Use all SPG points or cash+points?
Mar 18, 2009, 2:37 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: EWR
Posts: 50
Use all SPG points or cash+points?
I am planning a trip to Paris with the wife near the end of April.
I am using 40,000 miles per ticket (plus $105 taxes) to fly AA JFK-LHR, will stay with famiy in London for a couple of nights before heading to Paris.
In Paris, I am staying 3 nights and I found the following hotel with these options:
Le Meridien Montparnasse (cash option is $585 for three nights)
If I use points I can do either:
10000 pts/night = 30000
or
4000 pts + $60 /night = 12000 + $180
Should I book using all SPG points, or do the cash + points option? I have seen some other threads giving cash value of points and such, but not sure how it breaks down.
I am currently SPG Gold.
Thanks in advance
I am using 40,000 miles per ticket (plus $105 taxes) to fly AA JFK-LHR, will stay with famiy in London for a couple of nights before heading to Paris.
In Paris, I am staying 3 nights and I found the following hotel with these options:
Le Meridien Montparnasse (cash option is $585 for three nights)
If I use points I can do either:
10000 pts/night = 30000
or
4000 pts + $60 /night = 12000 + $180
Should I book using all SPG points, or do the cash + points option? I have seen some other threads giving cash value of points and such, but not sure how it breaks down.
I am currently SPG Gold.
Thanks in advance
Mar 18, 2009, 2:46 pm
#2
Join Date: Jun 2007
Programs: CO-plat, SPG-plat
Posts: 1,655
How is your cash position? If you are not hurting for cash, select the C&P option. You receive much better value for your points with C&P. The points difference between the 2 comes out to 18,000 points for a small payment of $180. You effectively pay only $0.01/point for the points saved and receive $0.045/point for the points redeemed.
The only other thing to look into is the taxes. If that city/country imposes exhorbitant per room taxes/fees, you might consider using points stay.
Neither points or C&P stays accrue night/stay credit, so they are equivalent in that regard.
The only other thing to look into is the taxes. If that city/country imposes exhorbitant per room taxes/fees, you might consider using points stay.
Neither points or C&P stays accrue night/stay credit, so they are equivalent in that regard.
Mar 18, 2009, 3:01 pm
#3
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Kansas City
Programs: Marriott Gold, Hilton Diamond, Delta Gold, United 1P
Posts: 69
Well comparing the cash value of points between points only and cash and points is a little easier than comparing Cash only vs. points only.
To compare cash only vs. points only you can't just compare the points you would spend vs. the cash you would spend, you must also compare the points you would gain if you used cash. Since you are Gold you earn 3 points per dollar spent, plus any points you would get from promos. So you give up at least 1755 points (probably more if any promos are going on). So take the $585 you would spend and divide it by the 1755 points you would have gained + the 30,000 points you would spend using points.
That puts cash value at 1.84 cents per point.
If you use cash and points take the 585 - 120 / (12000 + 1755) for a cash value of 3.38 cents per point.
If I were you I would do the cash and points if it is available and depending on my free cash flow and promos at the time would possibly even do a cash booking.
To compare cash only vs. points only you can't just compare the points you would spend vs. the cash you would spend, you must also compare the points you would gain if you used cash. Since you are Gold you earn 3 points per dollar spent, plus any points you would get from promos. So you give up at least 1755 points (probably more if any promos are going on). So take the $585 you would spend and divide it by the 1755 points you would have gained + the 30,000 points you would spend using points.
That puts cash value at 1.84 cents per point.
If you use cash and points take the 585 - 120 / (12000 + 1755) for a cash value of 3.38 cents per point.
If I were you I would do the cash and points if it is available and depending on my free cash flow and promos at the time would possibly even do a cash booking.
Mar 18, 2009, 3:28 pm
#4
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Utrecht, the Netherlands
Programs: Marriott LTP, Hilton Gold, ITA Elite+, Cathay S, Singapore S, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 3,147
I'd probably go for the C&P option. though you have to ask yourself a couple of questions like:
Are you planning to try to reach platinum status this year, if so would you need these nights?
Are there any current promos that will give you loads of points on a cash stay?
Are you planning to try to reach platinum status this year, if so would you need these nights?
Are there any current promos that will give you loads of points on a cash stay?
Mar 18, 2009, 3:36 pm
#5
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Lafayette, CO, USA
Programs: SPG Lifetime Plat, AA Gold, UA Gold, DL Silver, HH Gold, Vail Epic
Posts: 9,096
Is that the best cash price? Though it would be a non-refundable rate, the C3E rates have been pretty favorable there.
An example for a slightly random 3-day period of Apr 17-20. EUR 352 total (US$ 461)
If you don't need the stay credits and have no better plans for the points, I'd probably say do the C&P.
An example for a slightly random 3-day period of Apr 17-20. EUR 352 total (US$ 461)
If you don't need the stay credits and have no better plans for the points, I'd probably say do the C&P.
Last edited by sc flier; Mar 18, 2009 at 3:42 pm
Mar 18, 2009, 4:36 pm
#6
Community Director Emerita
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Anywhere warm
Posts: 33,737
Remember, you could pay for 1 night and use points or C+P for the other two nights and get your stay credit.
Mar 18, 2009, 5:42 pm
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: EWR
Posts: 50
Cheers for the replies everyone.. I am nowhere NEAR getting platinum. So stay credits dont matter. I got my gold status based on spending on the SPG AMEX in 2008.
Based on your above posts, the C+P option is goign to be best for me. I have ample cash flow, and ample SPG points. While I do want to start using my points, I dont want to just throw them away.
Thanks again everyone
Based on your above posts, the C+P option is goign to be best for me. I have ample cash flow, and ample SPG points. While I do want to start using my points, I dont want to just throw them away.
Thanks again everyone
Mar 18, 2009, 5:49 pm
#8
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 1999
Posts: 24,153
I do C&P whenever I can unless the rate is really low and my stash of pts is slowly going down thanks to a Cat1 going to 2 then 3 now 4.
But Id pay full pts when the rate is high and no C&P is available. So its Low rate, then C&P, then all Pts
But Id pay full pts when the rate is high and no C&P is available. So its Low rate, then C&P, then all Pts
May 11, 2009, 11:49 pm
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: EWR
Posts: 50
We are back from our Europe adventure. We ended up going for 12 days so spent a couple of days in Geneva, 5 days in Paris instead of 3, and 4 days in London.
Anyway, I ended up using the 5th night free promo when using points, so I got 5 nights at the Le Merid Montparnasse for 40,000 SPG points. We didnt use the 5th night, but we were able to pass it on to my cousin who was arriving in Paris for the weekend. And we were also able to use the room all day as our flight wasnt until 10pm out of CDG.
Thanks again everyone for your input!
Anyway, I ended up using the 5th night free promo when using points, so I got 5 nights at the Le Merid Montparnasse for 40,000 SPG points. We didnt use the 5th night, but we were able to pass it on to my cousin who was arriving in Paris for the weekend. And we were also able to use the room all day as our flight wasnt until 10pm out of CDG.
Thanks again everyone for your input!
