About 10k short for spire - any ideas?
Dec 10, 2018, 8:13 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: PacNW (SEA)
Programs: AS, IHG and post-loyal
Posts: 523
About 10k short for spire - any ideas?
I'm running about 10k short for spire qualification this year after I had a few trips cancel during the year 
The Virgin Atlantic transfer path seems closed according to the interwebs. Is there any other qualification path / idea out there? I could mattress run for a night or two, but probably not enough to make up the difference. I have the older credit card so I could put some money on it, but $10k of spend doesn't seem worthwhile - and it would probably post in the following calendar year due to my billing cycle.
Thanks in advance for some ideas!
The Virgin Atlantic transfer path seems closed according to the interwebs. Is there any other qualification path / idea out there? I could mattress run for a night or two, but probably not enough to make up the difference. I have the older credit card so I could put some money on it, but $10k of spend doesn't seem worthwhile - and it would probably post in the following calendar year due to my billing cycle.
Thanks in advance for some ideas!
Last edited by leland; Dec 10, 2018 at 8:13 pm Reason: typos...
Dec 10, 2018, 8:19 pm
#2
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: UA Premier Silver, AA, DL, IHG Diamond Amb, Marriott Silver, Hilton Silver, National
Posts: 1,530
I'm running about 10k short for spire qualification this year after I had a few trips cancel during the year
The Virgin Atlantic transfer path seems closed according to the interwebs. Is there any other qualification path / idea out there? I could mattress run for a night or two, but probably not enough to make up the difference. I have the older credit card so I could put some money on it, but $10k of spend doesn't seem worthwhile - and it would probably post in the following calendar year due to my billing cycle.
Thanks in advance for some ideas!
The Virgin Atlantic transfer path seems closed according to the interwebs. Is there any other qualification path / idea out there? I could mattress run for a night or two, but probably not enough to make up the difference. I have the older credit card so I could put some money on it, but $10k of spend doesn't seem worthwhile - and it would probably post in the following calendar year due to my billing cycle.
Thanks in advance for some ideas!
Dec 10, 2018, 10:27 pm
#3
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Great Britain
Programs: Air: QR Silver. BA Silver Emirates, Hotels: CC Gold, IHG Spire AMB, Hilton Diamond.
Posts: 1,487
Stuck on a remote island until 30th Dec....
Anyone aware of a tame IHG property which will credit you the points for a stay even if you are an "accidental" no-show ?!
PMs welcome.
Anyone aware of a tame IHG property which will credit you the points for a stay even if you are an "accidental" no-show ?!
PMs welcome.
Dec 11, 2018, 12:26 am
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: PacNW (SEA)
Programs: AS, IHG and post-loyal
Posts: 523
Cool. That could do it for me. Of course I'm out of town this weekend...Will check dates when I'm around to see if I have options. Now to decide how much Spire is worth to me? 
The 25k points at 0.3cpp is $75 in value. That's not altogether worth it. If I earn another 25k points from incremental bonus during the year that's bringing me closer to $150. Still not really adding up unless I change my valuation rate... and if I decide this has entertainment value versus hassle factor I do better still 
Also turns out I'm about 13k points away as my most recent stay not as lucrative as I thought, and the points were counted in Euros, not dollars...Put that aside does anyone know if Chase UR counts for elite? That would be a good way to get that last 2-3k.
The 25k points at 0.3cpp is $75 in value. That's not altogether worth it. If I earn another 25k points from incremental bonus during the year that's bringing me closer to $150. Still not really adding up unless I change my valuation rate... and if I decide this has entertainment value versus hassle factor I do better still Also turns out I'm about 13k points away as my most recent stay not as lucrative as I thought, and the points were counted in Euros, not dollars...Put that aside does anyone know if Chase UR counts for elite? That would be a good way to get that last 2-3k.
Last edited by leland; Dec 11, 2018 at 12:43 am
Dec 11, 2018, 1:29 am
#5
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Great Britain
Programs: Air: QR Silver. BA Silver Emirates, Hotels: CC Gold, IHG Spire AMB, Hilton Diamond.
Posts: 1,487
I read somewhere that Chase UR still count while Virgin don't.
