Citi ThankYou Rewards/Airline Redemption [Master Thread]
Jan 6, 2007, 10:53 am
#121
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 46
I recently redeemed some TY points for a couple of tickets to Maui. I was offered either AA or UA from DAY to OGG - and they were the cheapest flights on expedia.com (they are the guys who run the TY travel program). The layover etc was very reasonable on the UA flight I chose. DAY-ORD-LAX-OGG and return through SFO. Tried getting the nonstop from ORD to OGG but no luck as for the dates I wanted it was $300 more.
Keep checking expedia and if UA's price drops, you might get that. Thats what happened with me eventually as initially I was being offered only AA but then UA dropped in price and they offered that as an option.
GL.
Keep checking expedia and if UA's price drops, you might get that. Thats what happened with me eventually as initially I was being offered only AA but then UA dropped in price and they offered that as an option.
GL.
Couple questions about redeeming TY points for flights as I get ready to make my first splash...
1) How flexible are they in getting you on the airline you want? I'm looking at flights to Hawaii where the United flights are close to $900 and America West is the cheapest at $775. Any chance I could get the United flights?
2) Has anyone had luck booking flights to Maui with TY points? How long was your layover(s) and how many segments?
Thanks!
1) How flexible are they in getting you on the airline you want? I'm looking at flights to Hawaii where the United flights are close to $900 and America West is the cheapest at $775. Any chance I could get the United flights?
2) Has anyone had luck booking flights to Maui with TY points? How long was your layover(s) and how many segments?
Thanks!
Jan 10, 2007, 11:00 am
#122
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: UA Premier, SPG Platinum, Marriott Silver, HHonors Silver
Posts: 212
Intersting, do you know what fare class the JL flight was in for comparison? One thing to remember is that sometimes booking really far in advance is not the best way to get the cheapest fares, airlines charge more for the cheap tickets way in advance then lower prices only when travel dates become nearer (i.e., 3 months to 3 weeks in advance typically).
My point was that while the ticket toomanywords got was $1,672 it was only a V-class ticket, which is a pretty low fare class on United and I believe pretty much non-upgradeable, whereas it seems to me if they had waited until closer to their travel date to book that ticket for a peak travel time they may have scored a much higher fare-class ticket, one that is upgradeable. However, if they absolutely wanted to fly UA, then that may be the right move to get the seats on the airline you want when you can, no matter what fare class they are in.
If someone needs to fly a specific airline to get or maintain status, then that's the right move for them. Myself, if I were redeeming a coach award I'd rather take a higher fare class ticket that is upgradeable on almost any airline than fly a specific airline, I have enough slush miles in AMEX, Diners Club, and Starwood that I can make transfers to redeem for upgrades if I get an upgradeable ticket. If I wait until two weeks before travel to book, there's a good chance I would get a higher fare class ticket than if I book six months in advance I would think.
Anyway, I'm certainly not saying anyone's strategy is bad, I'm relatively new to this program and am just trying to plan ahead for when I want to redeem. I had originally intended on saving up for Business class awards to Europe and such, but now I'm wondering if I plan right if I can score Y/B class tickets in coach and just upgrade them at a much lower overall "cost" in points/miles in total. So if I wanted to go to London in June say, it seems like my best bet might be to wait until 15 days before and book coach tickets then, there's a good chance they will have to buy me higher fare class tickets that I can just use miles to upgrade, which is a better deal than the differential I'd have to pay in Thank You Points to just book Business tickets in the first place.
My point was that while the ticket toomanywords got was $1,672 it was only a V-class ticket, which is a pretty low fare class on United and I believe pretty much non-upgradeable, whereas it seems to me if they had waited until closer to their travel date to book that ticket for a peak travel time they may have scored a much higher fare-class ticket, one that is upgradeable. However, if they absolutely wanted to fly UA, then that may be the right move to get the seats on the airline you want when you can, no matter what fare class they are in.
If someone needs to fly a specific airline to get or maintain status, then that's the right move for them. Myself, if I were redeeming a coach award I'd rather take a higher fare class ticket that is upgradeable on almost any airline than fly a specific airline, I have enough slush miles in AMEX, Diners Club, and Starwood that I can make transfers to redeem for upgrades if I get an upgradeable ticket. If I wait until two weeks before travel to book, there's a good chance I would get a higher fare class ticket than if I book six months in advance I would think.
Anyway, I'm certainly not saying anyone's strategy is bad, I'm relatively new to this program and am just trying to plan ahead for when I want to redeem. I had originally intended on saving up for Business class awards to Europe and such, but now I'm wondering if I plan right if I can score Y/B class tickets in coach and just upgrade them at a much lower overall "cost" in points/miles in total. So if I wanted to go to London in June say, it seems like my best bet might be to wait until 15 days before and book coach tickets then, there's a good chance they will have to buy me higher fare class tickets that I can just use miles to upgrade, which is a better deal than the differential I'd have to pay in Thank You Points to just book Business tickets in the first place.
