Best Points To Accumulate?
May 18, 2012 | 4:30 pm
#16
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: AUS
Programs: Doing GS11, probably affiliated with every program out there
Posts: 188
I've actually been idly considering a "RTW" that's cobbled together from other awards. Not all of it is in F, but it is interesting in that it's not a huge sum of miles.
One-way West Coast USA-Hawaii: 12.5K BA miles in Y on AS or AA.
SEA/PDX/SJC/OAK/SAN/LAX-HNL/OGG/KOA/LIH
(optional: intra-HI flights for 5K US/UA/AA miles)
One-way Hawaii-SE Asia in F: 50K UA miles
HNL-NRT(UA)-BKK(TG)
Open-jaw US SE Asia redemption in C: 30K US miles:
BKK-DPS(destination)-SIN-BLR
One-way AA India/Middle East-Europe redemption in F: 40K AA miles
BLR-LHR in BA F or BLR-AUH-LHR/CDG/FCO in EY F
One way BA redemption in on EC (OpenSkies) Premium Economy (which is really a very nice recliner, used to be Biz Seat, is now Prem Plus): 30K BA miles
ORY-EWR in EC Y+
And to finish it off, one NYC->West Coast on AA/BA/AS/DL, 12.5K miles in Y.
175K miles total (but spread out over a variety of sources), stops in Hawaii, SE Asia, India, Europe and NYC. And all easily done with some credit card churning...
One-way West Coast USA-Hawaii: 12.5K BA miles in Y on AS or AA.
SEA/PDX/SJC/OAK/SAN/LAX-HNL/OGG/KOA/LIH
(optional: intra-HI flights for 5K US/UA/AA miles)
One-way Hawaii-SE Asia in F: 50K UA miles
HNL-NRT(UA)-BKK(TG)
Open-jaw US SE Asia redemption in C: 30K US miles:
BKK-DPS(destination)-SIN-BLR
One-way AA India/Middle East-Europe redemption in F: 40K AA miles
BLR-LHR in BA F or BLR-AUH-LHR/CDG/FCO in EY F
One way BA redemption in on EC (OpenSkies) Premium Economy (which is really a very nice recliner, used to be Biz Seat, is now Prem Plus): 30K BA miles
ORY-EWR in EC Y+
And to finish it off, one NYC->West Coast on AA/BA/AS/DL, 12.5K miles in Y.
175K miles total (but spread out over a variety of sources), stops in Hawaii, SE Asia, India, Europe and NYC. And all easily done with some credit card churning...
May 18, 2012 | 9:58 pm
#17
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,860
UA/AA
end of discussion.
700mi or less redemptions on CO = 10k
50k MileSAAver first domestic on AA, around the world possibilities also.
I could go on and on, but really you don't have to believe me and you can find out later. I am VERY VERY disappointed I spent 75k AA miles before knowing of how lucrative the around the world travel is. And now I only have 110k left to show for myself. 185k would have been a out of control around the world trip.......
end of discussion.
700mi or less redemptions on CO = 10k
50k MileSAAver first domestic on AA, around the world possibilities also.
I could go on and on, but really you don't have to believe me and you can find out later. I am VERY VERY disappointed I spent 75k AA miles before knowing of how lucrative the around the world travel is. And now I only have 110k left to show for myself. 185k would have been a out of control around the world trip.......
May 18, 2012 | 10:06 pm
#18
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,860
I've actually been idly considering a "RTW" that's cobbled together from other awards. Not all of it is in F, but it is interesting in that it's not a huge sum of miles.
One-way West Coast USA-Hawaii: 12.5K BA miles in Y on AS or AA.
SEA/PDX/SJC/OAK/SAN/LAX-HNL/OGG/KOA/LIH
(optional: intra-HI flights for 5K US/UA/AA miles)
One-way Hawaii-SE Asia in F: 50K UA miles
HNL-NRT(UA)-BKK(TG)
Open-jaw US SE Asia redemption in C: 30K US miles:
BKK-DPS(destination)-SIN-BLR
One-way AA India/Middle East-Europe redemption in F: 40K AA miles
BLR-LHR in BA F or BLR-AUH-LHR/CDG/FCO in EY F
One way BA redemption in on EC (OpenSkies) Premium Economy (which is really a very nice recliner, used to be Biz Seat, is now Prem Plus): 30K BA miles
ORY-EWR in EC Y+
And to finish it off, one NYC->West Coast on AA/BA/AS/DL, 12.5K miles in Y.
