According to the sign-up screen you get 4000+625 points just for signing up.

Dorian



------------------
Star Alliance RTW Price Chart: http://www.informationlab.com/rtw.htm
Star Alliance Comparison Chart: http://members.home.net/deercroft/starall00.html

They are giving 4625 for sign up now. How to get those extra 375 points? A hotel stay with one of their partner hotels
http://www.mexicana.com.mx/mx2/engli...mashoteles.asp

Or send four people flowers at 250 miles a pop ($28 cheapest bunch at www.floramex.com for three roses)
http://www.mexicana.com.mx/mx2/engli...rs/flowers.asp

With a couple participating in this and the HH signups that is 26,000 HH points all for the price of two cheap hotel stays or four bunches of flowers thanks to ozstamps and Mr. Limo. Fantastic, thanks http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif


[This message has been edited by Mvic (edited 09-10-2000).]

ANZ and Dorian ... well spotted. So, to get up to 5000 miles one needs to book ANYTHING online with MX (2500 points) or get 375 points via the "flying" bonus at the head of this thread.

Seeing MEX are offering double points on ANY Star * flight, any round trip anywhere in the world on * totalling 375 miles flown round trip will do it, which is small beer for many of us. For instance I am travelling LAX-Los Vegas-LAX next week on the UA Shuttle - 236 miles each way, So that would easily qualify me. ( And UA are "mean" with Shuttle flights are only award miles flown, not minimum 500).

Something short like that is all that is needed, on UA or LH or British Midland or Thai etc. Ansett just offered $US16 flights within Australia - those sort of things all qualify.

Can anyone else see from the MEX site a way to get 375 bonus points into an existing Frecuenta account that does NOT involve flying? Doing a survey, signing up a calling card etc. Please post link here if anyone can dig something out! I am flying them in a week or so. Does anyone know if they sell duty free on the 3 hours LAX-Los Cabos flights? Buy Margaret some Chanel, and a nice cognac for me wil do it probably?


------------------
~ Glen ~



[This message has been edited by ozstamps (edited 09-10-2000).]

Imagine flying a RTW on *A and booking it to your MEX account!?!!

Dorian



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Star Alliance RTW Price Chart: http://www.informationlab.com/rtw.htm
Star Alliance Comparison Chart: http://members.home.net/deercroft/starall00.html

It gets even better! Sign up for a calling card:

Classic members will receive a welcome bonus of 4,000 kilometers on obtaining
their card and 8 kilometers for every
peso spent.

Gold or Platinum Status members will
receive a welcome bonus of 5,000
kilometers on obtaining their card and
11 kilometers for every peso spent.

Service Center Telephone number:
Mexico city 52625280
Within Mexican Republic 01 800 900
9191
USA 18008671232

www.mexicana.com.mx/mx2/english/Frecuenta/obtener/telefono/mastelefono.asp



[This message has been edited by ozstamps (edited 09-13-2000).]

ozstamps and all, a transfer from American Express Membership Rewards or Diners Club Club Rewards are two possibilities to top off your Mexicana Frecuenta account!

[This message has been edited by MRLIMO (edited 09-10-2000).]

This is a little misleading.

There is no standard free, three-night award available for 16,000 points. There is, however, a Point Stretcher (very limited availability) award for a three-night stay for 15,000 points at their lowest class (Opportunity) properties.

Keep in mind, PS awards are generally limited to less desirable dates at some properties. Of course, this can work out very nicely if you need to stay in Boise on a weekend in March. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

And not to be dismissive of PS awards, I've redeemed points for stays at the New York Hilton and Towers during Spring Break weekend, among other well-timed visits. Just be aware that PS awards are not widely available for the most desirable dates.

A better use of HHonors points is to transfer orphan miles from ff accounts to redeem for totally free nights at upper-level properties either on PS or standard awards.

Email me for details.

[This message has been edited by essxjay (edited 09-10-2000).]

26,000 is enough for three free nights (standard reward fewer restrictions)at an opportunity level property (like a double tree for example)
http://www.hilton.com/hhonors/reward....html#standard

or add $10 to buy 1000 HH points(you can buy up to 20% of the reward points needed for a reward at $10/1000HH) and its 2 free weekend nights at a Classic level property (point stretcher reward more restrictions and blackout days).


[This message has been edited by Mvic (edited 09-10-2000).]

"Three Free Nights"
15,000
PO3
30,000
PE3
39,000
PS3
51,000
PC3
60,000
PP3

Sorry it was 15,000 for 3 free nights, (PO#3) not 16,000. (PO#3 being "opportunity" lowest level and PP#3 being highest grade properties, being "Premium") All these APPEAR to be redemption rates for three FREE nights - reading the Hilton website I used in my answer. Scroll DOWN MVic .. you are looking I think only at "STANDARD" awards - I have ALWAYS been referring to "opportunity" rates under "Point Stretcher" plan which is BELOW that table you might be reading? What am I missing here folks?

