OK, what did you do with your reward points?

[Anonymous]

---

@dilettante wrote:

Booked and family took a lot of trips with points using last year's MR, UR, TY, SPG, Diners, Ritz, AA, Alaska, UA points and miles:

4 RT first class domestic coast to coast

3 RT first class on Singapore to Asia

2 RT business on KLM/AF to Europe 

4 RT upgrades to first class to Hawaii

2 RT business on ANA to Japan.

1 week stay at JW Marriott hotel in Asia

With this year's points, have only been able so far to book for next year:

2 RT business class on Singapore to Asia

4 RT business class on Delta to Asia

2 weeks hotel stay in Asia

Still working on and waiting for availability for business/first to Europe. But it is getting harder to use and book with points due to devaluations of airline programs, changes with airlines offering less saver space award tickets/first class seats and competition with so many people trying to do the same with their points.

---

Im envious.  Every time I try to look at award flights I get discouraged because there never seems to be any flights available.  Do you usually book at last minute when seats become available or are you able to do this well in advance?

[Anonymous]

---

@Anonymous wrote:

Well so far this year:

I've redeemed 80,000 USBank FlexPerks points on three plane tickets, two RT to Puerto Rico (March 2015) and one RT to Dominica (in February 2016; one of our favorite places on earth), a total of about $1,600 in value.

Redeemed 85,000 LaQuinta points for about $1,000 in hotel stays on a trip out west. About 6,000 miles through IL,WI,MN,ND,MT to Glacier National, then on to Spokane, Seattle (Mt, Ranier, Olympia national park), Boise, Torry UT (Capital Reef, Kodachrome, Goblins park), Fruita CO (Arches National, Canyonlands, Dinosaur Monument), Denver CO, then home.

46,000 miles from CapitalOne Venture for $460 toward our next cruise (January 2017, out of San Juan, going to Barbados, St. Vincent, Grenada, St. Lucia, Dominica, St. Maarten, Tortola).

16,511 points from SallieMae M/C -> $165.11 in UPromise -> SallieMae savings for a 10% bonus to become $181.62.

Redeemed $225 in Discover cashback for $250 in restaurant gift cards (Outback, Chipotle, Chili's, TGIF).

$180 from BofA BBR cards went straight into the bank.

10,887 WorldPoints from Fidelity AmEx automatically into $108.87 in my Fidelity Cash Management account

$100 from USBank Cash+ directly into my bank account, plus a $25 Visa gift card that I think I used on a natural gas bill.

10,000 miles from Barlcay Arrival card to offset $75 on a Christmas 2014 hotel charge, plus $25 toward deposit on 2017 cruise.

$58.22 from my Chase Ink M/C (not URP) directly into my bank account.

Redeemed 3,762 BarclayCard Rewards points for a $37.62 statement credit, turned into a check deposited in the bank.

NFL Extra Points card: 2,843 points for a $28.43 statement credit, turned into a check deposited in the bank.

Still haven't figured out optimal way to redeem 152k URP.

Chris.

---

Pretty impressive ! have you given any thoughts about transferring the points (just joking)..

[Anonymous]

Good job everyone on redeeming your points, miles, and cash back!!! Once I obtain point or mile cards, I want to be just like you all. For right now, I deposit my cash back earnings into a savings account for my future plans.

[dilettante]

---

@Anonymous wrote:

---

@dilettante wrote:

Booked and family took a lot of trips with points using last year's MR, UR, TY, SPG, Diners, Ritz, AA, Alaska, UA points and miles:

4 RT first class domestic coast to coast

3 RT first class on Singapore to Asia

2 RT business on KLM/AF to Europe 

4 RT upgrades to first class to Hawaii

2 RT business on ANA to Japan.

1 week stay at JW Marriott hotel in Asia

With this year's points, have only been able so far to book for next year:

2 RT business class on Singapore to Asia

4 RT business class on Delta to Asia

2 weeks hotel stay in Asia

Still working on and waiting for availability for business/first to Europe. But it is getting harder to use and book with points due to devaluations of airline programs, changes with airlines offering less saver space award tickets/first class seats and competition with so many people trying to do the same with their points.

---

Im envious.  Every time I try to look at award flights I get discouraged because there never seems to be any flights available.  Do you usually book at last minute when seats become available or are you able to do this well in advance?

---

I booked most of this year's flights about 4-6 months prior to travel. The key is always flexibility and with Singapore and Air France, especially, it's easier going through their award redemption rather than thru partner's. Since all these were for vacation travel, I found tickets (all nonstop) with a flexible working schedule within a week of desired travel dates. But it means you will have to pay high fuel surchages booking through Singapore and AF, which is something I don't mind doing to get a $6K - $13k RT ticket for $250 - $400 in fees/charges.

There's a lot of little tricks that you can find on FT for each airline that I researched and used in order to get all those tickets last year.  It also helps if you travel non-summer months, I tend to prefer vacationing late Spring / early summer.  Although this year, I was able to find a few premium seats on Virgin Atlantic, BA, and AF through Delta and Alaska for June to London and Paris.  

Good Luck and don't get too discouraged.

