mnmag

why not!^

bajrbajr

I booked an award ticket CLE-LAS for 25K miles. The offer was $110 for 3650 miles (exactly what a purchased ticket would net in RDM's) to add the 3650 EQM's cost an additional $292.

You can just buy the R/T CLE-LAS for $279 a.i., collect the same 3650 rdm/eqm's and not burn the 25k miles.

I imagine with most routes the math wouldn't come out like this, but with CLE-LAS it makes no sense to redeem an award and then buy the miles!

slightly OT, there is a great deal with DL flying out of PIT. I just booked PIT-LAS... any R/T that is not to one of their hubs gets a 10K mile bonus. That's in addition to my 100% plat bonus. So my $240a.i. ticket nets over 19k miles... and its DOUBLE eqm's for Delta status.

infamousdx

I just did this on my EWR-HNL flight. $318 for 9,924 miles. I couldn't really resist for that price.

hawata

Dont know who exciting this... You could buy 10K Miles for 350us...

Also i checked on a trip to SFO this week (from EWR) it would cost me 868 US to get double EQM... too much...

eponymous_coward

Hmm.

If you used CO's very liberal routing rules and a Hawaii-South Asia award, might you be able to turn something like this:

HNL-NRT in ANA or UA F
NRT-BKK in UA F (dest)
BKK-HKG in EK F (stop)
HKG-DXB in EK F
DXB-ZRH in LX F
JFK-LAX in UA F (p.s.)
LAX-HNL in CO/UA F

into an EQM earning RTW award? You'd shell out a few thousand dollars and 85,000 CO miles, but it would be an awfully nice ride to pick up 20,000 EQM/RDM- and you might be able to plug in a couple of < 24 hour stopovers.

Of course, once the merger happens, UA's rules on MPM might apply, which would kill the, uh "creative" routings.

Or does CO watch for these kinds of routings out of Hawaii and nix them?

It does seem that there could be some potential use for OP Maximizer as a way to turn intercontinental premium class award travel into (heavily discounted) paid travel. You'd be using your miles to defray some of the cost of the ticket, and be getting the EQMs you would normally get.

Benjh

I just got offered OP Maximizer on a regular ticket, paid-for, not awarded, EWR_LHR.

$202 will net me almost 7000 RDM (in addition for the 7k I'm earning anyway).
$404 for 14k RDM.

That's a little less than 3cpm. Wonder if I should?

SunLover

I currently have an international reward ticket booked and I am getting the offer:

15,000 RDM miles for $450
30,000 RDM miles for $900
Note - EQM’s are not offered on reward tickets

I don’t think 3 cents per mile is a real strong value. For a 25,000 domestic reward ticket you would be paying $750 with purchased miles. If you start to think long haul F or J rewards the value becomes a little more compelling.

So basically if you need some quick miles to get to the next reward or elite level I would agree purchasing is an appropriate strategy, otherwise I am passing on it.

FWIW USAir is currently selling miles for .01478 cents per, with a purchase limit of 100,000 miles.


SunLover

mnmag

If you are in need of RDMs -- then I would think that is a good deal relative to buying from CO.com at 3.5cpm/RDM!

I think most people, here, are looking at whether it's worth purchasing the EQMs ('Elite Maximer'), on top of the RDMs, offered!