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Suggestions for SPG points

S

Scott & Laura

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2008
Messages
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Location
Andover Minnesota
Hello;

Please don't reply with the perfunctory response of give them to "ME".

We have 4 Weeks of OV and IV 2 Bd LO in Maui. We are Platinum.
We have a lot of SPG points.

My wife and I travel, and love to go to different places. I have been in all 50 states and most of Canada. As well as several other continents. Starwood has so few places to go, nothing in Sedona in Arizona, nothing in Montana, etc.. So we need to stay at Marriotts, Holiday Inns and Super 8's. I am gold at Holiday Inn.

We have 250,000+ Starwood points and will be accummulating another300,000 as we will not be going to Maui for all 4 weeks this year.
Maui is such a long trip to make for a week at a time. We scheduled for two weeks this year, a week at Maui and a week at Kaui, but are not up to flying to a "home resort" we can go to any time for a week at a time.

We are looking for good suggestions to utilize our SPG points. they are accumulating faster than we can use them.

I talked to a fabulous Starwood rep. She said to stay at the Bora Bora, St.Regis and to stay at the Le' Meridien and use our points for Airfare..

What ideas and how would it be best to maximize the points.

I read a lot of posts and replys. I am now confused.

Scott
 
I hear what you're saying but you don't really give a lot of info about what you want or like. So I have to substitute what I like!

I have had enormous good fortune by transferring points to AsiaMiles (Cathay Pacific) and having them book me business and first class flights on British Air. We're off to Rome this summer in Business for 80,000 British Air points that, with the transfer bonus, cost us 65,000 Starpoints per person.

You will then find that the maximum value for Starpoints is hotels in Europe. I can tell you now that for this summer, there are wonderful hotels available on Cash & Points in many European cities. Five nights in Paris and five in London (you choose the cities!) plus Business Class travel will cost you about 210,000 Starpoints - a value of over 6 cents per points.

Might not attract you but it definitely gets me excited! BTW- transferring the Starpoints directly to British Air would have gotten me the tickets but would have cost more points!
 
Why not use the points for one of those "once in a lifetime auctions".

Using the points for Hotels stays isn't an option? There certainly is a lot of hotels, worldwide to choose from.

Using the points on the SPG site for shopping is another way.

And like mention above, donate some to charity.
 
I think you should pose this question on flyertalk. Flyertalkers know how to maximize points.
 
Are these points expiring? I would think not since most are good for at least 6 years. Just keep them in your account. It doesn't actually sound like a lot of points to be honest -- about 10 days in a Cat 6 hotel.

I would keep accumulating.... And converting 20,000 to airline miles every few months.

As for your unused Maui weeks, why not rent the units instead of converting to SPs (which is a relatively poor bang for the buck).

Katherine
 
How about giving a bunch to your kids for Christmas (if that can be done) -- they can then fly somewhere that normally they couldn't afford.:)
 
Spg Points

Hello;

I received some good suugestions.

We would like to spread them out. From what we understand the Sheratons in Europe are extremely nice.

It seems that cash-points such as Europe sounds fun, and is the best bang.
The Aisa miles sound good also.
The points are not expiring, they just seem to be getting diluted in value.

We are going to New Zealand, two Starwoods there. We would like to go to Bora Bora. We would also like to do cruises (especially to Antarctica) , but it seems that cruises are a complete waste of points (basically - you give your points for full fare when the cruises are sold discounted..

I received a good email on renting, but after reading the threads on rental, I discovered I need an idiots proof guide on how and where to do it. I went to two classes on selling on Ebay and still can't figure that out. Kids 9 years old can however.

Is there an Dr.Seuss level guide on how and where to rent.

Scott
 
Spg Points

Thanks for the rental thread.

I was going back a day at a time and trying to catch up.
I did not see the thread in the owners information.
after you provided the link, now i can findit.

Scott

.
 
I haven't been to Bora-Bora. When I started accumulating Starpoints about 4 years ago, the villas there were reasonable in terms of redemption and I longed for the day when I had the time to do it.

I generate about 250,000 points per year on my AMEX- seems like a lot but Bora-Bora would eat through them like a knife through soft butter! Certainly don't get the value I once did in Europe but as long as Cash & Points are available, I can still get a lot of bang for the buck (or the point!).
 
I vote for converting some of your SPG points to Amtrak points (1 to 1) and using your Amtrak points to book one of those cool "Family Bedrooms" (Click on "lower level" and "family bedroom") for a trip from Chicago to DC or Chicago to Seattle.

I think one way would be enough train fun for me and my kids though.

-nodge
 
nodge said:
I vote for converting some of your SPG points to Amtrak points (1 to 1) and using your Amtrak points to book one of those cool "Family Bedrooms" (Click on "lower level" and "family bedroom") for a trip from Chicago to DC or Chicago to Seattle.
Click to expand...

Having traveled years ago from LA to DC on Amtrak twice, I can agree that:

I think one way would be enough train fun for me and my kids though.
Click to expand...
Even so, last year I was glad to get an award ticket from Alaska Air which comprised one-way via air and one-way via Amtrak (the small 2-seat private compartment, but more than adequate) from Seattle to LA. That was fun, and a nice break from the usual. Unfortunately, Alaska & Amtrak stopped offering these awards - which is too bad, as it was a great deal at 20,000 miles (while Amtrak charges 15,000 pts one-way for the same unit).

BTW, Nodge, I hope the weather in Portland has returned to normal. I was there last weekend when it was 100 in downtown... fantastic scenery, as always, and had a great hike up to Triple Falls in the Oneonta Gorge! :)
 
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Spg Points

The Amtrak is a good idea.

We have always wanted to go on the train from Anchorage Alaska to Denali.

We have tickets to Alaska paid for.

How do yo book trains etc with SPG points.

Also Amtrak around the US and Southwest sounds like fun

Scott
 
Stop The Presses!!!!

Hurry and bid on this "exciting opportunity" to eat rubber chicken with your doll (well if your doll happens to be of a certain pedigree that is) and then shop for doll clothes in a fancy-pants doll clothes store. But that’s not all!!! You then get to ride a real, live elevator up to the very TOP of a building!

I bet some of us Dads would bid to NOT have to do this.

Regarding how to do the Amtrak deal, you first need to establish an Amtrak rewards account via this link. Armed with your Amtrak rewards number, you call SPG and request the transfer to your Amtrak account. Remember, this transfer is one way and not cancellable, so I’d first make sure that an Amtrak trip & cabin size is available for the dates you actually want to travel before transferring any SPG points into your Amtrak account.

Good Luck,

-nodge
 
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