This is a news recap from last week, tailored to regular families. For faster updates, follow Miles For Family on Twitter or check the feed on the right side of the blog.
1) Don’t forget that through March 8th you can convert hotel points to Avios and get 35% transfer bonus. I think this is a compelling offer for those who live near American Airlines or Alaska Air hubs (partners of BA). Yes, AAdvantage sAAver availability isn’t great these days, but with some flexibility you can still find award seats.
Read this post on PFDigest on why he decided to redeem points on Marriott package due to this bonus. My takeaway: Southwest Companion Pass is great and all, but this deal may be better for YOU.
In related news, check out this post on FrequentMiler on how you can potentially earn Avios for 0.67 cents apiece this weekend only. You will have to join Match.com, so keep that in mind. I’m sitting this one out. For one, I don’t want to buy Avios, since I’m having a hard time using up the stash I already have.
Second, I’m married, and joining Match.com feels dishonest, even if it’s done with the idea of earning miles. Not telling you what to do, of course, since it’s not illegal or anything like that. Just be careful, especially if you are in a relationship. Finally, I’ve had to fight with BA shopping portal in the past, and don’t have time or energy to do it again. #Pass
Update: it looks like Match.com deal may be dead, but E-harmony one is possibly alive for now. Proceed with caution. Some people have reported that their pending miles do not match up to what they were expecting to receive.
2) Back again: Citi American Airlines 50,000 miles offer without 24 month language by DoC. Ditto for business version.
3) Wells Fargo Propel World is still available over the phone, but only to those who have an existing relationship with Wells Fargo. This is a great deal, but it does require you to jump through few hoops. I recently applied for this card in branch since I currently don’t have any Wells Fargo accounts. It went to pending, so I will update once I hear the results. Get it while you can, my banker said it will be phased out in a near future.
4) A promo from Jet Blue: “We’re so sure you’ll love TrueBlue that we’ll give you 5,000 bonus points for giving it a try. Just join TrueBlue using the form below, then book a flight and travel by April 16, 2017.” Details here
5) On a related note, you can receive a 50% points bonus when you convert Citi ThankYou points into JetBlue TrueBlue points between March 2 and April 30, 2017. You have to have Citi Thank You Premier or Citi Prestige in order to perform this transfer.
This is actually a decent promo for families who have easy access to airports served by Jet Blue. You may want to read my post on how one of my readers found a bargain redemption from Orlando to Jamaica for only 2,500 points per person. Jet Blue uses dynamic pricing for their awards, and sometimes there is no rhyme or reason for assigned value in points. In general, international routes will be your best bet. (h/t OMAAT)
6) If you were able to match your Hyatt Platinum to M life Gold status before March 1st, don’t forget to match back to Hyatt Explorist tier. See this Hyatt page for instructions. You can also obtain it by emailing memberservices@mgmresorts.com with your M life Rewards and World of Hyatt membership numbers.
7) Buy and gift Starpoints at up to 30% off March 1-April 30th. Could be a good deal for low-category SPG and Marriott properties and those of you who who are planning to redeem points for a Marriott package.
8) Why staying at an on-site Disney resort is worth it by Asthejoeflies. A really good post that makes a compelling argument for why spending extra on a Disney hotel will pay “dividends” (as in saving time and money). I’ve never done it personally (aside from camping at Fort Wilderness) because I’m cheap. We drive our own car to Orlando, so some of the perks would be completely wasted on us due to the fact that we live in Florida. But the math is different for those of you who have to fly. Check out the post and decide for yourself.
9) Get 8,000 Choice points after two stays, March 2nd-April 27th. Good deal for those who like to travel off the beaten path.
10) Miles vs. Miles vs. Points vs. Points by Dustin at Runningwithmiles blog. A really good primer for those who are relatively new to this hobby.
11) DailyGetaways promotion is set to return on April 10th. The preview of the deals will be posted on April 3rd. Obviously, I plan to cover it once we know more details.
12) The application link for Merrill +Visa Signature card no longer works. Congrats to all who got in on this deal!
13) My reader Lisa (who lives in Alaska) recently sent me this email:
Author: Leana
Leana is the founder of Miles For Family. She enjoys beach vacations and visiting her family in Europe. Originally from Belarus, Leana resides in central Florida with her husband and two children.
[…] that I was in this situation, helped me apply for Wells Fargo Propel World. I’ve mentioned this card in my round-up and said that it won’t be available much longer. It looks like the link for Merrill+ Visa […]