Also, the $1672 figure is probably inaccurate here -- that's what I paid for my own ticket (this one was for my fiancee) in H class, which was upgradable with miles. I think the cost to Citi TY for her V ticket was closer to $1100 or $1200, but I'm not sure. It says something about demand on United, though, that the $1672 H ticket was the cheapest one available for these dates when I bought it in July. By early December, these exact flights were no longer for sale, as coach had been oversold on the return trip.
In the end, we wound up buying up her V ticket to fly in business on the way back from HKG-ORD for $550, and I upgraded her using e-500 certificates from ORD to DCA. We also both got free op-ups from HKG to SIN and flew in business on that leg on the way there.
Jan 12, 2007, 7:31 am
#123
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,976
AMERICAN AIRLINES INTERNATIONAL FARES AND DOMESTIC FIRST AND BUSINESS CLASS FARES NO LONGER AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE ON EXPEDIA
http://www.aa.com/content/amrcorp/pr...1_expedia.jhtm
Discussion here...
http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=646337
Unless AA and Expedia resolve this, or Citi makes some other arrangement with AA, this eliminates the ability to redeem Thank You points for international or premium class domestic tickets on American Airlines.
http://www.aa.com/content/amrcorp/pr...1_expedia.jhtm
Discussion here...
http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=646337
Unless AA and Expedia resolve this, or Citi makes some other arrangement with AA, this eliminates the ability to redeem Thank You points for international or premium class domestic tickets on American Airlines.
Jan 12, 2007, 2:51 pm
#124
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: New York
Programs: AA Plat, CO Gold
Posts: 1,598
It's unclear whether this will have an effect or not on TY Network flight redemptions on AA. My guess is that Citi already has their own agreement with AA (and all participating airlines), and Expedia is merely handling the administrative details. I don't think there's any way that Citi is actually paying $1600 for 60k-point flights to India. Probably the only way to find out for sure is to call them up.
Jan 12, 2007, 3:20 pm
#125
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 287
I agree acf- especially considering the significant relationship Citi and American already have with the miles cards. If American alienates Citi on the Thank You program, which Citi is really pushing hard, who knows what could follow.
Jan 12, 2007, 3:23 pm
#126
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,976
Digging around I see that the program already has a mechanism to handle this situation...
Additional destination and travel options not offered through Expedia® (e.g. JetBlue Airlines) may be available from Your Wish Fulfilled, our unique service that allows you to request personalized rewards.
...but I do not see that they would necessarily price such awards the same as the Fixed Flight Options.
Additional destination and travel options not offered through Expedia® (e.g. JetBlue Airlines) may be available from Your Wish Fulfilled, our unique service that allows you to request personalized rewards.
...but I do not see that they would necessarily price such awards the same as the Fixed Flight Options.
Jan 12, 2007, 3:57 pm
#127
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 644
Digging around I see that the program already has a mechanism to handle this situation...
Additional destination and travel options not offered through Expedia® (e.g. JetBlue Airlines) may be available from Your Wish Fulfilled, our unique service that allows you to request personalized rewards.
...but I do not see that they would necessarily price such awards the same as the Fixed Flight Options.
Additional destination and travel options not offered through Expedia® (e.g. JetBlue Airlines) may be available from Your Wish Fulfilled, our unique service that allows you to request personalized rewards.
...but I do not see that they would necessarily price such awards the same as the Fixed Flight Options.
Jan 12, 2007, 8:21 pm
#128
formerly known as daveland
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: NY, NY, USA
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Marriott LTP, Delta Platinum, Hilton Honors Diamond, Wyndham Diamond
Posts: 2,969
I belive that YWF is priced at 1c/pt
Jan 14, 2007, 11:04 am
#129
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: HY
Programs: AA-EXP (3.3MM), AAirpass, SQ-PPS Solitaire, DL-PM (.777MM), SPG-Plat, HH-D
Posts: 2,307
This is not correct, at least not as you've described it.
If you flew 26k miles on tickets purchased with your cc, and spent 1k in the same month, you would have 1k "purchase points" and 1k "flight points" = 2k "Thank you points" transferred to your thank you account. You would also have 25k remaining flight points sitting on your cc account that would not be converted to TY points, nor transferred to your TY account, until you had earned 25k purchase, select, and/or bonus points. Until that happens, you do not have access to that 25k flight point stash.
Of note, all bonuses (sign-up and select category) do count as purchase points and can match unused flight points.
To my knowledge there is no way around this system, but if someone is in the know, please share!
If you flew 26k miles on tickets purchased with your cc, and spent 1k in the same month, you would have 1k "purchase points" and 1k "flight points" = 2k "Thank you points" transferred to your thank you account. You would also have 25k remaining flight points sitting on your cc account that would not be converted to TY points, nor transferred to your TY account, until you had earned 25k purchase, select, and/or bonus points. Until that happens, you do not have access to that 25k flight point stash.
