@BullsEye10 wrote:I transferred 30,000 points to my Hyatt account on a 1:1 basis.
I then booked a weekend in the Hyatt 48 Lex in Manhattan for 30,000 points (4 star hotel ideally located in midtown). If I paid cash the room was around $400.00 per night.
That made each point worth 2.66666 cents .... a much better option in my opinion.
~BullsEye10
I don't understand the math in this case isn't it 1.33 cents not 2.66?
30,000 points = $300.00 cash back
300 x 1.3 = $400
@bribro wrote:
@CreditScholar wrote:
@bribro wrote:You left out Southwest, which usually redeems at 1.6-1.9 cpm. You can also get 2-5 cpp with certain Hyatt Gold Passport bookings.
I also question the math and assumptions in your analysis:
"Transfered to UR points to United would cost 25,000 points about 0.7 value per point." 0.7 cpm is close to a worst case scenario. Of course, if you're booking an S or T fare class domestic flight on United with miles, it would be a poor redemption rate. However, when only higher fare classes are available and for saver awards, using miles for domestic redemptions can easily yield >3 cpm. It's potentionally even better for international flights and business/first class tickets, as you alluded to.
@ "Now if you used Chase.com booking. You would need 350,000 points for Economy @ $2,800." With the 25% bonus, it's 224,000 UR points to book a $2,800 flight, not 350,000. I think you multiplied when you should have divided.
Bottom line: The best use of UR points is when they're transferred to travel partners (specifically United, Hyatt, Korean Air and BA).
I have to disagree with the analysis of 2-5 cpp for Hyatt bookings. 2 cpp yes, 5 cpp definitely not. I used to value them in this way, but when compared to Hyatt certificates the value drops significantly.
For example the Park Hyatt Tokyo costs about $500 per night or 22k points, which equates to 2.27 cpp. However you can purchase a stay certificate for $325 which gives the exact same room. Neither the certificate nor the award night gets you stay credit, and both cover applicable taxes in addition to the room cost. In this sense they are equal. Running the numbers against the certificate ($325 vs 22k) = 1.48 cpp. The PH Sydney is $461 for a certificate or 22k points, which nets a value of 2.1 cpp.
Prior to the merger, US miles could be bought for 1.88 cpp during a 100% bonus. I can't speak about after the merger is complete, but for the past few years they've been running those sales almost every month (if you're targeted). Unless you need the double open-jaw and stopover provided by United, they have very similar Star Alliance inventory access.
This is why my redemption targets are ~ 2 cpp. The alternatives are close enough that I can't value UR points above 2 cpp.
I guess I got lucky when I booked a Hyatt property in Napa a few months ago at 5+ cpp.
Good to know about the Hyatt certificates though, I'll check that out. That definitely changes the math.
Of course, points valuations are ultimately a personal thing. If you never fly, United miles aren't worth anything. It's also silly to say United miles are worth 15 cpm because of some arbitrary international first class redemption rate, unless you were really going to spend $12,000 or whatever on that ticket. In my case, I have been able to consistently get 3 cpm or more in value out of my UR points, so that's what I go with. It'll be different for everyone.
Not nessasarily true 
I have a snobby friend who will only fly first class and only makes like $35,000 a year. (rich parents) She doesn't even have a frequent flyer program, she got money from her parents for the trip, I sold her 130,000 and got her a ticket to Thailand (where she's from) and she gave me $5000.00 for it
I also booked a flight for my friend using my miles in July $2,400 ticket on the date he wanted to fly 65,000 miles for round trip I gave him some discounts of course but that's another perk of having friends who travel a lot =)
@distantarray wrote:
Not nessasarily true
I also booked a flight for my friend using my miles in July $2,400 ticket on the date he wanted to fly 65,000 miles for round trip
Very enterprising!
This is the attribute I look for the most when hiring. My other partners emphasize what's on paper (education, credentials, and certifications...blah blah), but I've found there is no accounting for the ingraned entrepreneurial spirit.
Kiind of like credit cards. Noting succeeds quite like excess--prudent risk when apping.
@Open123 wrote:
@distantarray wrote:Not nessasarily true
I also booked a flight for my friend using my miles in July $2,400 ticket on the date he wanted to fly 65,000 miles for round trip
Very enterprising!
This is the attribute I look for the most when hiring. My other partners emphasize what's on paper (education, credentials, and certifications...blah blah), but I've found there is no accounting for the ingraned entrepreneurial spirit.
Kiind of like credit cards. Noting succeeds quite like excess--prudent risk when apping.
lol i have a lot of points, and I even convinced the Chase rep to convert my Checking and Savings sign up bonus into points $350 last year into 35,000 x 4 UR points and got my parents and my brother to do the same, then pooled it into my account (we're all Chase Ink holders so we can transfer points to eachother without issues unlike just Sapphire) and I got Ink Sapphire Freedom and United cards
Not to mention my parents both have their own businesses, short sale later they have no credit, so they use my cards and pays me in cash, so I'm very points rich =) My parents don't care as long as I get them 2 tickets to Japan in July every year so it's nice to find ways to make some extra cash, and for me the credit game is more rewarding and entertaining than most hobbies =)
@distantarray wrote:
Not nessasarily true
I also booked a flight for my friend using my miles in July $2,400 ticket on the date he wanted to fly 65,000 miles for round trip
Can you introduce me to your friend? I've got a bridge to sell her.
@BullsEye10 wrote:
@distantarray wrote:I don't understand the math in this case isn't it 1.33 cents not 2.66?
30,000 points = $300.00 cash back
300 x 1.3 = $400
I transferred 30,000 points and got just over $800.00 worth of value (~$4000/night)
800 / 30,000 = .0266666666
~BullsEye10
you stated the cash price was $400 in the earlier post not $800?
