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I wanted to share a story from 1TP reader Tosha, who is still racking up points and using them on creative itineraries.
You may remember Tosha from several posts earlier this year. She was able to masterfully piece together a trip to Puerto Rico and Florida for cheap AND was able to secure a free hotel. Let’s take a look at another great story.
I just wanted to let you know that I put your advice to action and booked an American Airlines ticket (using British Airways avios) and saved a bunch of money.
Long story short, my friends and I are exhausted from quarantine so we booked a non-stop flight from Miami (MIA) to Aruba (AUA) for an extended weekend.
Possible cash options:
American Airlines cash fare: $328 roundtrip for BASIC ECONOMY…yuck!
JetBlue cash fare: $328 roundtrip (but JetBlue departs FLL, not MIA)
Delta: had to connect through Atlanta (ATL) or New York (JFK) or both…no thank you!
United Airlines: the prices were insane and I would have to connect…hard pass!
Point Redemptions:
American Airlines (redeeming AA miles) 25,000 + $85.05
American Airlines (redeeming BA avios) 18,000 + $85.05Obviously, I went with the AA (via BA avios).
Surprisingly, last summer I took advantage of the 30% transfer bonus (Chase to British Airways) and intended to use the points on another trip but instead redeemed them for this trip. That means I only paid 14,000 points round-trip.
My friends don’t have points so they venmo’d me their money and I paid with my Chase Sapphire Preferred. 🥳
I attached the screen shots below.
2020 isn’t a total wash, I’m going to paradise for cheap! Thank again Jamal.
– Tosha
Let’s take a look at the attached photos…
According to the photo above, there were two, non-stop, outbound flights available at $328 and Tosha chose the 10:35AM flight (instead of the 5:40pm flight)…wise choice…maximize your time in paradise…😉
FINAL STAMP
If you’re unfamiliar with the steps that were taken in this redemption, READ THIS where I walk you through the process.
This is, yet, another great example of how the points accumulated from your credit card can take your experience to the next level.
If you’re in a position to get approved and meet the spending requirements, it’s not hard to earn a lot of points and redeem them for amazing value.
Additionally, there’s little downside to the points and miles hobby as long as you stay organized and manage your expenses and credit responsibly.
If you’re new to points and miles. Start by checking out our beginner’s guide and learning basic strategies to maximize your rewards. And if you have questions, don’t hesitate to comment on the blog or simply respond to the daily email.
Have you had an experience where points have saved you a lot money?
p.s. You should share this information with your friends and anyone that is interested in traveling. Forwarding the daily email, or posting this blog on social media takes less than 5 seconds. Friends help friends travel better (and cheaper). We should all be saving money!!
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