Definitely do some googling on that as it might be your way to Spire :-)
Definitely do some googling on that as it might be your way to Spire :-)
Dec 11, 2018, 1:31 am
#6
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: 13,031
Cool. That could do it for me. Of course I'm out of town this weekend...Will check dates when I'm around to see if I have options. Now to decide how much Spire is worth to me? The 25k points at 0.3cpp is $75 in value. That's not altogether worth it. If I earn another 25k points from incremental bonus during the year that's bringing me closer to $150. Still not really adding up unless I change my valuation rate... and if I decide this has entertainment value versus hassle factor I do better still
The 25k points at 0.3cpp is $75 in value. That's not altogether worth it. If I earn another 25k points from incremental bonus during the year that's bringing me closer to $150. Still not really adding up unless I change my valuation rate... and if I decide this has entertainment value versus hassle factor I do better still IIRC existing Spires signing up for Ambassador can often have their status extended indefinitely without actually meeting the requirements. YMMV.
Dec 11, 2018, 6:33 pm
#7
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Plainfield, IN
Programs: IHG Platinum / HHonors Diamond / Hyatt Globalist / AA EX Platinum
Posts: 200
Personally, I don't think Spire is worth chasing too hard. Very few guaranteed benefits other than point boosts. If you want to chase, the 5000 bonus point idea above is probably the most efficient. plan
Dec 11, 2018, 10:05 pm
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: PacNW (SEA)
Programs: AS, IHG and post-loyal
Posts: 523
I'll do a test 1k transfer from UR to see what happens. Even though not optimal for a few final points to push over the top that would be worth the return for me.
My first stay of the new year is at an IC for a week so maybe I'd go for Ambassador, but the YMMV on the extension and the 25k points bonus makes that less appealing to me. That said it could be worth a flyer on it as if it works I'd probably make back a good portion of the points via Spire bonuses.
Dec 12, 2018, 11:57 am
#9
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Princeton, NJ; Lviv Ukraine
Programs: UA 3.6MM, AF/KL Lifetime Plat, BA Gold, AA 1MM, IC Spire RA, Kimpton IC, Marriott Plat, et alia
Posts: 2,732
Book a room in your name somewhere, for 2 people and make sure that you include your friend's name. Let the friend check in before you.
Dec 14, 2018, 3:36 am
#10
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: AC,CX,KE,EK / IHG Spire, 1865 Gateway
Posts: 184
the 5k bonus points will not count towards qualifying points, thus no use.
I needed another 6k to become a Spire so i've picked up a flight from HKG to KIX, stayed in IC Osaka for 2 nights, hello to Spire Elite.
I needed another 6k to become a Spire so i've picked up a flight from HKG to KIX, stayed in IC Osaka for 2 nights, hello to Spire Elite.
Dec 14, 2018, 4:37 am
#11
In memoriam
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: MAN
Programs: Marriott Lifetime Titanium, IHG Spire, UA Silver, Dennis The Menace Fan Club
Posts: 1,457
Bonus point stays up to 5,000 points ARE qualifying for status purposes. I struggle with Spire each year and always look for bargain point bonuses every time I book. This year I made Spire by 600 points only, thanks in part to 14,000 points from bonus point packages tacked onto a few flexible rate stays.
Dec 14, 2018, 9:38 pm
#12
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: AC,CX,KE,EK / IHG Spire, 1865 Gateway
Posts: 184
That's impossible... I stayed in HIE in Hk a week ago under a 3K bonus per nighty, my qualifying point for that 2 nights stay was only 4K ish. I'm so gonna email ihg and find out what happened
Dec 15, 2018, 3:55 am
#13
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: UA Premier Silver, AA, DL, IHG Diamond Amb, Marriott Silver, Hilton Silver, National
Posts: 1,530
Not at all impossible, at least in the US and Europe. I do the same as BrightlyBob and use the 5K buyups to help me reach Spire if it looks like I'm going to be coming up short in a given year. Those 5K points (or less) absolutely do count toward Spire.
Dec 15, 2018, 6:21 pm
#14
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Plainfield, IN
Programs: IHG Platinum / HHonors Diamond / Hyatt Globalist / AA EX Platinum
Posts: 200
5k bonus points count for sure, IF bought from IHG. Sometimes hotels have their own bonus specials, those usually won't count.
https://www.ihg.com/content/gb/en/de...points-package
https://www.ihg.com/content/gb/en/de...points-package
Dec 22, 2018, 6:50 pm
#15
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: AC,CX,KE,EK / IHG Spire, 1865 Gateway
Posts: 184
Ha thanks guys, i emailed IHG and they said it was a system error and adjusted it for me...
