How a Platinum Amex can actually save you money, 2012
I know, I know. It seems nuts to pay a $450 annual fee (Ha, if only we knew) for a credit card…I thought so until last year when I actually crunched some numbers. But even without the bonus points, this card makes sense if you fly with your family more than once a year. Here’s how:
(After the 25k signup bonus, every year you’ll get)
- $200 Airline credit that comes directly back to your card (as in cash back to you) that you can use for baggage, fees, etc, or GIFT CARDS on American, United, or USAir.
- Airline Lounge access: I estimate this saves me at least $20 per flight in snacks, AND more importantly it gives you access to the best airline staff instead of having to wait in a monster line somewhere if you get stuck.
- Access to transfer bonuses with major airlines and hotels. This means your usual transfer of 1 to 1 on BA, for instance, can go up as high as 1.5 to 1 or even more with their special offers. Last year I took advantage of an offer from BA where the 60,000 miles I transferred to Delta became 90,000 that I combined with some other miles to book a 4 tickets to Ireland this summer.
- Instant gold status with Starwood (Sheaton, Westin, etc.) hotels which you can then status match.
- Small Business Saturday: $25 back the Saturday after Thanksgiving
- Frequent Twitter and Facebook Sync promos with retailers: I’ve saved an average of $200/year on these.
There are tons of other benefits, such as the “Fine Hotels and Resorts” program I used last Spring Break to book the Hyatt Chesapeake at a room rate of $179 and ended up with $215 in room credit! But even if you just use the airline ones, you’ll come out ahead if you’re buying more than four tickets a year with this card.
Original publish date Jan 18, 2012
How Spending $494.50 now on Priority Club Points gets you Platinum Status and could save you over $1200 later
Readers may remember that I’m a big fan of the strategy I call “The Hedge”. This involves buying points at a discount to their relative value to you. Basically, whenever I see points at less than the price I can purchase or transfer them from American Express or Chase, I buy all that I can. For example, a “Hedge” guarantees that I never pay more than $600 for a plane ticket to Europe or $250 for a ticket in the states because I’m using miles rather than purchasing the ticket for cash. This offer is a hedge on Priority Club points where an up-front investment of less than $500 will net you enough points for 12 pointbreaks stays and platinum status.
Priority Club is the rewards program for IHG hotels: Holiday Inn, Intercontinental, and related brands. Their redemptions generally range between 10000-30000 points per night, BUT the real deals are in their Pointbreaks, short notice (60 days or less) hotel rooms that are only 5,000 points a night! The list changes every other month or so and the new list will be out shortly. The Deal Family spent Memorial Day weekend at the Crowne Plaza in Hampton, VA in a Marina View room on pointbreaks. In addition to spending less than $40 a night for the points, the platinum status we achieved by buying points got us free breakfast, saving over $30 a day. I’m headed to Chicago in two weeks for my first Frequent Traveler University seminar and staying there at the Northbrook Crowne Plaza, again for 5,000 points a night.
Points.com is the service Priority Club uses to sell their points. Points.com is currently showing the following special:
Priority Club Rewards
Buy Points
Buying Points is the easy way to top up your account to get the award you want!
Limited time offer: 40% Bonus!*
Buy Priority Club points between September 13 – October 15, 2012 and automatically receive a 40% bonus on the number of points purchased. Top up your account and buy your Priority Club points today!
Buying Points is the easy way to top up your account to get the award you want!
You may purchase points in 1,000 increments:
1,000 – 10,000 points for $13.50 per 1,000 points
11,000 – 25,000 points for $12.50 per 1,000 points
26,000 – 50,000 points for $11.50 per 1,000 points
The best part about this deal is that purchased points count towards elite status, which gets you upgrades and all sorts of other fun benefits. You need 60,000 points to get platinum status. With this deal, you only need to buy 40,300 (for $494.50) to get 60,000 points and instant platinum status for all of 2012 AND 2013.
Using the Pointbreaks, you can get 12 hotel rooms for that $460…an average of $41.20 night! And, with the Platinum status that comes with it, you may get the best rooms in the house for that $41.20. Even at the lowball price of $100 a night including tax, you’re getting at least $1200 in hotel rooms for that $494.50. Priority Club points do not expire, so no need to rush to use them.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that there is a back door method to buy Priority Club points for .7 cents each, but they don’t earn status which I value highly, especially since you can use it to status match. This deal comes to .8 cents a point, so that .001 is worth it to me for Platinum Status!
So, like I mentioned, this is not for the faint-hearted, but if you’re really liking the math (like I am), it just may be for you! I did this deal in April and am considering doing it again.
Here’s how you do it:
1. Get a Priority Club account if you don’t have one yet.
2. Get a Points.com account if you don’t have one yet.
3. Add your Priority Club Account number to your Points.com account.
4. Click the Tab marked “Trade, Exchange, and Buy points”.
5. Scroll down, and on the right you’ll see “Buy Points”. Select Priority Club from the drop down menu.
6. Buy your points and you’re good to go!
Original publish date October 29, 2012.
A love letter to AMEX from an American in withdrawal
This is just a quick post as I’m between flights in the VIP de Sala lounge at the Madrid Airport, but I wanted to share one of the benefits of lounge membership (via my Platinum Amex) that I appreciate right now SO much…Diet Coke!
I know it seems a small thing, even trivial, but there are just times in life when you rely on Ol’ Faithful, whatever it may be for you. For me, it’s a large glass of Diet Coke with ice. As much as I’ve kicked the habit at home, on the road I become obsessed like any good addict.
I miss it especially when I’m in places like Spain and France, where beer and wine are literally cheaper then water, and a taste of the good old USA can run 5 Euro for a 10 ounce can (at the mini-bar of the Ritz-Carlton last night). Being The Deal Mommy, of course I abstain and do as the locals do, but by day 9 of my trip (today) I’m just about ready to give in.
Thankfully, I had a lay-over here in Madrid, entered the lounge, and saw the open bar fully stocked with all sorts of beverages, alcoholic and non-alcoholic. Being the faithful Yankee I am, I filled up a huge glass with ice and grabbed two diet cokes!
Yes, the Platinum AMEX card is $450 a year, and yes, it seems silly, but at this moment, in this lounge, my AMEX card is worth every penny!
Original publish date July 10, 2012.
The Mattress Hop
I did a post last spring about how to turn one weekend getaway into two, also referred to as the “mattress hop”. Mattress Hopping is moving from hotel to hotel during the same trip to maximize your bonus earnings. Note how this differs from the Mattress Run, where you take a trip specifically for the bonus.
I’m taking my own advice this weekend in Chicago, where I’m headed to the Chicago Seminars sponsored by FlyerTalk. Basically it’s a weekend for points/miles geeks to get together and compare strategies, learn new tricks, and make new friends.
So, for a 2 night stay, I’m staying at two different hotels a mile from each other, and at the end of the weekend, I’ll have two free nights I can use anytime in the next year. Here’s how:
Night one I’m staying at a Radisson in order to take advantage of the stay 1 get 1 promotion. Don’t wait too long to get in on this one as registration is limited to the first 50,000.
