Originally Posted by stevens397 (Post 16122396)

Wife and I got the cards and a total now of 224,000 Capital One miles. Just redeemed for four $900 certificates, $3600 total credit.

Cancelled my four night awards suite reservation at the Park Hyatt Paris Vendome for December and rebooked for cash room with Diamond Suite upgrade. With the certificates, the room will be free for 5 nights at the Senior Rate.

Originally Posted by CVG_Kid (Post 16143159)

I disagree with this position.

Most of my frequest flyer programs limit me to their program. In these programs price is not the issue; capacity controls are the issue. Even programs like Citi's ThankYou program which allows you to redeem on any airline at market prices does not give you access to deeply discounted ticketing, just market rates.

CapOne may be used in this capacity where others may not. For that reason alone it will be a special place in my cadre of travel choices. Let me give an example.

I travel frequently to Asia. I'm really just interested in getting there. Yes, it would be nice to go in business but if it's a choice between one biz fare or two cattle fares I choose the two cattle fares. These are big 747-400s and they toss off a lot of deeply discounted bucket fares to fill those seats. If I absolutely cannot locate a Delta 80k redemption it's nice to know I can fallback to a deeply discounted fare requiring a fraction of the points Citi's ThankYou program would require. I might find a market fare at $1500. That's 150k ThankYou points. If I can find the same trip for $900 and use CapOne that's a real value add for me.

When I sit down and decide to travel I have lots of options to get from point A to point B with a little planning. CapOne does fill a unique roll that is not readily available from other programs.

Originally Posted by Swooop12 (Post 16143436)

Just remember that the hotel exchange rate for the certs won't be the most favorable!

Originally Posted by johnep1 (Post 16143776)

Huh? You don't point out your disagreement with my post.

Someone posted that they thought the best use of these points was to use them to reimburse Priceline purchases. However, the fact that they received a discount via Priceline doesn't somehow make the reimbursement of that purchase with Cap One points the best use of those points. Do you disagree with that statement?

Originally Posted by WRCSolberg (Post 16144500)

That's a bit of a disappointment that your mileage balance has to be able to pay for the charge in full rather than be part of a charge. I'd like to go to Kauai again next summer and was hoping to be able to put them towards a large expenditure for our hotel stay. I suppose I'll have to break up the charges by booking in segments instead of all in one charge.

Originally Posted by johnep1 (Post 16142072)

That's completely irrelevant. Buying something through Priceline for $xxx and then getting reimbursed $xxx by Cap One is the exact same as spending $xxx through a different travel provider and getting reimbursed for it. Either way, you're getting reimbursed $xxx. It isn't worth more just because you received a discount for going through Priceline.

If you typically buy through Priceline, then go for it and get reimbursed. But it's not as if getting reimbursed for Priceline purchases is a better deal than getting reimbursed for other travel purchases. It's going through Priceline in the first place that might make something a good deal. The Cap One part is completely irrelevant.

Originally Posted by johnep1 (Post 16142072)

That's completely irrelevant. Buying something through Priceline for $xxx and then getting reimbursed $xxx by Cap One is the exact same as spending $xxx through a different travel provider and getting reimbursed for it. Either way, you're getting reimbursed $xxx. It isn't worth more just because you received a discount for going through Priceline.

If you typically buy through Priceline, then go for it and get reimbursed. But it's not as if getting reimbursed for Priceline purchases is a better deal than getting reimbursed for other travel purchases. It's going through Priceline in the first place that might make something a good deal. The Cap One part is completely irrelevant.

Originally Posted by flyer4512 (Post 16144636)

I'm not sure if anyone has mentioned this but if you are concerned about not travelling before the one year is up and having to pay the annual fee to keep the points almost every Hilton/Doubletree/HGI and I'm sure others ( maybe all hilton hotels) have a non refundable pre pay rate which is cheaper.

For instance I am planning a trip for March 2012 and after I confirm my work vacation schedule in December I will book all the rooms with the prepaid non refundable rate so the charges will post and be paid with points in time to cancel the card before my annual fee in March 2012.

Originally Posted by WRCSolberg (Post 16144500)

That's a bit of a disappointment that your mileage balance has to be able to pay for the charge in full rather than be part of a charge. I'd like to go to Kauai again next summer and was hoping to be able to put them towards a large expenditure for our hotel stay. I suppose I'll have to break up the charges by booking in segments instead of all in one charge.

Originally Posted by CVG_Kid (Post 16144458)

What I tried to point out is that with CapOne you have the ability to receive reimbursement for discounted travel. That IS the unique aspect; that it can even be done. That makes those CapOne miles stretch further.

Originally Posted by CVG_Kid (Post 16144458)

I do. What I tried to point out is that with CapOne you have the ability to receive reimbursement for discounted travel. That IS the unique aspect; that it can even be done. That makes those CapOne miles stretch further.

Originally Posted by johnep1 (Post 16147797)

1) Priceline might enable you to get a good deal. Whether or not you get reimbursed for the purchase is irrelevant.

2) If you spend $200 with Priceline, then you have spent $200 on travel.

3) $200 spent on travel is $200 spent on travel. The fact that you get more value from Priceline is not relevant.

4) Using 20k Cap One points to get reimbursed $200 for your $200 Priceline purchase is no different than using 20k Cap One points to get reimbursed for any other $200 travel purchase just as spending $200 on Priceline is the same as spending $200 on travel elsewhere.

Originally Posted by CVG_Kid (Post 16147939)

We'll have to agree to disagree then.

Originally Posted by CVG_Kid (Post 16147939)

My objective is a trip to X. My trip to X may cost 80k Skymiles or 70k Advantage points or 150k ThankYou points or 90k CapOne points or $1500. out of pocket. The value of the redemption depends on what it cost me for the miles and how many I have to give up. CapOne has value add on the 'have to give up' side of the ledger by covering discounted fares. I do consider it valuable to NOT have to pull $1500. out of my pocket.

In the example above the objective is a $1500. retail ticket to Asia. Using the accepted form of valuation, a 90k CapOne redemption yields a valuation of 1.67 cents/point. That's value.