Use Starpoints for flights -- SPG Flights

 
Old Sep 2, 2008, 10:15 am
  #61  
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Originally Posted by jrothenb
For example, I just recently booked a flight from the East Coast to Seattle for $250 all-in. Had I booked this using the new SPG Flights option, the ticket would have required 20,000 Starpoints, but after flying I would have earned back an additional 9,000 frequent flyer miles. See the Mileage Run forum for excellent ways to maximize your value.
You value Starpoints too low. I just spend 20,000 points a night for an incredible suite at a Luxury Collection hotel that would have cost me over $2000 even with my corporate discount.
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Old Sep 2, 2008, 10:16 am
  #62  
 
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Originally Posted by soitgoes
As long as SPG doesn't reduce/eliminate/'enhance' their airline transfer program, this is a Good Thing. It's an extra option, and choices are always good.
I am concerned that this could be a prelude to ditching the airline mileage transfer program. Also, flight ticket cost structure resembles a sub-par program I don't care for: Capital One No Hassle Miles Card.
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Old Sep 2, 2008, 10:21 am
  #63  
 
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Originally Posted by dldkjones
I am concerned that this could be a prelude to ditching the airline mileage transfer program.
That is a scary thought indeed.
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Old Sep 2, 2008, 10:23 am
  #64  
 
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well it could be good. it seems like flights are around 30k spg pts. i could get the same for 20k spg transferred, but would get to accumulate miles. may work better for last min bookings? just did a quick weekend look for bos this weekend, 80k spg. dont know about that. time will tell if this is something i wanna use
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Old Sep 2, 2008, 10:30 am
  #65  
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Looks like points for hotel night is still much better.
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Old Sep 2, 2008, 10:30 am
  #66  
 
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Unhappy

Nothing for me! I have checked right now a flight in Europe on Lufthansa.com.
There are non-stop flights available. The new spg shows only 1 stop returns...

and the shown alternatives are sometimes crazy
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Old Sep 2, 2008, 10:44 am
  #67  
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Another example of no matter what Starwood would have proposed or offered people on this board would complain about it. . .
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Old Sep 2, 2008, 10:57 am
  #68  
 
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Originally Posted by stimpy
You value Starpoints too low. I just spend 20,000 points a night for an incredible suite at a Luxury Collection hotel that would have cost me over $2000 even with my corporate discount.
Stimpy -- surely you'd acknowledge that getting $1000 value for 10K in SPG points is not a middle-of-the-road experience. That's extra-super-mega-extraordinary by any standard.

I equate a 10K room night with a $180-$200 room rate.
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Old Sep 2, 2008, 11:05 am
  #69  
 
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Originally Posted by ldsant
Another example of no matter what Starwood would have proposed or offered people on this board would complain about it. . .
Well said.
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Old Sep 2, 2008, 11:07 am
  #70  
 
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Originally Posted by droder1
i just realized they make no effort in hiding the redemption value, chart posted on the front page.
That transparency is very good -- and all too rare in loyalty programs.

Originally Posted by barrytel
Just did a dummy booking for LHR-IAD, Business Class

295,000 points required for both BA, all in (fees, surcharges etc)

However, if using points transferred to BA, only 80,000 points required (= 100K miles with the SPG transfer bonus). However, you still have to pay the full whack for fees and surcharges on BA redemption bookings, say 300.

Also, i'm not sure what fare buckets the SPG flights are booked in. If they are booked in a paid-fare bucket then it may be worthwhile to part with the 295k points on flights where award redemption availability is zero - otherwise I really don't see the point
Originally Posted by sbtinme
That makes a truckload of assumptions, including that you'd be able to easily find seats on the days you'd like in C/J for 80K on BA. Not the easiest task, is it?

As has been said clearly, this is not a perfect program for one and all. It's a solid addition to the current SPG program. Like you, I'd probably not opt to use 300K points for one ticket from LHR, but I'd be happy to use 30,000 points to get home for a family funeral at the last minute and not be dinged with $125 booking fees from an airline for "late redemption" charges. Additionally, for that 30K ticket, I'm eligible for my standard upgrades to F (since the ticket is purchased) and I earn miles on the airline.

That's not the worst thing to come down the pike.
Originally Posted by Jumpgate
A good, solid, plan B and another option for award travel. Thank you SPG. ^
I think that, reading these 3 posts together, shows the real value here: it's another option, that won't always work for everyone, but may help some people some times.

And, if it doesn't work for you, don't use it -- it's not as if SPG took something else away and replaced it with this.

My sense is that it will be better for Y tix than for F/J tix -- and that doesn't fit with my mileage/point spend habits (I wouldn't use $$ for most of the premium pricing for premium cabins, but would willingly "spend" points for them).
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Old Sep 2, 2008, 11:09 am
  #71  
 
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I applaud SPG for offering more options to members.
Unfortunately, this offer will not benefit me.
So, in summary, thanks but no thanks.
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Old Sep 2, 2008, 11:12 am
  #72  
 
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Originally Posted by jrothenb
This is an excellent enhancement
If an airline ticket received via points redemptions through this program is considered by the airline to be the same as a paid ticket.....then I would also agree that this COULD very likely be an extremely positive benefit for some people (i.e. those who hold elite status on an airline and travel primarily within the US).......like myself.

Personal example:

On Delta.....it would cost me a minimum of 25,000 miles + fuel surcharge and fees for a domestic Saver transcon coach award ticket......and I would be stuck in coach for the flight (unlike NW, Delta doesn't currently offer the possibility of getting upgraded on a domestic award ticket)......or have to redeem 45K miles for a Saver first/business award.............more fees and miles if itinerary includes a segment on a partner airline.

For approx 30K Starpoints....I could get a ticket on the same flight and earn about 10K Skymiles/5K MQMs (useful for elite qualification) and most importantly.....am very likely to get upgraded due to my Platinum Medallion status!

The only trade-off is not being able to take advantage of the free stopover that is offered on Delta award tickets.

As far as getting the best value for my Starpoints......

Given an average redemption rate of 10K Starpoints per night for a Cat4 hotel that usually goes for $200-400 per night............30K would translate into $600-1200 worth of value.

Compare that to very likely getting a first/business class seat on a transcon flight (at least...I've never missed being upgraded on any transcon flights out of JFK on Delta), 10K Skymiles and 5K MQMs......and it's a no-brainer as to which use of Starpoints could be considered more valuable......to me anyway.

Heck....an even better use of points would have been during the recent fare sale to Hawaii.........as 35K Starpoints for a $470 ticket would have gotten me 20K Skymiles and 10K MQMs and likely upgrades on all of the domestic segments (NYC-CA and back)!

If only Starwood had announced this program a month ago.......



My only concern is if we are misunderstanding something about this program that would preclude the airlines from having to offer elite benefits and mileage accrual for these tickets.......as without them (especially mileage accrual and complimentary elite upgrades), I would have to say that using points for hotel stays might be more valuable..........and precisely why I previously said only SOME people would likely benefit the most from this new program.

As with all new programs, I think only time will tell if this new redemption option works as assumed based on the info that has been released so far.

Now....who among us is willing to be the first 'guinea pig' to test it?

A.J.
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Old Sep 2, 2008, 11:14 am
  #73  
 
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Originally Posted by stimpy
You value Starpoints too low. I just spend 20,000 points a night for an incredible suite at a Luxury Collection hotel that would have cost me over $2000 even with my corporate discount.
Hotel and airline programs can offer wonderful win-win situations for themselves and their customers for two main reasons:
  • if unsold, their products (rooms or flights) lose their entire value overnight
  • for many if not most FTers, the perceived value of, say, a suite upgrade is much higher than the hotel's actual cost of giving away an otherwise unsold suite night
Whenever you redeem for tangible goods like a suitcase or a bottle of wine in a shop-with-your-miles scheme, the win-win situation of selling the soon-to-be-worthless item does not hold, resulting in valuations merely in the range of $0.01-$0.02 per point/mile. The revenue bucket feature puts SPG Flights into this category.

When valuing a $2000 suite for 20000 points at $0.10 per point, or $16000 6-sector flight in F for 240000 miles at $0.07 per point, an FTer like myself will base his/her expectations for a long-awaited Big Announcement accordingly. Let us hope the Sep 16 announcement will be more appealing.
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Old Sep 2, 2008, 11:17 am
  #74  
 
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This seems like just another in the long list of "opportunities" for credit card/loyalty programs to create options to redeem/burn points at high redemption rates. Maybe some people will use this, but I can't see why it's preferable to converting into the airline miles and redeeming directly, although on domestic tickets you might come out OK if you need to redeem double mileage Anytime Awards. Anyway, it's not worth any major fanfare and is nothing to get excited about.
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Old Sep 2, 2008, 11:26 am
  #75  
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This also makes SPG points more akin to regular AMEX award points.

Is the redemption chart similar to the "book with points" option that regular membership awards points are eligible for?
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