Night two I’m getting in my 2nd stay for a free Marriott night under the “Fall Bonus” promotion which gives you a free night in a category 1-4 hotel after two stays. You need to register for the promotion through Marriott.com by October 31 for stays September 15, 2012, and January 15, 2013. Be sure you have two STAYS, not just two nights.
Both rates are equal to what I would have paid at the host hotel ($79 a night), but by being creative I’ll not only have a great time, but get two free nights to boot! I can’t think of a better way to spend my nights at a conference catered to free travel nuts like me.
An ode to Avios
How could British Airways
The airline I most revile,
Create the magical Avios
The points that I most desire?
Used on Cathay First
Hong Kong is yours in style.
When friends ask you “how?”
No need to be in denial!
But what if regional jets
Are your airport’s only way?
It only takes 4,500
To make your Grandma’s day!
Let’s not forget Aer Lingus
and the Boston-Dublin route
12,500 to Europe? A Steal!
Of that there is no doubt.
Avios: so easy to get,
Transfer AMEX or Chase has 2 ways
Avios: so easy to spend,
As long as you don’t fly BA!
How to Double Dip Chase and American Express Hotel Benefits
‘m just back from a family trip to Las Vegas. I have some thoughts about taking kids to Vegas, but will save them for another day. We are fortunate to have a ready-made babysitter when we visit Sin City, so Deal Dad and I enjoyed 24 hours without the kids. By double dipping Chase and American Express hotel benefits, We were able to get maximum fun for minimum out of pocket.
Today I want to share something I’ve never considered before this trip: double dipping Chase and American Express Hotel benefits.
My Real Life Example
Deal Dad asked me to go all-out for our rare reprieve. He also asked me not to utilize casino hosting as he didn’t want us beholden to a certain number of gambling hours. With the deal I found it was easy to oblige.
I found the best package through the Chase Luxury Hotel Collection (LHC). We have the Chase Sapphire Reserve but a number of other Chase cards also qualify for access to Chase LHC.
For our dates the Aria quoted a strip-view corner room rate of $238 including taxes and resort fee. The rate included early check-in, late check-out, an amenity (we received candy), and $160 in food and beverage credits. I was happy with that deal, but realized after booking that I could double dip it with another one.
The Double Dip
American Express offers came to the rescue with a $60 off $300 purchase at MGM Resorts. To utilize the deal, I just gave my American Express card at check-in. I don’t know why it hadn’t occurred to me earlier: utilize the booking engine of one program and pay with the other.
The only “problem” we had was trying to get our bill to $300 since we had such a high F&B credit. We ended up enjoying dinner and drinks, a midnight snack, brunch, and pool drinks the next afternoon. Even with our full F&B enjoyment, I still “needed” to hit up the gift shop before leaving to get over $300.
The total bill came to $314 after we purchased souvenirs. I then promptly received an email from American Express letting me know we qualified for the $60 credit. We also receive 2,416 Hyatt points and one stay credit, although for me this holds limited value.
The bottom line: a night at Aria with $234 in room credit came to a net total of $254.
With those kind of rates who needs the casino?
Another way to utilize benefits in Las Vegas: use the Founder’s Card to jump to Caesar’s Diamond status. With Caesar’s Diamond we received a $100 dining credit and two show tickets. I definitely recommend Divas if you are wondering where to use your show benefit.
Have you double dipped benefits from two credit cards on the same stay? Share your stories in the comments.
Why I’m Still Bullish on the AMEX Platinum Card, 2014
Disclosure: I do NOT have an affiliate relationship with American Express Charge Cards so have no skin in this particular game.
Apologies if this post is a little inside baseball as it’s a response to a fellow Saverocity post, but I think it’s a good question to discuss: with all of the other products out there, are Membership Rewards worth collecting?
I’m going to answer this one quickly: Yes. Here’s why: diversify, diversify, diversify! As rapidly as the credit card reward schemes change, I find it foolish to keep all of my points in one basket. I like the hotel partners, especially in Europe. I just had a great stay at the Comfort Inn Bolivar in Rome for all of 10,000 Choice points a night. Also seems a good time as any to confess my ode to Avios.
I think Matt’s post does raise another good question: with all the recent changes, is the Platinum card still worth the $450 annual fee? First, we have to net out the fee to its actual cost by taking out the cash equivalent benefit of $200 airline credit. I’ll leave aside global entry as it can only be used once and the other various offers as they spread across most AMEX products. So we’re actually asking if the platinum is worth $250/year.
I’ll start by saying if we’re discussing the personal card, my answer is maybe. For some, too many benefits were stripped to make the juice worth the squeeze.
Here are the benefits that I use available across both cards:
- Fine Hotels and Resorts program, which I find extremely lucrative as the incentives stack with the hotel chains’ loyalty promotions and give stay credit.
- Starwood Gold, Hilton Gold, and numerous car rental chain status upgrades
- Car rental insurance and preferred rates (although less so now that I have a Citi Thank You)
- Priority Pass Select (less so with Citi AA Executive and Chase Sapphire Reserve)
- Departures Magazine (just seeing if you’re still with me!)
How does the math work for you? Will you pay an annual fee to hold on to your Platinum card? Please share your thoughts in the comments.
Today’s To-Do: Get a Convertible Credit Card
“When eating an elephant, take one bite at a time.” Creighton Adams
My friend Trevor and I were recently discussing how intimidating starting out collecting miles and points can be. With that in mind I present a new series: Today’s To-Do. Each post I’ll lay out one task that will get you closer to traveling more for less.
Get a Convertible Credit Card (CCC)
1st, a definition. A CCC is a credit card that earn rewards that you can use in many ways. It’s not just cash back or earning points in a specific program. It’s NOT a card that lets you book travel only through one website or that rebates travel purchases. Those cards have value, but I don’t suggest them first. If you’re just starting out, a Convertible Credit Card lets you transfer points into a variety of programs at a competitive rate. I have three CCCs to recommend. I have all some version of all three, but since we’re keeping it simple here, pick one.
To make sure you’re getting the best signup offer at any given time, check this Flyertalk forum. If a better offer than the one you’re seeing publicly exists, you’ll find it in there.
- American Express Membership Rewards: AMEX Membership Rewards cards come in variety of types. If you’re just starting out I’d recommend the no-fee everyday version. MR allows you to redeem points on British Airways (OneWorld including American Airlines), Delta (Skyteam), Virgin America, Jetblue and other airlines, and Choice, Best Western and other hotel chains. I consider MR most valuable for airline transfers. They offer frequent transfer bonuses to help your points go farther: last year I got over 50,000 free points from the transfer bonuses alone.
- Chase Ultimate Rewards: UR points track to BA (OneWorld), United (Star Alliance), Southwest and other airlines, Hyatt and other hotel chains, and you can also use them for travel bookings with a 25% bonus. I consider Chase UR points most valuable if you travel in coach domestically OR if you love Hyatt. Chase has the added advantage of an online shopping portal to rack up rewards more quickly.
