topic Re: Rewards / Sign-up bonus help!!! in Credit Cards

Rewards / Sign-up bonus help!!!

Anonymous — Wed, 14 Dec 2016 20:32:57 GMT

Ok, 9 mos later, 19 new credit cards, fulfilled all spend requirement for signup bonus. Now, I need help how to MAXIMIZE using these points and miles to get the BEST value.
Just to clarify before anyone asks, Util ratio in all 23 cards (2/4 secured has graduated) - 0%.

Plan: Trip to Europe - France, England, and Germany
Date: March-April 2017
Duration: 10-14 days

Here are the points / miles I have now:
1. AMEX Platinum / Business Platinum - 91,745 MR points
2. AMEX Hilton HHnonors - 110,547 points
3. AMEX SPG Preferred - 30,830 points
4. AMEX Delta Platinum & Reserve - 222,647 Delta miles
5. Chase MileagePlus - 31,066 United miles
6. Citi AAdvantage Platinum - 31,906 American Airlines miles
7. Chase Sapphire Preferred - 62,571 Ultimate Rewards
8. Chase Hyatt Card - 2 free nights (any category)
9. Ritz-Carlton Rewards - 2 free nights (Tier 1-4), 5 Club Level upgrades (I still don't know what this means)

* would love to stay at Park Hyatt Paris-Vendome
* can I use the 2 nights at Ritz Paris? Or Marriott Hotel.
* fly 1st class with Delta. No companion tickets yet from Platinum Cards since my 1yr anniversary isn't until June '17.
* where to stay in England and Germany?

> I know I can move points around. Which rewards to move where to optimize value?
> Basically, I would really love someone to help me plan this out. I'd really, really appreciate it so much. I hate to miscalculate and waste rewards points if I do this.
> I do international travel 2-3x/yr, but I just tag along with friends who make the arrangements. No, I don't trust them to make arrangements and waste all these rewards. hahaha.

Thanks!!!

Re: Rewards / Sign-up bonus help!!!

NRB525 — Sun, 18 Dec 2016 20:59:55 GMT

Congrats on all the points and miles!

The one place I would suggest you look is to sign up for Air France / KLM / Flying Blue. That program takes transfers from UR, MR and SPG points, and if you check the potential redemptions to Europe, you can find some good redemption rates on the flights.

Regarding the Delta Companion pass, correct me if I'm wrong but that is only good for the lower 48 US States, no overseas, no Hawaii.

Re: Rewards / Sign-up bonus help!!!

mongstradamus — Sun, 18 Dec 2016 23:11:53 GMT

@NRB525 wrote:
Congrats on all the points and miles!
The one place I would suggest you look is to sign up for Air France / KLM / Flying Blue. That program takes transfers from UR, MR and SPG points, and if you check the potential redemptions to Europe, you can find some good redemption rates on the flights.

Regarding the Delta Companion pass, correct me if I'm wrong but that is only good for the lower 48 US States, no overseas, no Hawaii.

To piggy back on airline thats transferable by UR,MR,TYP and SPG is SQ. You will gain access to star alliance airlines with sq. Also flying SQ to from nyc to Frankfurt, Germany isn't a bad way to fly to Europe imo. Also I believe if you use SQ to flying from contiental US to hawaii its cheaper then say United, who is one of their star alliance partners.

I hope you are using your free hyatt nights with chase hyatt card at park hyatt in paris , i hear its quite nice :-)

Re: Rewards / Sign-up bonus help!!!

Anonymous — Mon, 19 Dec 2016 14:07:01 GMT

@NRB525 wrote:
Congrats on all the points and miles!
The one place I would suggest you look is to sign up for Air France / KLM / Flying Blue. That program takes transfers from UR, MR and SPG points, and if you check the potential redemptions to Europe, you can find some good redemption rates on the flights.

Regarding the Delta Companion pass, correct me if I'm wrong but that is only good for the lower 48 US States, no overseas, no Hawaii.

Thanks, NRB. I will check those airlines. Haven't flown with any of those yet. Thanks so much.

The companion pass for The Platinum and Business Platinum can be used for international flights. I'll check AMEX to make sure. I believe you can't use discounted fares for the companion pass though. Not sure. I will make sure. And the discounted fares sometimes ends up cheaper than buying a higher ticket with a pass.

Re: Rewards / Sign-up bonus help!!!

Anonymous — Mon, 19 Dec 2016 14:14:30 GMT

@mongstradamus wrote:

To piggy back on airline thats transferable by UR,MR,TYP and SPG is SQ. You will gain access to star alliance airlines with sq. Also flying SQ to from nyc to Frankfurt, Germany isn't a bad way to fly to Europe imo. Also I believe if you use SQ to flying from contiental US to hawaii its cheaper then say United, who is one of their star alliance partners.
I hope you are using your free hyatt nights with chase hyatt card at park hyatt in paris , i hear its quite nice :-)

SQ? That's Singapore Airlines? I had to look for it first. I've not flown Sngapore either but will see what they have to offer as well. Thanks, mongstradamus.

