Buy Tix or Burn Miles?
Dec 6, 2002, 11:12 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: The First State, USA - Bonvoy Gold, Honors Gold, Hyatt Discoverist, IHG Gold - FWIW
Posts: 922
Buy Tix or Burn Miles?
OK, so I found this great C fare to CDG, ex-PHL for late December with an early January return... Envoy for under $1000 (with corporate discount). Ordinarily, too rich for my blood, but such a deal that it's worth the splurge.
Question is: given the situation with US, is it wise to spend the money and get all the miles and bonuses associated with a C fare... or should I just cash in 160K miles for a Premium Envoy award? (no Standard Award inventory left and a Premium Coach won't confirm an upgrade now).
Thoughts?
Question is: given the situation with US, is it wise to spend the money and get all the miles and bonuses associated with a C fare... or should I just cash in 160K miles for a Premium Envoy award? (no Standard Award inventory left and a Premium Coach won't confirm an upgrade now).
Thoughts?
Dec 7, 2002, 7:47 am
#2
Original Member and FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Kansas City, MO, USA
Programs: DL PM/MM, AA ExPlat, Hyatt Glob, HH Dia, National ECE, Hertz PC
Posts: 16,579
I'd save teh 160,000 miles for 3-4 premium coach tickets within the US and spend the $1,000 ...
Dec 7, 2002, 7:13 pm
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Freeload Univ. Where are you sitting?
Posts: 14,818
I must be the dumbest guy on this board.
I'm excited over making CP in a week or so.
I plan on flying US well into the coming year.
I have two Envoy award tix to CDG in September.
I'm still badgering DM for missing bonuses and getting them as if they mattered.
I refuse to panic. I refuse to panic. I refuse to panic. (said while stroking my cockroach pin)
I'm excited over making CP in a week or so.
I plan on flying US well into the coming year.
I have two Envoy award tix to CDG in September.
I'm still badgering DM for missing bonuses and getting them as if they mattered.
I refuse to panic. I refuse to panic. I refuse to panic. (said while stroking my cockroach pin)
Dec 7, 2002, 7:31 pm
#7
Original Member and FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Kansas City, MO, USA
Programs: DL PM/MM, AA ExPlat, Hyatt Glob, HH Dia, National ECE, Hertz PC
Posts: 16,579
Don't get me wrong, burn your miles, but don't waste them ... 3-4 premium coach tickets are much more valuable than a $1,000 paid trip in Envoy though ...
Dec 7, 2002, 8:49 pm
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: The First State, USA - Bonvoy Gold, Honors Gold, Hyatt Discoverist, IHG Gold - FWIW
Posts: 922
I guess I should've stated that I have over 600k DM in my account. So even if I spent the miles required for Premium Envoy, I'd still have quite a few to burn (including enough for a QF award).
I guess I'm still in a hoarding miles mindset and can't seem to swith to burning mode....
I guess I'm still in a hoarding miles mindset and can't seem to swith to burning mode....
Dec 7, 2002, 9:04 pm
#10
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,748
Arrzee,
I'd go for the miles! Even if US Airways were to cease operations, I doubt it'd be for another year or so, so you still have plenty of time to redeem them (and more opportunities with UA). Fares are going to go up, so we should take advantage of the deals while they're still here.
I'd go for the miles! Even if US Airways were to cease operations, I doubt it'd be for another year or so, so you still have plenty of time to redeem them (and more opportunities with UA). Fares are going to go up, so we should take advantage of the deals while they're still here.
Dec 7, 2002, 9:41 pm
#11
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: FLL
Posts: 1,679
Buy the ticket. It's considered cheap. In a tiny way, it also helps US.
If it's that fare PHL-LAX, then try to get an award.
By the way, I have been in a slow burn mode for 2 years. UA down to only 12K. Still 6 figures with US and some others.
If it's that fare PHL-LAX, then try to get an award.
By the way, I have been in a slow burn mode for 2 years. UA down to only 12K. Still 6 figures with US and some others.
Dec 7, 2002, 10:22 pm
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Freeload Univ. Where are you sitting?
Posts: 14,818
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by IM4Travel:
Boy...that IS dumb!
</font>
Boy...that IS dumb!
</font>
But seriously - after I'm CP, I could turn the miles back in at no fee. But then what?
Try an award on United? They're about 72 hours or less away from Ch. 11. CO can't do a ch. 11 again, so if they go down, they're down for the count. The rest of the majors aren't in that great a shape, either.
Remember, the purpose of an airline is to carry paying passengers from one place to another. All of them have done that for me. The awards and stuff (which didn't even exist a couple of decades ago) are just icing on the cake. If it all goes away, there will still be aircraft performing the function for which they were purchased and American life and business will go on as usual.
Let's keep some perspective about this.
Dec 8, 2002, 8:01 am
#13
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: FLL & PIT
Programs: Marriott Platinum for Life.
Posts: 1,235
Remember, the purpose of an airline is to carry paying passengers from one place to another. All of them have done that for me. The awards and stuff (which didn't even exist a couple of decades ago) are just icing on the cake. If it all goes away, there will still be aircraft performing the function for which they were purchased and American life and business will go on as usual.
............................
So why not use your miles and take advantage of the free stuff?? I have over 800,000 miles on USAirways and 2003 is going to be the year I start to BURN them. I have given a ton of money to this company over the years and have enjoyed flying them. The front line employees are fantastic. But it's time to show management that they SCREWED themselves to death.
There's no reason to hold onto frequent flyer miles anymore. They don't acquire more perks just sitting in a website awaiting to be used. It's not like money sitting in your bank, they don't gain interest. Plus we might start to see an increase in the award level starting in 2003. I think UA and AA already hinted at this in a posting elsewhere.
I'm hoping USAirways survives and we can continue to fly them. But I'm not going to let my frequent flyer miles just disappear into dust when they disappear from the skies.
[This message has been edited by trvlr64 (edited 12-08-2002).]
............................
So why not use your miles and take advantage of the free stuff?? I have over 800,000 miles on USAirways and 2003 is going to be the year I start to BURN them. I have given a ton of money to this company over the years and have enjoyed flying them. The front line employees are fantastic. But it's time to show management that they SCREWED themselves to death.
There's no reason to hold onto frequent flyer miles anymore. They don't acquire more perks just sitting in a website awaiting to be used. It's not like money sitting in your bank, they don't gain interest. Plus we might start to see an increase in the award level starting in 2003. I think UA and AA already hinted at this in a posting elsewhere.
I'm hoping USAirways survives and we can continue to fly them. But I'm not going to let my frequent flyer miles just disappear into dust when they disappear from the skies.
[This message has been edited by trvlr64 (edited 12-08-2002).]