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1) If you are a fan of Plenti (doubtful), you probably already know that as of February 2nd, you will no longer be able to transfer Membership Rewards to Plenti program. This development isn’t a game changer by any means, but still. I did dump 10,000 MR points to Plenti program before canceling one of my MR-earning cards, and redeemed them at Winn Dixie for $100 worth of groceries.
Normally, transferring to mileage programs will yield the best return, but at the time, I couldn’t think of any that would prove useful in the next few years. If you have an odd amount of MR points, you may want to consider doing the same thing. Exxon Mobil is another decent option, besides Winn Dixie. (hat tip DoC)
2) On Tuesday I’ve mentioned a stealth devaluation of IHG program. Category adjustments could kick in any day (or maybe already did before the post went live), so don’t delay redeeming points if you are planning to do so.
3) There is a pretty lucrative new checking account bonus from Citi if you are able to park $15,000 for several months. You’ll get $300 for your troubles and requirements don’t appear to be convoluted at all. Be aware, Citi is a pain in the behind to deal with. Still, for that amount of money, I’m planning to take advantage of the promo.
4) How I flew to Paris for $85 roundtrip and you can too! by Family of Six Travels blog. People love to hate AAdvantage miles, but with some flexibility you can definitely get good use out of them. They can be especially valuable for those who live near AA hub. Stacy (the owner of the site) is one of my readers, and she even contributed a post awhile back.
5) A Flyertalk WIKI with history of Membership Rewards program transfer bonuses Of course, past is usually not a reliable predictor of the future, but you may find it interesting.
6) My reader Leticia shared something with me few weeks ago, and I wanted to pass it along:
“Not too long ago, I went to Boston with a friend and spent only $150 on airfare, no lodging costs. Awhile back I signed up for guesttoguest.com. This is a website where you post your house and you have people stay in it for free when you’re away. You earn points that you can use to stay somewhere else. I did sign up and got a bonus just for posting my house and completing a profile, 1000 points total. I truly signed up with the idea of making exchange, however, I haven’t had guests at our house yet.
Whenever I looked for places to stay using those promotional points, I’d never find anything available, but this time I did. Boston can be pretty pricey so even though the house that was available cost 250 points per night, I took it. My friend and I were pleasantly surprised to find out that it was an old house full of character, in great shape and in a beautiful area near downtown, a short block from the subway. It slept 6 or more people and it was beautifully furnished in antique heirlooms. We were a bit sad because we really didn’t spend much time in the house as we were visiting the city but I did enjoy a dinner and a breakfast in the veranda.”
It appears that the bonus for establishing a new account is now 500 points, which is still pretty substantial.
Click here to view various credit cards and available sign-up bonuses
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.
Hi Leanna,
I get a cozy feeling when I see the picture of that house, not only because of the house but also because of the great time I had with my friend.
Leticia, it really looks nice! My kind of place. I’ve never been to Boston, but to hope to visit it someday.