Cash and Points/Miles Combination Strategies to Minimize Expenses
In the world of travel, savvy individuals are leveraging credit cards and loyalty programmes to unlock incredible experiences. Let's delve into the strategies of one such traveller, who shares insights into how they make the most of their hotel points and air miles.
Our traveller, equipped with the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card, enjoys automatic Hilton Diamond status and a host of other benefits. When it comes to hotel stays, they consider several factors: hotel location, availability, award availability, cash versus point costs, elite status/benefits, number of travelers, and types of rooms available.
For air travel, the speaker prefers to use credit cards like The Platinum Card from American Express for flights, saving Capital One miles for better redemptions. They value flexibility in travel planning, as vouchers provide freedom from the constraints of limited award calendar dates.
During a stay at the Grand Hyatt Seoul, they took advantage of a lounge offering food and beverage offerings, helping to keep costs to a minimum. They also used points to secure a suite upgrade award, guaranteeing a standard suite for a 5-night stay.
When it comes to flights, our traveller ideally prefers to use points. However, they acknowledge the impact of award seat availability, travel dates, flight routes, mileage cost, and point programs on the use of miles for flights. For instance, redeeming miles for a San Francisco to San Diego flight would mean using $119.60 worth of miles for a $114 flight, based on a value of 1.3 cents per United mile.
However, not every flight can be booked using points. The speaker had to pay cash for a flight from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia due to a lack of award seat availability, despite holding a large stash of American Airlines AAdvantage miles. This underscores the importance of flexible travel plans and the need to stay adaptable when redeeming points and miles.
Our traveller has also used United PlusPoints to secure business class upgrades on flights, a testament to the benefits of elite membership with United, which provides perks such as upgrades.
In the realm of cruises, our traveller recently embarked on a journey to Antarctica, which cost approximately $9,000 in cash. Using points would have required millions, highlighting the importance of considering the value of each point or mile when making redemptions.
In conclusion, our traveller's strategies demonstrate the power of careful planning and strategic use of credit cards, hotel points, and air miles to enhance travel experiences. By understanding the factors that affect the use of these rewards, individuals can unlock incredible journeys, making travel more accessible and affordable.
