Jan 23, 2017, 12:30 pm
1.3 is conversion rate to Mileageplan
Dec 26, 2016, 12:38 am
#76
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Danville, CA, USA;
Programs: UA 1MM, WN CP, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Gold, IC Plat
Posts: 15,722
...according to AS thread.
SFO based flyers are really getting shafted. DL partnership ending, very few additional flights from AS, and now a bad exchange rate and mileage based plan making it less attractive to pay high F fares.
Oh well, it was nice run with VX but time to move on...
SFO based flyers are really getting shafted. DL partnership ending, very few additional flights from AS, and now a bad exchange rate and mileage based plan making it less attractive to pay high F fares.
Oh well, it was nice run with VX but time to move on...
As for the exchange rate, you should be glad it's not 1:1 as has been the case with most airline mergers. Of course, combining a miles-based program with revenue-based program is a challenge. If you value AS at .02 then it seems more than fair. Ditto for those who earned miles through VX credit card spend.
Exactly.
Dec 26, 2016, 10:32 am
#77
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Preferably waiting for takeoff
Programs: AA EXP, MVPG, DL Silver, United Silver, Accor Platinum, Marriott Ambassador
Posts: 458
Agree, I think the integration has been very generous to the VX side - especially with a free year of additional status. During mergers the airlines tend to throw goodies to everyone in order the retain the customers through a period of change and uncertainty.
Dec 26, 2016, 12:28 pm
#78
Join Date: Jan 2014
Programs: Amtrak Guest Rewards (SE), Virgin America Elevate, Hyatt Gold Passport (Platinum), VIA Preference
Posts: 3,134
One thing I also suspect (as you hinted) is that AS is sort-of presuming that something will go wrong/more wrong (e.g. bungled IT integration, call center issues, morale problems on the VX side) and they're trying to preemptively compensate for that a bit.
Dec 28, 2016, 3:10 pm
#79
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 4,784
SPG to VS will end on Jan 6, 2017 anyway
Debating whether to transfer/arbitrage or not for me (AS miles isn't that easy to use in Toronto, ha, only CX really). I have 125K AS miles (from CC), and adding more (60K SPG > 75K VX > 97.5 AS) without immediate use in 2017 for sure
Debating whether to transfer/arbitrage or not for me (AS miles isn't that easy to use in Toronto, ha, only CX really). I have 125K AS miles (from CC), and adding more (60K SPG > 75K VX > 97.5 AS) without immediate use in 2017 for sure
Dec 28, 2016, 5:23 pm
#80
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Danville, CA, USA;
Programs: UA 1MM, WN CP, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Gold, IC Plat
Posts: 15,722
SPG to VS will end on Jan 6, 2017 anyway
Debating whether to transfer/arbitrage or not for me (AS miles isn't that easy to use in Toronto, ha, only CX really). I have 125K AS miles (from CC), and adding more (60K SPG > 75K VX > 97.5 AS) without immediate use in 2017 for sure
Debating whether to transfer/arbitrage or not for me (AS miles isn't that easy to use in Toronto, ha, only CX really). I have 125K AS miles (from CC), and adding more (60K SPG > 75K VX > 97.5 AS) without immediate use in 2017 for sure
Personally I have never been able to award space on AS metal for my travels (admittedly peak dates to Mexico & Hawaii) but in retrospect I see that the miles have far more value on AS international partners.
That being said, my SPG points have significant intrinsic value given the prices I find at SPG resorts, so I am reluctant to transfer them just to get a few extra miles in my AS account that I may not use for years.
The last thing anyone should want is to maintain a hefty balance with any airline when the award rates can be changed on a whim. If you don't have plans to book a trip in the next couple of months, I'd pass on a transfer.
Dec 28, 2016, 7:17 pm
#81
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: SFO
Programs: OZ *G; HH Diamond;
Posts: 1,644
Not that I do not trust you. Can you point to another source that lists the refunding value of the 7-night cert? Most blog articles are very vague of it.
Dec 29, 2016, 1:00 am
#82
Join Date: May 2013
Location: west coast best coast
Programs: TINDER GOLD, STARBUCKS GOLD, COSTCO EXECUTIVE!!
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BTW, those 7-night certificates can be upgraded to stays at higher category hotels for additional Marriott points. They can also be refunded (before they expire) if you don't use them. They'd be treated as cat 1 hotel certificates (7.5K per day for 6 days) for refund purpose. So you'll receive 45K Marriott points (or 15K SPG points).
If you're not going to use the hotel certificate, the economics boils down to 80K SPG points for 130K AS miles (in a direct transfer to VX) or 75K SPG points for 120K AS miles (in an indirect transfer via Marriott). The former is slightly better (5K SPG points to 10K AS miles) in that scenario.
If you're not going to use the hotel certificate, the economics boils down to 80K SPG points for 130K AS miles (in a direct transfer to VX) or 75K SPG points for 120K AS miles (in an indirect transfer via Marriott). The former is slightly better (5K SPG points to 10K AS miles) in that scenario.
Dec 29, 2016, 4:19 am
#83
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
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Posts: 102,095
I'm still trying to figure out what to do with my semi-modest balance of VX points and my not-so-modest balance of SPG points.
Dec 29, 2016, 10:28 am
#84
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 546
It's not written down anywhere that I know of, but I've done it before. You would have to call Marriott (the same number you'd call to purchase a package). Obviously, the refund policy can be changed any time by Marriott, so YMMV. Anyway, Marriott has been very reasonable/flexible with respect to these certificates.
Dec 29, 2016, 10:35 am
#85
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 546
I was trying to compare the two transfer scenarios when you have at least 80-90K SPG points. I agree SPG points are not easy to come by, and a direct transfer to VX (then to AS) is the only (and pretty good) option when you don't have enough points for a Marriott travel package.
Dec 29, 2016, 11:03 am
#86
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: New York
Programs: Bonvoy LifetimeTitanium, UA Plat 2MM, LHW LeadersClub, IHGPlat, HiltonDiamnd, ASMVPG100K, WyndDiamnd
Posts: 1,227
I am still debating what to do with Thank You points. The only possibly good use for them that I can see, other than VX, is SQ, which is not a great value. If I convert to VX and then to AS, I lose 35% of the points (.5*Thank YouPoints* 1.3).
Dec 29, 2016, 12:38 pm
#87
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 187
I'd rather send them to KrisFlyer
Dec 29, 2016, 3:17 pm
#88
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 546
Another reasonable option is to transfer to AF. Flying Blue miles are useful for redemptions on DL (mainland to Hawaii flights, no close-in booking fee, etc.), monthly promo awards, among other things.
Dec 29, 2016, 11:46 pm
#89
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 187
Just a buyer beware here: You can't redeem Flying Blue miles for F on AF metal unless you have top status with AF.
Dec 30, 2016, 5:44 am
#90
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 546
In any event, AF miles are only useful for redemption in economy. Their redemption levels for anything other than economy, even premium economy (with very few exceptions), are exorbitant.