How do you value Amex MR Points?

[wasCB14]

And, on the note of flexibility, there are often more cheap awards available if you're willing to take an indirect flight (sometimes with a much longer itinerary). I try to avoid them whenever I can fly nonstop, though I did make an exception a few months ago for a cheap Alaska itinerary (fare sale) where I flew solo and had a modest layover at SEA (with Cent lounge access) between SNA and EWR.

(That is, I started in southern California, had a comfortable layover in Seattle, then continued to New Jersey.)

[TheBoondocks]

Yeah, I was thinking whether I should do the min spend for Everyday or the Delta Gold, knowing that Everyday is worth 1.9/2c and Delta at 1.2c, but only reason why I'm getting Everyday is because I also want to transfer to Delta.

I'm willing only to spend $1K, so Everyday incognito is 15k points. And Delta Gold is I believe 35K. Which one would you do? Thanks!

[Anonymous]

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@TheBoondocks wrote:
Yeah, I was thinking whether I should do the min spend for Everyday or the Delta Gold, knowing that Everyday is worth 1.9/2c and Delta at 1.2c, but only reason why I'm getting Everyday is because I also want to transfer to Delta.

I'm willing only to spend $1K, so Everyday incognito is 15k points. And Delta Gold is I believe 35K. Which one would you do? Thanks!

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Delta is easier to get approved for, EveryDay is more flexible with the points. If you really just want to convert ED to Delta SkyMiles then just app for the Delta card because you'll get more miles that way. 

[K-in-Boston]

Assuming that you’d be transferring MRs to SkyMiles and booking economy and would be putting minimal spend on either card, the Delta would be the clear winner. You’d also get perks with the Delta card. If you’d consider spending more for a SUB, there are substantially better offers for both the Gold and Platinum SkyMiles cards, though. While the AF is not waived the first year, the Platinum is a no-brained for most if you fly Main Cabin domestic with a companion at least once a year.

[Anonymous]

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@wasCB14 wrote:

It's not like MRs are necessarily useless for domestic flights. Delta occasionally has cheap awards, and I can book AA-operated sAAver award flights with British Airways Avios. I'm not really one to call offices of exotic airlines to fish around for award availability (and hope there's no mixup), so I like it that I can book easily with Avios online. I avoid AA's close-in award booking fee that way, too.

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Speaking of booking award travel through alliance partners, are you able to book Alaska award tickets by transferring Amex MR to Virign America? 

[wasCB14]

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@wasCB14 wrote:

It's not like MRs are necessarily useless for domestic flights. Delta occasionally has cheap awards, and I can book AA-operated sAAver award flights with British Airways Avios. I'm not really one to call offices of exotic airlines to fish around for award availability (and hope there's no mixup), so I like it that I can book easily with Avios online. I avoid AA's close-in award booking fee that way, too.

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Speaking of booking award travel through alliance partners, are you able to book Alaska award tickets by transferring Amex MR to Virign America? 

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Virgin America no longer exists as a loyalty program, and Alaska is not an MR partner. Alaska is a 1:1 Starwood transfer partner. However, like most (if not all) Starwood-to-airline transfers, it can take several days for the miles to appear.

[Anonymous]

How about transferring from Emirates then booking award travel on Alaska? I'm not too familiar with booking award travel on partnered airlines and how it all works. Their sites are also quite confusing regarding this. 

[wasCB14]

I have never flown Emirates, nor booked a partner flight through them. I don't even have an account with them, so can't tell you how easy or complicated it would be.

My advice is to not make it too complicated too quickly. You've mentioned an interest in a lot of different airlines and I don't sense you have much loyalty to any of them.

[K-in-Boston]

Most partner awards (and even each program’s own awards) are purposely vague. I’m not a huge fan of Southwest’s model since you can’t get great redemption value, but at least it is VERY easy to understand. I’m not sure about using Emirates to book on Alaska. Generally Alaska is great for booking other airlines, though. Especially if you’re looking for premium cabins on long flights like US to Oceania.

[Anonymous]

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@wasCB14 wrote:

I have never flown Emirates, nor booked a partner flight through them. I don't even have an account with them, so can't tell you how easy or complicated it would be.

My advice is to not make it too complicated too quickly. You've mentioned an interest in a lot of different airlines and I don't sense you have much loyalty to any of them.

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I see your point. I don't really have any loyalties to any of the airlines I mentioned so I may as well just focus on 1 goal if/when I begin to accrue Amex MR points - to take a flight somewhere on First or Business class with points. That's really my only goal and I don't care which airline I'm taking as long as it's an international flight and it's worth the redemption.