[icyhot]

I use my TYP for select and credit, my UR to transfer to Hyatt for free nights, Venture miles to reimburse my trip to DC past weekend, haven't used my Delta, Hilton or AAdvantage points yet

[Anonymous]

---

@Anonymous wrote:

Well so far this year:

I've redeemed 80,000 USBank FlexPerks points on three plane tickets, two RT to Puerto Rico (March 2015) and one RT to Dominica (in February 2016; one of our favorite places on earth), a total of about $1,600 in value.

Redeemed 85,000 LaQuinta points for about $1,000 in hotel stays on a trip out west. About 6,000 miles through IL,WI,MN,ND,MT to Glacier National, then on to Spokane, Seattle (Mt, Ranier, Olympia national park), Boise, Torry UT (Capital Reef, Kodachrome, Goblins park), Fruita CO (Arches National, Canyonlands, Dinosaur Monument), Denver CO, then home.

46,000 miles from CapitalOne Venture for $460 toward our next cruise (January 2017, out of San Juan, going to Barbados, St. Vincent, Grenada, St. Lucia, Dominica, St. Maarten, Tortola).

16,511 points from SallieMae M/C -> $165.11 in UPromise -> SallieMae savings for a 10% bonus to become $181.62.

Redeemed $225 in Discover cashback for $250 in restaurant gift cards (Outback, Chipotle, Chili's, TGIF).

$180 from BofA BBR cards went straight into the bank.

10,887 WorldPoints from Fidelity AmEx automatically into $108.87 in my Fidelity Cash Management account

$100 from USBank Cash+ directly into my bank account, plus a $25 Visa gift card that I think I used on a natural gas bill.

10,000 miles from Barlcay Arrival card to offset $75 on a Christmas 2014 hotel charge, plus $25 toward deposit on 2017 cruise.

$58.22 from my Chase Ink M/C (not URP) directly into my bank account.

Redeemed 3,762 BarclayCard Rewards points for a $37.62 statement credit, turned into a check deposited in the bank.

NFL Extra Points card: 2,843 points for a $28.43 statement credit, turned into a check deposited in the bank.

Still haven't figured out optimal way to redeem 152k URP.

Chris.

---

why not use some of those UR for Amtrak? You could get a super sweet bedroom car with shower/bathroom for 3 adults, meals included for 50k points round trip. Thats worth like over 2500 or more right there....

[Anonymous]

---

@dilettante wrote:

---

@Anonymous wrote:

---

@dilettante wrote:

Booked and family took a lot of trips with points using last year's MR, UR, TY, SPG, Diners, Ritz, AA, Alaska, UA points and miles:

4 RT first class domestic coast to coast

3 RT first class on Singapore to Asia

2 RT business on KLM/AF to Europe 

4 RT upgrades to first class to Hawaii

2 RT business on ANA to Japan.

1 week stay at JW Marriott hotel in Asia

With this year's points, have only been able so far to book for next year:

2 RT business class on Singapore to Asia

4 RT business class on Delta to Asia

2 weeks hotel stay in Asia

Still working on and waiting for availability for business/first to Europe. But it is getting harder to use and book with points due to devaluations of airline programs, changes with airlines offering less saver space award tickets/first class seats and competition with so many people trying to do the same with their points.

---

Im envious.  Every time I try to look at award flights I get discouraged because there never seems to be any flights available.  Do you usually book at last minute when seats become available or are you able to do this well in advance?

---

I booked most of this year's flights about 4-6 months prior to travel. The key is always flexibility and with Singapore and Air France, especially, it's easier going through their award redemption rather than thru partner's. Since all these were for vacation travel, I found tickets (all nonstop) with a flexible working schedule within a week of desired travel dates. But it means you will have to pay high fuel surchages booking through Singapore and AF, which is something I don't mind doing to get a $6K - $13k RT ticket for $250 - $400 in fees/charges.

There's a lot of little tricks that you can find on FT for each airline that I researched and used in order to get all those tickets last year.  It also helps if you travel non-summer months, I tend to prefer vacationing late Spring / early summer.  Although this year, I was able to find a few premium seats on Virgin Atlantic, BA, and AF through Delta and Alaska for June to London and Paris.  

Good Luck and don't get too discouraged.

---

Little tricks like what, skip gating?

[Anonymous]

Im sure to use my CSP the most since the rewards are better...a least for my cards.

[morgacj2004]

Thats exactly what I do ! Fun to get my Amazon order for free or heavily discounted.

[Anonymous]

We just used Aadvantage miles to book two round trip First Class Non-stop LAX-LHR, return First Class AMS-LAX, then used Marriott points picked up from Chase Ritz and Marriott Rewards card bonus's to stay three nights at 4-Star hotel in London; used Hyatt points earned froom Chase Hyatt and Ink Plus sign up bonus's to stay four nights at 5-star hotel in Amsterdam, and used Ritz airline credits to pay for baggage fees and seat upgrades on the cheap inter-Europe flights (London-Marseille, Marseille-Amsterdam.)

    Returned from that trip in June, and have already booked two Business class Delta tickets to Cancun for April from Amex Delta Gold 50k sign-up (we will be heading down to Tulum for a week,) and on the return I will be using United miles earned from Chase card for First Class award tickets. Then next month will be staying for three nights at the Hyatt in San Fran. using annual one free award night plus combo of Hyatt/Ultimatte Reward points left over from the last Euro trip.

  Now working on two around-the-world First Class One World tickets using AA and Alaska miles for 2017 (already have 285,000 AA miles = 50K Alaska banked for that trip.)