I pretty much agree with this list and you both did a great job but I like United as a partner. Free cancellations whenever I need it and I was able to book an economy flight from Nairobi to Seychelles on Ethiopian for 19k United miles. Air Canada was at least 25k. Yes other partners are cheaper when flying premium cabins from the US but United has good opportunities too. Good video!
About the hotels: The problem with Hyatt is that there are plenty of places where they don’t have an option for you. One example is that I wanted to do a ski trip in Whistler, BC. The problem is that the closest Hyatt is three hours south in Vancouver. The only points options in Whistler are Marriott and Hilton (the latter having availability issues).
You keep saying that you can buy points for cheaper than their redemption value. But I don't want to spend any additional money. I only want to get free travel from my everyday spending - spending that I would do anyway. To spend extra money to purchase points that I normally wouldn't buy defeats the whole purpose of earning points.
No, it does not defeat the purpose. You just misunderstood what they're saying. What they're saying is if you're going to use that anyways. You're better off. Just spending money and getting a better point valuation so you might as well look for a different or better point price using somebody else now if you like. Marriott or whatever makes more sense. Just biting the points and getting more value out of it. Or as I said, plenty of times to use the points for Hyatt because you get more value. Talk about the value of the points itself. So no, it's not defeating the purples. It's clarifying the value of your points. You is completely misunderstood what they're talking about or how they put it
What he means is that you're essentially burning money by transferring the points out to, let's say, IHG. Here's an example: You can CASH OUT Chase points for 1 cpp (i.e. 80k points = $800) You can buy IHG points on sale (very often) for 0.5 cpp (i.e. $800 = 160k points) Chase transfers to IHG 1:1 Therefore, if you transfer 80k Chase points to IHG, you get 80k IHG points. You should've just cashed out your Chase points, used that cash to buy IHG points, and you would've come out ahead than simply transferring.
Also, many people in this game don't simply earn points once, use them, then come back when they earn more, and then use them again. You are constantly earning points, usually 500k+ over a year. Why waste them on something cheaper (lower value) when those 500k points can get you business-class tickets around the world for the entire year?
@@anishshah1550 That may be true with Chase, but with Amex, cashing out only gives you 0.6 cents/point. I just got over 3 cpp transferring Chase UR to Emirates from NY -> Milan in Business Class. Also looking at 1.6 cpp on Hawaiian Air (Amex & Bilt) from NY -> Honolulu in First Class. All from spending that I do anyway. I'm just monetizing my existing spend.
Getting a Marriott card that gives you 2x points per dollar spent is decent Virgin to ANA from Chase can be a great deal Chase to Hyatt - king of redemption value. One of the primary reasons I love Hyatt
Good stuff guys! FM just made a video - news from the Travel Summit saying FinnAir Avios can transfer well to a few Nordic hotel chains through voucher purchase.
Regarding Aeromexico. Amex is having a 20 percent extra transfer and I was able to get a business class from Brazil to Mexico for 53k Amex points. Sounds good to me
I think SW is a solid program in the US with the companion pass. If there is a seat, could buy it using points or your companion can get the seat as well. Also, you can get SW gift card in Costco for 15-20% off. Great video gents.
What is your recommendation for booking Etihad first class apartments? Sounds like even tho it costs so many points on Etihad there isn't a good way to book unless you risk it for a last minute booking
There’s WAY too few folks in this space calling out nut just how weak Marriott points are but how terrible their earn rates are too. Like I kinda wish I hadn’t gotten the boundless because 35k FNC on the west coast is a joke and as long as Lyft and chase stay partnered on CSR I’ll have no need really for the Ritz card with how much work it takes to make back the AF
I stayed in a ridiculously lux and unique hotel in Cusco (Tambo Del Inka), upgraded to a suite, using just 38K Marriott points per night. Another redemption I did is a villa with private pool in Bali for 42K pts (Amarterra Villas Bali). Get out of the US, bad value not just for hotel redemptions, for most things in life IMHO.
@@Re3iRtH I'll one up you, I found a 15 night(5th night free using points) redemption for 60K Marriott Bonvoy point at an hotel in Malaysia(5,000 per night X 12, for a total of 15) for the sole purpose of a mattress run.
You can but there are limits to you, idk off the top of my head but I believe it’s $0-150 for 15k points and 151-500 for 30k points. Something around that range
I pretty much agree with this list and you both did a great job but I like United as a partner. Free cancellations whenever I need it and I was able to book an economy flight from Nairobi to Seychelles on Ethiopian for 19k United miles. Air Canada was at least 25k. Yes other partners are cheaper when flying premium cabins from the US but United has good opportunities too. Good video!
About the hotels: The problem with Hyatt is that there are plenty of places where they don’t have an option for you. One example is that I wanted to do a ski trip in Whistler, BC. The problem is that the closest Hyatt is three hours south in Vancouver. The only points options in Whistler are Marriott and Hilton (the latter having availability issues).