One of us at least must be reading the Hilton website wrong as MVIC has a totally different figure quoted again! That's THREE conflicting answers to the one question!

Oh well, we are playing with points that cost nothing, so at this point, who really cares. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif There are FREE rooms here, and with the Calling card signup I just posted, I reckon about FOUR free Hilton rooms without stepping on any airplane.



[This message has been edited by ozstamps (edited 09-10-2000).]

I am looking at the same chart you are Glen, just that I figure the total points per couple on this one as 26000. That would be 5 free nights at an opportunity level property on a point stretcher (with the purchase of the extra 1000HH points for $10 for the 27000 PO5 award).

Mario ... Let's work this backwards. WHAT is a PO3 award then, if it is NOT three nights Free for only 15,000 HHonors points? Can anyone please let me know???? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/confused.gif

[This message has been edited by ozstamps (edited 09-10-2000).]

Mvic and Oz,

You are talking past each other.

Oz,you are correct about the points needed for a three-night Point Stretcher stay at an Oppotunity level property: it is 15,000 HHonors points.

And Mvic, you are correct that a five-night stay at an Opportunity level property is 27,000 points.

_My_ point is to keep in mind that availability for Point Stretcher stays is very limited, usually to less desirable dates and not at every property. It can work out great.

Thanks essxjay ... MVIC and I were both correct but at cross purposes it seems. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

OK, now the dust has settled, here is my take on this winding, bizarre but IMHO very productive thread:

1. Sign up in MEX Frequenta and get 4,625 sign up points.

2. Sign up for their calling card, and get 4,000 points. (Gotta make ONE call remember!)

3. Take those 8,625 Frequenta points and transfer them via Frequenta into 20,000 Hilton HHonors points. (You need 6,250 Frequenta to get 20,000 Hilton) So you still have 2,375 "orphan" balance left in case any other good promos come along or you fly MEX etc.

4. Sign up a couple anew with Hilton HHonors on-line via the direct link given on the other thread and get 6,000 free Hilton points. (one person is 3,000 but hey 6,000 is not rocket science)

5. Buy 1,000 Hilton points for $10.

6. New HHonors account total is 20,000 + 6,000 + 1,000 = 27,000.

7. 27,000 Points redeems FIVE Free nights at selected Hilton properties in the USA .. or:

8. 27,000 points redeems two nights on point stretchers at medium level (grade #3 of #5) "SELECT" Hilton properties worldwide.

9. Or save the 10 bucks even, and take your partner for a deluxe romantic weekend stay at only 21,000 points at the HIGHEST level Hilton properties in the world, in the very highest "Premium" category of the 5 they offer.

All without leaving your keyboard! All courtesy Flyer Talk . All FREE. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

And take just ONE return flight on ANY Star * carrier except MEX - in ANY fare class, any routing, and you up the ante big time on this, remembering you already have 2,375 "orphan" points sitting there. A 12,500 Frecquenta transfer to Hilton gives you 40,000 HHonors, plus your starting 6,000 = 46,000. A UA transcon at 4,250 miles round trip would do it for example.

It is now all pretty clear this scenario set out here is workable. I really am excited about a few dozen people here geting some free Hilton rooms from the combined digging of many on these boards. As essxjay comments Hilton are very active right now with many fine promos - witness the UA one. Some securing these rooms will "taste" Hiltons and HHonors for the first time, and like that taste and stay more often - on paid nights. That is why Hilton do these apparently super generous things, and IMHO it is superb brand marketing, and VERY savvy business.

Seeing this thread title started off totally differently, and seeing LOTS of folk here are not tied up in any way with Star Alliance, hence may not even read this topic, I will against all usual rules and decorum post this as a new thread on General Travel Talk as:

"Five Free Hilton Nights For 10 Bucks!" (And invite the board police to fine me for doing it.)

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/tongue.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/eek.gif

------------------
~ Glen ~



[This message has been edited by ozstamps (edited 09-10-2000).]

This just keeps getting better and better. Calling card does seem the best way to go as Ozstamps has pointed out.

Just to keep things consistent:
if a couple signs up for the 6000 HH points (3K each) it seems that they may as well each sign up for the Mex ff points too. That would be 20,000 HH points each bringing the grand total of this whole endeavor to

46,000 HH points

for the cost of two phone calls. No flying necessary. Once you start throwing flights
and online bookings in to the mix, well, the mind boggles http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif


[This message has been edited by Mvic (edited 09-10-2000).]

Nice but I have a quick, "silly" question?

Are you certain that these non flight miles may be simply moved out of the program into Hilton Honors?

They would of course have to buy these points and may balk at the notion! You may want to check beforehand, if you haven't already!

But, hopefully so! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

My cautious side! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif