Can I combine Amex PRG and Amex Delta Gold points?

[Anonymous]

I would wait to transfer them until you are absolutely sure. Some would argue to transfer them right away to avios.

Delta has tons of flights for 5-10k each way, many 25k round trip, and lots of 42k international flights.  Don't forget to use skipgating. Even when redeeming points sometimes it will lower the amount. Just dont do it often or you will be banned from that frequent flyer program.

Amex bonuses sure do post fast. In a matter of 2 days. I dunno, I have always flown delta so much, once in a blue moon maybe united.... Delta ALWAYS lets me sit in an exit row with extra leg room for no extra charge. Other airlines cant say the same.

Delta is still a good carrier for infrequent travelers. Sometimes paying cash is  better though. They have had several flights from chicago or NYC to paris to helsinki for only $537 bucks which basically means a non stop round trip flight to paris under $600. That is a great price.  Also have seen several domestic flights for $130 or less I would not be redeeming points for those either unless it was 10k round trip.

Do you guys think I should transfer my MR to BA?

[Anonymous]

info on avios, not the MR devaluation, the Avios devaluation itself http://www.frugaltravelguy.com/2015/01/hold-off-on-amex-to-british-airways-transfers-ba-announces-si...

[Anonymous]

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@Anonymous wrote:

info on avios, not the MR devaluation, the Avios devaluation itself http://www.frugaltravelguy.com/2015/01/hold-off-on-amex-to-british-airways-transfers-ba-announces-significant-rewards-program-devaluation-effective-april-28.html

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Important, but if you earn Avios from Credit Card points and redeem on short haul AA flights in the United States the points are the same. 

[Anonymous]

Yeah I don't plan on using my points for anything other than trips that cost 40k or more in points. 

It seems useless because like you said sometimes you can get better deals paying cash or with a credit card that has 0% apr for X amount of months. 

Also I've never heard of skipgating, I will definently have to look into it. But yeah I'd say im an infrequent traveler. I maybe go on flights 2-3 times a year. 

[NRB525]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Yeah I don't plan on using my points for anything other than trips that cost 40k or more in points. 

It seems useless because like you said sometimes you can get better deals paying cash or with a credit card that has 0% apr for X amount of months. 

Also I've never heard of skipgating, I will definently have to look into it. But yeah I'd say im an infrequent traveler. I maybe go on flights 2-3 times a year. 

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In spite of all the chatter about Delta devaluations, I find the changes to the Delta website makes it easier to search for good value, using both miles and dollars searches, if you use a "flexible dates" approach. You can get a grid with outbound / return possibilities that suggests the lowest fare or miles requirement for that trip. And I agree, it is important to be prepared to pay dollars if the miles redemptions don't seem to make sense for that trip. Delta also has a number of codeshare and partner airlines, so their booking system incorporates those seamlessly. I have found it a bit more challenging to figure out American and United, and nearly impossible to figure out British Airways site for any specific city pairs.

For the miles I'm gathering, most of them have come from work travel on Delta. I'm looking at CC spend bonuses, and tending to want to route those miles to Delta. Obviously American and United won't go there, and TY points and UR points are going to have to be used some other way, but MR and SPG points, from what I know so far, I'm planning on moving those to Delta as well.

Then, as these bonuses get used up, and since the AMEX MR bonuses are once in a lifetime, I suspect a lot of my basic spend is going to eventually work back to the Delta Gold card, with a few others around it.

[Anonymous]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Yeah I don't plan on using my points for anything other than trips that cost 40k or more in points. 

It seems useless because like you said sometimes you can get better deals paying cash or with a credit card that has 0% apr for X amount of months. 

Also I've never heard of skipgating, I will definently have to look into it. But yeah I'd say im an infrequent traveler. I maybe go on flights 2-3 times a year. 

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This is not a good mentality about this sort of things. 

Short haul BA flights for example cost 4500 avios points between Chicago and Washington DC. The absolute cheapest cash price is usually around $80 each way, and usually more like $100-$150. That gives you a very good value of 2-3 cents per avios with zero fuel surcharges, which is better than many other redemption options for avios and MR points in general. Not THE BEST. The best will always be some first class over-the-ocean trip. But still pretty darn good

[Anonymous]

I dont really plan on flying nationally tbh. Like I said earlier I only plan on flying internationally like Spring Break or for travel abroad trips. Currently I see no reason to travel from Chicago to DC or any other city in the U.S.