Burn Miles of $$$?
 

Here is the dilemma. I have already qualified for Platinum for March 2004 through Feb 2005. I am over by a couple of thousand miles. I am postponing unncessary personal travel into 2004. All of my travel this year was personal. I need to take at least one more trip home before the end of 2003. I can get an award ticket for 25000 miles MOB-DCA or purchase a ticket for about $180-190 MSY-BWI(NO World Club at BWI). What do you guys think?

Edited for typos

[This message has been edited by Yaatri (edited 10-07-2003).]

Here's what I'd do...

If cash flow is somewhat of an issue at this time, don't hesitate to use the miles, even though it doesn't appear to be a good usage of miles. The fact is that $180 can mean more or less to you at any given time in your life!

If the cash flow is not a significant issue at this point in time, then go ahead and buy the tickets and save the balance of miles for travel you might not make otherwise!

Pay the $$$ just because it's relatively cheap. If it was 25,000 miles vs. $400, then just use the miles.

- Pat

I agree - my break point is about $350 (with taxes, etc.) vs. 25,000 miles.

$180 - on NW to earn Elite (and 150% bonus) plus, some pts to Mile-a-Rama, etc.. seems like a nice option - on NW. If it was another airline - a little less value in "wasted miles" (which I feel I am doing on a non-NW/partner flight).

If it was $450-600 or more - use the miles. Since it is cheap and still available on award tickets - flights might not be too full.

Congrats on Plat for 2004 already! - I am planning out rest of yr - think I will just clear Gold. From MSP no dom flight is over 1600 miles.. Sometimes I wish I could "connect" from a small city and get extra EQM.

At that price, I agree with the others, $180ish is too cheap to waste 25,000 miles. If it doesn't cause any financial hardship, I would just buy the cheap fare.

Congrats on Platinum! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Try to pay money for the ticket..

Pay cash. 25000 miles is worth more than $180

And since you will probably get about 5K miles if you pay, you will have a 30K larger balance then if you burned the 25K.

Well, thank you all fdor yor comments. My yeield management thinking was along your lines too. But the window for $180 fare was gone. I was able to snatch a $211 fare GPT-MEM-DCA as opposed to MOB-MEM-DCA for the award ticket. MOB is a lot further away from my apartment than GPT is for me. The $180 fare was from MSY-BWI. BWI is also a lot further from my home in MD. And Mesaba is back in Gulfport halftime. Looking forward to the AVRO's and First Class again.