Just discovered that I let excellent point redemption opportunity (Chase UR) drain down the tube ...

[hdporter]

For the last 2 years Chase has redeemed UR points at a 50% premium ($1.50 for 100 points) when used to offset dining & travel charges(perhaps other categories as well) within the last 90 days.  I've taken advantage of this for a couple of big redemptions, the last being in late 2021.

 

Well, I came into 2022 with 30000 pts, and then earned just shy of 100,000 last year plus 5000 in Jan, so I'm sitting on 135,000 points.  Time to hit Chase up for another big statement credit ... except, apparently they killed the 50% premium on dining/travel offsets this year.   Crap.

 

Modest signs that this redemption promo won't be back any time soon <sigh>.  Looks like it's time to fall back on the 50% redemption bonus when booking travel through the Chase travel portal with points.  Not terribly keen on this.  95% of my travel expense consists of American Airlines flights, and being prone to frequent itinerary changes and cancellations (particularly this last year), I treasure dealing with the AA Executive Platinum desk who make all such transactions an absolute joy.

 

I've done just one booking through Chase, and when it was necessary to cancel and re-book at a later date, it was far from a nightmare, but it wasn't a walk in the park either.  Guess I'll be very selective on the $2k in airfare that I opt to book through Chase in the coming months ...

 

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So, I'm pretty sure we have more than a couple CSR fanboys/gals in the group here.  But I recall seeing little in the way of discussion of how people are redeeming their points and their experience in doing so.  I'd be interested in people's elections, even if it's a boring redemption for cashback ...

 

[hegemony]

PYB was pretty sweet. Absent that I use my UR points for travel via the chase portal. I'm not sure how AA works but when I've booked United via Chase the 1K phone folks still answered when I needed help. Why wouldn't the executive desk still work? (I will say that one of the more liberating things I've done in the past 10 years is to stop being loyal to one airline and simply book premium fares. I still make platinum or 1k with UA and platinum or DM with delta but I simply book the best flight for my purposes and let status be damned).

 

If booking air travel via the portal isn't something you want to bother with, the UR transfer partners vary. Is there an AA partner you can transfer UR points to and then book AA?

 

Alternatively the transfer to Hyatt is usually a good deal, relatively speaking. (and again with hotels I have stopped being loyal to one in hopes of better treatment; I do make globalist with Hyatt thanks to the visa card but I simply book the best room. This has given me opportunities to explore independent hotels and other smaller chains that I otherwise would have missed).

 

The cashback option isn't that appealing to me but if I had no need for UR points to travel I suppose it is better than sitting on them waiting for devaluation.

Edited February 10 by hegemony

[hdporter]

2 hours ago, hegemony said:

PYB was pretty sweet. Absent that I use my UR points for travel via the chase portal. I'm not sure how AA works but when I've booked United via Chase the 1K phone folks still answered when I needed help. Why wouldn't the executive desk still work?

 

Appreciate the great feedback!

 

My experience with the one reservation I made through the Chase travel portal is that when I called the AA Executive Platinum (EXP) desk to make changes, they rightfully told me I'd have to make the changes with the vendor who ticketed the reservation.  That experience was considerably subpar and entailed one or more lengthy holds.

 

For those who aren't aware, the AA Platinum EXP desk folks are unbelievable.  90% of the agents truly act as your own personal travel advocate and frequently come up with solutions in tricky situations that I hadn't thought of.  I can't think of any other business experience I encounter where the commitment to customer service takes a front seat to most everything.  It's freakin' unreal.

 

My wife was AA Platinum Pro (tier below EXP) for about 3 years.  After her first couple of encounters with the folks answering the Platinum Pro line, she insisted that I intercede and handle her needs through the EXP desk thereon out.