Of note, all bonuses (sign-up and select category) do count as purchase points and can match unused flight points.
To my knowledge there is no way around this system, but if someone is in the know, please share!
)Sorry to be a pain, but: Your flight points ONLY convert to TY points (which is the currency you need to swap for tickets, correct?) once you match the amount with purchase points, if not they are worthless? 1Fly point + 1purchae point = 1 TY point?
Say someone flys a TON and Say he rarely uses a credit card (i know, far fetched) this program would be obsolete for this person. He would have a TON of Fly points but too little purchase points to convert them TY points... is my understanding correct?
I hope so or im just too thick for this program...
Jan 14, 2007, 11:48 am
#130
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: New York
Programs: AA Plat, CO Gold
Posts: 1,598
Sorry to be a pain, but: Your flight points ONLY convert to TY points (which is the currency you need to swap for tickets, correct?) once you match the amount with purchase points, if not they are worthless? 1Fly point + 1purchae point = 1 TY point?
Say someone flys a TON and Say he rarely uses a credit card (i know, far fetched) this program would be obsolete for this person. He would have a TON of Fly points but too little purchase points to convert them TY points... is my understanding correct?
I hope so or im just too thick for this program...
Say someone flys a TON and Say he rarely uses a credit card (i know, far fetched) this program would be obsolete for this person. He would have a TON of Fly points but too little purchase points to convert them TY points... is my understanding correct?
I hope so or im just too thick for this program...
Jan 14, 2007, 3:41 pm
#131
Join Date: Sep 2006
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SPG Platinum, Hyatt Platinum, Marriott Silver
Posts: 446
Expensive Destinations
I am looking to redeem a DFW-KWL ticket this summer, and the best fare on Expedia is coming out to $2500.
Is there any experience here on one of these really expensive airfares whether this is one of the places they'll bump up the point requirements or not?
I actually don't have enough points yet even if it is 60K (meaning time to do some shopping or else sign up for a bonus of some kind). Man, this no AA thing is going to hurt on maintaining gold on AA for my father (whom the ticket is for).
Is there any experience here on one of these really expensive airfares whether this is one of the places they'll bump up the point requirements or not?
I actually don't have enough points yet even if it is 60K (meaning time to do some shopping or else sign up for a bonus of some kind). Man, this no AA thing is going to hurt on maintaining gold on AA for my father (whom the ticket is for).
Jan 15, 2007, 11:07 am
#132
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 644
How picky can you be in getting your airport? I live in WAS, and I rather not fly out of BWI. Ideally, I'd like DCA. Can you request the airport you leave from?
Jan 15, 2007, 11:45 pm
#133
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: PDX
Programs: AS MVP, HH Diamond
Posts: 2,562
Thanks for this! Geez, ive been reading for 2 days about 12hours and i wish I had just found your answer... (PLS STICKIFY! )
Sorry to be a pain, but: Your flight points ONLY convert to TY points (which is the currency you need to swap for tickets, correct?) once you match the amount with purchase points, if not they are worthless? 1Fly point + 1purchae point = 1 TY point?
Say someone flys a TON and Say he rarely uses a credit card (i know, far fetched) this program would be obsolete for this person. He would have a TON of Fly points but too little purchase points to convert them TY points... is my understanding correct?
I hope so or im just too thick for this program...
)Sorry to be a pain, but: Your flight points ONLY convert to TY points (which is the currency you need to swap for tickets, correct?) once you match the amount with purchase points, if not they are worthless? 1Fly point + 1purchae point = 1 TY point?
Say someone flys a TON and Say he rarely uses a credit card (i know, far fetched) this program would be obsolete for this person. He would have a TON of Fly points but too little purchase points to convert them TY points... is my understanding correct?
I hope so or im just too thick for this program...
Jan 15, 2007, 11:46 pm
#134
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: PDX
Programs: AS MVP, HH Diamond
Posts: 2,562
Jan 26, 2007, 4:29 pm
#135
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: HY
Programs: AA-EXP (3.3MM), AAirpass, SQ-PPS Solitaire, DL-PM (.777MM), SPG-Plat, HH-D
Posts: 2,307
^ Just got my PP card^
Registered my TYN account and now im ready to charge some massive purchases and about 50k miles of tickets for the enxt 2-3 months.
Q:
Seems like i will be maxing out this thing of 200K TYN points pretty fast. Anyway around this? i.e. Getting a higher limit?
Registered my TYN account and now im ready to charge some massive purchases and about 50k miles of tickets for the enxt 2-3 months.
Q:
Seems like i will be maxing out this thing of 200K TYN points pretty fast. Anyway around this? i.e. Getting a higher limit?