Points.com
 

Hi! Brand new here, and I set up an account specifically to ask this question:

UA Mileage Plus site links to something called Points.com where one can apparently exchange miles between (and within) programs, etc.

Has anyone here had experience with this site?

And would it be a cheaper way of joining my Kris Flyer miles, say, with my United miles, since both are in Star Alliance?

Very much appreciate any insight on this Points.com thing!

Thanks!

Points.com transactions are generally very unfavorable. The rare exception is when you are getting miles from a promotion for using points.com (say via past US Airways Grand Slam promotions) and your transaction is a minimal exchange. Better to feed all miles into a single *Alliance partner and feed that partner with an allied miles card or a card that can convert miles into the partner.

How's the Merlion fountain looking these days? Was a temporary hotel when last in Singapore.

If you do points.com you can expect to see you inbox flooded with measly offers for filling out surveys.

Try this: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/miles...ed-thread.html

Welcome to FT!

I believe that there is an existing thread on points.com. While the exchange rate isn't the best, you can trade miles for about 1cpm which is a bit better.

Wow! Thanks so much for the fast reply, you two! Guess I should have known that anything the Reward Program itself linked me too was not going to be a way of getting things done cheaper than through the Reward Program! :)

Will be interested in hearing more details about this site from future posters: I was surprised that when I searched these forums there was not yet a thread devoted to it.

Anyway, thanks so much again! (and yes, things change daily here in the Merlion city. I've been here 8 years and seen the downtown skyline change form substantially TWICE! :) ...still a great jumping-off hub for SEAsia travel, with 3 excellent budget airlines (Tiger, Jetstar and Air Asia) next time any of you are over here on miles! :)

last two posts in while I was typing! THANKS MUCH! will check those threads now!

I guess you need to sharpen your search skills on FT. This thread might help. ;)

Points.com had been discussed one too many times on FT. If you try "Points.com" as "Search Titles Only" using Advanced Search you'll find 60 threads in MilesBuzz! Forum. Not to mention there are other Points.com threads in SPAM Forum too.

Spend more time on FT and get yourself comfortable. You have a lot of catching up to do. :D

Points.com is sometimes good if you need a specific transaction. For example, there is an Aeroplan promotion right now where you get 3 "stars" per points.com transaction, and 70 "stars" gets you a 16,500 mile bonus. So if you have (say) 120 USAir points, you can make 24 transactions of 5 USAir points to 1 Aeroplan point, and get your transactions that way. Also, if you want to keep an account active that requires a transaction every so often.

However, generally the exhcange rates are awful. Also, I think Amex and Chase do not participate.

In most cases, even if you need a few miles for an award, you are better off buying them directly from the program.

No way, eh!:D How long do I need to reside in Canada to get my 16,500?

If this works, what to call the technique? Canadian claim jumping?

"This promotion is only available to members who reside in Canada."

I saw 40406 US miles for 8874 US miles & logged out right there. US must be madly making money off this site as they're famously the exception for 1:1 exchanges.

There needs to be a new internet protocol so companies such as Points.com can instead use "Points.suck". But, hey, the co. is still in business. Maybe company should branch off and get into marketing water to dying, thirsty and stranded desert desperados. Points.com: RIPOFF.com

That's because US and AS don't permit even trades, only ones that suck. That's not points.com's fault, it's US and AS's.

To answer AlohaDaveKennedy's question above - I changed my address to Canada after the "stars" promotion started. (I used my wife's address - she lives there.)

As far as the other posts about the bad ratios - last time I was in Vegas it was hot and a guy was sitting on the street with a cooler full of ice and bottles of water, selling them for $1. Suppose he chose to sell the same bottles for $5. A rip-off? Nope, nobody is forced to buy it. Points.com provides a service. Actually, I think the way they handle it is by finding a conversion path. For example, if you want to transfer Amex MR points to United, you have to transfer Amex to SPG at 3:1 and then transfer SPG to United at 2:1. (Maybe there's a more efficient path, but the example is still valid.) So points. com would give 6:1. I don't think points.com skims anything off the top.

As noted, I found them very useful. And if I had, say, 59,988 miles and needed 60K for an award, I might find them useful also.

Wasn't sure where to put this...

Anyone else having problems with points.com and Best Buy Reward Zone right now? I just keep getting "An unknown error has occurred." It was working a few days ago.

Edit: It's back, but they no longer let you transfer points out of the program. :(