Make the most of your miles and points this month with these tips, tricks, and deals from your favorite loyalty programs. As spring winds down and summer approaches, travel planning is in full swing, and travel experts say this is the year to cash in those miles and points you’ve been saving.
“Airfare and other travel expenses are soaring due to peoples’ interest in getting back out there,” says John E. DiScala of the points blog JohnnyJet.com. “If there were ever a time to maximize the value of loyalty programs to your advantage, this is it, but you’ll need to act fast.”
Whether you’re taking the family along, traveling with a partner, or adventuring solo, a little flexibility and a healthy dose of wanderlust can take you far with these travel promos for May. Here’s how to spend credit card points this month.
Short on miles? Buy them instead
It’s never a good idea to invest in purchasing miles and points without a specific goal in mind. But, if you have a travel redemption you’re looking to make (and you’re sure there is award space for your preferred dates), now could be a good time to top up your mileage balance. Several loyalty programs are offering bonuses or discounts on the cost of miles.
British Airways Executive Club and Iberia Plus have lowered the cost to purchase Avios points for North American members. The more miles you buy, the greater the discount becomes. Avios can be a great deal since it operates on a distance-based chart. For flights less than 650 miles, it only costs around 7,500 points for an economy redemption. With this deal, you can buy 8,000 points for $205 (previously $245 and available for sale in increments by the thousand). Let’s say you want to fly on Oneworld partner American from Atlanta to Miami (a distance under 650 miles). If the one-way fare is more than $205, you may be better off using Avios points. Check on British Airways or Iberia’s website for award space to see if it makes sense to buy Avios. Even though there are some single-digit taxes to add on, you could still potentially save a bundle.
Oneworld partner Alaska has a similar deal good through May 21 offering as much as a 60 percent bonus on purchased miles. For purchases between 40,000 and 100,000 miles, you’ll earn the maximum 60 percent bonus (buying fewer than 19,000 earns a smaller bonus). Even better, anyone that buys miles now can unlock a 70 percent bonus on buying more miles this October. For context, a one-way business class ticket to Asia on Cathay Pacific costs 50,000 miles, and buying that number of miles with this promotion could cost less than $1,000 (a significant savings off the one-way cost of a paid business class ticket).
Savings on hotel points
Keep the savings strategy going with hotel stays, too. Through June 7, IHG One Rewards members can earn as much as an 80 percent bonus on purchased points, depending on what is targeted for your account. IHG point redemptions can vary in amount based on the date, but there are some cash savings to be had. For example, a night at the InterContinental Paris Le Grand, next to the opera house, could cost 99,000 points for a night this spring, but the cash rate on the same night could be about $750. With an 80 percent bonus, you can buy 99,000 points for $550. Use the savings for a nice dinner with wine instead.
