5 Critical Year-End Moves to Protect Your Miles and Points Portfolio in 2024
5 Critical Year-End Moves to Protect Your Miles and Points Portfolio in 2024 - Check Alaska Airlines Miles Before Their Big Partner Devaluation on Jan 15th 2024
Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan members need to pay close attention to their miles before January 15, 2024. The airline is making some significant changes to how you can use your miles with their partners. Specifically, the cost of partner awards, particularly for first-class and longer flights, is about to increase substantially. It's looking like it's going to become tougher to use your points for the same destinations as before. For example, some first-class flights will require 70,000 miles instead of 60,000 miles, while longer trips might now need 95,000 miles, a big jump from 70,000.
A new distance-based award chart, set to launch in March, will replace the current system where partners had their own award charts. This will standardize pricing across all partners, but it also makes it harder to know what flights are a good value. Alaska is promising some quarterly sales with discounts on certain partner flights. However, with changes to how miles are earned on partner flights and the shift in the award chart, it's less clear whether these sales will always offer the best deals compared to using miles before the changes hit. To avoid potentially paying more for the same or similar trip, it makes sense to think about redeeming your Alaska Airlines miles before the devaluation takes effect in January.
Examining the Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan changes coming in early 2024 reveals some interesting trends in the airline loyalty space. Specifically, their upcoming changes to how miles are redeemed for partner flights look like a fairly significant devaluation. It appears that for many routes, the cost in miles for partner awards will be going up. The most notable increase is for longer flights, where the cost to redeem miles will jump significantly. For example, the miles needed for first-class tickets on flights between 1,401 and 2,100 miles will increase by 17%, to 70,000 miles. Flights longer than 2,100 miles will see an even greater jump, to 95,000 miles, a dramatic 36% increase.
Alaska Airlines has hinted that they'll try to soften the blow with some promotional offers, including occasional discounts of up to 50% on specific routes. These sales are intended to be quarterly events. However, the real change comes with the March 2024 shift to a distance-based award chart across all airline partners, replacing the current unique charts. The three new regions for pricing, Americas, Asia, and Europe/Middle East/Africa, standardize redemption rates, and for many routes, it seems that standard will be higher.
In addition to changes in how we redeem miles, we'll see a change in how we earn them on flights operated by partner airlines. The exact mechanisms aren't clear yet. While Alaska Airlines is offering more opportunities to accumulate miles through various retail partnerships, it is quite remarkable that some partner airline bookings now require a lot more miles, potentially up to 25 times the amount before the devaluation. Even though the airline says some previously promised "sweet spots" for redeeming miles are on the way, their details haven't been released yet.
Because of all this, it might be prudent to review your Alaska miles in the near term. You may want to take advantage of potential opportunities for redemption before these changes take effect. Whether these changes affect your travel plans significantly depends on your own habits and where you tend to travel.
What else is in this post?
- 5 Critical Year-End Moves to Protect Your Miles and Points Portfolio in 2024 - Check Alaska Airlines Miles Before Their Big Partner Devaluation on Jan 15th 2024
- 5 Critical Year-End Moves to Protect Your Miles and Points Portfolio in 2024 - Transfer Chase Points to Southwest Before December Status Deadline
- 5 Critical Year-End Moves to Protect Your Miles and Points Portfolio in 2024 - Book Qatar Airways Awards Now Before Miles Requirements Change in February
- 5 Critical Year-End Moves to Protect Your Miles and Points Portfolio in 2024 - Use Your Capital One Travel Credit Before December 31st Reset
- 5 Critical Year-End Moves to Protect Your Miles and Points Portfolio in 2024 - Clear Expiring Free Night Certificates from Marriott and IHG
5 Critical Year-End Moves to Protect Your Miles and Points Portfolio in 2024 - Transfer Chase Points to Southwest Before December Status Deadline
If you're aiming to keep or earn a higher status with Southwest Airlines, you should consider transferring your Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Southwest Rapid Rewards before the December deadline. The transfer is straightforward, with a 1:1 exchange rate. So, 1,000 Chase points become 1,000 Southwest points, which could help you achieve your Southwest status goals.
