AA points at $1.72 USD

[Gold Member]

https://buymiles.aa.com/en/buygift?c=SOLO_EML_EN,US_BUY

Need to buy the full allotment which equates to $4,311.19 USD to get this rate. Best deal yet post the recent AA award devAAluation. Shame the AUD is not being nice with us at the moment.

Alaskan 50% might be better if your cash flow doesn't permit.

 

[Pleb Status]

https://buymiles.aa.com/en/buygift?c=SOLO_EML_EN,US_BUY

Need to buy the full allotment which equates to $4,311.19 USD to get this rate. Best deal yet post the recent AA award devAAluation. Shame the AUD is not being nice with us at the moment.

Alaskan 50% might be better if your cash flow doesn't permit.

I assume you mean USD0.0172/pt (or 1.72c/pt), not USD1.72/pt.

This equates to ~AUD0.0233/pt which would have been good pre-devaluation but is not so good now. J to Europe return would be just under AUD4000 plus taxes etc.

 

[Limewood]

https://buymiles.aa.com/en/buygift?c=SOLO_EML_EN,US_BUY

Need to buy the full allotment which equates to $4,311.19 USD to get this rate.

Does this include the 7.5% tax?

 

[Hvr]

Does this include the 7.5% tax?

It includes all taxes and fees except your credit card fee for an international transaction.

 

[hummel]

North America to Aus got smashed in the recent devaluation didn't it?

Have a SQ J booking LAX-MEL for next year but would prefer something a little more direct, i.e CX or QF (no chance)

 

[Croupier]

Good for J redemption to Japan, if you buy max amount.

 

[trippin_the_rift]

Not bad if it was pre-devaluation. I don't see much usefulness in it now compared to cheap revenue fares.
Alaska is parting with JAL this year too which I expect to be cheaper than AA.

Still, there are pockets of usefulness!

 

[boomy]

Pre-devaluation I'd probably go for it. Even at the current exchange rate 3XF trips AU-UK for ~AU6,000 is still good value.

Currently I find Alaska 50% bonus bit more appealing.

 

[anat0l]

Alaska is parting with JAL this year too which I expect to be cheaper than AA.

You must mean partnering... to think that their tie up would be over before it even had begun!

AS is a great alternative scheme, if only that they offered more redemptions which were not necessarily centred on North America. Also, I wonder if people have largely forgiven AS for the EK rug pull.

 

[JohnK]

North America to Aus got smashed in the recent devaluation didn't it?

SYD-SE Asia also devalued.

Does this mean SYD-BKK = ~AUD1800 in business. Not too bad if that's the case.

 

[Aussie_flyer]

SYD-SE Asia also devalued.

Does this mean SYD-BKK = ~AUD1800 in business. Not too bad if that's the case.

It went from 35k to 40k but north asia was actually reduced from 45 to 40k. Australia-Asia actually got off very lightly in the deval.

 

[Croupier]

SYD-SE Asia also devalued.

Does this mean SYD-BKK = ~AUD1800 in business. Not too bad if that's the case.

For BKK or HKG I'd prefer to use United Milage Plus (during a buy miles promotion) and fly F for a little over $2000

 

[hummel]

For BKK or HKG I'd prefer to use United Milage Plus (during a buy miles promotion) and fly F for a little over $2000

All good if your ex-SYD for TG but by the time you add position flight in etc can be costly.

FWIW I need to get to China next week and fares are currently $900 one-way MEL-CAN in Y.. so in situations like this I can sometimes make AA work for me.

 

[zainman]

All good if your ex-SYD for TG but by the time you add position flight in etc can be costly.

FWIW I need to get to China next week and fares are currently $900 one-way MEL-CAN in Y.. so in situations like this I can sometimes make AA work for me.

Using CX or MH?

 

[hummel]

Using CX or MH?

Either them or QF.

However couldn't get availability to suit for Wednesday next week so using Lifemiles instead.

 

[Digger11]

I assume you mean USD0.0172/pt (or 1.72c/pt), not USD1.72/pt.

This equates to ~AUD0.0233/pt which would have been good pre-devaluation but is not so good now. J to Europe return would be just under AUD4000 plus taxes etc.

Correct me if Im wrong, but isnt $4k for a return J to the US pretty cheap ?

Is it possible to do better ? United is about 2.5c a point x 80,000 so about $4k as well with current promotion.
Thought both pretty good deals.

 

[Pleb Status]

Correct me if Im wrong, but isnt $4k for a return J to the US pretty cheap ?

Is it possible to do better ? United is about 2.5c a point x 80,000 so about $4k as well with current promotion.
Thought both pretty good deals.

QF and VA have been doing J revenue fares at ~AUD4900 all in from SYD. So through the AA points route, you have to find availability (difficult), pay the additional taxes and then not earn any QF points or SC on the award fare. At the end of the day, the cost will be very close to the cheap J revenue fare.

 

[trippin_the_rift]

Virgin have ~3.5k return in biz through points purchasing too.

 

[medhead]

Virgin have ~3.5k return in biz through points purchasing too.

Which variety of Virgin? VA?

 

[anat0l]

Which variety of Virgin? VA?

VX Elevate. Main problem is getting around the annual buying limit.

I wonder if you could use VA Points Booster; not sure about the economics of it, though, plus it's bordering on breaking the rules.