Miles on Sale

[samh004]

Check from post #32 (http://www.australianfrequentflyer....advantage/miles-on-sale-23083.html#post391251) - there is currently a bonus deal that earns additional 15K with a 40K purchase giving 55K all up.

Have you even read this thread?

I don’t think so, though that’s far short of the 80k he is extolling.

 

[markis10]

I don’t think so, though that’s far short of the 80k he is extolling.

Have you read the thread , the 80K promo is mentioned numerous times

From post 13

"Don't quite have enough miles to book your travel now? When you buy the miles you need, you'll earn a special bonus — for every 6,000 miles you purchase, you'll earn 2,000 bonus miles, up to 20,000 bonus miles!

Or purchase 6,000 miles or more through the giftAAmilesSM program for a friend or family member this holiday, and earn a bonus for yourself!

For the month of November only, the limit of purchasing 40,000 miles per account, per calendar year has been raised to 60,000 miles.

These great offers end November 30, 2010. "

 

[yeldarb8]

Yes folks I read the thread. I'm just pointing out the 60 + 20 promo comes up like clockwork... so by extension... if folks are patient there will be a better deal in about 10 months time. This thread covers quite a lot of issues... sorry if I don't "get" which discussion points are quarantined from further dialog.

 

[dk4]

I don’t think so, though that’s far short of the 80k he is extolling.

The great news is, that in previous years, the 20K extra purchase allowance (above the maximum 40K per calendar year) has applied to everyone, not just those making their first purchase during the end of year promotion.

So maxing out a 40K purchase now, leads to 15K bonus miles added midMarch...

And then at the end of this year (assuming a repeat performance of last year) you can purchase an additional 20K, delivering a potential newyear promo-bonus of 6K miles.

Thus, if you spread your purchase across both promotions, you end up with a total of 21K bonus miles, whereas if you wait (and assume that they will anniversary the 60K deal) you only end up with a 20K bonus total.


So (if you want it)...

• Buy now - and aim for 81K miles rather than 80K over the year (total)
• Buy now - take advantage of the strong AUD, as some punters are predicting a reduced rate from mid-year (QLD floods not withstanding)
• Buy now - and you will have at least 55K miles in the kitty, even if AA doesn't run the year end promotion again.

...why wait:?:

 

[serfty]

Yes folks I read the thread. I'm just pointing out the 60 + 20 promo comes up like clockwork... so by extension...

Then why did you post this:

...You have just missed the last promotion that ended 31st Dec 2010. Then deal now has gone back to the normal 40,000 annual cap.

 

[yeldarb8]

The great news is, that in previous years, the 20K extra purchase allowance (above the maximum 40K per calendar year) has applied to everyone, not just those making their first purchase during the end of year promotion.

So maxing out a 40K purchase now, leads to 15K bonus miles added midMarch...

And then at the end of this year (assuming a repeat performance of last year) you can purchase an additional 20K, delivering a potential newyear promo-bonus of 6K miles.

Thus, if you spread your purchase across both promotions, you end up with a total of 21K bonus miles, whereas if you wait (and assume that they will anniversary the 60K deal) you only end up with a 20K bonus total.


So (if you want it)...

• Buy now - and aim for 81K miles rather than 80K over the year (total)
• Buy now - take advantage of the strong AUD, as some punters are predicting a reduced rate from mid-year (QLD floods not withstanding)
• Buy now - and you will have at least 55K miles in the kitty, even if AA doesn't run the year end promotion again.

...why wait:?:

Sure you can, for an extra $30 processing fee (US$0.03/mile extra for that last 1000 miles on top of the base per mile buy fee and taxes). Not likely to be an issue for most.

 

[yeldarb8]

Then why did you post this:

Sorry mate you've lost me.

... so by extension... [the 60K+20K promo is going to come up in 2011]... (?)

... the current promotion is 40K...[fact]. (?)

I think I'm using English here... maybe I need to spell out the obvious?

 

[serfty]

Sorry mate you've lost me. ...

I'll be specific:

Then deal now has gone back to the normal 40,000 annual cap.

Funnily enough I can get up to 55K today ...

Ok, that's $40K "cap" + 15K bonus ...

