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15% off all SkyMiles awards for Amex cardholder

15% off all SkyMiles awards for Amex cardholder

Old Jan 24, 2023, 12:25 pm
  #31  
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Originally Posted by DTWout
You have to shop for it. Here is one international (non-Caribbean or Latam) with Comfort+ coming to over 1.58CPM, with the $91 included in the calculation.


Okay, it's fair to say there is wider variability in the long-haul awards. Although there's some pretty significant diminishing returns in your above example as you get into the higher classes (PS is 1.37 CPM and D1 is only 1.17 CPM).
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Old Jan 24, 2023, 12:38 pm
  #32  
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Originally Posted by xliioper

Granted, you can do somewhat better (1.2 - 1.3 CPM) on connecting itins due to the revenue fares having higher taxes (PFC, segments taxes) on connecting itins which get waived on award redemptions.

I am only going to play this game once. For every 1.2 CPM you could post, I could find one cheaper. Don't get me wrong, I am well aware that I could find one higher for everyone you find too. I am saying that they aren't as closely tied to revenue prices as you would seem to imply.

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Old Jan 24, 2023, 12:54 pm
  #33  
 
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Originally Posted by xliioper
Okay, it's fair to say there is wider variability in the long-haul awards. Although there's some pretty significant diminishing returns in your above example as you get into the higher classes (PS is 1.37 CPM and D1 is only 1.17 CPM).
Depends on how you view the miles. People tend to focus solely on the redemption value, while I choose to account for the acquisition value, as well.

An FO with a DL Amex would be getting 10x points on a revenue ticket, so you are at $0.10/mile cashback already. Multiply that by whatever CPM award flight you can book, and award flights don't seem so bad
And now Amex/Delta want to give us another $0.15 per mile? Yes, please.
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Old Jan 24, 2023, 1:03 pm
  #34  
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Originally Posted by DTWout
Depends on how you view the miles. People tend to focus solely on the redemption value, while I choose to account for the acquisition value, as well.

An FO with a DL Amex would be getting 10x points on a revenue ticket, so you are at $0.10/mile cashback already. Multiply that by whatever CPM award flight you can book, and award flights don't seem so bad
And now Amex/Delta want to give us another $0.15 per mile? Yes, please.
Don't get me wrong. I do think people often overly fixate on CPM values. The 4 - 5 CPM values I've seen people quote on other airlines are often somewhat artificial. The same business class seats that go for $10K roundtrip close-in can often be as little as $2K - $3K roundtrip if you purchase them far enough in advance to qualify for cheaper advance purchase fares. If you redeem 200K miles for the $10K tickets are you really getting 5 CPM when you never would have actually paid that much for those tickets and if you had just purchased them 2 - 3 months in advance you could have gotten seats on the exact same flights for $2K - $3K?
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Old Jan 24, 2023, 1:17 pm
  #35  
 
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I think this discussion is a bit trivial, whether SkyMiles gives 1.1 or 1.5; for destinations that I want to go to, I really can't do better than 1.2-1.3 cpm, barring the Flash sales (which needs to happen more often like pre-pandemic to during pandemic, please).

You guys are overlooking the best news for this; the 1,000,000 SkyMiles needed for D1 ATL-JNB would now be 850k, that's a whopping 150k SkyMiles savings, what deal!!!
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Old Jan 24, 2023, 2:57 pm
  #36  
 
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Originally Posted by wooootles
I think this discussion is a bit trivial, whether SkyMiles gives 1.1 or 1.5; for destinations that I want to go to, I really can't do better than 1.2-1.3 cpm, barring the Flash sales (which needs to happen more often like pre-pandemic to during pandemic, please).

You guys are overlooking the best news for this; the 1,000,000 SkyMiles needed for D1 ATL-JNB would now be 850k, that's a whopping 150k SkyMiles savings, what deal!!!
Same with LAX to New Zealand in D1. 850,000>1M! What a steal.
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Old Jan 25, 2023, 5:04 am
  #37  
 
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Originally Posted by wooootles
I think this discussion is a bit trivial, whether SkyMiles gives 1.1 or 1.5; for destinations that I want to go to, I really can't do better than 1.2-1.3 cpm, barring the Flash sales (which needs to happen more often like pre-pandemic to during pandemic, please).

