Comments on: Is a new frequent-flyer point exchange a great opportunity or a new ripoff? http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2007/12/17/is-a-new-frequent-flyer-point-exchange-a-great-opportunity-or-a-new-ripoff/ Living the first class life -- at coach prices Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:55:54 -0700 hourly 1 By: gary lewis http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2007/12/17/is-a-new-frequent-flyer-point-exchange-a-great-opportunity-or-a-new-ripoff/#comment-30593 gary lewis Mon, 09 Nov 2009 20:22:33 +0000 http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2007/12/17/is-a-new-frequent-flyer-point-exchange-a-great-opportunity-or-a-new-ripoff/#comment-30593 Points.com isn't a rip off, you just have to figure out your own needs and then look at the costs. If you are 10k miles short of a free seat on AA, you can buy them from AA for $250, or 2.5cents per. If you have miles in another program, and those miles are below the amount needed to redeem, this type of transaction (GPX trading) might make sense. Right now, you could trade 15k Continental miles for those 10k american miles for $150, plus the $6.95 fee (actually, the fee is currently waived). So, as long as your cash cost of a ticket on AA is more than $150, this makes sense. Also, what if those 15k Continental miles have been sitting there for a long time, and might be near expiration? Anyway, my point is that you have to look at 1. your different mileage program balances and 2. the cash cost to buy the ticket vs. trade on GPX. As far as retail redemption is concerned, different retailers have different exchange rates. Yes, this is probably the worst way to use you miles, but you have to remember another piece of info out there. The average person is a member of 7 various reward programs, and the majority of those rewards are concentrated in 2-3 of the programs. What that means is you have a reward balance in 4 to 5 programs that will 1. Always be below redemption threshholds and 2. Will have an expiration date. Better to be able to get something vs. nothing. The site is a means to an end for certain situations. Given that there are trillions of miles floating around out there like a currency, they won't have to get more than 10% of those to have a meaningful business. Pretty interesting, actually. Points.com isn’t a rip off, you just have to figure out your own needs and then look at the costs. If you are 10k miles short of a free seat on AA, you can buy them from AA for $250, or 2.5cents per. If you have miles in another program, and those miles are below the amount needed to redeem, this type of transaction (GPX trading) might make sense.

Right now, you could trade 15k Continental miles for those 10k american miles for $150, plus the $6.95 fee (actually, the fee is currently waived). So, as long as your cash cost of a ticket on AA is more than $150, this makes sense. Also, what if those 15k Continental miles have been sitting there for a long time, and might be near expiration? Anyway, my point is that you have to look at 1. your different mileage program balances and 2. the cash cost to buy the ticket vs. trade on GPX.

As far as retail redemption is concerned, different retailers have different exchange rates. Yes, this is probably the worst way to use you miles, but you have to remember another piece of info out there. The average person is a member of 7 various reward programs, and the majority of those rewards are concentrated in 2-3 of the programs. What that means is you have a reward balance in 4 to 5 programs that will 1. Always be below redemption threshholds and 2. Will have an expiration date. Better to be able to get something vs. nothing.

The site is a means to an end for certain situations. Given that there are trillions of miles floating around out there like a currency, they won’t have to get more than 10% of those to have a meaningful business. Pretty interesting, actually.

]]> By: Brian http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2007/12/17/is-a-new-frequent-flyer-point-exchange-a-great-opportunity-or-a-new-ripoff/#comment-27122 Brian Mon, 16 Mar 2009 16:45:10 +0000 http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2007/12/17/is-a-new-frequent-flyer-point-exchange-a-great-opportunity-or-a-new-ripoff/#comment-27122 Points.com is a rip-off, stay away. I have tried to figure out a way to exchange points and I cannot find anything that is even remotely reasonable. I tried to exchange AA points for Skymiles points and they charge both myself and the person on the other end $100 for every 7500 points traded. AA allows you to use 35,000 points for a free airline ticket. In most cases the ticket costs between $400 and $600. Why would anyone pay over $500 to trade points when you can just buy the ticket. I tried to get a gift certificate and the amount of points required to get a $100 gift certificate is outrageous. Anyone who falls for this is a moron. Points.com is a rip-off, stay away. I have tried to figure out a way to exchange points and I cannot find anything that is even remotely reasonable. I tried to exchange AA points for Skymiles points and they charge both myself and the person on the other end $100 for every 7500 points traded. AA allows you to use 35,000 points for a free airline ticket. In most cases the ticket costs between $400 and $600. Why would anyone pay over $500 to trade points when you can just buy the ticket. I tried to get a gift certificate and the amount of points required to get a $100 gift certificate is outrageous. Anyone who falls for this is a moron.

