Starwood Math
 

Starwood Card= 10,000 initial points for minimum spend +15,000 points for 15,000 in spending +15,000 bonus points for the 15,000 in spending = 40,000 points) - (2 redemptions @20,000 Delta miles each + 2 Starwood bonuses of 5,000 miles per 20,000 points redeemed into Delta miles]=50,000 Delta Miles.

New Delta promotion - "You can earn a 50% mileage bonus when you complete three or more transactions with your choice of 100+ SkyMiles hotel, car, limo, and shuttle partners now through April 30, 2010. You can also transfer hotel points into miles. There's no limit to the amount of transactions you can complete. The more miles you earn, the bigger your bonus and the closer you'll get to Award Travel."

So now those 50,000 Delta miles should equal 100,000 Delta miles if you complete the required 3 Delta transactions and initiate the Starwoods transfer?

Correction
 

Correction: the yield should be 75,000 Delta Miles with a 50% bonus off the Starwoods transfer alone? However you can flush Marriot and Hilton awards through the same process as part of the 3 qualifying transactions to boost their yields.

The way I value Skymiles and SPG points, though, 40,000 SPG points for 75,000 Skymiles is just about an even trade.

Pretty interesting stuff.

Sounds like you could actually just transfer from Starwood in three different instances, and that should qualify, no?

I'm with Helena. None of my business, but the thought of giving up 40k perfectly useful starpoints for 75k delta skymiles makes me cringe :eek:

I occassionally transfer my Starwood point to Delta to redeem for gift cards. By transfering to Delta I am realizing a 25% increase in gift card value.

20,000 Starwood --> 25,000 SkyMiles

Results in $250 in gift cards at Delta as opposed to $200 at Starwood. Making an extra $50 every time I redeem for gift cards.

If you're looking for 1% cashback, or 1.25% cashback, I think you might be better served by the 2% cashback Schwab Visa. I guess it's not as flexible since it's ONLY cashback, but it's better than these gift cards.

here's the link for those who did not receive the email

https://www.delta.com/marketing/staydriveride/

About the last thing I'm seeking at the moment are more Delta miles. Even if they had award flights available, you can't find them using the calendar on delta.com.

I have to stay somewhere when I travel so I stay at Starwood. These are the points I am transferring. I do use the Starwood AMEX but will look into the card you recommend. Thanks.

Well I find it hard to believe that you can't do better then 1.25 cents per SPG. You would have to basically never fly or stay in hotels. I am as cheap as it gets using priceline whenever I can and buying the cheapest possible plane tickets but I still sometimes need the points.

For instance I just used 55K miles for a ticket to greece which the lowest fare is $1300. Could have used 45K starwood for this so that's almost 3 cents. Even if you don't ever travel for personal business I am sure that you could get a $400 gift card for 20K SPG in the coupon connection. I'm also pretty sure you could ebay a $400 southwest gift card into $350.

I am aware of the coupon connection but, sadly, I do not have access at this time (Long time lurker and finally a recent member). I am FLUSH with miles and points, travel weekly, have over $1000 in vouchers still on-hand, and recently moved to a new house. I have been cashing in miles for Lands End gift card for woodworking tools, exercising equipment, new cookware, and other things needed for the house. I also still have 8 FFN that I can use as needed for vacation travel. Finally, I also have the luxury of a benefit my employer provides for alternative travel where I can travel for the costs that are equal or less than my normal travel costs.

Sorry about that - looking back, I'm not sure at all why I jumped to the conclusion that these points were obtained via credit card.

I think I was just projecting my own experience . . .

Water into Wine
 

Indeed - no comment on how each of us value the lines we fly or do not fly or whether we fly first class or in the cargo hold with the cows and chickens - I just enjoy, as most of us here do, the mechanics of turning water into wine, or an airline meal into the proverbial free lunch.<g>

Delta flight availability
 

An interesting piece of research by FrugalTravelGuy showing flights available to Hawaii on certain airlines

" Here are the number of days two seats are available for first class awards at the lowest award level: United 100K, American 75K, Continental 90K, Delta 75K.

December: American departures 6 American returns 3
United departures 11 United returns 29
Continental 15 Continental returns 27
Delta departures 0 Delta returns 0

November American 10 days out and 12 days return
United 19 days out 23 days return
Continental 19 days out and 10 days return
Delta 0 days out and 0 days return

October American 0 days out and 9 days return
United 21 days out and 20 days return
Continental 14 days out and 5 days return
Delta 0 days out and 0 days return "

Not exactly a ringing endorsement for the Skymiles program