notsosmart

So, anyway, has anyone taken advantage yet? Has anyone even remotely considered doing so in the future?

dms11364

Pluses
Most flights and seats vs. a few airline capacity controlled award seats on a limited number of flights.
Did not replace the 1/1 points to miles transfer (but, see Minuses).

Minuses
Completely non-refundable vs airline refundable (granted with $ penalties, but at least the miles are restored to your account).
Could this be the precursor to eliminating the 1/1 points to miles transfer?

What I would really like *wood to do
Join Rewards Network dining. I currently use AA dining. Ten miles per $ plus bonuses. The miles add up fast. I would gladly transfer that earning power to *wood as it would give me more flexibility to either redeem or transfer points.

Merge or acquire a mid-price hotel chain (Choice, Holiday Inn, Hampton, etc.). There are just not enough *wood properties.

MichaelColey

+1 on that wish list! I'm surprised they haven't done the first. I doubt the second will ever happen, but we can wish.

Flying Lawyer

The PLUS appears to be not a real plus if you collect your miles with a real (profitable) airline like Lufthansa. I never have any problems to get my seats in particular in premium classes (I mostly fly European and TATL).

And the MINUS appears to be the only PLUS; The tickets are to my understandig as redundable as an regular airline ticket is. If I spend 859421 points for a LH F-Class ticket over the pond, cancellation gets me 7404 Euro (or: 10735 USD) in cash. Some people would call that a good deal.

gozetta

Thanks to both SL's for answering this, but I'm a bit nervous. I could take a bunch of SPG points, book a refundable First Class fare (I believe all FC fares are refundable but could be wrong), then request a refund from the airline. Still seems weird, since it wasn't my credit card that booked it, what do they do send a check? I just made some $$ value coin from my SPG points? Wow, I guess it IS real currency.

Anyone willing to Guinea Pig this?

chanp

not I but wondered the same thing. do u base the value of the ticket by doing the same itin on the airlines website and assume thats the value of the ticket ur getting using points from spg??

yosithezet

Are you sure this is the way it works? On the call they mentioned a $35 fee plus any fees the airline may charge. I gathered that the $35 was to get the points back into the SPG account. Maybe I missed something somewhere.

dingo

Didn't we used to have an 'ignore' button!?

Renard

I think I'll be sticking to redeeming starpoints for hotel rooms.... this new flight program is a poor value in most cases imho

ijgordon

Typically the airlines terms & conditions would permit a refund to the original form of payment. It's not really clear how it works in this case. Clearly the customer is "paying" in points, but the airlines are not being paid in points, so there's a bit of a disconnect, with SPG in the middle. Unless it works like Amex, where your CC gets charged the amount of the ticket and then Amex/SPG credits it back after they account for the point deduction. That makes it a more direct transaction between the airline and passenger, with the points transaction occuring on the side between the passenger and Amex, and so a refund presumably goes right back on the credit card, effectively allowing monetization of the points (though not at great value).

With all due respect to the lurkers, I think you guys need to do a better job of communicating how this might work (or getting SPG to do a better job), instead of just passing it on to be an airline issue. You are an intermediary in this transaction after all.

D1andonlyDman

I completely agree

Starwood Lurker

Okay, so I've asked the SPG Flights guru if Thyetus and I are misunderstanding anything regarding how this works. If so, then one or both of us are more than happy to come back and update the thread.

But, the Terms and Conditions of this redemption offer state: Tickets are non-refundable. Not that they might be refundable under certain conditions, mind you...just non-refundable, which indicates to me two things: 1) travel insurance might be a good thing to invest in, and 2) the ticket should be considered as a cash-paid ticket.

Other than this, if a flight is cancelled, the airline goes on strike, or the airline goes out of business, the situation will be addressed by the airline involved and will be handled based on their prevailing terms and conditions.

Regardless, once tickets are purchased using Starpoints through SPG Flights, members are not going to receive a Starpoint refund regardless of what the circumstances are.

However, like I said, that is my current understanding of all this, which is readily available in the FAQ at spg.com/flights. If I've misunderstood what the real question is, then please feel free to point it out to me and I'll see if I can get further clarification.

Best regards,

William R. Sanders
Online Guest Feedback Coordinator
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide

[email protected]

lilpisher

William,

I think were the disconnect comes in as when we are told to treat them like a "cash-paid" ticket. For example, if an individual books a First class fare using SPG Flights, the T & C of SPG say that once the ticket is purchased, the SPG points are non-refundable, and to treat the ticket as if it was cash paid with the airline.

However, since a First class ticket is generally refundable, the prevailing airline T & Cs would allow for the flight to be voluntarily canceled by the customer. In this situation, where would the money be sent to? Or, is there no mechanism for this? When we are told its to be considered a cash-paid ticket that operates like any ticket directly purchased by the customer, this is were the confusion is caused (I think!).

FatManInNYC

+1 nothing to see here

troyintn

IF the flight you want is at full miles SPG is a decent deal. Also I normally buy my ticket and use points for the wife and kids. I earn and keep more hotel points then anything since, I still only need one room versus 3 plane tickets. In a couple of years we are going to Germany on points. I was stuck with buying a pricey ticket J/C or lose the miles now I can still do both.