 

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In fairness, I easily get confused about redeeming rewards through Chase UR and using AA frequent flyer points.  (Face it, senility is creeping in on the edges and I'm easily distracted these days.)  So,when I posted this thread it sat in my mind that I'd be forced to work with the Chase travel folks when re-booking a cancelled itinerary -- something that is tricky enough with AA directly.   Of course, I'm way off base.  Chase travel portal bookings are "cash" bookings, so cancelled tickets can be re-booked with AA similar to any other cancelled ticket credit.

 

Still, the other area of "resistance" to booking through Chase is that there's no itinerary hold option.  Most of my bookings are between 45-15 days in advance, and often subject to considerable fare fluctuation.  It often takes me up to a week to nail down flight dates and details once an apparent trip is on the table.  Even at 45 days, it's astounding how quickly some AA flights fill and a 2 delay on booking can often mean a 20%-30% jump in fare.  I love AA booking because you can lock a fare for 1 to 7 days, at a fee ranging from free to $16, and I'm loathe to sacrifice that for the sake of using Chase UR points (but, obviously I just need to choke that up and selectively book the most "certain" travel with Chase until my points are exhausted -- likely 4-6 bookings).

 

2 hours ago, hegemony said:

If booking air travel via the portal isn't something you want to bother with, the UR transfer partners vary. Is there an AA partner you can transfer UR points to and then book AA?

 

Almost all of my bookings are domestic and, universally a poor redemption of AA miles.  (Even our Dec Puerto Rico trip, at $1200 pp, proved to be a poor redemption option, returning something like $.011/mile.  (Minimum threshold for our redemptions is $.014, and we often do MUCH better on infrequent int'l travel.)  Toward future international travel redemption, we once again have 2 million miles stockpiled between Bev and myself.

 

My exploration with AA partner mile redemption options are limited,  But I have the strong impression that those options best favor international travel on their ticket stock.  As indicated, any such use will likely be deferred until we've tapped our AA stockpile.

 

Don't get me wrong.  I'm keeping an open mind re all you fine input and, as it is, I'll suck up to the Chase travel portal as needed and as is viable.  Cash redemption of UR's is firmly off the table

[brainchasm]

While I just sit and bank UR points, the times I use them they go to Hyatt.

 

Getting $1000/night rooms for 30k points is a win all day in my book.

 

[hdporter]

5 minutes ago, brainchasm said:

While I just sit and bank UR points, the times I use them they go to Hyatt.

 

Getting $1000/night rooms for 30k points is a win all day in my book.

 

I definitely see the appeal in that!  And since the cost of the standard room you might book on your own dime might easily approach $300/night, the suite upgrade is (as we say in the south) a jumbo sized lagniappe 😄

 

Definitely food for thought!

 

[Rorer_714]

UR>Hyatt can be a massive win for certain hotels. Not sure if you use UA but UR>UA can be of value if you find the right award flights. They also have sales on some excursions so always check them. I was able to do this for MBJ. 

Edited February 13 by Rorer_714

[hdporter]

5 hours ago, Rorer_714 said:

UR>Hyatt can be a massive win for certain hotels. Not sure if you use UA but UR>UA can be of value if you find the right award flights. They also have sales on some excursions so always check them. I was able to do this for MBJ. 

 

Thanks, but hard core AA flyer here (Exec Plat).  Hotel loyalties are strong with Hilton and Marriott (tending to shift in Marriott's direction, at least until most recent loyalty program changes ...).  Appreciate the suggestions!

[hegemony]

17 minutes ago, hdporter said:

 

Thanks, but hard core AA flyer here (Exec Plat).  Hotel loyalties are strong with Hilton and Marriott (tending to shift in Marriott's direction, at least until most recent loyalty program changes ...).  Appreciate the suggestions!

book upfront and let loyalty be danmmed,

[Rorer_714]

1 hour ago, hegemony said:

book upfront and let loyalty be danmmed,

I hope you don't mean cash. 

[hegemony]

8 hours ago, Rorer_714 said:

I hope you don't mean cash. 

use ur points or ur=>miles