Re: Rewards / Sign-up bonus help!!!

Anonymous — Mon, 19 Dec 2016 14:34:12 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Ok, 9 mos later, 19 new credit cards, fulfilled all spend requirement for signup bonus. Now, I need help how to MAXIMIZE using these points and miles to get the BEST value.
Just to clarify before anyone asks, Util ratio in all 23 cards (2/4 secured has graduated) - 0%.

Plan: Trip to Europe - France, England, and Germany
Date: March-April 2017
Duration: 10-14 days

Here are the points / miles I have now:
1. AMEX Platinum / Business Platinum - 91,745 MR points
2. AMEX Hilton HHnonors - 110,547 points
3. AMEX SPG Preferred - 30,830 points
4. AMEX Delta Platinum & Reserve - 222,647 Delta miles
5. Chase MileagePlus - 31,066 United miles
6. Citi AAdvantage Platinum - 31,906 American Airlines miles
7. Chase Sapphire Preferred - 62,571 Ultimate Rewards
8. Chase Hyatt Card - 2 free nights (any category)
9. Ritz-Carlton Rewards - 2 free nights (Tier 1-4), 5 Club Level upgrades (I still don't know what this means)

* would love to stay at Park Hyatt Paris-Vendome
* can I use the 2 nights at Ritz Paris? Or Marriott Hotel.
* fly 1st class with Delta. No companion tickets yet from Platinum Cards since my 1yr anniversary isn't until June '17.
* where to stay in England and Germany?

> I know I can move points around. Which rewards to move where to optimize value?
> Basically, I would really love someone to help me plan this out. I'd really, really appreciate it so much. I hate to miscalculate and waste rewards points if I do this.
> I do international travel 2-3x/yr, but I just tag along with friends who make the arrangements. No, I don't trust them to make arrangements and waste all these rewards. hahaha.

Thanks!!!

Please direct your question to reddit.com/r/awardtravel

Re: Rewards / Sign-up bonus help!!!

Anonymous — Mon, 19 Dec 2016 14:40:00 GMT

Thanks so much !!! Just bookmarked them.

Re: Rewards / Sign-up bonus help!!!

Anonymous — Sat, 04 Mar 2017 22:14:05 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Ok, 9 mos later, 19 new credit cards, fulfilled all spend requirement for signup bonus. Now, I need help how to MAXIMIZE using these points and miles to get the BEST value.
Just to clarify before anyone asks, Util ratio in all 23 cards (2/4 secured has graduated) - 0%.

Plan: Trip to Europe - France, England, and Germany
Date: March-April 2017
Duration: 10-14 days

Here are the points / miles I have now:
1. AMEX Platinum / Business Platinum - 91,745 MR points
2. AMEX Hilton HHnonors - 110,547 points
3. AMEX SPG Preferred - 30,830 points
4. AMEX Delta Platinum & Reserve - 222,647 Delta miles
5. Chase MileagePlus - 31,066 United miles
6. Citi AAdvantage Platinum - 31,906 American Airlines miles
7. Chase Sapphire Preferred - 62,571 Ultimate Rewards
8. Chase Hyatt Card - 2 free nights (any category)
9. Ritz-Carlton Rewards - 2 free nights (Tier 1-4), 5 Club Level upgrades (I still don't know what this means)

* would love to stay at Park Hyatt Paris-Vendome
* can I use the 2 nights at Ritz Paris? Or Marriott Hotel.
* fly 1st class with Delta. No companion tickets yet from Platinum Cards since my 1yr anniversary isn't until June '17.
* where to stay in England and Germany?

> I know I can move points around. Which rewards to move where to optimize value?
> Basically, I would really love someone to help me plan this out. I'd really, really appreciate it so much. I hate to miscalculate and waste rewards points if I do this.
> I do international travel 2-3x/yr, but I just tag along with friends who make the arrangements. No, I don't trust them to make arrangements and waste all these rewards. hahaha.

Thanks!!!

First of all, THANK YOU to everyone who has contributed and shared their invaluable tips and advices to reaching financial security. If not for this forum, I still would've been paying everything with my debit card (which I did for 10 yrs and was completely fine with) BUT missing out on all the lucrative perks and bonuses having a credit card and good credit score has to offer.

Now, it's time to slowly enjoy them.

15 day to Europe is a GO - France, Switzerland, and Austria. April-May, 2017

1. Booked for 2 free nights at Park Hyatt-Paris Vendome courtesy of Chase Hyatt Card

2. Booked for 2 free nights at Ritz Carlton Vienna (Austria) courtesy of Chase Ritz-Carlton Rewards Card

115K Hilton points, 30K SPG points, 65K Chase Ultimate Rewards, 103K AMEX Membership Rewards, 100K American Airlines Miles, 222K Delta SkyMiles

- still at stake. Anyone has any suggestions where to stay in Switzerland? Planning to stop by Geneva, Lausanne, and Lucerne. And Salzburg, Austria.

THANK YOU AGAIN, EVERYONE !!!!