- Starwood American Express: On the face, the Starwood card is good for just that: Starwood hotels such as Sheraton or Westin. However, I like this card for 2 reasons: 1. Starwood hotel rewards (especially at the lower levels) are great value. 2. Once you collect 20,000, you can convert them to 25,000 miles on many airlines.
The CCCs are basic building blocks and I wouldn’t suggest any other cards until you have at least one, if not all three. Once you start, you can augment your credit card collection in many ways. You can add a cash back card or specialize in one specific alliance or hotel chain. You’ll have a better idea which direction to go after you figure out your own travel goals. In the meantime, the CCCs are an easy way to get started traveling more for less.
One more note: I do NOT recommend going into debt to travel. I also don’t recommend a rewards credit card of any type unless your balances are zero. Lots of cards offer low to no interest transfers and you’re better off doing that until your balances are paid off.
When Award Tickets Go Bad (& How to Fix Them)
Camp Mom Asia is just 90 days away and we are all getting excited. However, yesterday I got an email that threw our plans into chaos: the connecting flights to Tokyo, which I spent hours meticulously planning, were cancelled.
The flights that replaced our cancelled flights allowed us just 50 minutes to connect. With 2 kids. In Chicago. For an international flight that begins boarding 40 minutes before departure. Obviously not gonna fly.
So I had to rebook the flights from 3 separate reservations, with two award programs, for 4 people. The ordeal that followed is a textbook example of the labyrinth you have to navigate when working with complex reservations. I hope the three hours I spent on the phone with 6 different agents from two airlines will help you if caught in the same situation.
While on the phone, I had a recurring thought: I work with award programs for a living. If rebooking award tickets is this hard for me, I can’t even imagine how it looks to someone who books award tickets once a year. I only succeeded in the end because I knew the language award agents speak. Jason Steele gets the credit as my guide through the maze as his presentation at FT4RL covered award ticketing for families.
Some of the tricks I learned got put to immediate use:
- Before you call to rebook, pull up a list of all available flights for sale (search the website for a paid fare) and decide which options you’ll accept. You’ll have a lot easier time if you know your options in advance and can spoon feed them to the reservations agent.
- When a schedule change occurs, don’t necessarily believe what the airline considers a “valid connection”. As I mentioned above, AA tried to get me to accept a 50 minute change time in Chicago as a legal connection. I knew better and demanded a change. When flights are cancelled, you are in charge.
- It’s in the airline’s best interest to rebook you on the least full flight, which may not be the best for you. When I refused the 50 minute connection, I was offered a 7 hour one and was told it was my only option. Again, I knew better and demanded they re-route me through a different hub if needed to get a 2-3 hour connection window.
- The airline will tell you that they can only re-book onto their own metal, but that’s not quite true. It is also possible to book on a partner airline as long as it’s operated as a codeshare flight.
- If you find a helpful agent, make him your partner and DO NOT LET HIM GO. Finally, an hour into my call, I got to Andy. Andy stayed with me on the phone for the rest of the call and moved the immovable objects put into our path. He was as happy as I was when we finally got rebooked.
Here are the phrases that saved my trip:
- I do not accept this change. When you receive an email with a change, it will direct you to the website to “accept” the changes. DO NOT DO THIS as you lose all power when you accept the changes!
- Get your supervisor to release award space on the flight I want. The agents might try to tell you they can only re-book you on flights that have available award space. THIS IS NOT TRUE. It takes more work, but award space can be released when flights are cancelled.
My reservation was especially tricky as the awards I had booked were with both US Airways and American, whose reservations systems are not talking to each other yet. But with EXTREME patience, knowledge of the system, and my hero Andy, we are re-booked on flights that work.
Dear Club Carlson: It’s not Me, It’s You, May 2015
Dear Club Carlson,
Well, it’s been a good run. You wowed me in Paris with your B2G2, charmed me in Belfast with your homemade hot chocolate, seduced me with your duck confit in NYC. Just last month you romanced me by the sea in Florida. But your abrupt change in personality leaves me cold.
Just when I began to accept your dropping of my beloved free last night benefit from your credit card, you disappoint me again by decimating your award chart.
I can’t say I didn’t see it coming. Just yesterday I spent 88,000 points on three award nights in Virginia Beach. A couple of weeks ago I burned another 50,000 points for a fling with the Martinique. Now I’m down to a quarter million points to remember you by. And those will be gone by the end of the month.
I won’t look back, CC. I’ll miss you to be sure, but one less program to manage will be a blessing, someday.
Just not today.
Regretfully,
Dia
My Love/Hate Relationship with IHG Rewards Club March, 2018
You may have seen that IHG Rewards Club points are on sale this week for just under .6 cents each. You’re seeing so much about them mostly because points sales earn a nice commission. Full disclosure: the banner below is an affiliate link.
If you miss this sale, IHG will probably pop up on Daily Getaways next month and points.com will certainly put them on sale again soon.
To put it gently, I’m not a fan of buying points. That said, I have actually both advocated for buying IHG points at .6 and bought them myself at that level.
Why?
Good question, and one I’ve been asking myself this week. I’ve come to realize I have a real love/hate relationship with IHG Rewards Club points: I love to collect them but hate to let them go.
That’s a really stupid strategy.
I firmly believe that points are not an asset you own, but a tool you use to accomplish a goal. They are also volatile: devaluations occur in a way you can’t predict. I visualize points as fresh fruit: you don’t want them to rot before you have a chance to take a bite.
I have spent between 500K and a million miles/points each of the past five years, but I prefer to collect in a “just in time” fashion. In other words, I only sign up for a credit card if I see some use on the horizon.
At any given time my average balance stays under a million. At the moment an embarrassingly large amount of those are IHG points.
Part of this is due to two signups for the IHG Chase Visa. At $49/year for an unlimited category annual night the card is a no-brainer. However, I never saw a specific use so I didn’t bother to apply. I was expecting to use the most of the points from the signup bonuses at Disneyland, but I didn’t.
Which leads to my IHG Rewards Club problem.
My problem arises every time I go to book an IHG Rewards Club award room.It’s always a good practice to compare points rates to cash rates and current promotions.
In the Disneyland example, I had an IHG Rewards Club Accelerate Offer that was too good to pass up: 53K bonus points with just a four night stay at two different properties, as long as one of them was a Holiday Inn. Disneyland area IHG hotels are plentiful. On the week we stayed rates were consistently under $100. For a five night stay, spending $450 including taxes, I earned 61,000 points.
So now I’m sitting not only on 160,000 IHG Rewards Club points from two credit card signups, but 61k bonus points in addition to the already healthy balance I had from previous promotions.
At the moment I have 160K dedicated to a stay for Deal Dad in Dublin this fall. At 160K vs. $1204 it’s a redemption value of .75 cents. I’m happy with anything above .6.
But what happens when the departure dates comes closer and a new accelerate offer changes the math? I’ll be tempted to change my reservation to a cash one if the earning rate is compelling enough. Especially if I find a rate that includes bonus points.
