring and I need to use them. Thanks for your input.
In my opinion, the best way of using AM pts is to book flights. However, the air fares bought via AM is greater than booking via other places. For example, yesterday 9/21/18 I tried to book a flight from LAX to Tokyo Haneda airport and Chase shows me $559 before 1.25 factor of the Sapphire card. At the same time, Asia Miles shows me 47,000 pts to HND and 42,000 back to LAX. So total is 89,000 pts which is $890. $890 >>> $559 and both are economy seats and about the same flight durations. My AM pts are expiring and I need to use them. Thanks for your input.
Sep 22, 2018 | 10:41 am
#2
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: Stockholm
Programs: SQ, SK, QR
Posts: 389
Your AM are not worth anything if they expire...
If you're choosing between paying cash for the tickets or using expiring miles, the latter is a no-brainer.
If you want to get more value out of your miles, consider booking a one-way business class ticket with your miles, and pay cash for a one-way economy ticket. LAX > HKG > HND will be 85,000AM in business (or 75,000AM on the direct LAX > HND flight on American). You could also do premium economy for 60,000AM each way.
If you're choosing between paying cash for the tickets or using expiring miles, the latter is a no-brainer.
If you want to get more value out of your miles, consider booking a one-way business class ticket with your miles, and pay cash for a one-way economy ticket. LAX > HKG > HND will be 85,000AM in business (or 75,000AM on the direct LAX > HND flight on American). You could also do premium economy for 60,000AM each way.
Sep 22, 2018 | 11:10 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 92
Your AM are not worth anything if they expire...
If you're choosing between paying cash for the tickets or using expiring miles, the latter is a no-brainer.
If you want to get more value out of your miles, consider booking a one-way business class ticket with your miles, and pay cash for a one-way economy ticket. LAX > HKG > HND will be 85,000AM in business (or 75,000AM on the direct LAX > HND flight on American). You could also do premium economy for 60,000AM each way.
If you're choosing between paying cash for the tickets or using expiring miles, the latter is a no-brainer.
If you want to get more value out of your miles, consider booking a one-way business class ticket with your miles, and pay cash for a one-way economy ticket. LAX > HKG > HND will be 85,000AM in business (or 75,000AM on the direct LAX > HND flight on American). You could also do premium economy for 60,000AM each way.
Last edited by fandi; Sep 22, 2018 at 4:38 pm Reason: add more info
Sep 23, 2018 | 12:27 pm
#5
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: TPE / HSZ
Programs: CX GO (=SPH), IHG Diamond Amb, Hertz 5*, Accor, Hilton, National
Posts: 7,196
Sep 24, 2018 | 11:21 am
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 92
Sep 24, 2018 | 3:38 pm
#7
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: TPE / HSZ
Programs: CX GO (=SPH), IHG Diamond Amb, Hertz 5*, Accor, Hilton, National
Posts: 7,196
Sep 24, 2018 | 6:09 pm
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 92
I thought you were looking at the same flights. Anyway, if you are just a bit short of AM, you can use top-up: https://www.asiamiles.com/en/account...-up-miles.html
Top-up points = 267K - 207K = 60,000 AM pts or 60,000/2,000 = 30 blocks or 30 x $60 = $1,800 that I have to pay out of pocket. Something wrong here. I thought I have to pay out of pocket $600 more (I don't want to pay $600 out of pocket, let alone $1,800)
By the way, from point A to point B, same economy class, same flight duration, why booking via AM cost so much more than via Chase portal? Three adults travel would amplify the price difference even more.
Sep 25, 2018 | 8:13 am
#9
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: TPE / HSZ
Programs: CX GO (=SPH), IHG Diamond Amb, Hertz 5*, Accor, Hilton, National
Posts: 7,196
I tried to book the same flight but it's not possible. So let's see if I do the math right: I'm more than 70% points needed (207K/267K = 77.5%>70%). In that case, AM states that I can purchase top-up miles in blocks of 2,000 Asia Miles at USD60 per block.
Top-up points = 267K - 207K = 60,000 AM pts or 60,000/2,000 = 30 blocks or 30 x $60 = $1,800 that I have to pay out of pocket. Something wrong here. I thought I have to pay out of pocket $600 more (I don't want to pay $600 out of pocket, let alone $1,800)
By the way, from point A to point B, same economy class, same flight duration, why booking via AM cost so much more than via Chase portal? Three adults travel would amplify the price difference even more.
Top-up points = 267K - 207K = 60,000 AM pts or 60,000/2,000 = 30 blocks or 30 x $60 = $1,800 that I have to pay out of pocket. Something wrong here. I thought I have to pay out of pocket $600 more (I don't want to pay $600 out of pocket, let alone $1,800)
By the way, from point A to point B, same economy class, same flight duration, why booking via AM cost so much more than via Chase portal? Three adults travel would amplify the price difference even more.
Sep 25, 2018 | 8:43 am
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 92
1) Buy 1 AM ticket for $1,800 (beside 2 AM free tickets)
2) Book 3 tickets through Chase for $450 each (after 1.25 factor) and I have enough Chase points to make all 3 tickets are free.
To me, option 1 is too rich for my blood so option 2 is no-brainer.
I can't believe one AM ticket costs more than 3 regular tickets. AM top-up (and AM in general) is a rip-off.
Sep 25, 2018 | 9:37 am
#12
Join Date: May 2018
Posts: 36
So I got 2 options:
1) Buy 1 AM ticket for $1,800 (beside 2 AM free tickets)
2) Book 3 tickets through Chase for $450 each (after 1.25 factor) and I have enough Chase points to make all 3 tickets are free.
To me, option 1 is too rich for my blood so option 2 is no-brainer.
I can't believe one AM ticket costs more than 3 regular tickets. AM top-up (and AM in general) is a rip-off.
1) Buy 1 AM ticket for $1,800 (beside 2 AM free tickets)
2) Book 3 tickets through Chase for $450 each (after 1.25 factor) and I have enough Chase points to make all 3 tickets are free.
To me, option 1 is too rich for my blood so option 2 is no-brainer.
I can't believe one AM ticket costs more than 3 regular tickets. AM top-up (and AM in general) is a rip-off.
Sep 25, 2018 | 11:15 am
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 92
I don't pay $1,800 first to book the AM. First, I use all my AM points to get 2 free AM tickets and then top up to get the third AM ticket and according to their top-up system, if I do in that order, I have to pay out of pocket $1,800.
Sep 25, 2018 | 12:23 pm
#14
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: KUL/BOS
Programs: AZ FA+, BA & UA Gold
Posts: 344
AM isn't a ripoff- you are just using the worst possible redemption case (economy class + non-direct flight) on top of not being flexible (refusing to book separate cash/award tickets).
If you had AMEX or Citi Thankyou points this would be a lot easier too with direct top-ups.
If you had AMEX or Citi Thankyou points this would be a lot easier too with direct top-ups.
Sep 25, 2018 | 12:34 pm
#15
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 92
AM isn't a ripoff- you are just using the worst possible redemption case (economy class + non-direct flight) on top of not being flexible (refusing to book separate cash/award tickets).
If you had AMEX or Citi Thankyou points this would be a lot easier too with direct top-ups.
If you had AMEX or Citi Thankyou points this would be a lot easier too with direct top-ups.