The process itself is initiated through your Chase account, and it can take up to a week to be completed. Once initiated, it's important to realize that these transfers cannot be undone. This makes planning ahead crucial to ensure the points reach your Southwest account in time for your flights.
Keep in mind that Southwest is changing how they value their Rapid Rewards points starting next year. Their points are losing value, so if you want to get more mileage out of your points, transferring them before the value decrease occurs is something to consider. If you have Southwest trips on your radar for the near future, consider transferring your Chase points now. Waiting might lead to a less valuable reward for the same amount of Chase points.
Transferring Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Southwest Rapid Rewards before the December status deadline could be a smart move, particularly considering Southwest's potential point devaluation. While the transfer ratio is a straightforward 1:1, meaning 1,000 Chase points become 1,000 Southwest points, the actual value of those Southwest points has been under scrutiny. Southwest has indicated they'll reduce the value of their Rapid Rewards points from around 1.4 cents to 1.3 cents in 2024. This shift in point value is likely to impact how far those points will go when booking flights.
It's fascinating to see how airlines are juggling the economics of loyalty programs. Airlines often adjust how you earn and redeem miles, and this adjustment by Southwest is just one example. The transfer process itself is relatively straightforward; you can initiate it through your Chase account, provided you also have an active Southwest Rapid Rewards account. The transfer can take a week or so to process. While the transfer process is fairly easy, you cannot undo it afterward. This makes planning and timing critical, especially as you don't want to be stuck with a large chunk of points that may not be worth as much or as flexible as you hoped for later.
While Southwest is known for its generally low fares and good coverage, you can still find yourself in situations where the point value is less than stellar. This may be especially true for certain routes or times of year. If you happen to travel during popular times, you may find the value of those points varies quite a bit. This makes it more important to look ahead at flight prices and how many points you might need for a given destination. Depending on the fare type, Southwest's points can range in value from around 1.4 cents to potentially over 2 cents per point, but those higher values tend to appear during less-traveled seasons or for certain specific routes.
The Chase Ultimate Rewards program does offer some flexibility in how you can use your points, and some individuals have used that flexibility to strategically acquire or maintain elite status with Southwest. Earning or maintaining elite status can provide various benefits, like priority boarding and free flight changes. Southwest's A-List and A-List Preferred status levels, for instance, come with various advantages.
In essence, this transfer of points to Southwest Airlines is part of a bigger picture. The point transfer process itself is fairly easy to understand, but the way it interacts with Southwest's Rapid Rewards program, particularly considering the looming point devaluation and the potential impact on your travels, requires some more careful consideration and research.
5 Critical Year-End Moves to Protect Your Miles and Points Portfolio in 2024 - Book Qatar Airways Awards Now Before Miles Requirements Change in February
If you're a fan of Qatar Airways and have been saving up Avios in your Privilege Club account, you might want to pay attention to the upcoming changes in February. Qatar Airways is expected to change the number of miles required for award tickets, so if you have any trips planned, you may want to book them before the changes hit.
At the moment, Qatar Airways is offering a decent amount of award availability for their excellent Qsuites, particularly between Doha and a few cities in the US, especially in the first few months of 2025. If you're looking for a luxurious business class experience, now could be a great time to book.
One interesting point about Qatar Airways is that if your flight gets changed due to factors outside of your control, like a schedule adjustment, they'll still credit you with the Qpoints and Avios based on the original class of service you booked. This adds a bit of extra flexibility when making travel plans. You can also easily combine this with the option to redeem your miles through other Oneworld partner airlines. Plus, government taxes and fees are refundable if your award ticket is changed or canceled—you'll get your Avios back to your account.
It's smart to be aware of changes to airline loyalty programs. Considering the anticipated mileage changes from Qatar, using your Avios now might be a good idea to protect yourself from potentially higher costs later. This is a smart strategy to consider as you prepare for the new year and try to make the most of your hard-earned airline miles.
If you're considering using Qatar Airways Avios for flights, now might be a good time to book. The airline has announced that the number of miles needed for certain award flights will increase in February. So, if you want to lock in the current, potentially lower, miles requirements, you might want to book before then.
One interesting aspect of the Qatar Airways loyalty program is that they're transparent about their planned changes. While many airlines make these adjustments silently, Qatar Airways is giving travelers a heads-up, which is helpful for planning purposes.