Which means I’ll once again be sitting on an uncomfortable balance of IHG points.
The only IHG points I’m completely comfortable spending are those on Pointbreaks. I’m one of the few who is happy about the new three tier Pointbreaks system as I might have more incentive to actually use the points I already have as opposed to earning more.
Do you have trouble letting go of IHG points? I’d love to hear how you have used them successfully as I’m still sitting on more of them than I would like.
A Tip to Get 1st Dibs on Award Flights March 2015
Per Fare Compare Southwest Airlines has a new route from BWI airport to San Jose, Costa Rica. Southwest’s first expansion into Central America hopefully leads to more routes and fare competition/ award flights availability. SWA has also expanded their network deeply into the Caribbean which is only good news for all flyers.
This news provides a perfect chance to show off a tip I learned from Jason Steele at FT4RL. Jason shared how he’s always in the know when new routes pop up in his market: he keeps an eye on the airport’s press room and subscribes to their email lists and twitter feeds. One simple step gets him first notice when new flights (meaning new awards) come available. New routes can be a treasure trove of opportunity simply because others aren’t looking for them yet. Prices can be lower and award space wide open.
I’ve just followed the following accounts on Twitter:
@Bwi_Airport
@Reagan_Airport
@Dulles_Airport
A 30 second perusal of BWI shows the expansion of 2 budget airlines (WOW and Condor) into Europe that definitely look worth some research. With the Euro so competitive with the dollar right now could be a terrific time to plan a trip over the pond!
When First Class is Cheaper Than Coach, 2018
Next month I’m headed to Disney World to research the next edition of Disney World Hacks. For the return I’m utilizing my favorite hack: the one way car rental. To get to Orlando, I had a bunch of options, but in the end found out that first class is cheaper than coach.
First Class is Cheaper Than Coach?
When using miles, availability is more important than ticket price. Orlando is not usually a good miles destination because of frequent fare sales. However, for this situation I needed to fly on a Saturday morning and wanted a nonstop flight. Non-stop weekend morning flights are the most popular flights to Orlando as everyone wants to get a jump-start on vacation.
On my specific date the best one way fare I could find was $159 on American Airlines. Even Southwest Airlines was well over $150 or 11,000 points, and I want to conserve those points because I have a companion pass but am traveling solo this trip.
I really wanted to use miles for this trip, but American Airlines wanted 20K miles each way for a coach ticket to Orlando. I’m not redeeming AA miles at that rate. The only saver tickets available were for first class: 25,000 miles.
But, heading over to British Airways, I was able to book a first class ticket for 15,000 Avios.
Avios uses household accounts, making BA a great program for crediting OneWorld flights if you’re not an AA credit cardholder. Most of our Avios are miles from paid LAN flights Deal Kids took during Camp Mom South America. Those miles would otherwise be orphaned on AA as the kids don’t fly enough OneWorld revenue tickets to earn a free one.
So not only am I flying on otherwise wasted miles, I’m flying first class for less miles than coach.
Lesson learned: don’t assume that coach is always your best deal…on some routes it makes sense to book the front of the Airbus.
What to Know About Wyndham Rewards Promo Offers, 2018
Wyndham recently announced a new promotion: stay twice and get a free night. If you’re someone who follows points you’ve probably read about it at least ten times by now.
I don’t disagree about the possible uses of the offer and will probably mattress run it in Las Vegas next month. I actually like Wyndham Rewards, especially for points and cash uses.
However, every time a new Wyndham Rewards Promo appears in the blogosphere, a key piece of information about Wyndham goes missing. It’s the same reason I’m bearish on the Wyndham credit card.
What You Need to Know About Wyndham Rewards Promo Offers
Many of the best Wyndham properties are not hotels at all, but timeshares. A much better option is available for Wyndham timeshares: Endless Vacation Rentals (EVR). EVR is owned by Wyndham, who also owns RCI timeshare. EVR rents out their inventory at often jaw-droppingly low prices. TIP: Get on their mailing list as EVR sends out frequent promotions.
I’ve been quietly hacking Wyndham rentals for over 15 years. Our family has rented 2 bedroom Wyndham apartments in Ireland for $549/week. August 2015 we spent $279 for a WEEK in Hawaii in a 2 bedroom Wyndham condo.
Spring break 2016 found us spending $88/night in Gran Canaria, staying in this two bedroom condo, with a jacuzzi tub on our balcony.
Wyndham Rewards charges 15,000 per bedroom for a timeshare, so a two bedroom unit will run you 30,000 points per night. The trips listed above run 210,000 points a week under Wyndham Rewards- for a redemption value of 1/5 to 1/10 penny a point. This may be the single worst value redemption in existence, and I’m including points for presents.
If you’re military or a vet, you’ve got an even better option: $349 weeks through AFV club. First responder? Try Heroes Vacation Club.
Using any of these sites is pretty straightforward: you just pick a week you like and buy it.
If you’re really flexible, try SkyAuction.
Wyndham Rentals go as low as $199/week on Skyauction- I’ve rented in Tenerife, Ft. Lauderdale, and Vegas among others using SkyAuction. Here’s a post detailing how I use Skyauction.
Even on a 1 night stay you might be better off buying the week, especially if you find it on Skyauction. The one downside? No cancellation. Only buy with trips you have committed.
A quick caveat: I am talking here about the weekly rentals or the nightly rentals, not the “vacation packages” you might see on EVR. They are an entirely different animal. Consider the packages a discount for your time spent attending a timeshare presentation. With a weekly rental you are NOT required to attend a presentation. Now I’m not saying you won’t get invited to do so, but you are under no obligation to do anything but enjoy your vacation.
The Wyndham Rewards Promotion might still be right for you, but…
Please take a good look at EVR and the other options I’ve mentioned before you mattress run. Or worse, before you think of parting with your Wyndham points at 1/10 of the value you could get using them in other ways. And do come back and let me know about the Wyndham timeshares you’ve visited- I’m always looking for new ideas.
Why I Chose to Cancel American Express Business Platinum Card, 2017
It was a decision three years in the making. Every December I get the statement with a $450 fee and ask myself if the juice is worth the squeeze. This is the year I determined it wasn’t.
Why I Chose to Cancel American Express Business Platinum Card
Airline Credits Mean Less to Me Than They Used to
One thing you hear from bloggers (and that I’ve told myself) is that “well, the fee is only $250 when you take out the airline credit.” No, it isn’t. It’s $200 in cash that you are forced to spend on a specific airline. (Yes, I know of the hacks out there to get around this, but let’s play by the rules for the purpose of this post.)
I’m currently sitting on $600+ of American Airlines gift cards that I’m not using in the foreseeable future. In February (after I specified an airline) I achieved United Silver and Delta Silver (lite) via the Marriott Platinum challenge. Between that and the Southwest Companion pass, my reasons for choosing American are limited unless they’re the cheapest- and they almost never are.
Hotel Status Given Means Less to Me Than It Used To
Another benefit of the AMEX Business Platinum is the automatic SPG Gold status. Because of the challenge above, I already have SPG Platinum.
