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Quote:

Originally Posted by mnscout (Post 14309378)

Funny. I received almost the same offer, only for spending $5,000. Nothing too terrible since I have time until November, but still...

I received a 50K offer but it requires $10,000 spend!:(

I got my 50K bonus points with only $1000 spent requirment (I must be a cheapsake in Amex's computer model :D ). Use the card to buy 2 tickets for my trip to LHR/CDG next month (to get 3x points on airfare)... got credited with 50k bonus mile + 7000 points from the 3x reward one month later.

I signed up earlier this year for 50K MRP with 1000 spent, the 50K posted in my account about 2 monts later. Very interested to see what happens here in a year with MRP transfers once UA/CO merger goes through.

SPG occasionally drops the 3:1 redemption rate to 2:1, which becomes a good deal. I transferred 250K points at that rate a few years ago and it was a very good move.

Quote:

Originally Posted by fti (Post 14311266)

I would say this is a true statement, unless you already have found an award you like. For example, I am using DL miles to basically fly from MSP to Europe and Anchorage in F/J for 100K miles. That is a really good deal, assuming you are flexible and you already know the low-level award exists.

I am also using DL miles to fly between EWR/ANC/MSP/EWR with stops en route in coach for 25K miles (with the hopes of DL upgrades for PM members in the fall). One main attraction to DL miles is that they allow free domestic stopovers on their award tickets. No other domestic airline mileage program allows that, as far as I am aware.

Value of DL very eloquently explained. As noted above there are gems found in trash. When you do get this, you know you have got the holy grail, as you get a lot more miles and you are also paying the lowest amount in miles.

You can get a 15% bonus on transfers of MR points into Delta SkyMiles through July 31, 2010. Here.

Just one more point on DL award flights: be aware there's a $250 redeposit fee on an international itinerary if you need to cancel your trip. Yep, that's $250 just to get your own points back. This is also true of CO, UA, and many other legacy airlines. Some trip insurance companies will let you bake this $250 into your trip interruption coverage in case of cancellation, but best to call and ask before you buy the policy.

Personally, I hold onto MR points and use them to top up points on various airlines. Say you have 19,000 points from travel and need 6,000 more for a free award - it's pretty easy to do, the points transfer instantly in many cases. I've actually called CS at F9, told them to hold a ticket for me, and transferred the points right then while on the phone - CS sees them in my account and finishes the booking. Works a treat.

(Oh, and F9 - Frontier - is a great MR partner if you like skiing. I usually find pretty good avail to DEN from here in BNA, and their award flights actually do only cost 25K MR, unlike many other airlines.)