Converting AA Miles to CO double check me...
Jun 23, 2005 | 6:29 am
#16
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: SWUSA / AA PLAT, SPG PLAT, AMEX CENTURION, HHONORS Diamond
Posts: 1,420
andrewsheehan, my observation is that you appear fairly new to the affinity-collecting universe. I apologize in advance if that is not correct, but my next comment is based on this assumption -
You seem to be forgetting what is evolving in my opinion to be RULE #1 - If the award ain't available, don't EVER bother to collect miles or points in a given program. This said, I would urge you to read, thoroughly, all threads in the Continental threads with this search term - "nonepass".
Continental's Onepass, known on flyertalk as mostly "nonepass", is NOTORIOUS, to the point of overkill, as "nonepass", because Continental makes so few actual award seat inventory available. Oh sure - there are anecdotal exceptions, and we all know the top-tier Continental elite flyers have exceptions, waivers and favors to the award inventory such that they feel no pain when they go to secure awards...but if you are not GOLD or above w/ Continental, I expect you'll be very disappointed at the availability of base level awards.
You are fortunate given fact that you can fly out of Continental's "fortress hub" of HOU, which implies the best award availability possible, but IMO its still sub-standard, bordering on fraud in terms of this key ration which really defines award availability: miles issued/sold (to affinity partners) versus award availability.
I live in a smaller city which has a Continental partner flying into the HOU area....and for years whenever I tried to use Nonepass awards for my family's travels, Continental made SURE there were not sufficient base level awards available...yet I knew for a fact seats would be empty on these commuter leg flights into the HOU area, even if I could find seats on the big jets out of HOU. Continental's nonepass program was designed to impliment capacity control schemes designed to force me to PAY for seats instead of use miles, or use miles at double the base level award. For years, AA saved the day and provided ample inventory called "plaanahead" which I was able to use with minor flexibility. AA now has shifted course and in spring, 2004, modeled after Nonepass a program called "milesaaver", which now similarly implements capacity controls on base level awards. Coupled w/ AA's drawdown of (I've heard it said) as much as 20% of total seat inventory (sold or via award)...means this is a seller's market at least when award travelers attempt to secure base level awards (I speak mostly regarding BASE LEVEL DOMESTIC USA award). Legacy airlines are flying more and more full every day, and they have no intention of providing a fair ratio of base level award seats when they can sell 'em, especially since no one can force them to honor base level awards (ie no governmental oversight).
Bottom line - if there ain't award availability, then run, faast, away from the airline, and migrate your credit card charging effort to generic points programs like USAA Eagle Points, or Capital One's program, so you can CHOOSE your flying partner and then spend money to buy yout ticket.
IMO - the "value proposition" of legacy airline affinity programs is going downhill fast, as legacy airlines continue to kill the goose that laid them golden eggs for years...ie affinity programs which generated real, hard "today" cash for some undertermined liability of "future award travel". This good faith promosition offered tangible value and the equation "worked" for both legacy airline and the consuming public (ie award inventory could handle the demand for them) . No more. My view is legacy airlines are drawing down award inventory since they desperately need to SELL seats, simultaneously selling miles at ever-increeasing pace through affinity partners as they are desperate for external, high margin partner and affinity income with little risk or downside. In effect, airlines have created their own currency (with no governmental oversight), and in this market when legacy airlines are in deep trouble, they are radically inflating the value of their currency. #1 way to inflate their currency ? Sell more miles, draw down th award inventory. Continental does it better than anyone. AA is taking notes and modeling the exact same technique - just not as aadvanced as Continental.
You seem to be forgetting what is evolving in my opinion to be RULE #1 - If the award ain't available, don't EVER bother to collect miles or points in a given program. This said, I would urge you to read, thoroughly, all threads in the Continental threads with this search term - "nonepass".
Continental's Onepass, known on flyertalk as mostly "nonepass", is NOTORIOUS, to the point of overkill, as "nonepass", because Continental makes so few actual award seat inventory available. Oh sure - there are anecdotal exceptions, and we all know the top-tier Continental elite flyers have exceptions, waivers and favors to the award inventory such that they feel no pain when they go to secure awards...but if you are not GOLD or above w/ Continental, I expect you'll be very disappointed at the availability of base level awards.
You are fortunate given fact that you can fly out of Continental's "fortress hub" of HOU, which implies the best award availability possible, but IMO its still sub-standard, bordering on fraud in terms of this key ration which really defines award availability: miles issued/sold (to affinity partners) versus award availability.
I live in a smaller city which has a Continental partner flying into the HOU area....and for years whenever I tried to use Nonepass awards for my family's travels, Continental made SURE there were not sufficient base level awards available...yet I knew for a fact seats would be empty on these commuter leg flights into the HOU area, even if I could find seats on the big jets out of HOU. Continental's nonepass program was designed to impliment capacity control schemes designed to force me to PAY for seats instead of use miles, or use miles at double the base level award. For years, AA saved the day and provided ample inventory called "plaanahead" which I was able to use with minor flexibility. AA now has shifted course and in spring, 2004, modeled after Nonepass a program called "milesaaver", which now similarly implements capacity controls on base level awards. Coupled w/ AA's drawdown of (I've heard it said) as much as 20% of total seat inventory (sold or via award)...means this is a seller's market at least when award travelers attempt to secure base level awards (I speak mostly regarding BASE LEVEL DOMESTIC USA award). Legacy airlines are flying more and more full every day, and they have no intention of providing a fair ratio of base level award seats when they can sell 'em, especially since no one can force them to honor base level awards (ie no governmental oversight).
Bottom line - if there ain't award availability, then run, faast, away from the airline, and migrate your credit card charging effort to generic points programs like USAA Eagle Points, or Capital One's program, so you can CHOOSE your flying partner and then spend money to buy yout ticket.
IMO - the "value proposition" of legacy airline affinity programs is going downhill fast, as legacy airlines continue to kill the goose that laid them golden eggs for years...ie affinity programs which generated real, hard "today" cash for some undertermined liability of "future award travel". This good faith promosition offered tangible value and the equation "worked" for both legacy airline and the consuming public (ie award inventory could handle the demand for them) . No more. My view is legacy airlines are drawing down award inventory since they desperately need to SELL seats, simultaneously selling miles at ever-increeasing pace through affinity partners as they are desperate for external, high margin partner and affinity income with little risk or downside. In effect, airlines have created their own currency (with no governmental oversight), and in this market when legacy airlines are in deep trouble, they are radically inflating the value of their currency. #1 way to inflate their currency ? Sell more miles, draw down th award inventory. Continental does it better than anyone. AA is taking notes and modeling the exact same technique - just not as aadvanced as Continental.
Last edited by ILUVCITIBANK; Jun 23, 2005 at 6:41 am
Jun 23, 2005 | 7:09 am
#17
Flyertalk Posting Legend Moderator: Credit Card Programs, American Express, Capital One, Chase, Citi, Diners Club, Eco Travel, Signatures
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA, IHG & Marriott Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 51,877
<<process was for your to transfer from AA to DC? Who you had to call ect?>>
No need to call, it's done online here...
https://redeemaamiles.points.com/home.jsp
I suggest you click [View all award options] to see the conversion ratios. You may conclude it is better value to convert to one of the hotel or car rental programs where you can redeem the points directly for an award, rather than make the double conversion to CO because some value is lost in each step.
dennis
No need to call, it's done online here...
https://redeemaamiles.points.com/home.jsp
I suggest you click [View all award options] to see the conversion ratios. You may conclude it is better value to convert to one of the hotel or car rental programs where you can redeem the points directly for an award, rather than make the double conversion to CO because some value is lost in each step.
dennis