Likewise. I have a trip for Bozeman, Montana, and there are no Hyatt at all. Only options are Hilton and Marriott for my travel redemptions
Hyatt + Aeroplan = 🏆🏆🏆. Thanks for the info + video!
Fyi wells Fargo autograph also now has 1:2 choice hotels transfers. It's just too bad they don't have many transfer partners
Very informative video ❤ i easily subscribed. Is there a version for the best transfer partners?
You keep saying that you can buy points for cheaper than their redemption value. But I don't want to spend any additional money. I only want to get free travel from my everyday spending - spending that I would do anyway. To spend extra money to purchase points that I normally wouldn't buy defeats the whole purpose of earning points.
No, it does not defeat the purpose. You just misunderstood what they're saying. What they're saying is if you're going to use that anyways. You're better off. Just spending money and getting a better point valuation so you might as well look for a different or better point price using somebody else now if you like. Marriott or whatever makes more sense. Just biting the points and getting more value out of it. Or as I said, plenty of times to use the points for Hyatt because you get more value. Talk about the value of the points itself. So no, it's not defeating the purples. It's clarifying the value of your points. You is completely misunderstood what they're talking about or how they put it
What he means is that you're essentially burning money by transferring the points out to, let's say, IHG. Here's an example:
You can CASH OUT Chase points for 1 cpp (i.e. 80k points = $800)
You can buy IHG points on sale (very often) for 0.5 cpp (i.e. $800 = 160k points)
Chase transfers to IHG 1:1
Therefore, if you transfer 80k Chase points to IHG, you get 80k IHG points.
You should've just cashed out your Chase points, used that cash to buy IHG points, and you would've come out ahead than simply transferring.
Also, many people in this game don't simply earn points once, use them, then come back when they earn more, and then use them again. You are constantly earning points, usually 500k+ over a year. Why waste them on something cheaper (lower value) when those 500k points can get you business-class tickets around the world for the entire year?
@@anishshah1550 That may be true with Chase, but with Amex, cashing out only gives you 0.6 cents/point. I just got over 3 cpp transferring Chase UR to Emirates from NY -> Milan in Business Class. Also looking at 1.6 cpp on Hawaiian Air (Amex & Bilt) from NY -> Honolulu in First Class. All from spending that I do anyway. I'm just monetizing my existing spend.
@@anishshah1550 Yes, with Chase, you can redeem out at 1 ccp, but with Amex you only get 0.6 ccp.
Wells Fargo also offers a one to two ratio on choice points
Getting a Marriott card that gives you 2x points per dollar spent is decent
Virgin to ANA from Chase can be a great deal
Chase to Hyatt - king of redemption value. One of the primary reasons I love Hyatt
Good stuff guys! FM just made a video - news from the Travel Summit saying FinnAir Avios can transfer well to a few Nordic hotel chains through voucher purchase.
Regarding Aeromexico. Amex is having a 20 percent extra transfer and I was able to get a business class from Brazil to Mexico for 53k Amex points. Sounds good to me
BA is an alright transfer partner. I was able to transfer BA Avios points to Qatar Avios, and get a first class redemption tickets for a good rate.
Transferring points to hotel partners in general is a bad move.
I mean unless you wanna stay at a hotel using points
I think SW is a solid program in the US with the companion pass. If there is a seat, could buy it using points or your companion can get the seat as well. Also, you can get SW gift card in Costco for 15-20% off. Great video gents.
What is your recommendation for booking Etihad first class apartments? Sounds like even tho it costs so many points on Etihad there isn't a good way to book unless you risk it for a last minute booking
There’s WAY too few folks in this space calling out nut just how weak Marriott points are but how terrible their earn rates are too. Like I kinda wish I hadn’t gotten the boundless because 35k FNC on the west coast is a joke and as long as Lyft and chase stay partnered on CSR I’ll have no need really for the Ritz card with how much work it takes to make back the AF
I stayed in a ridiculously lux and unique hotel in Cusco (Tambo Del Inka), upgraded to a suite, using just 38K Marriott points per night.
Another redemption I did is a villa with private pool in Bali for 42K pts (Amarterra Villas Bali).
Get out of the US, bad value not just for hotel redemptions, for most things in life IMHO.
@@Re3iRtH I'll one up you, I found a 15 night(5th night free using points) redemption for 60K Marriott Bonvoy point at an hotel in Malaysia(5,000 per night X 12, for a total of 15) for the sole purpose of a mattress run.
Can you still book Vacasa for 15k for one bedroom with Whyndham? Great video thank you
You can but there are limits to you, idk off the top of my head but I believe it’s $0-150 for 15k points and 151-500 for 30k points. Something around that range
I just received 5.5 times the redemption transferring to UA from Chase. Is that bad??
I think this is advice for the general use case, generally speaking united sucks, but props to you for getting good value
@@finbarrsheehan8304 appreciate the response! Always enjoy your informative videos.
good: Hyatt, Aeronplan(use the +5k stopver), Virgin Atlantic, Alaska(use free stop)