 

[yeldarb8]

I'll be specific:Funnily enough I can get up to 55K today ...

Ok, that's $40K "cap" + 15K bonus ...

Maybe I spend too much time in Japan speaking Japanese, the most context sensitive language on the planet (I think). I'm accustomed to leaving entire words and parts of speech (e.g. subject markers) out of sentences and still making sense...

Yes, the "cap" is the purchase cap (not cap + bonus).

Don't be surprised to see that "cap" increased this year. And I mean increased to more than 60k (I have heard 100K from someone at AAdvantage who should know).

 

[arraitch]

The 40K + 15K bonus promotion has been extended to 28th February ... see https://buy.points.com/AAdvantage/i...AIGNCODE=AAMktgPgBuyJan11&c=AAMktgPgBuyJan101. Enjoy!

 

[JohnK]

I am waiting for the big one this year. Buy 60,000 AA miles and earn 40,000 AA miles bonus points.... :shock:

 

[cove]

JohnK how much do you expect that they will cost and what is their redemption value compared with QF points?

 

[peachy3333]

I think there is a -very- slim chance it will bump up to buy 60k get 40k bonus.

At the present rate they are going for a little less than $0.02/mile, with AUD being parity.

If it were in fact to happen, that would put it down to $0.016/mile. A complete bargain.

Compared to QFF. IMO, no challenge. AA is a complete winner in terms of mile redemption rates in all categories. QF has better availability for QF award flights though, in some cases.

 

[JohnK]

JohnK how much do you expect that they will cost and what is their redemption value compared with QF points?

I believe the redemption value is much better than QFF points purely on the fact that one is able to purchase AA miles cheaply with the bonus AA miles, well a big bonus.

I am extremely optimistic but one would assume if 40,000 AA miles cost ~USD1100 then 60,000 AA miles would cost ~USD1650.

I can go one-way SYD-BKK in economy for 25,000 AA miles or 35,000 in business class.

Economy does not sound like good value as I can purchase a BKK-SIN in CX business class for ~AUD600 and SIN-MEL-SYD//BNE-SYD-SIN for ~AUD800. So all up I have spent ~AUD1,400 and earn 200 SCs and ~20,000 QFF points which is an absolute bargain.

Assuming AA miles are purchased at ~USD0.02/mile then an economy return award for 50,000 AA miles would cost ~USD1,000 + minimal taxes and surharges which is really poor value.

But if one redeems a return business class award for 70,000 AA miles it would cost ~USD1,400 + minimal taxes and works out to a be a very good deal.

Of course we all have different needs so best for the individual to calculate the value for themselves. And for some the need to earn SCs at some point in time for status also needs to come into the equation. e.g An AA award in business class is great but also sacrificing 200 SCs which are needed to maintain Platinum status and will cost more somewhere else.

 

[cove]

On QF points it costs 100k to go LAX-NYC-LAX plus about $5 US in fees (last year) in business class on an AA plane.
Is this trip to New York less on AA points and if so how many AA points would that be?

 

[serfty]

"Saver" one-way AAdvantage fares cost 25,000 (U). Anytime costs 50,000 (J)

This is wholly domestic continental USA.

It's the same cost whether LAX-LAS or LAX-JFK.

 

[JohnK]

On QF points it costs 100k to go LAX-NYC-LAX plus about $5 US in fees (last year) in business class on an AA plane.
Is this trip to New York less on AA points and if so how many AA points would that be?

MileSAAver is 50,000 return and AAnytime is 100,000 return.

Probably cheaper than QF but not great value. How much would an KUP/YUP typically cost on this route?

 

[cove]

Thanks for the quick reply.
In frequent flyer points sourced thru Amex Ultimate by paying taxes the equivalent points would cost 1.666 cents Australian.
That means AA is being very fair to you as not everyone has taxes to pay!

 

[serfty]

It's not a cheap route - via EWR is USD1930 in P (First) class, LGA/JFK return is USD2860 in I (Business class).

 

[cove]

Going back to using 100k QF points to do that LAX-JFK-LAX I have always thought of that costing either $A833 plus $US5 off Amex or about $183 less on a point a dollar Visa or MasterCard.