Who Is The Points Guy?

You can find me at:Info@thepointsguy.com Facebook.com/thepointsguyTwitter.com/thepointsguy Instagram.com/thepointsguy

My Love for Points Started at a Young Age

The Basics: Why Miles and Points Matter

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

Terms You Should KnowMiles

Mileage Run

Points

Award Miles

Elite Miles

The “Are You Freaking Kidding Me” Look

What’s The Value of a Mile/Point?

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!

My RankingsAirlines

1) United: 2 cents

2) American: 1.8 cents

3) US Airways: 1.7 cents

4) British Airways: 1.6 cents

5) Aeroplan: 1.6 cents

6) Delta: 1.1 cents

Hotels

1) Starwood: 2.3 cents

2) Hyatt: 1.9 cents

3) Hilton: 0.7 cents

4) Club Carlson: 0.7 cents

5) Priority Club: 0.6 cents

6) Marriott: 0.6 cents

What is the Best Frequent Flyer Program?

Two Types of Airline ProgramsTraditional or Distance BasedFixed Value

Factors Involved:Airline PartnersEase of RedemptionTypes of Awards Elite Status

Earning Miles With Elite Programs

Distance-Based

Earning Miles With Elite Programs

Fixed-Value

Be Smart With Your MilesSign 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 SkyMilesTake the pledge!

Promotions: Rare But Lucrative

Double EQM’s on American

Delta $150 Mistake Fares

Mistake FaresFlyertalk, FlightDeal and AirFareWatchdog

Be quick - Use Twitter! Follow @TPG_Alerts

Find Low Fares Using ITA Software

http://matrix.itasoftware.com/

Maximize your airfare purchase with the right credit card and portal

Racking Up Miles Without FlyingCredit Cards: Come tomorrow!

Dining Out: Rewards NetworksOpenTableRestaurant.com

Online Shopping Portals: 10-20 points per $1

Buying Miles: Sometimes it’s a good deal – bonus promosExample: 90,000 US Airways miles business class to Asia costs only $1,620 with 100% bonus promoNote: 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

Topping Up Accounts Without Buying Miles

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

Advanced Topic: Prepaid Cards and Amex Bluebird

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

Redeeming: Common Problems

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!

Finding AvailabilityOneworld

Use Qantas.com.au then call the airline you want to book

SkyTeamDon’t use Delta.com, Use Airfrance.us and search for Classic Awards

Star Alliance AwardsUse United.com – Saver Awards generally bookable in any Star Alliance currency Example: Flights from LAX to JFK – 70,000 miles round trip in first classSame flight is only 50,000 US Airways miles.

Finding AvailabilityExpertFlyer.com

Can Search for award seats, upgrades, and set seat alerts69 airlines

Use a Booking ServiceBook Your Award: www.bookyour award.comPoints Pros: www.pointspros.com

Maximizing Redemptions: Stopovers and Layovers

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

Rules for Individual AirlinesAeroplan (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

How to Avoid Huge FeesAmerican: 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

Changing Award TicketsCheaper 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

Top 10 Tips on Maximizing Hotel Programs

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

Hotel Strengths and Weaknesses

Other ResourcesBlogs: 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

 

Putting It Together: South AfricaUsed 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!

Putting It Together: HotelsThe Westin Cape Town

Rate was $220, but used Cash & Points to pay 4,000 points + $60, 3.5 cents per StarpointUpgraded because of elite status to a Junior Suite

Hilton Cape TownRate was $114 so I paid instead of using 30,000 points or a free night from my Citi Hilton HHonors Reserve cardPoints 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 JohannesburgRate $335 a night, or 8,000 Hyatt Gold Passport points – rate per point 4.2 cents

Putting It Together: The Fun12 night South Africa Trip of a Lifetime for: ~$3,000 and 126,000 miles/points. Retail value: $12,698