Are you buying any Miles & Points promotion at this time?
May 12, 20, 10:38 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 33
Are you buying any Miles & Points promotion at this time?
It seems like airlines are running many promotions to encourage (future) air travel. The latest of which is a 500 AAdvantage miles bonus on flights from 07/01 to 12/31 (booked before 05/18). There are a myriad of promotion from other airlines too.
Curious if you are buying into any of these promotion at this time? And if so, which one and why?
Curious if you are buying into any of these promotion at this time? And if so, which one and why?
Last edited by lakersgo; May 12, 20 at 12:08 pm
May 13, 20, 5:55 am
#3
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Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: HEL
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It may make sense, just depends on the risk premium you receive from the seller (airline, hotel). If in normal times you'd value 1mile=1penny, these days the rate should be considerably better, because you are giving real money in exchange for points, valid only as long as the issuer is around. Also historical inflation of miles/points are higher than that of hard currency.
Also, you can nearly always get a seat on the flight you want for money, but there is no such surety for miles/points. And you can use the money for buying anything you want whereas you can spend the miles at the issuer only.
Also, you can nearly always get a seat on the flight you want for money, but there is no such surety for miles/points. And you can use the money for buying anything you want whereas you can spend the miles at the issuer only.
May 13, 20, 9:36 am
#5
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: UK
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I've bought some Wyndham points for the first time ever - they had a 40% bonus. I plan to use them at a 7.5k/night hotel that typically sells for over 150euro/night, and using points means they're refundable for free, so less of a risk with Covid restrictions being unpredictable right now.
May 30, 20, 2:07 pm
#7
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No. I'm overloaded with miles, about 700,000 between my four main airlines and more elsewhere and there's nowhere to use them. I would rather hold onto my cash in case my business needs it than give it to the airlines in exchange for something hard to use.
Jun 17, 21, 11:09 am
#10
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I've been buying loads of Lifemiles for use during this pandemic. But it's been a "buy-as-go" approach -- as in don't buy unless going with ticketing right away.
But I don't foresee myself buying miles like this after travel demand picks up even more and award space plummets or gets priced into the astrophere when it comes to trying to use miles for flight tickets.
But I don't foresee myself buying miles like this after travel demand picks up even more and award space plummets or gets priced into the astrophere when it comes to trying to use miles for flight tickets.
Jun 18, 21, 3:03 am
#11
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Bangkok, Thailand. No longer Palm Coast, FL though still exiled, again, from the Bay Area.
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Posts: 5,153
Originally Posted by ankomonkey
I've bought some Wyndham points for the first time ever - they had a 40% bonus. I plan to use them at a 7.5k/night hotel that typically sells for over 150euro/night, and using points means they're refundable for free, so less of a risk with Covid restrictions being unpredictable right now.
Jun 23, 21, 3:08 pm
#12
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Join Date: Jul 2002
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I'm an occasional just-in-time buyer, with Hyatt and IHG being the primary ones I've bought in the past year. Only when the "payoff" is basically instant - booking the stay right then.
Jun 26, 21, 1:33 am
#13
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2019
Posts: 569
Agree with the previous posters. Right now, I only buy for immediate use with confirmed reward availability.
I think people are sitting on large miles & points balances due to few redemption options during the last year and a half. Now, that places have reopened, it's clear there is good competition among people sitting on miles & points. A few Hiltons I frequent now provide a points value of approximately 0.3 cent per point as opposed to >0.4 cent a year ago. With regards to airlines, I am already looking at a few AF routes with no award availability for many months on end.
I think people are sitting on large miles & points balances due to few redemption options during the last year and a half. Now, that places have reopened, it's clear there is good competition among people sitting on miles & points. A few Hiltons I frequent now provide a points value of approximately 0.3 cent per point as opposed to >0.4 cent a year ago. With regards to airlines, I am already looking at a few AF routes with no award availability for many months on end.
Jun 29, 21, 5:47 pm
#14
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL
Posts: 3,360
For me, there are only two reasons to ever buy miles/points. The first is what several other folks mentioned: when you have a specific stay already planned and the purchase is cheaper than cash.
The second reason is to purchase a small number to keep orphan points from expiring in a program you don't typically use. Even that is rare, as it's typically possible to trigger a chance in renew date by purchasing something via a hotel/airline-branded online portal.
The second reason is to purchase a small number to keep orphan points from expiring in a program you don't typically use. Even that is rare, as it's typically possible to trigger a chance in renew date by purchasing something via a hotel/airline-branded online portal.
Jul 1, 21, 2:51 am
#15
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I did buy, according to the second reason above, a small amount of Meli Rewards points to keep my account alive with Meli hotels. At 5 for 1,000 it wasn't a bad deal.
