CO or AL? Best use of Amex MR
May 2, 2009 | 6:17 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: WAS
Programs: AA EXP2M, DL 1MM DM ext, UA PP <=> HH G/Marr PE/Hyatt G/IHG P FT RA ( Recovering Addict)
Posts: 4,903
CO or AS? Best use of Amex MR
I have 150k points left with Membership rewards.
I am still hanging on to my gold card until I can decide what to do.
I already transferred 60k to Delta; now can't use them.
I used up 60k on Frontier at 15k per ticket. to DEN for Spring Break.
Now they are 20k each, can go in Dec / next year again perhaps
I looked at ANA; nice for East Coast to UK - rest is questionable.
Also not freely transferable to friends or extended family
Lastly have to decide earn more on Amex or not;
Has been good with Customer service for all my refund issues so far.
Has not been good for increasing the line on my *wood card
Options
1. AS
I go to Asia once a year - BA awards are very tempting.
I can get and have signed up with BofA to change my US visa to AL
The Freddie awards give good marks to AL -
but I have never used them, yet.
2.CO
Flew once 10 yrs ago before I knew anything about miles.
I have a Chase United MP that I can convert to CO Chairmans card and get Lounge on DL/NW for this year and from Oct get to the RCC for free?
Only way to transfer Amex to US based *A carrier in future.
I see offer for 20k for opening Chase Checking here
? can fund it with the card as well?
Any and all opinions welcome
I am still hanging on to my gold card until I can decide what to do.
I already transferred 60k to Delta; now can't use them.
I used up 60k on Frontier at 15k per ticket. to DEN for Spring Break.
Now they are 20k each, can go in Dec / next year again perhaps
I looked at ANA; nice for East Coast to UK - rest is questionable.
Also not freely transferable to friends or extended family
Lastly have to decide earn more on Amex or not;
Has been good with Customer service for all my refund issues so far.
Has not been good for increasing the line on my *wood card
Options
1. AS
I go to Asia once a year - BA awards are very tempting.
I can get and have signed up with BofA to change my US visa to AL
The Freddie awards give good marks to AL -
but I have never used them, yet.
2.CO
Flew once 10 yrs ago before I knew anything about miles.
I have a Chase United MP that I can convert to CO Chairmans card and get Lounge on DL/NW for this year and from Oct get to the RCC for free?
Only way to transfer Amex to US based *A carrier in future.
I see offer for 20k for opening Chase Checking here
? can fund it with the card as well?
Any and all opinions welcome
Last edited by ffI; May 3, 2009 at 7:10 pm Reason: Alaska ia AS not AL
May 3, 2009 | 12:45 pm
#2
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Varies :-)
Programs: AS; AA; UA; DL; VS; BA; Nat'l Emer. Exec.; AGR
Posts: 2,251
Do you mean AS, not AL?
One outbound route for your CO miles (if they're as obnoxious about redemptions as they were several years ago) is to call them and transfer them to Amtrak. But with a lot of luck, maybe you'll be able to use them for a *A award to do SQ transatlantic. (They fly JFK-FRA nonstop.)
One outbound route for your CO miles (if they're as obnoxious about redemptions as they were several years ago) is to call them and transfer them to Amtrak. But with a lot of luck, maybe you'll be able to use them for a *A award to do SQ transatlantic. (They fly JFK-FRA nonstop.)
May 3, 2009 | 7:13 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: WAS
Programs: AA EXP2M, DL 1MM DM ext, UA PP <=> HH G/Marr PE/Hyatt G/IHG P FT RA ( Recovering Addict)
Posts: 4,903
Do you mean AS, not AL?
One outbound route for your CO miles (if they're as obnoxious about redemptions as they were several years ago) is to call them and transfer them to Amtrak. But with a lot of luck, maybe you'll be able to use them for a *A award to do SQ transatlantic. (They fly JFK-FRA nonstop.)
One outbound route for your CO miles (if they're as obnoxious about redemptions as they were several years ago) is to call them and transfer them to Amtrak. But with a lot of luck, maybe you'll be able to use them for a *A award to do SQ transatlantic. (They fly JFK-FRA nonstop.)
You are right AS, not AL
I was hoping to use CO only after Nov when they join *A
They also go nonstop to India, but only to DEL from EWR.