So while hotel status in general means less to me traveling as a family, mid-level status means absolutely nothing.
Airline Lounge Access is Diminished
Between the disastrous for families guest limit, the tightening of Delta access for even myself, and flying more Southwest gateways (which have no lounges at all), I used my AMEX Lounge access only twice last year. SFO was nice for an hour and the EZE lounge was lovely. However, both required both my husband’s personal card and my business card to even access it with a family of four. I’m not keeping a card for two Centurion lounge visits when the Chase Sapphire Reserve gives Priority Pass with as many guests as I need.
The Pay With Points Rebate is Lessened
At a 50% rebate for flights with my chosen airline in economy or any flight in business, the pay with points rebate on the Business Platinum card was compelling. At 35% it’s about even with the 1.5 cents per dollar I get with the Chase Sapphire Reserve on any airline, in any class.
Customer Service has Tanked
This morning I waited five minutes on hold to get to an agent to cancel the card. The girl I spoke to noted that she wasn’t even born when I got my first American Express card in 1993. She also told me that she doesn’t even have an American Express card (!). She then tried to downsell me to the Gold card (which makes even less sense than the Platinum) before canceling the card with no attempt at retention.
This is the person American Express sends a 24 year Platinum card member to?
Wow. Just wow.
(And yes, I could have HUCA, but the experience reminded me of why it wasn’t worth bothering to try again.)
I’m Not Ditching AMEX Entirely, But…
I still think Membership Rewards points have value and am keeping both my husband’s personal Platinum and my personal Gold cards for now. At the next renewal I’ll probably drop to one or the other.
However, Chase put up a compelling product with the Sapphire Reserve. I’ve yet to see American Express rise to the challenge to compete with it.
Dear Hyatt Gold Passport: Is it You, or Me? 2015
Dear Goldie:
Hi, it’s me, 3rd year diamond in the Hyatt Gold Passport crown. And up until recently I felt like the Belle of the Ball. Sure, it took 25 individual stays a year to keep your attention, but oh- the rewards! Besides the delightful suite upgrades and the lovely club visits- I just felt the love. Goldie, you weren’t just a loyalty program to me, you became much more. So much more that I made decisions against my own financial best interest just to keep your affection.
And that’s where the problem started. When I started forgetting you were a company with needs of your own. I blame myself. However, recent events have jolted me back to reality:
- The Diamond Status I worked so hard to obtain was given away willy-nilly on Twitter. At first I was concerned, but then Hilton offered me a new Diamond so I guess what comes around goes around. At least Hilton’s status match system seems to have some rhyme or reason.
- Your growth is coming in Hyatt Place and Hyatt House: properties where status matters exactly squat. That’s actually a good thing in my book, but it does change the relationship.
- This weekend was my 4th stay at the Chesapeake Hyatt, my family’s Kellerman’s, and it left much to be desired. Prescription drugs on my room’s carpet and beer bottles strung around the common areas at 10AM (among many other things) marred the stay. While your social media team was their usual responsive selves in the moment, it’s now been 4 days and I’ve yet to hear from you. The last time I asked for your help you were there in less than a day. Updated: I did hear from Hyatt a week after the stay with an apology and reimbursement.
It’s not just you that’s changed- I’ve changed too. In 2015 I’ve spent over a month with you already, with 10 more days planned. 4 of those days are purely to make sure you bestow diamond on me next year. I’m really beginning to wonder if I’m wasting my time (and money). I’ll go through with my plans this year because we’re so close it seems silly not to.
2016? I have one night booked so far.
You might ask, “where are you going to go? SPG’s a goner, Marriott stinks, and the diamond Hilton gave you is zirconia compared to me”. And you’d be right. But here’s the thing: I can live without your diamond. I’d rather not, but I can. For the first time in three years I find myself going to Kayak before going to Hyatt.com. Just to see what’s out there.
Because you never know.
Best, Dia
Why I’ve Stopped Chasing Hyatt Diamond, 2016
Happy June! Summer’s start seems a good time to evaluate my travel strategy for the year. As I look back and forward, one thing is clear: whether I planned it or not, I’ve stopped chasing Hyatt Diamond.
I mentioned at the beginning of the year that I was questioning the value of Hyatt Diamond but thought I would stick it out another year. However, five months into the year I have exactly two Hyatt stays on the books and only five more booked- and only two of those are firm.
It’s not like I’ve been staying home- in five months I’ve racked up 22 nights away from home and have another 12 planned for June. But here’s where Hyatt’s limited footprint comes in: most of the nights were in places Hyatt just isn’t. Not only was Hyatt not convenient, it was simply not an option.
I suppose I could have changed our travel plans to only places where I could cash in on suite upgrades but limiting my plans to Hyatt locations seems a really sad way to travel. In Europe it means cutting out the entire Iberian peninsula and all of Italy but Milan. Is Milan even in the top five cities to visit in Italy? It means no Ireland, no Scandinavia, and saying no to wide swaths in between major cities. The Canary Islands wouldn’t have even been on my radar.
Do I regret missing out on Hyatt perks? Well, in Gran Canaria 80 Euro a night through Endless Vacation Rentals got us a recently remodeled ocean view 2 bedroom condo with a private Jacuzzi on our balcony. So…no.
Even in markets where Hyatt is represented I’m finding better values elsewhere. In Orlando recently it was 30% cheaper to rent DVC points and stay at a deluxe hotel on Disney property than to pay $42/night in resort fees and parking on top of the $200 (before tax) room rate at the Hyatt Grand Cypress.
Maybe I’ll regret giving up Diamond after 3 nights in a $2500 suite at the Hyatt Martinez in Cannes, but I just don’t think so. The past two years I’ve spent 8-10 nights at random Hyatts in December just to get my 25 in. This year I’m so far behind the curve I’d have to mattress run the entire month to make it. BYOE looks a lot more appealing after staring at that hurdle.
When Choice Points Come in Handy, 2016
Choice Points are one of the least talked about hotel reward programs out there, but I find them to be really useful. Besides the the Hotel Bolivar in Rome and the Comfort Suites in Atlantis, humble Choice points are often my go to in another situation: last minute Interstate motel stops.
One of my pet peeves is that it can cost more to stay at a small town motel than many nicer hotels in tourist destinations. A Super 8 in Burt, Iowa that goes for $119+ a night springs to mind, but I digress…
So during a recent drive up Interstate 95 I started yawning around Fayetteville, NC. I pulled off at a rest stop to survey my options on my smartphone. The nearest Hyatt was 150 miles away. Other chains (those which had any rooms within 50 miles) were all over $120 or 15,000-25,000 points-which seemed silly since it was after 10PM and I’d be on the road again at 6AM the next morning.
Except Choice. Opening up the Choice mobile site I quickly saw at least 10 motels within 30 miles of me on the Interstate ranging from 6,000-10,000 points a night. I found the nearest 6,000 point room that had a reasonable rating from guests and 10 minutes later walked into a clean, if dated, room at an Econolodge. The room would have cost $89+tax – which was cheap compared to my other limited options- so I was happy with the redemption.
