1. You can find me at:
Info@thepointsguy.com Facebook.com/thepointsguy
Twitter.com/thepointsguy Instagram.com/thepointsguy
2.
3. Earning and Redeeming Miles and Points
Airline Miles, Hotel and Credit Card Points
Basics for Beginners / Continuing Education For
Advanced
Join us after for a Q&A!
For more information visit: : www.thepointsguy.com
4. Miles
Mileage Run
Points
Award Miles
Elite Miles
The “Are You Freaking Kidding Me” Look
5. Differs for every person and how they redeem
Simple value equation = Value of redemption/ points used
Example: Flight to Europe in Coach is around $750 and you
want to use American miles
Off-peak 40,000 miles, your value is 1.875 cents per mile
Peak SAAver is 60,000 miles, value drops to 1.25 cents per mile
Anytime AAward: 120,000, value drops to .625 cents per mile!
7. Two Types of Airline Programs
Traditional or Distance Based
Fixed Value
Factors Involved:
Airline Partners
Ease of Redemption
Types of Awards
Elite Status
10. Sign up for everything!
Track everything using sites like AwardWallet and UsingMiles
Don’t let your miles expire -It happens, but it doesn’t have to!
You don’t need to get on a plane to keep them active
Online shopping and dining out
Some programs don’t expire like Delta SkyMiles
Take the pledge!
11. Double EQM’s on American
Delta $150 Mistake Fares
Mistake Fares
Flyertalk, FlightDeal and AirFareWatchdog
Be quick - Use Twitter! Follow @TPG_Alerts
13. Credit Cards: Come tomorrow!
Dining Out:
Rewards Networks
OpenTable
Restaurant.com
Online Shopping Portals: 10-20 points per $1
Buying Miles: Sometimes it’s a good deal – bonus promos
Example: 90,000 US Airways miles business class to Asia costs only
$1,620 with 100% bonus promo
Note: Know your program, and have a specific redemption in mind
and do the math! Some promos are not worth it like on American or
Delta transfer promos.
Good for top ups
14. Transfer from Amex Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate
Rewards or Starwood
Household Accounts
Share Miles Promos
Maximizing One-Way Awards
Note: Most airlines allow you to book award tickets for
anyone, so no need to transfer
15. Pay bills, utilities, rent, mortgage, etc. using prepaid cards that
act as debit cards or even checking accounts
Load these cards using points-earning credit cards
For more information check out my Bluebird Series
16. There’s no availability – this is a lie! Use it to your advantage
and use partners
Website doesn’t work
Fees are too high
The airline doesn’t fly where I want to go – use your options!
For example: US Airways doesn’t fly to Asia but you can redeem
miles to get there by redeeming on United, Singapore, ANA,
Thai, Asiana…you can get almost anywhere!
17. Oneworld
Use Qantas.com.au then call the airline you want to book
SkyTeam
Don’t use Delta.com, Use Airfrance.us and search for Classic Awards
Star Alliance Awards
Use United.com – Saver Awards generally bookable in any Star
Alliance currency
Example: Flights from LAX to JFK – 70,000 miles round trip in
first class
Same flight is only 50,000 US Airways miles.
18. ExpertFlyer.com
Can Search for award seats, upgrades, and set seat alerts
69 airlines
Use a Booking Service
Book Your Award: www.bookyour award.com
Points Pros: www.pointspros.com
19. Transfer/Layover: Less than 24 hours international, 4 hours
domestic
Stopover: More than 24 hours international, 4 hours domestic
Open Jaw: Returning to/from different city
Sample Routing:
US Airways to Australia via Asia
My Oktoberfest Trip: JFK-Munich, Munich-Berlin, Berlin-JFK for
68,000 Amex points in business
Aeroplan to Asia via Europe and the Pacific
20. Aeroplan (Air Canada): 2 stopovers
American: 1 Stopover at US gateway on international
itineraries
British Airways: As many as you want but you pay for each
one a la carte
Delta: 1 stopover or open jaw (ways to get around)
United: 1 stopover or open jaw
US Airways: 1 stopover and 1 open jaw
21. American: Don’t fly British Airways
British Airways: Don’t fly American, British Airways or Iberia to
London; JAL or American to Tokyo; Qantas to Australia; Royal
Jordanian (no close-in fees)
Delta: Avoid award originating outside North America, no close-
in fees
United: Low fee structure, avoid close-in fees
US Airways: Low fuel surcharges, big phone ticketing, change,
cancellation and close-in fees
Book more than 21 days in advance to avoid fees
22. Cheaper than changing purchased tickets
American and United will let you change dates and routing as
long as origin and destination are same. Redeposit fee: $150
Delta and US Airways: $150 for changes or to redeposit miles
British Airways: $40 to change or cancel and redeposit
Tip: Don’t cancel if you don’t need to- wait for flight
changes/cancellations to avoid fees
Tip: Having elite status reduces fees
23. 1. Cash & Points Redemptions – stretch points and hedge against foreign currencies
specifically Starwood, Hilton, Club Carlson
2. Free night stays like Starwood’s Fifth Night Free
3. Discounted Awards: Priority Club PointsBreaks, Marriott PointSavers
4. Using Points for Upgrades: Hyatt example, up to 4 nights in a Regency or Club
room for just 3,000 points
5. AXON/GLON Hilton discounted awards
6. Credit Card Sign-Up Bonuses
7. Elite Status From Crdit Cards
8. Quarterly Promos
9. Leveraging Elite Status: Starwood and Hyatt are my favorite
10. Transfer to Airline Miles
25. Blogs: Frugal Travel Guy, View From The Wing, One Mile At A
Time, Frequent Miler, Mommy Points, Million Mile Secrets,
Loyalty Traveler
Other sites: FlyerTalk, Milepoint
Social Media: Follow @ThePointsGuy
Come to tomorrow’s session on Credit Cards
Q&A Session: Will be in this room following the presentation
26. Used United.com to find a business class ticket on South African
Airways – JFK-JNB-CPT (destination)-JNB (stopover)-IAD-JFK.
Booked it with US Airways miles.
Total: 110,000 miles + $127 in taxes and fees instead of $8,775,
7.8 cents per mile!
27. The Westin Cape Town
Rate was $220, but used Cash & Points to pay 4,000 points + $60, 3.5 cents
per Starpoint
Upgraded because of elite status to a Junior Suite
Hilton Cape Town
Rate was $114 so I paid instead of using 30,000 points or a free night from my
Citi Hilton HHonors Reserve card
Points Earned: 2,280 base points + 50% Diamond Bonus + 1,000-point
Diamond point amenity + 1,000 Virgin Atlantic Miles for Double Dipping
(converted to Hilton points) – Total = 8.560 points for $228.
Hyatt Regency Johannesburg
Rate $335 a night, or 8,000 Hyatt Gold Passport points – rate per point 4.2
cents
28. 12 night South Africa Trip of a Lifetime for: ~$3,000 and 126,000
miles/points. Retail value: $12,698
