Questions and Answers

While miles are nothing like stock, for those of us with hundreds of thousands of miles, what are you thinking as your point strategy? Previously poor redemptions like gift cards were bad strategies, but as we look to the future, should we be converting miles to a “liquid asset” like gift cards before devaluations or elimination of point options take hold? What is your strategy? I would love to hear Lucky and others opine.

Personally I’m not liquidating anything. I’m not too worried, but I guess that I also mostly hoard Amex and Chase points, which will still be valuable after this whole mess. If I had lots of airline miles, I may have a different approach and I’d probably book tentative awards to secure something as best as I can, even if I have to cancel them later. I would only redeem for gift cards or stuff like that if I felt like that the airline is truly about to collapse.
Sorry this is not great advice, but everything is so uncertain right now that having a strategy is tough!

Second what Clem said. I’m also curious how quickly airlines are going to honor gift card redemptions. Unlike a seat on a flight that’s going to actually make them spend money right now. Even thought it’s a terrible redemption in most cases and big picture a great financial outcome for airline, I’m sure right now they would rather have cash.

[QUOTE=”Clem, post: 69074, member: 2278″]Personally I’m not liquidating anything. I’m not too worried, but I guess that I also mostly hoard Amex and Chase points, which will still be valuable after this whole mess. If I had lots of airline miles, I may have a different approach and I’d probably book tentative awards to secure something as best as I can, even if I have to cancel them later. I would only redeem for gift cards or stuff like that if I felt like that the airline is truly about to collapse.
Sorry this is not great advice, but everything is so uncertain right now that having a strategy is tough![/QUOTE]

+1

I haven’t spent any Amex MRs in a while, and only got into Chase URs in mid-2019. Been saving those two currencies for either a really nice vacation or two or maybe three Int’l J class tickets.

Pre-Coronavirus I was trying to use my Hilton points and AA miles. But I just cancelled one Int’l award trip for next week, and likely will cancel my May trip as well. So I will likely be back up to 650k Hilton points and 960k AAdvanatge miles.

As soon as we can safely travel and airlines are back to some normalcy I am going to try to book some F and J trips on Cathay and JAL to deplete (somewhat) my AA miles.

Renes points reported that DL has taken away the gift card redemption option. Curious if the others follow suit.

[QUOTE=”Gaurav, post: 69119, member: 79″]Renes points reported that DL has taken away the gift card redemption option. Curious if the others follow suit.[/QUOTE]

[USER=79]@Gaurav[/USER] – did Delta allow members to buy DL gift cards? Is that what was discontinued?

[QUOTE=”OCTinPHL, post: 69123, member: 4556″][USER=79]@Gaurav[/USER] – did Delta allow members to buy DL gift cards? Is that what was discontinued?[/QUOTE]
Yes, I believe so.

[QUOTE=”Gaurav, post: 69144, member: 79″]Yes, I believe so.[/QUOTE]

Thanks. I don’t think AA ever offered that option. Not 100% certain. I know you used to be able to convert un-used ‘stickers’ to miles.

Normally I wouldn’t ever think of using miles to buy gift cards – IF i could use them for international travel. But I just cancelled 3 roundtrips to Asia in a mix of J and F on CX and JAL cancelled and miles returned to AAdvantage. I hope I can use those 480k for something someday!

I think there is also news today that WN is cutting off gift card redemptions. Wouldn’t surprise me to see all of them do this to prevent a run on their currencies. Agree using for international premium redemptions is the best option but if people believe an airline is about to go belly up they will probably want to cut their losses.