What do you do with your miles/points?
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 212
What do you do with your miles/points?
It is for me great fun to read this forum and your interesting, funny and often very useful commets. I have myself a hate/love interest in flying, having made many stories about flying but also having experienced a really frightening severe turbulence between Bangkok and Singapore (1984) -and some other nasty situations as well. So I would never fly for instance ex-EU to Asia with many stopovers to gather some points, and maybe experience nasty landings in thunderstorms. So my question is: What do you do with all the points you gather, I suppose not only for reaching a status to get a free Ilta-Sanomat newspaper on a flight :-) Is this only a nice game where you can meet friends on a Helsinki-Delhi-Helsinki turnaround flight or do you make money or really important upgrades for example, when you fly for work. I mean, you have to pay for some flights anyway, if your company is not doing it. Or is this just a game for getting free access to the Helsinki premium non-Schengen lounge? I was very surprised when Finnair CEO met you during the meeting in Helsinki - it shows you have a great value for Finnair.
Oh, and must tell my nicest flight, as the ice-hockey World Championships areon again: Finnair Arlanda-Helsinki special flight with the ice-hockey world champions and two Draken planes escorting us and a nice sight-seeing over Helsinki before landing with the DC-9 in 1995. Free drinks yes.....and without a platinium card or any cards.
Oh, and must tell my nicest flight, as the ice-hockey World Championships areon again: Finnair Arlanda-Helsinki special flight with the ice-hockey world champions and two Draken planes escorting us and a nice sight-seeing over Helsinki before landing with the DC-9 in 1995. Free drinks yes.....and without a platinium card or any cards.
Last edited by ylefin; May 16, 2016 at 7:11 am Reason: correction
#2
Ambassador: Finnair Plus
Join Date: Apr 2011
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Heh, I guess those are the million point questions. Answers must vary a lot from one person to another.
I travel a lot for work, and I can only use the points for work-travel upgrades etc. Which is nice, but being OWE makes many a trip much less daunting, sometimes even fun.
I travel a lot for work, and I can only use the points for work-travel upgrades etc. Which is nice, but being OWE makes many a trip much less daunting, sometimes even fun.
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: HEL
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Hoard them to brag about the balance at DOs
When there's not enough space on your account for more points - reward tix, upgrades. They are really the only reasonable redemptions, the others are usually quite poor value.
But I do not fly for the "fun of it" - I usually want to get from point A to B, even if it just to turn around Actually it might be more correct to say - I do not buy tickets to fly for the fun of it. I just use all segments of existing tickets, even if just for positioning flight reasons.
When there's not enough space on your account for more points - reward tix, upgrades. They are really the only reasonable redemptions, the others are usually quite poor value.
But I do not fly for the "fun of it" - I usually want to get from point A to B, even if it just to turn around Actually it might be more correct to say - I do not buy tickets to fly for the fun of it. I just use all segments of existing tickets, even if just for positioning flight reasons.
#4
Moderator, Finnair
Join Date: May 2011
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But when the account is bursting with award points I spend them on CX first flights. Or the Finnair city bus...
#5
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: HEL
Programs: AY, SK, TK
Posts: 7,610
Mertaranta here ?
Well, as company Y-policy, I use my company-gathered points for upgrades. And I have lots of Y flights, making me qualify by segments anyway.
My own-gathered points from leisure flights I mostly gather up to J redemptions.
Well, as company Y-policy, I use my company-gathered points for upgrades. And I have lots of Y flights, making me qualify by segments anyway.
My own-gathered points from leisure flights I mostly gather up to J redemptions.
#6
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Helsinki
Programs: AY Platinum, IHG Gold, Diners
Posts: 1,277
So far only upgrades, but I hope I one day have enough points to really treat me to something special, like a First Class flight. Maybe for my 40th birthday? Two problems: family (we are 4 in total) would never let me do that alone, so I would need A LOT of points and probably such award availability doesn't exist.
Currently I like status due to fast track and lounges. A lot of Y class flights via work, and the occasional leisure flights are nice to upgrade.
Currently I like status due to fast track and lounges. A lot of Y class flights via work, and the occasional leisure flights are nice to upgrade.
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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#10
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Helsinki
Programs: AY Platinum, IHG Gold, Diners
Posts: 1,277
If your wife agrees to travel alone with the kids, I'd like to meet her. I think my odds are higher winning in the lottery - then I could just buy the F tickets!
#11
Join Date: May 2014
Location: HEL
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Posts: 3,621
I fly a bit for work, for volunteering/hobby, for leisure, and for my family obligations as an expatriate - all in Y - enough to get some status.
I probably have spent more award points as exchange for tier points (with upgrade vouchers as the top motivator), the rest directly for business upgrades.
I probably have spent more award points as exchange for tier points (with upgrade vouchers as the top motivator), the rest directly for business upgrades.
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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#13
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: HEL
Programs: AY, SK, TK
Posts: 7,610
Now we talking
I coughed the other day when my daughter (whom I had taken on a C longhaul earlier) asked me out of the blue if I have ever flown in First class. I responded maybe I had an opup on BA back in the years when I did not care, but no I have never bought an F ticket. She asked me why. I told her I would not want to pay 10000€ (well...less than that) for that when I am happy with a business seat for 2000€ even though I have to buy Y for work.
She said: I see, but it would be a nice experience! have I spoiled her already (hoping she has not started reading FT yet)
I coughed the other day when my daughter (whom I had taken on a C longhaul earlier) asked me out of the blue if I have ever flown in First class. I responded maybe I had an opup on BA back in the years when I did not care, but no I have never bought an F ticket. She asked me why. I told her I would not want to pay 10000€ (well...less than that) for that when I am happy with a business seat for 2000€ even though I have to buy Y for work.
She said: I see, but it would be a nice experience! have I spoiled her already (hoping she has not started reading FT yet)
#14
Join Date: Jun 2015
Programs: AY+, SK EB
Posts: 2,966
And about the topic: SH J upgrades. Especially when I need to transport many bags or on longer SH flights. But also from August on they become even more valuable as AY+ Silver.
Last edited by Jainzar; May 16, 2016 at 2:06 pm Reason: Back to Topic
#15
Join Date: Aug 2015
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