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How to use Mile and Points to pay for a vacation?

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How to use Mile and Points to pay for a vacation?

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Old Mar 13, 2016 | 9:04 pm
  #1  
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How to use Mile and Points to pay for a vacation?

I am new to the Points and Miles game. For the past year and a half I have been traveling non stop for business and I was able to accumulate a lot of miles and Points by using various credit cards. I am hoping someone can help me maximize my Mile and Points on a family vacation for 5 to Europe or anywhere overseas in June 2016. We don't have a specific location we want to visit so we are open to all suggestions and any advise you can give.

Amex = 450,000
Delta (diamond status) = 300,000
Chase Saphire Preferred = 100,000
Barclay Arrival + = 100,000
SPG = 300,000
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Old Mar 13, 2016 | 10:08 pm
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Travel for June 2016 and 5 people using rewards? Well I guess go big or go home is your motto.
Hotels will probably be easier to get than flights. The UR & MR points can be used to reduce dollar figures but that is often a poor "value" of those points most of us. Start searching for cities you want to visit and then try to find award flights for at least 2 of you to get there to reduce costs. FlyerTalk is not a travel agency. FlyerTalk is good for advice on specifics and reviewing your plan to make sure it's of good value.
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Old Mar 13, 2016 | 10:37 pm
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It would be helpful if you'd say where you are starting from. Also "anywhere overseas" doesn't give much to work with...
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Old Mar 14, 2016 | 2:04 pm
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For someone that travels nonstop, you should realize that it's REALLY important what airport you're flying out of.
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Old Mar 15, 2016 | 10:03 am
  #5  
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Welcome to FT!

I don't use award booking services myself and usually advise folks that they can figure out the challenges of award booking themselves if they have the time. But you sound very time-constrained in view of all your work travel, plus finding five seats round-trip for June 2016 (rather late in the game) will be very challenging.

So....I'd suggest you check out this thread, at least for your flights and possibly for your hotels as well:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...e-reviews.html

A couple of additional observations:

1. You might well find your Delta miles worthless since redemptions on its program are usually very limited or very expensive, miles-wise. Perhaps an award booking service can help in this regard, though I wouldn't bet on it.
2. Figuring out how to use your Starwood points for hotel stays should be relatively straightforward if you go to spg.com and peck around for various options (cash plus points is sometimes the best value). Then again, it could be you'll want to use those points for flights.
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