Choice is a transfer partner of American Express rewards and has occasional “buy points” bonuses. I normally advise against buying points but I stock up on Choice anytime I can get them for less than .75 cents a point or so. They also show up on the annual Daily Getaways list in very limited quantities at 1/2 off.
7,599 Reasons to Luv Southwest Airlines, 2015
Thanks to reader Brandi for reminding me why I luv Southwest Airlines. Southwest has the most friendly change policies out there and you can rebook a flight at current rates for no charge- up until 10 minutes after departure. You can book and rebook to your heart’s content when either your plans or the prices change.
Case in point- my flights to Orlando for FT4RL 4. I originally booked flights from DCA-MCO nonstop for 17,221 Rapid Rewards points round trip. Today I check and my flights were down to 9952 points: a whopping 7599 difference! Five minutes later I had the new rates and enough rapid rewards points in my account for a flight this summer.
To rebook, you can just log into your Southwest account, select “change flights”, and you can “change” back to the exact flight you were on at the new rates. It works for cash reservations, too!
Provence on Points: Lessons Learned, 2016
Thanks to all of you that helped with Camp Mom Solo- your ideas helped me narrow down the swarm of destinations in my head. I settled upon the south of France and wanted to share with you lessons learned booking a trip to Provence on points. Hopefully they’ll help with your own inspiration.
The Itinerary
I’m taking this two week break to explore a region on my list forever: the Cote d’Azur and Provence. While visiting in the peak of tourist season isn’t ideal, I’m using points to max value.
To get to Europe I’m flying coach on Delta. On a flight under 10 hours I can live without a lie-flat seat. Most important to me is lounge access on layovers, which I’ll get from my American Express platinum card.
I land in Catania, Sicily and spend the first three days at the Sheraton Catania. Yes, I know Sicily isn’t in France but using my own advice I found an award ticket to Europe and didn’t sweat the details. The Sheraton Catania is a category 1 (!) so at 3,000 points a night I’ll adjust to the time change on the cheap while still enjoying ocean views.
I leave at the crack of dawn on day 4 to Nice. Originally I wasn’t thrilled about a 7 hour layover in Rome but realized it’s a perfect opportunity to visit Ostia Antica: a ruin that’s said to rival Pompeii. Arriving into Nice my first night is at the Radisson Blu Nice on a free night certificate from the Club Carlson credit card.
The next four nights are a splurge at the Hyatt Grand Martinez in Cannes. While I’m still not convinced it’s a $2500 hotel room I’m happy to spend the 12,500 points and $150 cash per night to apply a suite upgrade.
It seemed a shame to get to Provence and not spend time in the countryside. Using Booking.com I settled upon 2 nights at the Auberge les Aromes in Grasse for 176 Euro total. With an early train to Paris the last night in Provence is at the Holiday Inn Cannes for 20,000 IHG points. I’ll have one night in between to get to Brussels for my flight home the next day.
Cost Breakdown
Flights: 68,570 points and $76
Hotels: 50,000 Hyatt points (1 cent), 50,000 IHG points (.5 cent), a free night certificate ($85 Annual fee), and $700
Train tickets and car rental: $300
Total: $1076 and $1,521 in points or $2,597
Provence on Points: When a Category 6 Hotel is a Better Value Than a Category 1, 2016
I’ve been doing a fair amount of tinkering with my Provence on Points* trip this summer and wanted to share my lessons learned with you. 4,500 Thank You Points and dropping a destination will save an entire day of travel and take me closer to minimizing transitions: my preferred method of getting to really know a destination rather than blasting in and out.
The original plan had me flying into Sicily via Rome because that’s where I could find an award ticket. I was going to spend a few days in Catania at the Category 1 (now Cat 2) Sheraton Catania. However, once I dug deeper into three days in Sicily I realized that the Category 1 hotel came with a lot of extra fees: I would have to rent a car for at least $50/day and pay for parking that car. In addition, my flight on day 3 to Nice departed Catania at 6:45 AM (meaning I would have to be up at 4AM) and had a 7 hour layover in Rome. By the time I arrived in Nice at 5PM I would have been completely wiped out.
I was planning to carry-on my bag anyway so realized I could just as easily get off the plane on day 1 in Rome and not board the plane to Catania. Instead, I bought a $45 ticket to Nice on Thank You points so am now spending 4 nights in Nice. The first night is free with a Radisson certificate and the next three are 30,000 points a night via IHG. Nice is entirely walkable and train friendly so no rental car is needed- saving both money and the stress of driving in the city.
After 4 nights in Nice and 3 at the Hyatt Grand Martinez in Cannes I am headed inland for a few days. I decided I did want to get a bit of Italian flavor so chose the Medieval town of Pigna which gives an entirely different vibe but is only an hour from Nice.
Lessons Learned
- The cheapest hotel may not offer the best value. Be sure to check the location carefully: how much time are you spending getting to and from your hotel? Will you need a car rental? Are there parking or resort fees?
- You don’t always have to change your award ticket to change your award ticket. While hidden city ticketing is technically forbidden (and risky if there are many routes to the final destination) if you’re flying to a hub before your final destination it’s a safe bet to get off there and “miss” the connecting flight.
- Remember why you’re traveling. Is it to transit airports or to soak up a new culture?
What is this $2500 Hotel Room Really Worth? 2016
It’s one of my pet peeves in the “Hobby”- the headlines that proclaim “$2,500 hotel room for FREE”. They drive me nuts for two reasons:
- Points and miles are not valueless- even if you spent only time to get them.
- No one on EARTH is paying $10,000 for a 4 night hotel stay. Right?
Well…that’s my dilemma. I just booked a room on points and cash that I feasibly see someone paying $2,500 a night to inhabit. Not ME, of course, and probably not YOU if you’re reading this post, but I do see it.
The $2,500 room in question is at the Grand Hyatt Martinez in Cannes, on the French Riviera, in August. When you google image the hotel many of the photos that surface are of celebrities on room balconies to give you an idea. (Go ahead, I’ll wait).
I’m not a celebrity stalker, but what I am is a tourism history nerd. The French Riviera is the original destination for the jet set so has been on my must see list for forever. The Martinez is an Art Deco wedding cake of a hotel smack dab in the middle of the action. In a perfect world I’d visit off-season when it is (comparatively speaking) affordable for those of us without trust funds.
However…as you may recall I get one “big” solo trip every other year while Deal Dad takes the kids on Camp Dad. The trip is always…the first two weeks of August. Prime time for the French Riviera, which is a blessing and a curse. A blessing because there’s a festival practically everyday (including a fireworks festival!). A curse because prices are peak of the peak.
The base level room at the Martinez starts at $680 on my dates but was also available (much to my surprise) on cash + points of 12,500 points and $150. It’s a splurge even on cash and points for me but the free breakfast and happy hour offered to Hyatt Diamond members will pretty much erase my food budget.
