Site59 trip versus Using Miles: DILEMA
 

I don't usually post items like this, so I don't know that this is the correct forum to post it in. The trip is tomorrow morning so it should be a short lived thread either way.

Here is my dilema.

I am Plat with NWA and have a large amount of banked miles.

My mentor invited me to a conference in GSO this weekend about a week ago (two weeks prior to the conference). I invited a friend to travel with me and told him that I had miles and would cover the trip. He could not afford to go on his own, so either route I will cover the expenses.

I will be using my last Marriott BB that expires on 10/10 since we will be checking out on 10/9 so the hotel will stay the same.

The only available flights with NW miles were 10/7 dfw-dtw-gso in standard W availability with the return after the conference on the 9th in Standard First Class on DL GS0-ATL-DFW. For a total of 70,000 miles and $20 in taxes.

My mentor and his wife got booked on Direct flights DFW-GSO and GSO-DFW with AA.

Last night site59.com put the same exact flights on AA with a rental car for I think $670 ish for the two of us. I can use a $25 off coupon on site 59 so cash out of pocket would be $645 if I go this route.

In addition to the cash out of pocket I could redeposit my 70 K nw miles, get a refund on the taxes of $20 and not have to rent my car $80. So I would already be spending $100 of the $645.

So the real question: Is it a better deal to spend 70 K miles and fly 3 of the 4 segment (possibly all 4) in F with connections and then spend $100 on taxes and a rental car OR spend the $645 on AA fly with my mentor and his wife (we are taking them to the airport anyway since both flights leave within an hour of each other) on the same flights (but probably not seated together at this point in time)?

I am looking for the answer both in what is the best financial decision as well as the easiest travel decision.


My math would equate 70K miles to only be worth .0077 cents per mile if they could be "replaced" for $545. So I would tend to think from a purely economic standpoint I would be stupid not to fly AA (where I can earn miles on the trip also) and save my NWA miles for another trip. I rarely ever earn the miles for less than .01 so spending them at less probably does not make good economic sense.

I have to decide very very soon so any feedback would be appreciated.

I will check here, my pm and e-mail frequently today. Thanks for the advice.

I would pay and take the offer from site 59 since the flight seems to be better. You always take a chance of missing a connecting flight, thus missing part of the conference.

Im sure you'll be able to use your miles in the future on something else!

i think i will pay tghe money save the miles for a more expensive fligth

Site 59. I'm a part time travel agent and you can really get some great fares at the last minute. Alot of times, I can get my flight and a car for less than what the airlines are offering. Save the miles for something good.

ANother vote for Site59
 

I agree, save the miles for something good.

FYI, Site59 flights earn you AA miles so if you don't already have a AAdvantage numbers might as well enroll in AAdvantage then book via Site59.

Have a great trip!

A big thanks
 

Thanks to all for the unanimous responses to book at site 59.

I did just that and have since canceled the miles and the previously booked rental car reservation.

My mentor is 71 and just finished a round of Radiation so I really started thinking that there may not be alot more oppurtunities to spend time flying with him. So I thought I would take this oppurtunity.

I am glad that my thinking was along the lines of the rest of the knowledge base on FT. I looked on AA.com and the same flights were available for over $1000 a piece. I also just looked on ITN and the outbound is now showing Y1.

It would be quite a hoot for one or more of us to take a bump on a Site59 fare. Althougth that would basically defeat the purpose of being on the same flight.

On another vote for Site59, you should be able to get a $50 or $75 off coupon to use if you look around, any many times they give promos for using a Mastercard.

Nice call making the right choice.