best use of 25,000 miles
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 54
best use of 25,000 miles
What is the rule of thumb? I can book a skysaver trip in Oct from TPA-BOS_LGA_TPA for $260. Should I use miles or pay for the ticket?
#2
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: NYC
Programs: AA Plat, Delta Plat, Bonvoy Plat, Hilton Diamon
Posts: 1,262
$260 for a ticket on Delta is pretty reasonable. Depending on how you earned the miles might help determine what's the most practical for you.
#3
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: Roanoke, VA
Programs: DL Gold Hilton Gold
Posts: 2,436
Elite status matters too.
If you've got a bunch of miles (more than you need), it might be a good use of miles for booking travel for a family member who has no elite status.
If you are the passenger, and you are working on elite status, you may prefer to spend the $$ (instead of the miles) to help get to a threshold for status.
If you've got a bunch of miles (more than you need), it might be a good use of miles for booking travel for a family member who has no elite status.
If you are the passenger, and you are working on elite status, you may prefer to spend the $$ (instead of the miles) to help get to a threshold for status.
#4
Moderator: GLBT Travelers & Hyatt Gold Passport
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: CVG
Posts: 15,300
I would pay for the ticket if it was me - but if you don't earn many miles and take a long time to accumulate the 25,000 miles, perhaps you should use miles.
#5
Join Date: Jul 2007
Programs: Delta silver, American Gold, SW A-list (plus companion pass), Hilton Diamond, Avis preffered select
Posts: 23
Personally, I value Skymiles at about 1.2 cents per mile. So a ticket needs to cost more than $300 to use miles instead of cash. Don't forget to factor in the miles you won't be earning when you fly (free tickets earn no miles). If you have status (bonus miles) or are approaching a different level, or if the trip is across country instead of across the state, those earned miles mean more.
By the way, I am new to this board, but I have been flying Delta since '99 - I have been Platinum 6 years and Gold once, Silver once plus had status on several other airlines. I'm not trying to pat myself on the back, just saying that even though this is my first post, I'm not as green as it may seem.
I plan on watching the Delta and American message boards mainly. Any other boards that are particularly good and general? I guess I got off subject. oops.
By the way, I am new to this board, but I have been flying Delta since '99 - I have been Platinum 6 years and Gold once, Silver once plus had status on several other airlines. I'm not trying to pat myself on the back, just saying that even though this is my first post, I'm not as green as it may seem.
I plan on watching the Delta and American message boards mainly. Any other boards that are particularly good and general? I guess I got off subject. oops.
#6
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Augusta, GA, USA
Programs: DL FC, NW
Posts: 3,522
I used 25k for a trip from ICN to PEK. That fare was pricing at over $750.
#7
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: NYC
Programs: AA Plat, Delta Plat, Bonvoy Plat, Hilton Diamon
Posts: 1,262
#8
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Monkeyville
Programs: Island DOs, very sticky toffee pud w vanilla ice cream n multi-coloured velvet pillows enthusiast
Posts: 4,647
Don't forget that you are also allowed one free stopover. I have redeemed 25K miles for ATL - SLC (stop) - YVR and got to ski in both Utah AND British Columbia using only one award ticket. ^
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: IND
Programs: DL PM & 2MM™, Lifetime HHonors Diamond
Posts: 20,883
#10
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 3,623
USAGamecock is on to something. I think the best value for 25K miles is ICN or NRT to SE Asia. NRT-ICN-HKT or BKK with stopover in ICN.... there are any number of intriguing routings and multi stop capabilities. For 25K miles... quite a bargain, assuming you can figure out how to get to NRT or ICN.
#11
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: ATL/MDW/ORD
Programs: AA Gold
Posts: 590
Welcome skymutt and stayl13!
I would hold onto the miles unless they are near expiration. Do you ever fly out west from TPA? Delta (via SkyWest) has pretty good coverage to a lot of smaller airports out west which are normally expensive to fly to. I don't usually spend miles on domestic flights, but when I do I use them for trips to Montana. These flights are usually $400-500, maybe $350 if you catch a deal. So I consider them to be a good value for my miles. I would recommend saving your miles for a more expensive ticket.
I would hold onto the miles unless they are near expiration. Do you ever fly out west from TPA? Delta (via SkyWest) has pretty good coverage to a lot of smaller airports out west which are normally expensive to fly to. I don't usually spend miles on domestic flights, but when I do I use them for trips to Montana. These flights are usually $400-500, maybe $350 if you catch a deal. So I consider them to be a good value for my miles. I would recommend saving your miles for a more expensive ticket.
#12
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Flying from SEA
Programs: United Milage Plus, Alaska Airlines Milage Plan, SAS Eurobonus
Posts: 192
stayl13, Welcome to flyertalk! I lurk all over the place, What board is best for you also depends on your interest. I tend to check out the Communitybuzz board as well as the MilageRun boards in addition to the airline specific boards. The more I lurk around the more boards I find I like.^
#13
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: TUL
Programs: AA Plat, DL FO/1MM, UA Silver, Marriott Titanium, National Exec Elite
Posts: 2,102
I am planning to cash in 25k for a couple tickets TUL-YYG (Charlottetown, PEI). The flights haven't been loaded next year, so I'm only hoping I'll be able to get Skysaver, but the ticket is pricing at over $1k the last time I checked, so it's WELL worth it!
I wouldn't use the miles in this case unless they are about to expire.
I wouldn't use the miles in this case unless they are about to expire.
#14
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: PHF,ORF
Programs: AA Gold, MR Plat
Posts: 467
Welcome skymutt and stayl13!
I would hold onto the miles unless they are near expiration. Do you ever fly out west from TPA? Delta (via SkyWest) has pretty good coverage to a lot of smaller airports out west which are normally expensive to fly to. I don't usually spend miles on domestic flights, but when I do I use them for trips to Montana. These flights are usually $400-500, maybe $350 if you catch a deal. So I consider them to be a good value for my miles. I would recommend saving your miles for a more expensive ticket.
I would hold onto the miles unless they are near expiration. Do you ever fly out west from TPA? Delta (via SkyWest) has pretty good coverage to a lot of smaller airports out west which are normally expensive to fly to. I don't usually spend miles on domestic flights, but when I do I use them for trips to Montana. These flights are usually $400-500, maybe $350 if you catch a deal. So I consider them to be a good value for my miles. I would recommend saving your miles for a more expensive ticket.
#15
Join Date: Jun 2004
Programs: No More Loyalty
Posts: 608
As someone who is a convert to the practice of "earn 'em and burn 'em," even I would find $260 to be too low of a threshold. The only caveat may be if you're in a situation where finding a Skysaver on any of the routes you take has been virtually impossible. In which case....