View Poll Results: 40 night bonus - $100 gift card or 5,000 points?
$100 gift card
55
53.40%
5k points
48
46.60%
Voters: 103. You may not vote on this poll
40 night bonus - $100 gift card or 5k points?
Aug 8, 2022, 11:25 pm
#2
formerly a193991
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Zulu Romeo Hotel
Programs: Hyatt LT Globalist; LX SEN (*A Gold), AA LTG, SBB-CFF-FFS First Class GA
Posts: 4,571
yes, gift cards can be used towads room costs, however, I believe they are not valid at all hotels, but mainly in the Americas? Unsure though.
My justification for the points option: if I get 100$ less on room costs, I lose 500 WoH points. so I prefer the 5k points.
There is a main thread on the Milestone Rewards
Aug 9, 2022, 4:33 am
#4
Join Date: Sep 2020
Programs: AA EXP, BA Gold, VS Gold, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 3,947
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My justification for the points option: if I get 100$ less on room costs, I lose 500 WoH points. so I prefer the 5k points.
There is a main thread on the Milestone Rewards
My justification for the points option: if I get 100$ less on room costs, I lose 500 WoH points. so I prefer the 5k points.
There is a main thread on the Milestone Rewards
Personally I value Hyatt points at 1.5c so 5000 points is worth $75 to me.
Aug 9, 2022, 5:39 am
#5
formerly a193991
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Zulu Romeo Hotel
Programs: Hyatt LT Globalist; LX SEN (*A Gold), AA LTG, SBB-CFF-FFS First Class GA
Posts: 4,571
I have a different view. I don't get 500 points, but get 5000 points, so 4500 more, for which I have a better use than 100$ at a Hyatt.
Last edited by 59Impala; Aug 9, 2022 at 6:08 am
Aug 9, 2022, 7:29 am
#6
Join Date: May 2022
Posts: 2,255
Depends on your upcoming travel plans. If 5,000 points puts you over what you need it could be better.
You can get better than 1.5 cents per point, but its not always the easiest. The point differential is 4,500 points, so thats only valued at $68.
Look at your upcoming plans and see what makes the most sense to you. Maybe you are going somewhere where cash prices are better than point value. Every year your answer might be different
You can get better than 1.5 cents per point, but its not always the easiest. The point differential is 4,500 points, so thats only valued at $68.
Look at your upcoming plans and see what makes the most sense to you. Maybe you are going somewhere where cash prices are better than point value. Every year your answer might be different
Last edited by Schnit; Aug 9, 2022 at 9:15 am Reason: Stupid error fixed
Aug 9, 2022, 7:36 am
#7
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 3,577
I'm frankly astonished at the number of people voting for 5k points. Unless you don't stay in the US, $100 is always a no brainer to me. You can almost always buy points from Hyatt on sale for 5k points for 85 to 93 USD, so $100 is the winner, especially since it earns 650 points (as a glob) on top of the 100 dollars.
Aug 9, 2022, 8:06 am
#8
formerly a193991
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Zulu Romeo Hotel
Programs: Hyatt LT Globalist; LX SEN (*A Gold), AA LTG, SBB-CFF-FFS First Class GA
Posts: 4,571
I'm frankly astonished at the number of people voting for 5k points. Unless you don't stay in the US, $100 is always a no brainer to me. You can almost always buy points from Hyatt on sale for 5k points for 85 to 93 USD, so $100 is the winner, especially since it earns 650 points (as a glob) on top of the 100 dollars.
Aug 9, 2022, 8:34 am
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Barcelona, London, on a plane
Programs: BA Silver, TK E+, AA PP, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 13,043
I'm frankly astonished at the number of people voting for 5k points. Unless you don't stay in the US, $100 is always a no brainer to me. You can almost always buy points from Hyatt on sale for 5k points for 85 to 93 USD, so $100 is the winner, especially since it earns 650 points (as a glob) on top of the 100 dollars.
And if some people say "but I get 2.5 cents when I spend my points", they demonstrate even less mathematical ability...
But to be slightly fair, there is a larger and larger segment of this hobby who only understand points as a credit card reward. So the idea of saving $100 today (while still earning 650 points as a Glob) and spending that $100 tomorrow to buy nearly 6,000 points --> completely illogical. (despite the clear and obvious benefit)
Aug 9, 2022, 9:06 am
#10
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Stilllwater OK (SWO)
Programs: AAdvantage ExecPlat, World of Hyatt Globalist, plain "member" of Marriott, IHG, enterprise, etc.
Posts: 1,848
I choose points for the sake of simplicity. I know mathematically you can come out slightly ahead with the gift card, but I hate tracking gift cards from reception through usage, and I need more than the ~10% advantage to deal with that hassle.
