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Old Feb 28, 2023 | 1:03 am
  #16  
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So I found a Turkish Airlines business class flight to DPS for $4000 (tax included). I see on their website I can purchase the ticket with 180k miles. I can transfer 480000 Bonvoy points to get 180k miles to purchase the ticket with $529.60 fees. Is that a good use of Marriott points?
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Old Feb 28, 2023 | 6:30 am
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Originally Posted by ibmffx
So I found a Turkish Airlines business class flight to DPS for $4000 (tax included). I see on their website I can purchase the ticket with 180k miles. I can transfer 480000 Bonvoy points to get 180k miles to purchase the ticket with $529.60 fees. Is that a good use of Marriott points?
United should not charge $529.60 in 'fees' ... how does that work? 180k miles is also a bit of a strange number ... from where to DPS is that?
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Old Feb 28, 2023 | 9:01 am
  #18  
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From IAD to DPS.

It is not United that is charging $529.60 in fees. It's Turkish Airlines charging that fees if you book with miles.

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Old Feb 28, 2023 | 9:27 am
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Originally Posted by ibmffx
So I found a Turkish Airlines business class flight to DPS for $4000 (tax included). I see on their website I can purchase the ticket with 180k miles. I can transfer 480000 Bonvoy points to get 180k miles to purchase the ticket with $529.60 fees. Is that a good use of Marriott points?
$3500 for 480,000 Marriott points is an average valuation at best, but if you have a surfeit of Marriott points, it's not an awful one.
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Old Feb 28, 2023 | 9:34 am
  #20  
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It would use all of my Marriott points so I wouldn't say I have a surplus. Would you still do it?
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Old Feb 28, 2023 | 9:46 am
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Originally Posted by ibmffx
It would use all of my Marriott points so I wouldn't say I have a surplus. Would you still do it?
Does this cover all of your passengers, or is it just one person? Approximately how long until you travel?

And, probably more to the point -- how much are you going to spend on hotels that could otherwise be paid with those points? Keep in mind that Marriott will allow you a free night for every 4 on an award stay -- so 5 nights for the price of 4, or 10 for the price of 8.
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Old Feb 28, 2023 | 10:45 am
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Originally Posted by jsloan
Does this cover all of your passengers, or is it just one person? Approximately how long until you travel?

And, probably more to the point -- how much are you going to spend on hotels that could otherwise be paid with those points? Keep in mind that Marriott will allow you a free night for every 4 on an award stay -- so 5 nights for the price of 4, or 10 for the price of 8.
It will cover me. Everyone else has bought their tickets on their own. As for Marriott I was looking at hotels in Japan and with 460k points it will cover like 5-8 nights max.
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Old Feb 28, 2023 | 11:11 am
  #23  
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Originally Posted by ibmffx
It will cover me. Everyone else has bought their tickets on their own. As for Marriott I was looking at hotels in Japan and with 460k points it will cover like 5-8 nights max.
Right, but what's the price of those hotels if booked with cash? That's really what you're talking about -- is it better to get $3500 in value from TK or to get $X in value from Marriott? Marriott's hotels in Japan aren't exactly cheap.
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Old Feb 28, 2023 | 11:29 am
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Originally Posted by jsloan
Right, but what's the price of those hotels if booked with cash? That's really what you're talking about -- is it better to get $3500 in value from TK or to get $X in value from Marriott? Marriott's hotels in Japan aren't exactly cheap.
~$250/night
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Old Feb 28, 2023 | 11:51 am
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Originally Posted by ibmffx
~$250/night
In that case, I'd say the TK exchange is pretty good value.

I generally don't suggest that people spend too much energy worrying about getting optimal value out of their miles / points, because they're rapidly devaluing anyway.

That said, how many miles is the equivalent UA redemption? UA gets an extra 10% on Marriott redemptions, doesn't charge $500 in fees, and will give you PQP toward status requalification for award flights on its metal. And, if something goes sideways, you're dealing as a status member with UA rather than as a non-status member with TK.
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Old Feb 28, 2023 | 12:01 pm
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Originally Posted by jsloan
In that case, I'd say the TK exchange is pretty good value.

I generally don't suggest that people spend too much energy worrying about getting optimal value out of their miles / points, because they're rapidly devaluing anyway.

That said, how many miles is the equivalent UA redemption? UA gets an extra 10% on Marriott redemptions, doesn't charge $500 in fees, and will give you PQP toward status requalification for award flights on its metal. And, if something goes sideways, you're dealing as a status member with UA rather than as a non-status member with TK.
I can't even find the flight from UA. Leaving May 19th from IAD to DPS I don't even see the TK option. Is there a reason for that?
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Old Feb 28, 2023 | 1:50 pm
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Originally Posted by ibmffx
I can't even find the flight from UA. Leaving May 19th from IAD to DPS I don't even see the TK option. Is there a reason for that?
Yes, because TK isn't offering space to its partners. It's common. I was suggesting your original routing -- IAD-SFO-SIN-DPS. But if your crew has already picked out the TK flight, that's probably your best choice anyway, and I'd just use the Marriott points rather than give them $4K.
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Old Feb 28, 2023 | 10:10 pm
  #28  
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Originally Posted by ibmffx
From IAD to DPS.

It is not United that is charging $529.60 in fees. It's Turkish Airlines charging that fees if you book with miles.
Then you shouldn't be posting this in the UA forum since your question has absolutely nothing zippo to do with United ...
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