My surprises didn’t stop there. I called the Diamond line on a lark thinking there wasn’t a chance one of my Diamond Suite Upgrades could be applied on such peak dates. My birthday isn’t till June but the presents came early! 4 nights confirmed into a Junior Suite for a grand total of $600 + 50,000 Hyatt Points or $1100 value. Just for fun I pulled up the actual room rate:
WHOA.
I usually dismiss such claims out of hand but I’m guessing Gwen Stefani paid at least $2,500/night for her room. I don’t see Eva Longoria or Julianne Moore staying on points. Granted, they probably also booked the larger suites, which are over $4,100/night. You never know, I might just get lucky and end up in a larger suite myself!
I could end up with an entire floor at the Hotel Martinez and still not feel like it’s a $2,500 hotel room. I’m struggling with a $275 hotel room! But I know a lot of you are better at Vendoming than I am so I’m curious: what do you think this room is really worth?
To keep my street cred I’m coming to the Martinez from the Holiday Inn Cannes, which is 20,000 IHG points a night. I have a late arrival into Cannes and didn’t want to waste the points. I think it will also make a fun comparison.
Wyndham Rewards: The Little Engine of Rewards Programs, 2016
I’ve had Wyndham Rewards on the brain lately. Wyndham hotels often live in the background until one day when you need a safe place to lay your head- then Super 8, Days Inn or Ramada may be just the ticket…which leads me to The Little Engine that Could.
Wyndham Rewards is the The Little Engine that Could of Rewards Programs. I say this without snark- Wyndham deserves credit for its simplicity. The points are simple to earn: earn 10 points per dollar spent (or a min 1,000 per stay). They’re even simpler to use: 15,000, or 3,000 points + cash, for any room, worldwide.
Now I get that chains like Super 8, Ramada and Days Inn won’t excite those of you who only fly lie-flat. But you know what? If you’re on a road trip you can go states between Hyatts but can find either a Wyndham or a Choice property at every single exit. Visiting National Parks? I’ll place money a Wyndham is within 10 miles of every one you want to visit.
Deal Dad’s parents are on an extended road trip across the USA and Canada and have discovered that Wyndham hotels fit their needs: clean, affordable and reliable properties that are available on demand. Over the last month they’ve racked up a nice chunk of Wyndham Rewards points and asked for my advice in how to spend them.
I think it’s useful to go back to the basics every once in a while. Here’s one I like: when in doubt, use a penny per point. Now it doesn’t work all the time: IHG and Club Carlson are 1/2 cent by my math and Starwood are 1.5 cents, but the others? A penny.
What does that mean for Wyndham? Use cash and points rates if you’re getting more than a $30 discount per night or all points if the room is more than $150. Otherwise? Save em.
If you are looking for some specific property recs: after two recent visits the Wyndham and Wyndham Garden Lake Buena Vista have made my recommended Disney World resorts list. Wyndham also has a ton of properties in Hawaii that could offer great value at 15,000 points a night. And there’s always New York City…
And here’s my advice to Wyndham: you be you. Forget the silly stunts that are only going to get exploited by expert travel hackers. You’ll just get a black eye from boxing above your weight class. Just keep chugga-chugga ing along and you’ll get to the top of the hill.
Hyatt is the Apple of Hotels, 2018
Deal Girl got a Google Home Mini for Christmas. At a Black Friday $29.99 with a $25 Google Express rebate, it was a no-brainer of a gift.
Turns out we all love this thing. It connects to our Pandora, calendars, weather, and even tells jokes. We like it enough that I’m buying a 2nd one for the rest of us to use. I’m debating between buying a 2nd Home Mini or picking up an Amazon Echo Dot. I’m a little bummed that they’re back up to $50, but the device is still worth it.
I saw with interest this morning that Apple is entering the fray with the homepod. I expected it to be priced a bit higher than its competitors, but was perplexed when I saw the retail: $349.
Is it a magic device? What does Siri do that makes her voice three to five times more valuable than Alexa? I fully expect Apple lovers to tell me in full detail, but for now I stand behind my thoughts that the homepod is way overpriced.
Which leads me to thinking: Hyatt is the new Apple.
Hyatt recently released a new “perk”: award nights now count towards status. I put perk in quotes as what Hyatt is finally doing is admitting defeat to SPG and every other program and getting in line. By doing so some could argue that Hyatt’s stay requirements are also now in line with the others.
But they aren’t even close. Here’s why:
Hyatt’s footprint cuts out large swaths of the planet. The 60 night Globalist requirement at Hyatt requires you to spend two full months of hotel nights within a very small footprint. A year after implementation, I still hear stories about Hyatt properties messing with “guaranteed” suite upgrades. The welcome gift is gone, gone, gone.
And don’t get me started about breakfast. Besides being over-valued in many locations, the benefit is now defined as suiting “two adults and two children”. However, Hyatt defines children as 12 and under. Many of you who are enjoying that benefit now are going to age out of it…and that day comes sooner than you think. God forbid you have a third kid.
The breakfast “benefit” is one of the reasons hotel status matters less for families. Larger families tend to value larger rooms and breakfast benefits such as those at Hyatt Place and other properties where status matters squat.
But Hyatt is “Aspirational” (and so is Apple)
I hear this one a lot: Hyatt has more high end properties people where people want to spend their points. You know, the whole Vendoming argument. You hear similar tropes from Apple enthusiasts who will rave about the sound quality or some other feature of the new homepod.
Webster’s defines “aspirational” as having or characterized by aspirations to achieve social prestige and material success. I find that definition relevant to this discussion. I think a lot of what people like both about Hyatt and Apple is social prestige. I’m not making a judgement here, just an observation. We all want to keep up with our Instagram friends.
I’ll make a note here that it does help to have friends who aspire to Hyatt prestige. You can utilize their benefits with Guest of Honor on the few times per year they make sense. It’s the “phone a friend” on Who Wants to be a Hyatt Globalist?
I like both Hyatt and Apple
I’ve had readers ask me “what’s the hate about Hyatt about” enough times to know that I should state for the record that I like Hyatt properties. I also like Apple, having both an iPhone and an iPad that I use daily. I do tend to buy a generation or two back from cutting edge, though, both for cost and for lack of bugs. You won’t find me in line at the Apple store anytime soon.
Self-Awareness is the key to happiness. If you know the why behind your what, it’s all good. My concern comes from the place between those two. I see a whole lot of hype and not a lot of reflection in both Apple and Hyatt enthusiasts.
So I think I’ll just buy another Google Home Mini at 1/7th the cost of the homepod. I’ll use the $300 saved for two nights in this house with its own gameroom I found in Vegas for Spring Break.
Sure as hell beats the Hyatt.
Three Surprisingly Good Ways to use Hotel Points, 2017
So many trip reports out there tell you about all of the best hotel points redemptions. While I’m not immune to the $2500/night redemption I’m finding more and more of my travels are booked without using my travel points on hotels. Our last five week trip for Camp Mom South America used exactly two nights on points. But even when chains are where you want to go they may not be your best option.
I’m going to begin at the end here by reminding you that the best of anything is a tricky business. What makes the best sense on paper may not be the best for you. That’s why I’m calling this post “surprisingly good ways to use hotel points” instead of dictating to you.