I did choose the giftcard once, and it took about 30 minutes for the front desk staff to figure out how to process it. They had to call the corporate office and be walked through it. Yeah, that is an anecdote, but the risk of a frustration like that is much higher with a giftcard than just straight up points (where I can just check out on the app 98% of the time on my way out of the room).
I did choose the giftcard once, and it took about 30 minutes for the front desk staff to figure out how to process it. They had to call the corporate office and be walked through it. Yeah, that is an anecdote, but the risk of a frustration like that is much higher with a giftcard than just straight up points (where I can just check out on the app 98% of the time on my way out of the room).
Aug 9, 2022, 9:17 am
#11
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Washington DC
Programs: BA GLD, AA GLD 1MM, Hyatt Glob, Marriott LT Titanium
Posts: 1,698
I have a tendency to hoard my points (currently sitting on over a half million and that’s after spending down a lot earlier this year). Selecting the $100 gift card helps me avoid that. I think the value is very similar between the two options.
Aug 9, 2022, 9:22 am
#12
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: AUS
Programs: BAEC Gold, AA PPro, Hyatt Globalist, Amex Plat
Posts: 7,040
I'm frankly astonished at the number of people voting for 5k points. Unless you don't stay in the US, $100 is always a no brainer to me. You can almost always buy points from Hyatt on sale for 5k points for 85 to 93 USD, so $100 is the winner, especially since it earns 650 points (as a glob) on top of the 100 dollars.
Exactly.
And if some people say "but I get 2.5 cents when I spend my points", they demonstrate even less mathematical ability...
But to be slightly fair, there is a larger and larger segment of this hobby who only understand points as a credit card reward. So the idea of saving $100 today (while still earning 650 points as a Glob) and spending that $100 tomorrow to buy nearly 6,000 points --> completely illogical. (despite the clear and obvious benefit)
And if some people say "but I get 2.5 cents when I spend my points", they demonstrate even less mathematical ability...
But to be slightly fair, there is a larger and larger segment of this hobby who only understand points as a credit card reward. So the idea of saving $100 today (while still earning 650 points as a Glob) and spending that $100 tomorrow to buy nearly 6,000 points --> completely illogical. (despite the clear and obvious benefit)
The amount of money, time, resources, tearing of clothes, and gnashing of teeth than many FTers put into the pursuit of "free" hotel breakfast and telling themselves they are "saving" $1000+ per night on an upgraded suite that they never actually would in fact pay for never ceases to amaze me...
Regards
Aug 9, 2022, 9:25 am
#13
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: AUS
Programs: BAEC Gold, AA PPro, Hyatt Globalist, Amex Plat
Posts: 7,040
Regards
Aug 9, 2022, 9:26 am
#14
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: AUS
Programs: BAEC Gold, AA PPro, Hyatt Globalist, Amex Plat
Posts: 7,040
I choose points for the sake of simplicity. I know mathematically you can come out slightly ahead with the gift card, but I hate tracking gift cards from reception through usage, and I need more than the ~10% advantage to deal with that hassle.
I did choose the giftcard once, and it took about 30 minutes for the front desk staff to figure out how to process it. They had to call the corporate office and be walked through it. Yeah, that is an anecdote, but the risk of a frustration like that is much higher with a giftcard than just straight up points (where I can just check out on the app 98% of the time on my way out of the room).
I did choose the giftcard once, and it took about 30 minutes for the front desk staff to figure out how to process it. They had to call the corporate office and be walked through it. Yeah, that is an anecdote, but the risk of a frustration like that is much higher with a giftcard than just straight up points (where I can just check out on the app 98% of the time on my way out of the room).
Regards
Aug 9, 2022, 9:28 am
#15
Join Date: Dec 2019
Posts: 69
I choose points for the sake of simplicity. I know mathematically you can come out slightly ahead with the gift card, but I hate tracking gift cards from reception through usage, and I need more than the ~10% advantage to deal with that hassle.
I did choose the giftcard once, and it took about 30 minutes for the front desk staff to figure out how to process it. They had to call the corporate office and be walked through it. Yeah, that is an anecdote, but the risk of a frustration like that is much higher with a giftcard than just straight up points (where I can just check out on the app 98% of the time on my way out of the room).
I did choose the giftcard once, and it took about 30 minutes for the front desk staff to figure out how to process it. They had to call the corporate office and be walked through it. Yeah, that is an anecdote, but the risk of a frustration like that is much higher with a giftcard than just straight up points (where I can just check out on the app 98% of the time on my way out of the room).