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Re: Dividend Miles - Useless
[Re: SURICK]
#103025
07/16/2016 02:52 PM
07/16/2016 02:52 PM
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Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 17,545 Ohio
ruralcarrier
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 17,545
Ohio
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Miles are not all that easy to use, many expire and with limited availability, they just don't work for many people. Delta does not expire (at least as of earlier this year) and I was able to use them for a trip but all my USAir/AA miles expired.
My personal advice, get a cash back credit card, rack up the credits there and take the $$$ and put it towards a ticket or whatever you choose.
Discover was doing a double cash back for new accounts for purchases made in the first year. Capital One VISA is 1.5% cash back from what I recall. Look around, find a card that fits your needs and go that route.
J.D.
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Re: Dividend Miles - Useless
[Re: SURICK]
#103026
07/16/2016 03:06 PM
07/16/2016 03:06 PM
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 391 San Antonio
sumbeach
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 391
San Antonio
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I just booked RT from Dallas for 2 for 55,000 miles on Aadvantage. The return trip is great - depart 3:25 to CLT with 2 hr layover, then arr in DFW at 10:24. The outbound is not so great, DFW at 9:00, IAH, MIA, then arr SXM at 10:24. Last March we went from SAT at 6:05 to MIA, arr SXM 2:15, the return pretty much the same as this year, but SAT instead of DFW, for 50,000. Today it would have been 27,500 pp each way. Anything cheaper would require an overnight both ways. We have to drive to Dallas and back, but we're travelling with friends from Dallas, so no big deal. Taking out a new card every 18 months and getting 50,000 miles for charging $3000, makes it pretty cheap, even with the $150 or so fees.
Dan
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Re: Dividend Miles - Useless
[Re: sumbeach]
#103027
07/16/2016 03:09 PM
07/16/2016 03:09 PM
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 391 San Antonio
sumbeach
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 391
San Antonio
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Like you, I looked at buying 20,000 miles or transferring from wife's account, would have cost $600.
Dan
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Re: Dividend Miles - Useless
[Re: ruralcarrier]
#103028
07/16/2016 03:11 PM
07/16/2016 03:11 PM
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 10,213 GJ, CO S/V Long Overdue
sail2wind
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 10,213
GJ, CO S/V Long Overdue
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Airline miles suck compared to Capitol One. we were AA FF for years. Every time we tried to book, they would route us from Colorado to N.Y., Philly, or some out of the way airport, long layovers and the direct flights were always available for cash, but not with miles, or the the mileage .increases exponentially to get a direct flight. Cap 1, book your own ticket on your terms and Cap 1 reimburses the flight, easy peasy.
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Re: Dividend Miles - Useless
[Re: sail2wind]
#103029
07/16/2016 03:28 PM
07/16/2016 03:28 PM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,862 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 82,862
Central Florida!
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It really depends on where you're flying from. We have been pretty lucky with AA miles from Miami, even fairly last minute.
As far as miles expiring, it depends. On AA, it's every 18 months now. I no longer have a credit card that I get AA miles on, so I have to watch my AA account sometimes, since we generally fly on FF tickets. Recently, I booked a rental car and paid a bit more, and got FF miles for it. Now I'm good for another 18 months.
Carol Hill
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Re: Dividend Miles - Useless
[Re: SURICK]
#103038
07/16/2016 06:08 PM
07/16/2016 06:08 PM
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Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 14,649 Brookfield, CT.
pat
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 14,649
Brookfield, CT.
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Over a lot of years we've made a lot if trips compliments of AA FF miles, sometimes booking free tix and sometimes buying inexpensive seats and doing upgrades. A couple of months ago, but as soon as the flights were announced, I was able to book FF first class seats from NY to HI on exactly the flights I wanted for 70000 miles each round trip so I'm not complaining. If I were to try to book the same flights today they're showing 150000 miles each for first class. We still maintain our AA Business card but I really like my Cap One that sends me checks every couple of months and has all kinds of benefits that work for me, but I've found you really need to plan ahead and book very early (or get very lucky...) to really make the FF miles work for you. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />
Last edited by pat; 07/16/2016 06:21 PM.
Respectfully,
pat
"Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them."
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Re: Dividend Miles - Useless
[Re: Tom]
#103047
07/17/2016 08:22 AM
07/17/2016 08:22 AM
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Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 1,562 Long Island, NY
RICKnGRACE_LI_NY
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 1,562
Long Island, NY
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I didn't read through the entire thread, so, if this is a repeat I am sorry.
The best card I have found is a Capital One Venture Card. Double miles that don't expire. You can find your flights and book through them. Or you can book your flights, use their card and apply for the refund. You get points per dollar spent. It converts like this example. $500 spent earns 1000 points. 1000 points = $10 So if you have 50000 points and spend $500 on a ticket you are covered.
I know it sounds like a lot, but if you use it like cash, which we do, it builds up quickly. We just remember to treat it like a cash card and pay it in full at the end of every month. Any way, it works for us.
Rick and Grace
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Re: Dividend Miles - Useless
[Re: RICKnGRACE_LI_NY]
#103048
07/17/2016 09:00 AM
07/17/2016 09:00 AM
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Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 13,430 Peaceful Eastern North Carolin...
GaKaye
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 13,430
Peaceful Eastern North Carolin...