May 4, 2009 | 12:52 pm
#4
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend, Moderator, Information Desk, Ambassador, Alaska Airlines
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: FAI
Programs: AS MVP Gold100K, AS 1MM, Maika`i Card, AGR, Hertz PC, Marriott Lifetime Plat, CO, 7H, BA, 8E
Posts: 44,387
Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry9000/4.6.0.167 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/102 UP.Link/6.3.1.20.06.3.1.20.0)
AS implimented BA's fuel surcharge in December- so expect to pay a little extra with that...
AS does have a wide variety of domestic and international partners ranging from the aforementioned BA to QF, CX, KE, AF, KL, and they are even courting EK right now
AS implimented BA's fuel surcharge in December- so expect to pay a little extra with that...
AS does have a wide variety of domestic and international partners ranging from the aforementioned BA to QF, CX, KE, AF, KL, and they are even courting EK right now
Last edited by beckoa; May 4, 2009 at 12:56 pm
May 4, 2009 | 1:42 pm
#5
Original Member and FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Kansas City, MO, USA
Programs: DL PM/MM, AA ExPlat, Hyatt Glob, HH Dia, National ECE, Hertz PC
Posts: 16,619
150,000 MR points = 100 Southwest Rapid Rewards credits = 6 Free R/T tickets + Companion Pass
Obviously this is only useful for domestic travel, but in effect you get twelve free tickets (6 R/T + Bring companion along for free).
Obviously this is only useful for domestic travel, but in effect you get twelve free tickets (6 R/T + Bring companion along for free).
May 4, 2009 | 4:07 pm
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: WAS
Programs: AA EXP2M, DL 1MM DM ext, UA PP <=> HH G/Marr PE/Hyatt G/IHG P FT RA ( Recovering Addict)
Posts: 4,903
Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry9000/4.6.0.167 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/102 UP.Link/6.3.1.20.06.3.1.20.0)
AS implimented BA's fuel surcharge in December- so expect to pay a little extra with that...
AS does have a wide variety of domestic and international partners ranging from the aforementioned BA to QF, CX, KE, AF, KL, and they are even courting EK right now
AS implimented BA's fuel surcharge in December- so expect to pay a little extra with that...
AS does have a wide variety of domestic and international partners ranging from the aforementioned BA to QF, CX, KE, AF, KL, and they are even courting EK right now
I can't even find any route for redemption with Amex MR for AS.
I mixed up Horizon Air for Hawaiian Air
The options are really Aeroplan / Continental / ANA / SQ for *A
Mexicana / Iberia for OW
Aeromexico / Delta / Flying Blue for ST
Southwest / Air Tran / Jet Blue / Hawaiian / Frontier for local.
Mille Miglia is not good as Alitalia is in trouble.
Similarly for Frontier, but I have used up a few already.
Hawaiian can get awards on ST mainly,
may be better to wait for DL partner promos.
I have a M miles on DL after the merger with NW
Flying Blue awards are more expensive than DL on ST.
Jet Blue ?will be taken over by LH which bought a stake in it.
I am not sure about the non-US airlines and
the ease of redemption on partners.
There is no way to get BA or AA miles, which I lack the most
Has anyone experience with Mexicana or Iberia?
Am I right in thinking Aeroplan or Continental and just go with either?
May 5, 2009 | 9:12 pm
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: WAS
Programs: AA EXP2M, DL 1MM DM ext, UA PP <=> HH G/Marr PE/Hyatt G/IHG P FT RA ( Recovering Addict)
Posts: 4,903
I have a half million that I transferred to NW as they dont expire.
The problem is finding places to go to on my schedule.
So far it has been much easier to book on AA and US/UA, as they hodl it for 3-5 days and one can verify the other details.
With DL, it has to be ticketed at once, unless you book and hold online. I was able to do it online once (my first experience with DL before I read FT) and I foolishly transferred what Amex MR I had to DL and now have a whole bunch.
The problem is finding places to go to on my schedule.
So far it has been much easier to book on AA and US/UA, as they hodl it for 3-5 days and one can verify the other details.
With DL, it has to be ticketed at once, unless you book and hold online. I was able to do it online once (my first experience with DL before I read FT) and I foolishly transferred what Amex MR I had to DL and now have a whole bunch.