You guys are overlooking the best news for this; the 1,000,000 SkyMiles needed for D1 ATL-JNB would now be 850k, that's a whopping 150k SkyMiles savings, what deal!!!
If the budget doesn't allow D1, then there is always discounted Main Cabin. \_(ツ)_/
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Old Jan 25, 2023, 5:19 am
  #38  
 
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Originally Posted by sydneyracquelle
Same with LAX to New Zealand in D1. 850,000>1M! What a steal.
Not gonna lie.... if using 1cpm, not a bad value.
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Old Jan 25, 2023, 5:40 am
  #39  
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Originally Posted by shoodawg
Not gonna lie.... if using 1cpm, not a bad value.
Cheapest D1 fares are currently around $8K roundtrip on LAX-AKL, while cheapest D1 award levels are 650K roundtrip. So, as on many routes you can do somewhat better than 1 CPM if you are flexible, but getting anything near 2 CPM or more is unlikely.

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Old Jan 25, 2023, 6:06 am
  #40  
 
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Originally Posted by sydneyracquelle
Every second January I pay the IRS $245,000 plus a 1.89% fee on my Reserve card and immediately file a tax return for a refund. I get 1.5 SM on the amount over $150,000 plus 60,000 MQMs plus 2 FC companion certs. Then I put the card in a drawer for 2 years. This gives me 2 years of DM status but CBs only every second year. This has been the best way for me to maintain my DM status and not having to stress over getting 40,000 MQDs (20,000 MQDs per year).
Interesting - how does this give your DM for two years? Isnt the waiver an annual occurrence? (also, because I am lame, what are "CBs" that you are getting every 2nd year please?
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Old Jan 25, 2023, 6:14 am
  #41  
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Originally Posted by mizzou miles
Interesting - how does this give your DM for two years? Isnt the waiver an annual occurrence? (also, because I am lame, what are "CBs" that you are getting every 2nd year please?
The post doesn't make sense to me either. The waiver is annual, and you get CB (Choice Benefits) every year you make DM.
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Old Jan 25, 2023, 7:00 am
  #42  
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Originally Posted by mizzou miles
Interesting - how does this give your DM for two years? Isnt the waiver an annual occurrence? (also, because I am lame, what are "CBs" that you are getting every 2nd year please?
You are earning status for the 2024 status year right now (which is good through 1/31/2025). But since they give you DM status as soon as you earn it, you can have DM status from Jan 2023 through Jan 2025 via a single DM Amex Spend Waiver. Repeat process again in Jan 2025. You will only have one set of DM Choice Benefits (CBs) though because they will be 2024 CBs (you won't also get 2023 CBs).
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Old Jan 25, 2023, 7:02 am
  #43  
 
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If OP pays 245,000k + fee in January of 2023, that counts for 2024 status. They would have that through the end of January 2025.

Then in January 2025, they would do it again and have it count for 2026 status (which would end in January 2027).
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Old Jan 25, 2023, 7:26 am
  #44  
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Originally Posted by xliioper
You are earning status for the 2024 status year right now (which is good through 1/31/2025). But since they give you DM status as soon as you earn it, you can have DM status from Jan 2023 through Jan 2025 via a single DM Amex Spend Waiver. Repeat process again in Jan 2025. You will only have one set of DM Choice Benefits (CBs) though because they will be 2024 CBs (you won't also get 2023 CBs).
Ok. This makes sense, just wasn't exactly clear.
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Old Jan 25, 2023, 7:36 am
  #45  
 
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Originally Posted by xliioper
You are earning status for the 2024 status year right now (which is good through 1/31/2025). But since they give you DM status as soon as you earn it, you can have DM status from Jan 2023 through Jan 2025 via a single DM Amex Spend Waiver. Repeat process again in Jan 2025. You will only have one set of DM Choice Benefits (CBs) though because they will be 2024 CBs (you won't also get 2023 CBs).
See also: the controversy in other threads over why someone would be so intent on getting DM in January via MQD run.
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