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| this is what I find when I google too much….. |
Seriously, no matter how much I learn in the points and miles world, I still have so many questions. And I wouldn’t be surprised if others had some questions too. So, let me throw the questions that have been bobbing around in my head out there, and perhaps you can help me out with some answers. Feel free to go into depth, and, if you have any questions I should ask here, please ask away…..
1. I was in a CVS store yesterday and above the gift card rack was a packet of Vanilla Reload cards. I removed the plastic wrapping, and took out four reload cards for purchase. The remaining cards I hid on the rack behind the Farmville gift cards. My question: since reload cards have no value until you put money on them, could I have pocketed them (for later use) or would that have been considered theft? What would you do?
2. I just attained Gold Medallion status on Delta Airlines. I like Delta a lot but its award tickets are a joke. I live in NYC. My preferred airport is LGA for domestic flights or JFK for international flights. What are the best Delta award redemptions? (I have approx 200,000 miles). (I’d like to include a free one way add on – thanks to MileValue).
3. Continuing on from #2, if I were to do a status match, would it be better to go for One World or Star Alliance? I have about 100,000 miles on each, but no status on either. I do have a trip to Tokyo planned on UA in March, so it would be a good start, but I am leaning towards American Airlines. Its redemptions seem to be very good, and its twitter customer service rocks, and the hot nuts are awesome. But, I think I need a little more info and insight. Can you help me?
4. I love being a Hyatt diamond, but have not had enough stays in 2012. I’ll be a (pitiful) platinum in 2013. Since I do not travel for work, getting 25 stays might be rough, and then I’d have to rinse and repeat the next year anyway. I am presently Hilton Gold, and will probably get a credit card (Visa or Surpass) so I can keep Gold next year. If I were to ask Hyatt for a status challenge in 2013 – (1) does the challenge require 12 stays or 12 nights in a 60 day period? and (2) beginning with which month in 2013 could I do a challenge that would get me diamond through February 2015? (I’m betting Mommypoints will answer this one ….)
5. What’s going on between Points Envy and Million Mile Secrets?
By the way, I’m Katruns26point2 on Twitter and Katstarr on Milepoint and Flyertalk. My motto today is Make Planes, not Guns. If it inflames you, so be it. I’m beyond a little inflamed over the recent losses of beautiful lives.
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A New York frequent flyer who elegantly combines her passions for worldwide travel, running a gazillion marathons all over the globe and staying fit ... without sacrificing her fancy for good wine and food.
1. That’s absolutely theft. If you have to ask, then you already know the answer. No need to lose morals in the quest for miles. There’s plenty of ways to earn miles anyway. Besides, I don’t think your explanation would hold up well if you got caught.
2. Delta has great redemptions to French Polynesia and Australia. They have other decent redemptions, but they’re hard to book, and that’s assuming there’s award space.
3. Star Alliance is absolutely the best alliance. No question. If you’re going to Asia, i’d lean towards OneWorld though, only because Cathay Pacific has arguably the best first class product in the world. Otherwise, *A > OW > ST
4. I don’t know much about hotels, so can’t help there
5. Someone needs to fill me on this too
HTH
I’ll answer the only ones I feel qualified to:
1) Yes, I think it’s theft. There is a $3.95 purchase charge on all of these, so walking out without paying at least that is theft (yes I realize minimum load is $20). With that being said, you could probably get away with it.
3) Star Alliance is best if redeeming for award travel. Agree with the above comment that *A > OW > ST, but each has it’s benefits.
1. Yeah, I wouldn’t do that just because it just does not feel right. When I bought one today the Walgreens Manager who rung it up forgot on which VR he loaded $500 and he gave me both “don’t worry about it” he said. So I got an extra VR with $0 loaded on it…So I am not sure if it is a big deal or not. I still wouldn’t.
2. Yeah, awards with Delta are a joke unless you are willing to spend hours to come up with something or pony up some cash to the award bookers.But here is a tip: Use them on last minute, spare of the moment trips…Magically, with 3 days out, award seats to appear, 2 days more, 1 days even more! Of course, no advance planning at all. This is what I plan to do in NYC, I get there on 23rd I start looking that day and the next and hope to fly out on Christmas day or 26th and come back on Dec 30 or 31st (tough part)…My friend Bikeguy managed to snag Business on V Australia to Sydney and New Zealand (with Delta F domestic legs…all saver!!!!) but it took him…10 ten hours!!!!!
3. I do not know much about status matches. When you find out please let me know! All I know is that status matches are a ONE TIME deal so be careful/selective.
4. No idea about Hyatt. I hardly stay with them.
5. MMS posted a feature by Points Envy today called Billion Mile Secrets. It appeared to be introducing a weekly column in his site. Magically, the post disappeared off the website but I do have a copy of it saved on my Google Reader (yes, it is funny!). Not sure what’s up now. It would be a letdown to see Points Envy to go off blogging and sell out to MMS. I bet that somehow Mr. Pickles is involved in all this somehow;-)
thanks for your comments!
1. I kind of felt like it was wrong, which is why I didn’t pocket the cards. still I could imagine people doing that.
2. as for delta redemptions, thanks for the suggestions re: polynesia and last minute redemptions.
3. it seems everyone prefers star alliance…
4. still waiting for responses
5. hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
All advice above was good advice.
#5 I had the same question and do not know what the %&*%%# these posts are about!
Don’t want to seem like I’m in the tank with DeltaPoints, but I had a great Europe redemption this summer on delta: iad/jfk/mad/tfn/cdg/iad with stopovers for 60k (and one of the TA legs got upgraded to biz!). So I would count them out all together. My tip is to go loooong game…like 330 days to the day.
thanks! that gives me hope. I do feel at home with Delta – but was concerned about award redemption.
I’ll take a shot at:
#4 – a) Get the Citi Hilton HHonors reserve for the Gold status. And then get the AX Hilton HHonors (no fee as opposed to a fee with Surpass and you get less points per Hilton stay but you can get 10 using your Citi)
b) since you’re coming off of Diamond you’ll have to wait until you lose status before your challenge. I wonder if you’ll even be eligible since you’ll be Plat?
#5 – Probably to add a little humor to the blog – some of the commenters are getting pretty rowdy
thanks. I did recently get the free hilton AX, and was planning to get the Hilton reserve.
is the hyatt challenge 12 nights or 12 stays?