175K miles total (but spread out over a variety of sources), stops in Hawaii, SE Asia, India, Europe and NYC. And all easily done with some credit card churning...
One-way West Coast USA-Hawaii: 12.5K BA miles in Y on AS or AA.
SEA/PDX/SJC/OAK/SAN/LAX-HNL/OGG/KOA/LIH
(optional: intra-HI flights for 5K US/UA/AA miles)
One-way Hawaii-SE Asia in F: 50K UA miles
HNL-NRT(UA)-BKK(TG)
Open-jaw US SE Asia redemption in C: 30K US miles:
BKK-DPS(destination)-SIN-BLR
One-way AA India/Middle East-Europe redemption in F: 40K AA miles
BLR-LHR in BA F or BLR-AUH-LHR/CDG/FCO in EY F
One way BA redemption in on EC (OpenSkies) Premium Economy (which is really a very nice recliner, used to be Biz Seat, is now Prem Plus): 30K BA miles
ORY-EWR in EC Y+
And to finish it off, one NYC->West Coast on AA/BA/AS/DL, 12.5K miles in Y.
175K miles total (but spread out over a variety of sources), stops in Hawaii, SE Asia, India, Europe and NYC. And all easily done with some credit card churning...
I appreciate your effort, but I have been calculating how ridiculous of a trip I can get with 110k AA miles on an around the world ticket and I can go "everywhere" you can basically on the same ticket.
ORD - SFO - HNL - HND - HKG - BKK - and you can just keep working your way across the glove so long as your connections don't take you all over the place and still keep it in the like 110k business category. I am trying to figure out how to get to DXB but AA's connections to DXB kinda suck.
May 18, 2012 | 10:08 pm
#19
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Philadelphia/NY/CA
Programs: US Airways/SPG/Club Carlson (Gold)/United/Marriott Rewards Premier (Silver)/Priority Club Platinum
Posts: 332
^ I think this is the best way to redeem for a RTW.
If I were you, I'd sign up for the Citi Visa/Amex for 50k points each. Ideally you'd do this for you and your wife, and you'd each have 100k points. If you each also signed up for the SPG Amex, you'd be sitting at 130k AA points each. You'd easily accumulate the balance through spending.
Edited to add: the SPG Amex comes with a 25k signup bonus, and if you transfer more than 20k points you get a 5k bonus. So 25k SPG points --> 30k AA. (Just wanted to show my work.)
If I were you, I'd sign up for the Citi Visa/Amex for 50k points each. Ideally you'd do this for you and your wife, and you'd each have 100k points. If you each also signed up for the SPG Amex, you'd be sitting at 130k AA points each. You'd easily accumulate the balance through spending.
Edited to add: the SPG Amex comes with a 25k signup bonus, and if you transfer more than 20k points you get a 5k bonus. So 25k SPG points --> 30k AA. (Just wanted to show my work.)
Also SPG there has been a higher then 25K offer I think right? I personally am waiting hope the 75K X 2 offer from last year comes back. And for the higher SPG bonus offer before I jump on those 2 CC.
May 19, 2012 | 2:45 am
#21
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: AA Lifetime PLT , BA Silver , BD RIP , HH Gold, SPG / Marriott PLT , EF Subscriber
Posts: 6,733
Part of my strategy is to buy points. The company I work for has 5,000 professionals on the main campus, and a bulletin board where I can advertise. While free stuff is nice, if you told me I could get a RTW F ticket for 350K points, or about $4700, I would say that's a darn good deal considering that if you paid cash for it, it would probably be $20K or more. Buying Chase points is far and away better than Amex, because I can actually put them in my account, while Amex have to be transferred directly to a partner. (So far as I know there are no prohibitions on buying/selling points in Amex/UR, just on buying/selling rewards in the loyalty programs themselves.) So it sounds like trying to accumulate Chase points as the opportunity arises isn't a bad idea. At the absolute worst, I could eventually redeem them for a penny each, and more likely would be able to use them for other types of travel expenses at the 1.25 cents I paid for them.
