What are your Ultimate Rewards points worth to you?
Sep 25, 2018, 10:00 pm
#31
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: FL
Programs: AA EXP, Hyatt Diamond, SPG Plat, IC Plat Amb, HH Diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 1,299
I dissagree a little bit. Amex has also many cards that offer category bonuses and amex offers with MR are the easiest way to get bonus points. Also, amex retention offers are usually an easy way to get a lot of points every year. Chase almost never gives retention bonuses.
Sep 26, 2018, 6:44 am
#32
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 107
That said, Hyatt is by far the best transfer partner for “normal” people of any of the transferable programs. You can almost always get 2cpp and pretty easy to get up to 4cpp for a redemption, and you can always earn at least 1.5 UR per $1 spent, so we’re looking at 3% to 20% return on spend with a Freedom Unlimited 1.5 UR/$ or Freedom/Ink Cash 5 UR/$.
Sep 26, 2018, 7:20 am
#33
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 1,857
I dissagree a little bit. Amex has also many cards that offer category bonuses and amex offers with MR are the easiest way to get bonus points. Also, amex retention offers are usually an easy way to get a lot of points every year. Chase almost never gives retention bonuses.
For me personally, 2 things still make it easier to earn Chase UR: my monthly health insurance premium is my largest fixed expense and doesn't take Amex; and I earn a good amount of Chase referral bonuses.
Sep 26, 2018, 8:16 am
#34
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: FL
Programs: AA EXP, Hyatt Diamond, SPG Plat, IC Plat Amb, HH Diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 1,299
With Amex BBP and the leaked PRG 4x categories, the points earning pendulum is definitely swinging away from Chase towards Amex.
For me personally, 2 things still make it easier to earn Chase UR: my monthly health insurance premium is my largest fixed expense and doesn't take Amex; and I earn a good amount of Chase referral bonuses.
For me personally, 2 things still make it easier to earn Chase UR: my monthly health insurance premium is my largest fixed expense and doesn't take Amex; and I earn a good amount of Chase referral bonuses.
Sep 26, 2018, 5:18 pm
#35
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 171
I tend to dislike Avios as I don't live in an AA hub, but Avios has some magic what would make me use them a lot more if I lived in DFW or LAX. Avios bookings are fully refundable with the penalty being just the taxes paid. So, I booked DFW-YYZ recently in business class for 20,000 Avios and $5.60. That is fully refundable (minus the $5.60). The same flight on AA is 30,000 AA miles and $5.60. The fee to refund is $100+.
Sep 27, 2018, 2:20 pm
#36
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,740
Florida Power and Light also only takes ACH or check. You can pay with CC at Western Union, with a Fee...
So the high AC bills 6 months a year are very irritating.
Sep 27, 2018, 2:22 pm
#37
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,740
I tend to dislike Avios as I don't live in an AA hub, but Avios has some magic what would make me use them a lot more if I lived in DFW or LAX. Avios bookings are fully refundable with the penalty being just the taxes paid. So, I booked DFW-YYZ recently in business class for 20,000 Avios and $5.60. That is fully refundable (minus the $5.60). The same flight on AA is 30,000 AA miles and $5.60. The fee to refund is $100+.
I often use Avios as a back up because for domestic flights the cost to cancel is very very reasonable.
Sep 27, 2018, 6:57 pm
#38
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: SJC/SFO
Programs: WN A+ CP, UA 1MM/*A Gold, Mar LT Tit, IHG Plat, HH Dia
Posts: 6,284
DW and I spend most of our UR points through the travel portal for 1.5cpp, buying revenue airline tickets. We accrue airline miles that way and keep all elite benefits. But we always compare prices before buying. In the past we've seen rates offered through the travel portal that are noticeably higher than the equivalent booking we could make directly with the airline, hotel, or car rental agency. Paying inflated prices eats into the 1.5x advantage of using the travel portal.