does anyone know of any creative ways to convert (Amex) membership awards points to AA miles?

thanks!

belle

One route is to transfer MR points to US, then use them in combination with your AA miles for award travel. You need to do this soon, as requests to combine US and AA miles must be entered by August 23, 2001. The US mileage used in the award is credited to your total mileage count, which is nice.

Just taking a guess here,

Isn't TWA an airline choice in MR?
TWA and AA are partners. Can't you cash in MR to TWA, then book partner tix on AA?

Maybe someone can chime in on this.

July 3 was the last date to trafer from MR to TWA.

Not terribly creative, however, you can transfer MR points to the Hilton HHonors program, then redeem them for AA airline tickets via the HHonors program thereby earning airline miles on AA.

Transfer them to Marriott Rewards and then AA. If you have 150,000 MR points, the Amex points will transfer 1 to 1.

If you are thinking about transfering through Hilton, add an intermediate step by transferring to an airline (say DL, for example) first, then transfer those DL miles to Hilton. A direct transfer from MR to HHonors yields 1,300 HHonors points per 1,000 MR points, but 1,000 MR points yields 1,000 DL miles which in turn provide 2,000 HHonors points.

Of course, the problem with laundering via HHonors is that you will take a tremendous haircut when you convert HHonors points to AA miles (i.e. 10,000 HHonors points only yield 2,000 AA points).

well, am sending my in-laws to Australia, (yes, round trip ) from LAX, stopover HK during the x'mas-New Year's time
and CP is the only choice i found for them (nonstop LAX-HK, HK-SYD..etc.)

the fare is outrageously high, so am looking for ways to increase my AA miles to get them two CP award biz class tix, which unblievably, were available on ALL segments when i called AA last night

i have tons of Delta miles and MAR points, but not enough on AA, am hoping through your collective wisdom, knowledge and creativity, might come up with other means of accruing (quickly) AA miles, legitimately, of course

(am also spending as much and as fast as i could using my Citibank AA MasterCard)

your suggestion and advice in helping me become my in-laws' most favourite daughter-in-law would be greatly appreciated

Since you have "tons of Delta points", why not sent them on Singapore Airlines in Business Class?

did check all possible ways, but can't remember exactly on this one, either SQ does not offer award tix to Australia, or they need TWO award tix, LAX-HKG and HKG-SYD

i think also SQ has blackout dates while CP has none


[This message has been edited by belle3388 (edited 07-18-2001).]

SQ has no blackouts, but does not offer awards using DL miles down under.

Buy US savings bonds charged to your AA citibank card. You can buy up to $30,000 per year per SS#. I bonds are paying 5.92% right now. So if you have money in a savings account, just sitting there, you might consider this. You have to keep them for 6 months, and if you cash them in before 5 yrs you lose 3 months interest. The loss of interest if you choose not to keep them 5 yrs might still be a cheap way of "buying miles." Dine out a lot at restaurants in the AA program. Join C2it and send someone money. Do the 20/20 partner promotion and get 20,000 miles (maybe too late) On AA, I don't know about partners, you can keep postponing the "hold" you have on a ticket.

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DtG

Keep in mind that you can buy gift certificates @ the restaurants, as well, so you can essentially "buy ahead", without having to actually eat any meals now...

thanks for the input, guys!

seems like US savings bonds is a quicker way to accumulate miles needed for i will probably have to buy a lifetime's worth of dining certificates to accumulate 100,000 miles!

btw, what is c2it?

C2it, run by citibank allows you to e-mail money, and it can be taken out of you aadvantage credit card and counts as a purchase. Before you get too excited, the limits are 500 every 2 days, and 1000 every 4 days. The first 30 days are fee free (used to be 90 days). Go to www.c2it.com Of course it works best if your family has more than 1 affinity card (only mc and visa can be used). You can deposit the money into a savings account (takes time to set up) or other credit card (instant). If you have several people in your circle, it is better, as they do monitor accounts, and can cancel excessive activity, or if it looks like you are JUST doing this for the miles. So, if your wife had an affinity card, your father, your brother, or any one you trust that will send you back (directly or indirectly) the money you have sent. After 30 days, they charge 1% for the transaction - viewed by many as a cheap way of buying miles, that you would have to decide.

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DtG