topic Re: Ideas to use 40K AMEX SPG Points? in Credit Cards

Ideas to use 40K AMEX SPG Points?

Anonymous — Thu, 02 Nov 2017 21:00:09 GMT

I have 40K SPG Points and I want to use them. Open to ideas for the best bang for the buck vacation on the east coast or carribean (for myself and partner, in our mid 20s). Located near CLT, NC and want some vacation ideas for Christmas time or March/April. Any guidance is greatly appreciated.

Re: Ideas to use 40K AMEX SPG Points?

K-in-Boston — Thu, 02 Nov 2017 21:13:57 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
I have 40K SPG Points and I want to use them. Open to ideas for the best bang for the buck vacation on the east coast or carribean (for myself and partner, in our mid 20s). Located near CLT, NC and want some vacation ideas for Christmas time or March/April. Any guidance is greatly appreciated.

Unless you have a significant number of points in another rewards program, the best bang for your buck would likely be to convert 1:3 to 120,000 Marriott points and stay 5 nights in a Category 6 hotel (30k points per night, 5th night free). Alternately, 20 nights in a Category 1 would be interesting. Rewards chart here:

https://www.marriott.com/rewards/pointsGridPopUp.mi?awardType=Standard

Re: Ideas to use 40K AMEX SPG Points?

Loquat — Thu, 02 Nov 2017 22:09:20 GMT

@K-in-Boston wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
I have 40K SPG Points and I want to use them. Open to ideas for the best bang for the buck vacation on the east coast or carribean (for myself and partner, in our mid 20s). Located near CLT, NC and want some vacation ideas for Christmas time or March/April. Any guidance is greatly appreciated.

Unless you have a significant number of points in another rewards program, the best bang for your buck would likely be to convert 1:3 to 120,000 Marriott points and stay 5 nights in a Category 6 hotel (30k points per night, 5th night free). Alternately, 20 nights in a Category 1 would be interesting. Rewards chart here:

https://www.marriott.com/rewards/pointsGridPopUp.mi?awardType=Standard

Solid advice right here...

Re: Ideas to use 40K AMEX SPG Points?

mkhan1093 — Thu, 02 Nov 2017 23:33:42 GMT

Might be a silly question but why is the 5th night free? Is that just a feature of Marriott redemptions?

Re: Ideas to use 40K AMEX SPG Points?

simplynoir — Thu, 02 Nov 2017 23:38:25 GMT

With points redemptions towards the night stays yes.

Re: Ideas to use 40K AMEX SPG Points?

K-in-Boston — Fri, 03 Nov 2017 01:12:47 GMT

Indeed. Combine that free 5th night with a category 9 hotel during peak times and you easily get 7+ cents per point with Starpoints. Please don’t end this gravy train, Marriott!

Re: Ideas to use 40K AMEX SPG Points?

Anonymous — Fri, 03 Nov 2017 01:46:54 GMT

@K-in-Boston wrote:
Indeed. Combine that free 5th night with a category 9 hotel during peak times and you easily get 7+ cents per point with Starpoints. Please don’t end this gravy train, Marriott!

Hope so as well. Sitting on 200K SPs and waiting for the right opportunity to use them. Maybe they'll bring back the special offer of an overwater room in Bora Bora for 30K/nnight

Re: Ideas to use 40K AMEX SPG Points?

simplynoir — Fri, 03 Nov 2017 01:58:27 GMT

200k SPG pts?!?!?

Re: Ideas to use 40K AMEX SPG Points?

Anonymous — Fri, 03 Nov 2017 02:06:39 GMT

@simplynoir wrote:
200k SPG pts?!?!?

208,331

Re: Ideas to use 40K AMEX SPG Points?

simplynoir — Fri, 03 Nov 2017 02:10:22 GMT

How long have you been saving up to get that total?

Re: Ideas to use 40K AMEX SPG Points?