It appears that they're adjusting their award charts to better reflect the current travel demand. It's a move that's become more common among airlines in the last few years. They're part of the Oneworld alliance, which means you can earn and redeem miles with a number of other airlines. This is both good and bad. It offers flexibility, but it can also make things a bit more complex since changes in one airline can affect others.
Award availability for business class seats, especially in their Qsuites, seems to be pretty decent, at least for flights between Doha and some US cities. It's especially notable between February and March of 2025. There's a slight trick that you can try to maximize your chances of finding Qsuites seats. This includes including a domestic American Airlines flight in your itinerary. This is a bit of a workaround, but it's an interesting approach nonetheless.
Also interesting is that Qatar Airways doesn't have a premium economy class. They offer a focus on business and economy, which is rather unusual in today's airline environment. Their award chart isn't set in stone, but they provide an Avios calculator that allows you to get an estimate for award tickets. The calculator can help you make more informed decisions about whether or not redeeming your miles for a specific flight makes sense.
Booking award flights is pretty easy. The flexibility to book through various partner airlines in the Oneworld alliance can be a definite advantage. There's also an upside to cancellation. Taxes and fees are refundable, and Avios points spent on an award flight are credited back to your account. However, the big thing to remember is that if they do change the award chart, the flights you've already booked should still be valid under the old system. You won't be penalized for previously booking tickets. The changes affect future bookings.
You can also earn Avios in different ways, including by flying with them, staying at hotels, and even spending at certain retailers. The process of accumulating Avios can be fascinating. It involves a somewhat elaborate system that combines the distance flown and class of service for each flight. The flexibility in booking dates is also worth considering, especially for travelers who might have flexible plans. It's possible to currently book flights as far out as late November and December 2024 with Qatar Avios.
While Qatar Airways offers many avenues for earning and redeeming Avios, the miles requirements changes in February are an important factor to consider for anyone who is looking to book award flights in the near future. With a more detailed knowledge about how changes in programs affect us, we can approach them with more clarity.
5 Critical Year-End Moves to Protect Your Miles and Points Portfolio in 2024 - Use Your Capital One Travel Credit Before December 31st Reset
As we approach the end of the year, Capital One cardholders need to be aware that their travel credits are set to reset on December 31st. This means that any unused credits will disappear, so now's the time to put them to good use. The Venture X card, in particular, offers a good reason to utilize Capital One Travel for bookings, as it provides bonus miles for certain purchases—up to 10 miles per dollar on hotels and car rentals. You can also potentially snag some deals with their 10-day price drop protection, offering some peace of mind when making flight or hotel bookings.
It's important to weigh your options carefully, though. While using the Capital One Travel portal for your bookings can offer some conveniences, it might not always yield the best value in terms of your miles. Sometimes, booking directly with an airline or hotel through their respective sites may offer better redemption rates. If you have travel plans, it's wise to compare options and see if you can maximize your credits in a way that suits your needs best. By being thoughtful about your upcoming travel plans and using your Capital One credits wisely before the year's end, you can potentially make a strong start to protecting and growing your travel rewards portfolio for 2025.
Capital One's travel credit program, while offering a 2X miles earning rate on purchases, features a crucial aspect: a yearly reset. This means any unused travel credits will expire at the end of the year, potentially causing a loss of value. In the current climate, with flight costs generally increasing, utilizing these credits before December 31st can help lock in current pricing, which could be advantageous considering that flight prices have recently jumped by a significant amount.
It's also worth noting that while some airlines have been adding routes, including some exciting new destinations, the general trend in the travel sector is an increase in demand. This suggests that if you don't use your Capital One credits, you may have a more difficult time finding a good flight next year. Capital One's Travel Eraser functionality allows you to redeem your points towards flights booked in the past 90 days, providing a window to reduce the cost of travel expenditures. While the trend of increased international travel indicates that using Capital One Travel credits now might be a better choice compared to waiting, this is partially offset by some airlines offering greater flexibility to passengers.
