Unleashing the Power of Transferrable Points for Maximum Benefits
Learn how to maximize the value of transferrable points through strategic transfers, partner options, and flexibility, with a focus on credit card programs like American Express Membership Rewards and Chase Ultimate Rewards. Explore various transfer partners, earning opportunities, and tips for optimizing your point redemptions.
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Maximizing Transferrable Points With The Points Guy
Transferrable Points 101 All points were not created equal! - Airline miles & hotel points - Fixed-value points Transferrable points -
The Case for Transferrable Points Flexibility, flexibility, flexibility! Sharing points with family/friends Transfer partners = options Don t forget about partners of partners Don t put all of your eggs in one basket
The Main Credit Card Transferrable Point Programs American Express Membership Rewards (+First) Platinum, Premier Rewards Gold, Gold, Green and some corporate and business versions Membership Rewards Express (Blah version) Blue Card Chase Ultimate Rewards Sapphire Preferred and Ink Bold With Ultimate Rewards
Membership Rewards Basics Earn 1 point per dollar spent (Premier Rewards is 3x on airfare and 2x on gas & groceries) Points go into pending status for a month after statement close (can be expedited) Cannot combine Membership Rewards points
Flexibility Transfer to anyone! Link (not enroll!) their account to your account membershiprewards.com -> Points Summary -> Bottom right Advance points for free, just earn them back Up to 60,000 for Platinum 15,000 for most other cards (not corporate) Buy points at 2.5 cents each, up to 500,000 a year!
Membership Rewards- Airline Transfers Airline transfer partners (16): Star Alliance: Air Canada Aeroplan, Singapore, ANA Oneworld: British Airways, Iberia Skyteam: Delta, Air France/KLM Flying Blue, Alitalia, Aeromexico Other: Airtran, Virgin Atlantic, El Al, Frontier, JetBlue, Hawaiian, Virgin America * 6/10 cent excise fee on transfers to US airlines.
Which Star Alliance Partner? Aeroplan- Positives: Instant transfers, flexible routing, only fuel surcharges on Air Canada flights Negatives: Recently inflated award chart, expensive one-ways Good awards- US to Western Europe 60/90/125 ANA- Positives: Distance-based awards, great award engine Negatives~48-hour transfers, no holds, hefty fuel surcharges Good awards- NY to London in business class for 63,000. Singapore- -Positives: One-way awards Negatives: ~48-hour transfer period, high surcharges Good awards- 25/40/60 for intra-North America. 55/95/135 Europe
Which Oneworld Partner? British Airways- Instant transfers, region-based awards. Unlimited en-route stopovers, but only one Oneworld carrier for cheapest awards Iberia- Distance-based awards, ~48-hour transfers After November 16, 2011 they will be one program, Avios. We still do not know the full details!
Which SkyTeam Partner? None of them (Just kidding!) Delta Positives: Instant transfers, flexible routing, only fuel surcharges on flights that start abroad Negatives: Broken website, inflated award tiers, no one-ways Good awards- US to Africa with a stopover in Europe for 120k in business, 150k in business to Australia on V Australia (plus $600) Flying Blue Positives: 50% off promo awards, one-ways, instant transfers Negatives~ Huge fuel surcharges Good awards- Most promo awards, Israel (included as Europe). Nov-Dec promos from Chicago, Toronto, Calgary, Montreal, Miami, Orlando, Seattle, DC and Detroit. Alitalia Positives: Partners: Etihad, Jet, Malaysia, Qantas Negatives: No one ways, sometimes flaky phone reservation agents Good awards- 50/80 North America to Europe, 50/75 Deep South America, 50% off awards Nov 1-March 24, 2012.
Non-Alliance Partners Airtran: 1,500 points = 1 credit. No huge value, except if/when Airtran credits will convert to become Southwest companion pass qualifying points Virgin Atlantic: Generally huge fuel surcharges. Upgrades might make sense El Al: Huge amount of miles needed for awards Frontier: Decent for expensive domestic awards like Aspen- no business/first JetBlue: 1: .8 transfer ratio. Fixed value miles worth only about a cent a piece. Not worth it. Hawaiian: Intra-island flights for as low as 7,500 miles. Partners with Delta, Virgin Atlantic, Continental (limited) and Korean. Virgin America- Fixed value redemption- usually smarter to redeem Pay With Points instead so you earn points on the flights.
Transfer Bonuses Recent bonus opportunities Delta: 50% and 25,000 MQMs, 40%, 30%, 20%, 10% British Airways: 50%, 40% Virgin Atlantic: 15% El Al: 25% Air Tran: 25% Iberia: 20% Aeromexico: 25% Starwood: 50%
Membership Rewards- Hotel Transfers Choice: 1:1 Starwood 3:1 Hilton 1: 1.5 Best Western 1:1 Priority Club 1:1 Jumeirah 23:1
Current Sign-up Offers Mercedes Benz Platinum- 50,000. $495 annual fee Platinum- 25,000. $450 annual fee Premier Rewards Gold- 15,000. $175 annual fee waived first year Gold- 10,000. $125 annual fee Green- 0. $95 annual fee waived first year Bumping bonuses debacle Look out for targeted offers!
Pay With Points Easy, but fixed value: 1 cent (1.25 for Platinum/Centurion) A $5,000 business class ticket would require 500,000 points! Could be an okay decision for cheap domestic tickets Earns elite status just like a purchased ticket
Ways to Maximize Earning Bonuspointsmall.com Extra points per dollar on popular merchants (4x points on Apple, 3x on Alaska Airlines) Bonus travel opportunities: 1,000 bonus points when you stay at a Sheraton, Aloft or Element and pay with your Amex MR card Link Like Love Connect with Foursquare for bonuses and discounts Amex gift cards
Chase Ultimate Rewards 1:1 transfer partners with Continental, United, British Airways, Korean, Hyatt, Marriott, Priority Club and Amtrak You can combine points with anyone else No fees when transferring to airlines! You can transfer to anyone else Points post right after statement closes No transfer bonuses (yet)
Chase Ultimate Rewards Current offers: Sapphire Preferred: 50,000 after $3,000 spend within 3 months. $95 annual fee waived the first year. No foreign transaction fees. Ink Bold: 50,000 after $5,000 spend within 3 months. $95 annual fee waived the first year.