I’m also not only profiling specific properties here. This isn’t a classic listicle. In fact you should take any listicle with a grain of salt. While gawking at luxury hotels is fun, I’m more concerned with giving you concrete tips you can actually use.
Three Surprisingly Good Ways to use Hotel Points
Transitions
Road trips can be an especially good value on points. I’ve had success using points, particularly Club Carlson and Choice, for last minute stops along I-95. Tip: if you’re booking a hotel at the last minute from the road-BOOK IT BEFORE MIDNIGHT. Most search engines will not let you book “in the past”. Even though you’re looking for that night if it’s after midnight they’ll default to the next evening.
Hotel points can also be great before and after flights. In fact the two nights we did use this summer were both at the Holiday Inn Santiago airport. Do keep in mind that many sky high priced downtown and airport hotel rates on Sunday-Thursday drop to under their points value on weekends. Be sure to compare the cash prices before assuming points will be the best deal.
Small Towns
The bad news about oblications– or those trips you to smaller markets you HAVE to take- is that hotel options are both limited and expensive. Lack of competition is bad for airfares, it’s absolute murder on hotel prices! I’ve seen barely 1 star Super 8s charge over $150/night in the most Podunk of places, simply because they can.
The good news is that many of those same hotels are low category redemptions on points. I’ve gotten as much as four cents a point by redeeming points at Country Inns, Hampton Inns, and Hyatt Places.
The small town redemption becomes even more valuable when there’s a special event- think state fairs, college football or any one week a year festival when prices go sky high.
An example: Camp Dad goes to the Iowa state fair every other year. For two weeks in August normally affordable Des Moines hotels rival New York prices. However, by booking as soon as the fair announced the dates I found a brand new Category 1 Hyatt Place. 5,000 points or $239? What would you do?
Are you Caught in The Status Trap?
Do you have one hotel that stays with you no matter where you go? One stay that you’re sure you’ve colored rose in your memory because it couldn’t have been that amazing? For me that hotel is the Centara Grand Beach resort in Hua Hin, Thailand. A place most of you will never stay because you’re caught in the status trap.
This post throws my friend Tim under the bus. He innocently asked for advice about the Hyatt in Hua Hin. When I shared my feelings about the Centara he mentioned that he wanted to keep his Globalist status up so other hotels weren’t on the table.
I’m sure the Hyatt is lovely. But I guarantee you the Hyatt isn’t built with Colonial architecture, it doesn’t have a topiary garden, and you can’t get a villa with a private pool there for $200/night. Tim is stuck in the status trap.
What’s the status trap?
Simply put, you’re caught in a status trap when possession of elite status (or the pursuit of elite status) clouds your judgement. I just gnawed out of a Hyatt status trap that many of my friends fell into (ironically, with my help).
I’m not gonna claim holy ground here. I’m even typing this post from a Marriott mattress run for the platinum challenge. But there is a difference between 9 stays Marriott requires in 90 days (and the 4 programs’ benefits I’ll receive) and the 25 Hyatt stays needed in two months for benefit in just one program. Benefits that IMHO are nebulously defined and easily gamed by individual properties.
Is status always a trap?
No, of course not. But when that label on your account clouds your thinking about how to spend your money on future purchases you’re at risk of falling into the trap. It’s another example of the sunk cost fallacy: “I spent all of this money to get XXX status, so I had better use it.”
Well, maybe. It’s still a good idea to test each individual trip to see if defaulting to your elite gets the best value. Yes, you get free breakfast. But if you’re in France wouldn’t you rather have a croissant and coffee at a cafe for 3 Euro? Or is it the same price as your suite “upgrade” to rent an entire apartment through Endless Vacation Rentals or Skyauction? What about the entire swaths of the globe you aren’t considering because your elite doesn’t serve that destination?
I’m asking you to keep an open mind. Failing to do so sets you up to get caught in the status trap.
And you might never climb out.
4 Travel Hacking Bad Habits I’m Ditching This Year (And What I’m Doing Instead)
It’s New Year’s: the traditional time to ditch bad habits and improve yourself. I’m sure you’ve seen all the FitBit and organization store ads. This year I’m taking a good look at my travel hacking habits and have found 4 that I’m chucking to the curb with the recycling. I’m also coming up with a replacement strategy that I hope will help you going forward.
Travel Hacking Ditch #1: Less Status Hamster Wheel, More BYOE
No more December stays at the local Hyatt for stays 20-25 to achieve top tier status. Especially not this year since stays would have to have occurred in February to beat the new program. I’ve toyed with letting status go for years and decided 2017 is the year of Be Your Own Elite. If it’s not earned with a credit card or a status match, I’m letting it go. If I want a suite, club access, or breakfast I’ll pay for it. We could pay in points, cash, or even use the benefits of a friend. Whatever we do it will be less expensive overall than paying for stays we don’t need to earn “free” benefits.
Speaking of using the benefits of a friend- Deal Girl thinks I’m a hero thanks to all of the Hyatt Mattress runs I’m doing for friends. She’s the only girl who gets on the bus with a tummy full of diamond breakfast. The math might still work for some, but it just doesn’t work for us anymore. I recommend you run some numbers before stepping back on the wheel this year.
Travel Hacking Ditch #2: Less FOMO, More DGAF
FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) runs rampant through travel hacking and is the chief cause of Vendoming. I’d like to think myself immune but even I fall victim to Instagram envy from time to time. This year I’m especially vulnerable because the travel schedule is light due to the remodel.
I should mention that our “light” schedule means we only have six weeks booked- perspective much? So this year I plan to fully embrace Matt’s concept of DGAF (Don’t Give A F$@) instead of worrying what everyone else is doing. The best lesson I learned from 2016 came from a poem carved into the wall at an elementary school in Puerto Plata:
In other words: You do you. The rest is just noise.
Travel Hacking Ditch #3: Less Collecting, More Convertibles
The only constant I see in the travel hacking space is change. With that in mind the strategy that makes sense is to stop collecting points in a bunch of random programs and to focus on the convertibles: Ultimate Rewards, Membership Rewards, Starpoints and good old cash. Before you apply for another card, think long and hard about how it fits into your travel hacking strategy.
I’m especially bullish on cards that give more on flexible travel spend like the Chase Sapphire Reserve. I just signed up for that one for both myself and Deal Dad. If you have a Chase branch near you you have until March to get the 100K signup bonus (direct non-affiliate link). $450/year with a $300 travel credit for 100K ultimate rewards points? Total no-brainer for us.
Travel Hacking Ditch #4:Less Blogs, More Friends
One of the best moves I made for 2016 was focusing more on friendships in the travel hacking community. By coming out from behind the keyboard I learned much more than I could have reading. So while it’s not in my pageview best interest, I’m going to recommend you also focus on more IRL (in real life) efforts and less time reading the same post written by 10 different bloggers. You’ll get what you need (and if you miss an occasional deal you’ll get the next one) and have more time to do, well, you.