Anonymous — Fri, 03 Nov 2017 02:17:03 GMT

About a year or so. I have lots of various reward points/miles. Just using the values that ThePointaGuy assigns them (and I can usually do much better), I have well over $40K in redemption available

Re: Ideas to use 40K AMEX SPG Points?

simplynoir — Fri, 03 Nov 2017 02:26:20 GMT

Just on the signup bonuses I plan to net roughly 90k-100k SPG pts before organic spending by the end of the year so it's good to have a goal to work towards when I see your total lol. And I don't even know what my value is rewards wise. MR can be stupid to calculate depending on what you want but the SPG does make it easier now I have to say.

Re: Ideas to use 40K AMEX SPG Points?

Anonymous — Fri, 03 Nov 2017 06:40:09 GMT

When I grow up I want to be just like you 🤑

Re: Ideas to use 40K AMEX SPG Points?

BronzeTrader — Fri, 03 Nov 2017 14:22:15 GMT

Just a piece of advice. Do not accumulate the reward points for too long. The reward points will only drop in value, not up. The merchant can change its reward program as it desires. It is as risky as the Bitcoin.

You earn it and spend it.

Re: Ideas to use 40K AMEX SPG Points?

Loquat — Fri, 03 Nov 2017 14:58:47 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
About a year or so. I have lots of various reward points/miles. Just using the values that ThePointaGuy assigns them (and I can usually do much better), I have well over $40K in redemption available

@Anonymous You're my hero! That's awesome! Congrats and enjoy them whenever you do decide to vacation!

Re: Ideas to use 40K AMEX SPG Points?

Anonymous — Fri, 03 Nov 2017 23:44:02 GMT

@simplynoir wrote:
Just on the signup bonuses I plan to net roughly 90k-100k SPG pts before organic spending by the end of the year so it's good to have a goal to work towards when I see your total lol. And I don't even know what my value is rewards wise. MR can be stupid to calculate depending on what you want but the SPG does make it easier now I have to say.

How do you plan to get 100k in sign up bonuses. Business + Personal at best = 70K. Are you getting them for you Significant other as well? Or are you getting Marriott and transferring them to SPG?

Re: Ideas to use 40K AMEX SPG Points?

simplynoir — Sat, 04 Nov 2017 00:46:32 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
@simplynoir wrote:
Just on the signup bonuses I plan to net roughly 90k-100k SPG pts before organic spending by the end of the year so it's good to have a goal to work towards when I see your total lol. And I don't even know what my value is rewards wise. MR can be stupid to calculate depending on what you want but the SPG does make it easier now I have to say.
How do you plan to get 100k in sign up bonuses. Business + Personal at best = 70K. Are you getting them for you Significant other as well? Or are you getting Marriott and transferring them to SPG?

Worded that wrong perhaps. The spending needed to get to that more or less is what I'm including as well. The business SPG is $10k but I plan to put at least $15k on one purchase. so that's 50k pts there. Then on the personal plan to put our vacation spend in Decmeber on that. Dunno how much is gonna be on there but I'm guessing at least $10k so another 45k pts there. So a conservative total of 90k-100k.

Re: Ideas to use 40K AMEX SPG Points?

Anonymous — Sat, 04 Nov 2017 01:13:30 GMT

Well the latest Pooka89 monthly point valuations value 1000 SPG:1 Kiss, so I recommend transferring them to my SPG account on immediately and getting that astounding return.

Re: Ideas to use 40K AMEX SPG Points?

simplynoir — Sat, 04 Nov 2017 01:19:45 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Well the latest Pooka89 monthly point valuations value 1000 SPG:1 Kiss, so I recommend transferring them to my SPG account on immediately and getting that astounding return.

I'll keep that in mind.

Re: Ideas to use 40K AMEX SPG Points?

wasCB14 — Sat, 04 Nov 2017 04:30:46 GMT

Starpoints are for sale at 2.275 cpp through 12/29. 5k minimum, 30k maximum.