AA Cyber Monday 2015 bonus miles - extended to 4th Jan 2016

[serfty]

...

So, better to use AA points than QF points?

...

YMMV

QFF charge 36000 QFF points and USD5.50 on AA, 42000 QFF points and USD235 on BA!

 

[Isochronous]

Who is buying the maximum?

 

[PlutekPlutek]

Who is buying the maximum?

Thinking about it....

 

[amaroo]

There's good commentary about this offer in this link:

Buy as Many as 200,000 American Miles for 2 Cents Apiece Through November 30 - View from the Wing


Edit: smit0847 beat me to this link, I think.

I had dinner on the weekend with a couple of AA flyers .... they have the same opinion as this fellow. Quote was lifted from the above link.

After listening to a bunch of angry American flyers over the last week (at a dinner in SoCal), they’re all complaining that they can’t find saver awards for booking far into the future. A ‘buy’ on AA miles seems like a waste of money. This may have been a good deal pre us/AA, but not today. YMMV.

Seems like Doug Parker and his gang are playing their members for ‘suckers’. Buyer beware.

 

[JohnK]

YMMV

QFF charge 36000 QFF points and USD5.50 on AA, 42000 QFF points and USD235 on BA!

So surely it's better to use 36,000 QFF points than purchasing 20,000 AA miles for USD550? More so if QFF points are easy to come by. Your earlier post stated the AA miles option wasn't good value. What am I missing?

 

[andye]

More value with higher number of miles bought (see serfty's graph)

 

[serfty]

So surely it's better to use 36,000 QFF points than purchasing 20,000 AA miles for USD550? More so if QFF points are easy to come by. Your earlier post stated the AA miles option wasn't good value. What am I missing?

There is nothing contradictory.

I think this post is pertinent:

... in general:

Buying points only makes sense for J and F redemptions ...

TQ was looking at economy.

Note the USD550 is approx. AUD730. If one buys the 160k or the $200k, those 20k points drop to about AUD540.

 

[serfty]

It's about USD4000 for the 200k but that's almost enough for 2 x Business class return awards SWP to Europe.

Reasonable value at ~AU$3000 per trip ...

 

[anat0l]

It's about USD4000 for the 200k but that's enough for 2 x Business class return awards SWP to Europe.

Reasonable value at ~AU$2650 per trip ...

You mean "almost"? 120k for return trip in Business, SWP to Europe?

Two people buying would of course account for this easily, with a one way in F still in pocket.

Remember that only AA accounts open greater than 30 days can purchase or be gifted miles.

It's a lot of money to outlay in one time given the value of the dollar. If you were to burn soon, that could definitely work.

 

[JohnK]

It's about USD4000 for the 200k but that's enough for 2 x Business class return awards SWP to Europe.

Reasonable value at ~AU$2650 per trip ...

There might value for trips to Europe but very marginal for trips to Asia to buy points to book an award where as for a few $$ extra one can purchase business class and earn points + SCs.

 

[incumbent]

There might value for trips to Europe but very marginal for trips to Asia to buy points to book an award where as for a few $$ extra one can purchase business class and earn points + SCs.

How many are the "few $$ extra"?

 

[JohnK]

How many are the "few $$ extra"?

~AUD100, maybe AUD200. The airfares are ex-Asia though but for people travelling there regularly that should not be an issue.

 

[serfty]

You mean "almost"? 120k for return trip in Business, SWP to Europe?
....

Yeah - misread - it's 60K one way in Business (80K for First).

Contrast with QFF who currently sting 128K (and 192k) +++.

 

[PlutekPlutek]

How certain do we believe an award devaluation is coming? I've read various articles about earn rates, and statuses, which doesn't really have much to do with this, but if they are planning to devalue the points that they are selling now, then its a big no-no as far as this promotion goes.

 

[zainman]

Which amounts of miles purchase end up at 2CPM besides the maximum? Anything lower? Thinking of topping up a few different AAcounts.

 

[andye]

How certain do we believe an award devaluation is coming? I've read various articles about earn rates, and statuses, which doesn't really have much to do with this, but if they are planning to devalue the points that they are selling now, then its a big no-no as far as this promotion goes.

My understanding (internet rumours only) is that changes to AA status are coming early 2016, changes to earn and burn later in the year. Would hope for a window to burn at current rates

 

[grussellt]

Yeah - misread - it's 60K one way in Business (80K for First).

Contrast with QFF who currently sting 128K (and 192k) +++.

And with AA you can fly to multiple destinations in Europe without increasing the number of miles (SWP to anywhere in Europe). If you travel to LHR with QF then onward travel will cost you additional points (and to be fair you might save a few points on QF by going to ATH or IST via DXB).

 

[boomy]

Looks like pretty good value to me even at today's exchange rate. AU$5600 for 200,000 miles, AU$0.028 per mile, have not seen it this good for a while. Will probably take the chance to top up for 2 x First Class Europe to Australia. Any thoughts?

2 X EY F to Europe for under $AU6,000 include taxes looks like a good deal to me.

How certain do we believe an award devaluation is coming? I've read various articles about earn rates, and statuses, which doesn't really have much to do with this, but if they are planning to devalue the points that they are selling now, then its a big no-no as far as this promotion goes.

It's all just speculations at this stage.
If you have plans to travel next year then buy miles and book as soon as you can, otherwise just wait and see what happens. There will always be another sale around the corner.

 

[AA KAZ]

How certain do we believe an award devaluation is coming? I've read various articles about earn rates, and statuses, which doesn't really have much to do with this, but if they are planning to devalue the points that they are selling now, then its a big no-no as far as this promotion goes.

It's all conjecture ... however, given the way AAdvantage are changing their RDM earning to a revenue base*; matching United and Delta it is quite easy to see some level of devaluation happening to more match the competition.

Some more here: viewfromthewing.boardingarea.com/2013/11/08/will-american-follow-suit-devalue-miles/


*that is, a $500 first fare will earn a member the same redeemable miles as a $500 economy fare.

 

[anat0l]

Yeah - misread - it's 60K one way in Business (80K for First).

Contrast with QFF who currently sting 128K (and 192k) +++.

True, but you can't buy QFF points in the first place (no, top up points is not going to count).

Once there is a bona fide AA earning card in Australia, I guess I know what I'll be getting (subject to their accepting my credit application). Provided of course that the enhancements are not very painful (if any at all), but it surely can't be made worse than QF.

And with AA you can fly to multiple destinations in Europe without increasing the number of miles (SWP to anywhere in Europe). If you travel to LHR with QF then onward travel will cost you additional points (and to be fair you might save a few points on QF by going to ATH or IST via DXB).

That would likely be because BA coded flights will attract the higher cost Partner Award table. I don't know if QF codeshares on select BA flights can be booked with points, and hence keep the cost to one table.

To keep costs to one table, you would need to select a EK operated flight from DXB to a European destination.