One thing the OP should consider...Forget Delta..No Global First Class awards and expensive Business Class awards.
May 19, 2012 | 3:01 am
#22
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Somewhere over the rainbow
Programs: Airline Free Agent, Bonvoy Platinum, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 3,862
+1 also it is a member of the worst alliance (ST) which means the airline selection sucks.. The only airlines worth flying in ST are Air France, Korean Air, and Alitalia.
May 19, 2012 | 8:05 am
#23
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,860
Expensive everything. I find absolutely no reason to use Delta. Don't forget no one way award tickets, no sub 700 mile reward tickets deals or discounts, the idea of a 25k r/t domestic award is basically a pipe dream in many locations. More like 50-60k domestic coach award.
May 19, 2012 | 8:22 am
#24
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 21,268
I appreciate your effort, but I have been calculating how ridiculous of a trip I can get with 110k AA miles on an around the world ticket and I can go "everywhere" you can basically on the same ticket.
ORD - SFO - HNL - HND - HKG - BKK - and you can just keep working your way across the glove so long as your connections don't take you all over the place and still keep it in the like 110k business category. I am trying to figure out how to get to DXB but AA's connections to DXB kinda suck.
ORD - SFO - HNL - HND - HKG - BKK - and you can just keep working your way across the glove so long as your connections don't take you all over the place and still keep it in the like 110k business category. I am trying to figure out how to get to DXB but AA's connections to DXB kinda suck.
That, and fly into AUH and just go overland to DXB? They're 75 miles apart and both part of the same country...
Last edited by eponymous_coward; May 19, 2012 at 8:27 am
May 19, 2012 | 8:29 am
#25
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: south of WAS DC
Posts: 10,131
[QUOTE=redtop43;1859390 I also am able to buy both Amex and Chase points from co-workers, usually at 1.25 cents per.
.[/QUOTE]
can one do that? and transfer the miles from co-worker acct to personal acct?
.[/QUOTE]
can one do that? and transfer the miles from co-worker acct to personal acct?
May 19, 2012 | 8:34 pm
#26
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Las Vegas since 11/2023
Programs: No status anywhere anymore, it was fun while it lasted
Posts: 4,648
It's also completely legal with Chase.
Most of the co-workers either don't have UR accounts (for example, have a Freedom card) and so can only get cash/gift cards/etc. at a penny a point or less, or don't know how to get the best value for their UR points. If they have a UR account I always tell them the tricks they could use, but usually they're happy to just get 1.25 cents in cash.
May 22, 2012 | 10:15 am
#27
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 1,657
I appreciate your effort, but I have been calculating how ridiculous of a trip I can get with 110k AA miles on an around the world ticket and I can go "everywhere" you can basically on the same ticket.
ORD - SFO - HNL - HND - HKG - BKK - and you can just keep working your way across the glove so long as your connections don't take you all over the place and still keep it in the like 110k business category. I am trying to figure out how to get to DXB but AA's connections to DXB kinda suck.
ORD - SFO - HNL - HND - HKG - BKK - and you can just keep working your way across the glove so long as your connections don't take you all over the place and still keep it in the like 110k business category. I am trying to figure out how to get to DXB but AA's connections to DXB kinda suck.
May 22, 2012 | 11:10 am
#28
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Las Vegas since 11/2023
Programs: No status anywhere anymore, it was fun while it lasted
Posts: 4,648
Yes, the whole point of my trip is to travel F as well as to get from here to there.
Most of my award travel in the past has been on DL, which doesn't have OW awards. Maybe what I've been missing is to try to string together a series of OW awards, possibly with stopovers.
Most of my award travel in the past has been on DL, which doesn't have OW awards. Maybe what I've been missing is to try to string together a series of OW awards, possibly with stopovers.
