Make it a Sticky. "Best Use of each program points/miles.
 

Hi all,

I was thinking that we should have a sticky post (just like UA Fan has one with latest card offers) to explain best use of each FF or Member programs.

Example:

BA = Best use is for south america flights from USA (Ex: 80K NYC to Lima in J). Or ... bad idea for Europe flights due to high fuel charges.

SPG points = best use to upgrade hotel stays.

UA/CO = Good for Africa trips, europe, etc

DELTA = JFK to Israel good routings, etc.

AA = should be your number one choice for USA to Asia (Thailand) on CX.

AudienceRewards = Great to transfer to US Airways at 1:2 transfer rate.


I mean, just good info on each program so that people understand better the value of points in each program and how they can get the best use out of it.

I don't have enough knowledge in this field to do a quality sticky but I am sure other folks here can do this.

Let's just figure out who can do this, make it a one post and get it up there.

I think it makes more sense to arrange it by location/activity. For example, if you want to travel to X look to accumulate miles in Y or Z.

I am a big believer that the best use of miles is specific to each person and can't necessarily be put in a sticky.

I don't see any value in doing it - and especially not in the already overcrowded MilesBuzz forum. For one thing, some of the forums already have threads on similar subjects, and most all forums have plenty of tools to help folks figure out how to use their miles and plan things. There are also charts and tools for comparing among airlines.

And, "best" use is very subjective and it always depends heavily on what each person's goals and needs are.

Not to go too advanced ... just some things people should know about each program where they hold miles/points in. Suggestions and "need to know" in bullet points. Some may apply to me, some may apply to others.

Another example .... SouthWest airlines miles ... great for Savior or whatever it's called rewards. Just some 6K miles one way for short flights within USA.

An easy way to do this is to have people share some good info on program they want to talk about and I'll compile it into a good post that can become a sticky.

I can start by taking on an easy one.

BA:
1) Do not use on flights from USA to Europe due to high fuel surcharges.
2) Great for South America flights to Lima, etc
etc

I didn't know churches had reward programs!!!

hahaha, good one. Sorry ... like I said, "Something like that"

anyway, I see no one is interested in creating this. Maybe some bloggers will.

I was just kidding around, but I think you might run into issues with people concerned about killing the golden goose in this situation.

Here is the problem. I think that #1 is the best use of BA miles for me and you say it should not be used.
I am on West coast with a home airport of LAX, I have a family of 3, I like to goto Europe and rtavel in J or F, It is realively easy to find a flight on BA with 3 avaiable tickets in F, and I pay some in Taxes, I have a difficult time finding 3 tickets on AA in J or F, usually 2 are easy but three becomes difficult, so i dont mind paying 700 in taxes each and 300k miles using a 2-4-1 chase to get 3 RT tickets to LHR in F.
best is very subjective

Great Idea
 

I think this is a great idea from OP. Having this at one place (instead many places) on this forum makes things easier. To be honest, sometimes it is very hard to find a certain information on this site.

While the conventional wisdom before avios was as stated above, post-avios now requires segment pricing and eliminates the multiple stopover greatness of BA miles. Additionally, RT from NYC to LIM is not 40k for J as you stated, but now 80k for J ... and with no stopovers.

For me, by far the best use are short routes with high prices, such as Lima>Cusco>Lima. RT tickets can be $1000 for coach, but only 9000 miles.

While I understand there may be few best use scenarios that are all-encompassing, most of the best uses vary between individuals as stated by previous posters.

For me ...

BA is used for short hops or positioning with other longer itineraries.
WN is used for domestic trips in conjuction with a companion pass.
Saving Delta for an Africa trip
AA for a RTW trip
CO for mini-RTWs
etc ...

Maybe we could start a thread/sticky where FTers highlight their individual best uses of different programs as a means of new FTers learning what is and isn't important to them?

True. Sometimes I feel that learning the way to utilize the award schemes should cost some effort or compensation, like time or money. You should pay to learn, or read through a free but lengthy thread to master the skills from others.

As paranoid and silly as it seems, I agree with this sentiment. One of my favorite awards just disappeared a couple months after being mentioned on several blogs. I had called attention to the value of it here on FT several times throughout the last year so I now feel a hesitancy to call attention to other favorites, expecially ones that seem significantly better than other programs.

Yeah, as soon as you saw every blog writing about the HI interisland flights, you had to know it wouldn't last.

Award charts are so fluid and have so many caveats (stopover here, no stopovers there, AmEx bonuses make some cheaper) that with everyone's unique travel plans, a sticky would be useless and cluttered with useless information.

Yes, some good things can be shared in the public, but the best gems should be known among friends only.