]]> By: Miles expiring? Consider donating them to charity | Upgrade: Travel Better http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2007/12/17/is-a-new-frequent-flyer-point-exchange-a-great-opportunity-or-a-new-ripoff/#comment-26538 Miles expiring? Consider donating them to charity | Upgrade: Travel Better Tue, 13 Jan 2009 20:34:46 +0000 http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2007/12/17/is-a-new-frequent-flyer-point-exchange-a-great-opportunity-or-a-new-ripoff/#comment-26538 [...] you could exchange them (at a loss) via Points.com. Or you might cash them in for a magazine [...] [...] you could exchange them (at a loss) via Points.com. Or you might cash them in for a magazine [...]

]]> By: 2008 August 06 » Upgrade: Travel Better http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2007/12/17/is-a-new-frequent-flyer-point-exchange-a-great-opportunity-or-a-new-ripoff/#comment-22837 2008 August 06 » Upgrade: Travel Better Wed, 06 Aug 2008 10:54:46 +0000 http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2007/12/17/is-a-new-frequent-flyer-point-exchange-a-great-opportunity-or-a-new-ripoff/#comment-22837 [...] - The value of frequent flyer miles - Reader mail: Is it worth $20 to get 1000 bonus miles? - Is a new frequent-flyer point exchange a great opportunity or a new ripoff? - Should you put all your miles in one program? - Whose miles are worth the most: What does the [...] [...] – The value of frequent flyer miles – Reader mail: Is it worth $20 to get 1000 bonus miles? – Is a new frequent-flyer point exchange a great opportunity or a new ripoff? – Should you put all your miles in one program? – Whose miles are worth the most: What does the [...]

]]> By: David Howatson http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2007/12/17/is-a-new-frequent-flyer-point-exchange-a-great-opportunity-or-a-new-ripoff/#comment-19813 David Howatson Wed, 06 Feb 2008 19:58:21 +0000 http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2007/12/17/is-a-new-frequent-flyer-point-exchange-a-great-opportunity-or-a-new-ripoff/#comment-19813 There is a new website that we’ve created where you can reward yourself by turning loyalty points and miles into cash or shop for reward merchandise, services, entertainment or leisure activities. ( www.loyaltymatch.com ). LoyaltyMatch.com is the first person-to-person global marketplace where you can get cash for the points and miles you’ve accumulated as a member of loyalty programs. You can then use the cash to get the flights you want, when you want. Your first transaction is FREE. Give us a test drive. Every transaction is only $1.99 from there! So, get to LoyaltyMatch.com as soon as you can, take a few minutes to register, then enjoy SHOPPING or TURNING YOUR POINTS AND MILES INTO CASH for FREE. Have fun rewarding yourself! David Howatson Director, Business Development & Partnerships PS: We’re always looking for ways to improve the customer experience. Your feedback on the website and our service sent to memberfeedback@loyaltymatch.com would be appreciated There is a new website that we’ve created where you can reward yourself by turning loyalty points and miles into cash or shop for reward merchandise, services, entertainment or leisure activities. ( http://www.loyaltymatch.com ).

LoyaltyMatch.com is the first person-to-person global marketplace where you can get cash for the points and miles you’ve accumulated as a member of loyalty programs. You can then use the cash to get the flights you want, when you want.

Your first transaction is FREE. Give us a test drive. Every transaction is only $1.99 from there!

So, get to LoyaltyMatch.com as soon as you can, take a few minutes to register, then enjoy SHOPPING or TURNING YOUR POINTS AND MILES INTO CASH for FREE.

Have fun rewarding yourself!

David Howatson
Director, Business Development & Partnerships

PS: We’re always looking for ways to improve the customer experience. Your feedback on the website and our service sent to memberfeedback@loyaltymatch.com would be appreciated

]]> By: Kango Suz http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2007/12/17/is-a-new-frequent-flyer-point-exchange-a-great-opportunity-or-a-new-ripoff/#comment-18739 Kango Suz Wed, 26 Dec 2007 23:31:08 +0000 http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2007/12/17/is-a-new-frequent-flyer-point-exchange-a-great-opportunity-or-a-new-ripoff/#comment-18739 I was looking at this site to exchange some points I have with American Airlines, thanks for the heads up about the fees and RRGG- thanks for the warning about the bad customer service. I'll pass for now. I was looking at this site to exchange some points I have with American Airlines, thanks for the heads up about the fees and RRGG- thanks for the warning about the bad customer service. I’ll pass for now.

]]> By: rrgg http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2007/12/17/is-a-new-frequent-flyer-point-exchange-a-great-opportunity-or-a-new-ripoff/#comment-18578 rrgg Mon, 17 Dec 2007 22:13:55 +0000 http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2007/12/17/is-a-new-frequent-flyer-point-exchange-a-great-opportunity-or-a-new-ripoff/#comment-18578 If *ANYTHING* goes wrong do not expect points.com to help you. They've basically stolen miles from here and there by failing to complete swaps and their customer service does not respond to my email messages. If *ANYTHING* goes wrong do not expect points.com to help you. They’ve basically stolen miles from here and there by failing to complete swaps and their customer service does not respond to my email messages.

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