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That's exactly what we do with our Venture Card. We use it for absolutely everything, including recurring bills as long as the payee doesn't charge a convenience fee for paying by credit card. I don't bother to save my miles for a ticket, I just go online every couple of months, and use the purchase eraser to get credits. I keep track of all of our expenditures in Quicken (it's the retired banker in me, lol) so at the end of the year, I can see how much I've earned. In six months this year, we've already earned over $900, so our SXM tickets will likely be free by year-end. The key is to use the card like cash, and pay in full every month.
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Re: Dividend Miles - Useless
[Re: SXMScubaman]
#103050
07/17/2016 12:17 PM
07/17/2016 12:17 PM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 11,585
Eric_Hill
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 11,585
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For us anyway AA FF work and work well overall. It depends on where you live, connections, options for airports, etc. We have quite a few options to choose from, so that helps a whole lot. So there is no one plan that works for everybody. If there was, then there would not be any other options.
For us anyway, CapOne is more expensive than our current AA FF miles program. But that is our situation only, so it works for us beneficially but may not work for others. We fly AA the majority of the time as we can get non stop out of MIA, ALL others mean a change. We can get FF seats at this point, most of the time anyway. Maybe not the exact dates, but always options that we can live with and many times the exact dates that we want. But then again, we are not tied into a specific week each year either, so for some I can see where it does not work.
Also I am always making sure that I sign up/register for the various bonus miles that are offered. Even if I do not have any plans on that particular puchase. Many times it has been things that we do routinely, others not, but sign up regardless. Generally those for us anyway, at triple miles and a cap of course, but it adds up fast.
And for us AA FF has the best policies regarding FF tickets. So that is a huge advantage for us anyway, since we are flying on AA the vast majority of the time.
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Re: Dividend Miles - Useless
[Re: RI Bob C]
#103051
07/17/2016 02:11 PM
07/17/2016 02:11 PM
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Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,088 Massachusetts
boucharda
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,088
Massachusetts
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That's probably my issue...I never book 11 months in advance. I have issues with the flight I like being changed months later to an inconvenient flight.
We are presently in Las Vegas and booked one way on AA (cash) 5 moths prior...nice one hour layover connection...reasonable arrival. It was changed to a 6am departure with a 32 minute layover and a much too early arrival...but it did work out after some fancy footwork in Phily...
Last edited by boucharda; 07/17/2016 02:16 PM.
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Re: Dividend Miles - Useless
[Re: RICKnGRACE_LI_NY]
#103053
07/17/2016 05:34 PM
07/17/2016 05:34 PM
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Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 18,809 Auburn, WA
SXMScubaman
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 18,809
Auburn, WA
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RICKnGRACE_LI_NY said: I didn't read through the entire thread, so, if this is a repeat I am sorry.
The best card I have found is a Capital One Venture Card. Double miles that don't expire. You can find your flights and book through them. Or you can book your flights, use their card and apply for the refund. You get points per dollar spent. It converts like this example. $500 spent earns 1000 points. 1000 points = $10 So if you have 50000 points and spend $500 on a ticket you are covered.
I know it sounds like a lot, but if you use it like cash, which we do, it builds up quickly. We just remember to treat it like a cash card and pay it in full at the end of every month. Any way, it works for us. 50,000 AA FF miles got me a first class ticket from SEA to SXM on the dates and flights I wanted. That was a $900.00+ ticket. I'll stick with my Citi Bank AA card.
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Re: Dividend Miles - Useless
[Re: SXMScubaman]
#103055
07/17/2016 08:50 PM
07/17/2016 08:50 PM
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Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 1,562 Long Island, NY
RICKnGRACE_LI_NY
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 1,562
Long Island, NY
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Whatever works for ya. OP asked a question, I answered with a possible solution. Didn't opine right way or wrong. I had a Citi AA card years ago. It didn't work as well for me as it works for you. Venture Card does.
Rick and Grace
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Re: Dividend Miles - Useless
[Re: weeks5051]
#103057
07/18/2016 07:46 AM
07/18/2016 07:46 AM
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Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 14,649 Brookfield, CT.
pat
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 14,649
Brookfield, CT.
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We all have to do what works best for us - but my question is when did AA add a fee for booking FF seats? I didn't pay any fees to book my tickets, and when they changed the flight time and put us on a flight that was totally NOT to my liking, as is so often the case with airlines these days, I called and they changed me to a flight of my choice at no charge to me. Is this 'added fee' something new?
Respectfully,
pat
"Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them."
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Re: Dividend Miles - Useless
[Re: Eric_Hill]
#103059
07/18/2016 08:03 AM
07/18/2016 08:03 AM
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Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 14,649 Brookfield, CT.
pat
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 14,649
Brookfield, CT.
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I didn't think about taxes.......although you pay them seperately on Jet Blue tix, too. I guess you could call that a fee but they do clearly show them as taxes on both AA and JB, the only airlines I have any FF experience with.
Respectfully,
pat
"Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them."
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Re: Dividend Miles - Useless
[Re: pat]
#103061
07/18/2016 08:16 AM
07/18/2016 08:16 AM
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Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 17,545 Ohio
ruralcarrier
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 17,545
Ohio
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Delta charged no extra fee and taxes are a part of any ticket. I know some credit cards with "points" charge a booking fee when one goes to apply points towards the purchase of a ticket.
J.D.
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Re: Dividend Miles - Useless
[Re: ruralcarrier]
#103062
07/18/2016 08:23 AM
07/18/2016 08:23 AM
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Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 14,649 Brookfield, CT.
pat
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 14,649
Brookfield, CT.
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TY - didn't know that and again, my only experiences with free tix have been AA and JB and I haven't paid 'fees' on either one.
Respectfully,
pat
"Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them."
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