There's a fascinating interaction between travel reward programs and consumer behavior. Recent data suggests that most travelers are looking for deals. Taking advantage of these credits before the year ends makes sense considering it is a common practice for travelers to seek discounts and opportunities to maximize value. Some analysts think that airlines, faced with increased operating costs, might continue to devalue their loyalty programs, particularly award ticket prices. Using your points before the calendar year ends can help to avoid unexpected devaluation of travel rewards. The strategy of using miles for award travel to book business or first-class cabins at lower costs remains a popular method, especially given that airlines have been increasing those prices.
Given the current interest in incorporating culinary experiences into travel, redeeming points for flights to cities renowned for their unique cuisine like Tokyo or Paris could potentially offer a greater return on the value of the points. It might be worthwhile to examine the connection between specific travel destinations and the associated dining scene, possibly factoring in that into your travel decisions. While most travelers are focused on airline points or hotel point programs, there's an increasingly large number of travelers who want to have great dining experiences as a core aspect of their travels. It's a complex interplay of points programs, air travel, and personal preferences, with potential opportunities to optimize the value of points using this knowledge.
5 Critical Year-End Moves to Protect Your Miles and Points Portfolio in 2024 - Clear Expiring Free Night Certificates from Marriott and IHG
As the year draws to a close, it's time to take stock of your hotel rewards and, importantly, any free night certificates you might have accumulated from Marriott or IHG. These certificates, while a fantastic perk, have strict expiration dates that can easily catch you off guard. Marriott, for instance, gives you a year to use your free night certificates, but they're all-or-nothing – if you don't use the full value for a stay, the remaining amount is lost. IHG, on the other hand, has shifted its policies in recent years, no longer allowing the easy application of certificates to future bookings. Both chains have unfortunately adopted a "use it or lose it" approach, eliminating extensions for certificates that expire.
This means you really need to plan ahead. As you're considering where to travel in the final weeks of the year, it's a good idea to take a hard look at whether your free night certificates can be used to cover any of your planned hotel stays. Maximizing these awards before they expire can potentially enhance the value of your travel and help you enjoy a more rewarding travel experience in the coming year. Failing to plan ahead could mean losing out on valuable travel rewards. It's a rather common pattern for hotel loyalty programs to become less flexible.
Let's explore the curious world of expiring free night certificates from Marriott and IHG. These certificates, often earned through credit card benefits or promotions, represent a unique opportunity to snag a free hotel stay. However, their limited lifespan—usually a single year from issuance—can be a bit of a challenge.
It's quite interesting how these certificates function. You can't typically combine them with cash for redemption, although you can sometimes use points to top up their value. In the case of Marriott, they've recently gotten stricter, no more extensions. Gone are the days of waiting until the last minute. This is in contrast to Hilton, which allows a short extension under specific circumstances. IHG had a similar policy regarding extending their validity, but that seems to be a thing of the past.
One intriguing facet is how these certificates might impact your loyalty status. Redeeming a certificate can help maintain your status with these programs, which can be particularly handy if you haven't traveled much throughout the year. While these can be a boon for travel enthusiasts, the certificates are not transferable to other people. This makes it more crucial to plan ahead and book a trip during the validity window.
Interestingly, Marriott Bonvoy and IHG One Rewards occasionally offer promotions that double the value of these certificates. This can be a very effective tactic to leverage for maximizing value during busy travel periods. In contrast, these certificates are not always the best approach, especially if your targeted hotel restricts availability for reward stays. The trend is that this is more common in top-tier hotels, where demand is high. In the Caribbean, some Marriott properties are a decent use for these certificates.
Booking in advance seems to help, with redemption rates being better for those who book 6-12 months in advance. It's worth examining where you might want to use these certificates—the savings tend to be greater in popular locations. Cities with events or conventions, like New York, offer the potential to save a lot if you can book a room during peak times.
It's fascinating how travel programs are constantly evolving. One aspect to be aware of is cancellation policy. While most free nights are non-refundable, there are occasional promotional offers that permit a single change. This is a very limited form of flexibility, useful only for the most unpredictable travel scenarios.
In short, free night certificates can be a terrific tool for those who travel regularly or plan ahead, but their limited lifespan and restrictions necessitate careful planning. Understanding their quirks and keeping abreast of changing policies will help you optimize their value and reap the rewards of a free night's stay.