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UR/MR Redemption Value, Data Points please!

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Anonymous
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UR/MR Redemption Value, Data Points please!

While considering the merits of a CSP or EDP card, we are often faced with an "average cpp" for each point system.  The general consensus is that a UR point is worth 2.4 cpp while an MR point is worth 1.8 cpp.  I am hoping that people with experience with each program can enlighten me on the method of calculation of a point.  When calculating your average cpp (cents per point), do you calculate it against the FULL PRICE ticket quoted by the airline, or do you peruse sites like Hotwire, Kayak,

Skiplagged, Orbitz, etc. and calculate the cost of your flight using the cost in points vs the price on a common travel site?

 

Consider this scenario:

 

You are looking to book a one-way, domestic flight on your favorite airline.  United quotes you at $300, but you have the option to purchase with 15,000 points.  However, Orbitz has the same flight for $200, plus Discover deals gives you 10% back, bringing the total cost of your flight down to $180.

 

The question I'm posing is: when cashing in your points would is this a realistic scenario, or do airlines generally charge similar prices to travel sites?  Would you consider the points to be valued at 2 cpp in this scenario or would you consider the points to be valued at 1.2 cpp?  From what I can tell, travel sites are generally significantly cheaper than purchasing directly from the airline (or else it wouldn't make sense to that there would be so many).  Therefore, if the valuation of your points doesn't take into account travel sites, their value would seem to be inflated to some degree.  

 

FWIW, I'm not at the point in my life where I travel a whole lot.  I'm doing research for the future.

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