Best thing to use air miles on?

[shaynar]

I don't have a lot of miles. Just under 3000. But I know that as of 2017 they will be taking away any unused miles that I've accumulated since 2012. (Note: I actually don't know how many I'll use, but I might as well use them!)

What is the best thing, in your opinion, to use the miles on? I was considering a child's pass to WDW. 3-day is just over 3000 miles, which I should have by the end of the year. But I'm not sure if that's the best usage of them.

Thanks!!!

 

[mjhtvchick]

Flights are always the best value, if you can get them. I have also used them on rental cars which has worked out pretty well. You can also buy Universal tickets with them.

 

[pigletto]

I don't find flights the best value, especially given the fact that you still have to pay the taxes in cash. We find the best value the 5 day adult pass for 3550 miles. That works out to $355 Canadian in airmiles value (approximately). The same ticket on the Disney website is $340 Amercian. So you're saving a good chunk of exchange per ticket. I'm currently working on my second ticket, and I need four by next August.
Come join us in the airmiles thread and you can learn the tricks to accumulate faster .

 

[Donald - my hero]

I don't have a lot of miles. Just under 3000. But I know that as of 2017 they will be taking away any unused miles that I've accumulated since 2012. (Note: I actually don't know how many I'll use, but I might as well use them!)

What is the best thing, in your opinion, to use the miles on? I was considering a child's pass to WDW. 3-day is just over 3000 miles, which I should have by the end of the year. But I'm not sure if that's the best usage of them.

Thanks!!!

Well ... you need to wander over to the Airmiles Alert thread and join in the fun! We're quite an active bunch of savvy flyer studiers and avid shoppers and you should pick up some tips to help you get that pass in no time! (personally I'v racked up just over 3,000 in a month but one DIS-er did that in under a WEEK!)

I've found the best use is for Disney & Universal passes and rental cars. I also use them fairly regularly for hotel rooms.
Here's the link to the thread from last weekend http://www.disboards.com/threads/airmiles-alert.3442770/page-77

 

[tgropp]

In my case using my Airmiles for airfare is my best option...but that is only because I use them for high season. I have the BMO card that gives me 25% off Airmiles so during the Christmas season I can travel to Orlando for 2200 Airmiles. A flight at that time of year ranges from $500-600 dollars plus tax so it works out well in my situation

 

[pigletto]

In my case using my Airmiles for airfare is my best option...but that is only because I use them for high season. I have the BMO card that gives me 25% off Airmiles so during the Christmas season I can travel to Orlando for 2200 Airmiles. A flight at that time of year ranges from $500-600 dollars plus tax so it works out well in my situation

That certainly makes a huge difference! For me, we are so close to the border we fly from Buffalo most of the time and can price shop multiple airlines out of Toronto and Buffalo so I've never found the flights the best use. However, now that we have to travel during school breaks (husband teaching, daughter in unviersity, son 7th grade) it might be worth another look.

 

[ilovetotravel1977]

I thought that your miles were good for a period of 5 years? Meaning, if I earn miles in say 2015, I have until 2020 to use them, not 2017...help!

Edit to add: As of December 31, 2016, Miles older than 5 years will begin to expire once a quarter.

 

[Donald - my hero]

I thought that your miles were good for a period of 5 years? Meaning, if I earn miles in say 2015, I have until 2020 to use them, not 2017...help!

Edit to add: As of December 31, 2016, Miles older than 5 years will begin to expire once a quarter.

Correct, miles have an expiry date of 5 years and this was put into place in 2012 meaning that the first to expire happen in 2017. The confusion has developed over people assuming (and you all know what that leads to) every single mile expires in 2017. If you have miles in your account sitting around they will use them in a FIFO manner --- First In (or in this case earned) First Out. So let's say for kicks and giggles you had 1000 in your account that will expire in 2017 but you've continued to earn since that date and now have 1500. You pick something worth 500 miles to redeem -- your account would then have 500 left to expire in 2017 and 500 that will expire in 2020. Make sense or still messy?

You can request an expiry statement and they will let you know where you stand .. how many expire and when they will go bye-bye.

 

[ilovetotravel1977]

Makes sense. Thank goodness I use mine every year for flights to Miami for cruising...

 

[2forMe]

Well ... you need to wander over to the Airmiles Alert thread and join in the fun! We're quite an active bunch of savvy flyer studiers and avid shoppers and you should pick up some tips to help you get that pass in no time! (personally I'v racked up just over 3,000 in a month but one DIS-er did that in under a WEEK!)

I've found the best use is for Disney & Universal passes and rental cars. I also use them fairly regularly for hotel rooms.
Here's the link to the thread from last weekend http://www.disboards.com/threads/airmiles-alert.3442770/page-77

That is a very long thread! ! Wow.

How much are universal tickets? Do they have 2 day 1 park per day passes?

 

[ottawamom]

They have 2 day park to park tickets. Adult 2425AM child 2050AM. If you log into AM go to Rewards, Events and Attractions, USA attractions page 2

 

[Pumpkin1172]

Well ... you need to wander over to the Airmiles Alert thread and join in the fun! We're quite an active bunch of savvy flyer studiers and avid shoppers and you should pick up some tips to help you get that pass in no time! (personally I'v racked up just over 3,000 in a month but one DIS-er did that in under a WEEK!)

I've found the best use is for Disney & Universal passes and rental cars. I also use them fairly regularly for hotel rooms.
Here's the link to the thread from last weekend http://www.disboards.com/threads/airmiles-alert.3442770/page-77

I had just over 7000 miles. My daughter and I were gifted a cruise from Miami...the DH and I decided that I would take her to Disney and Universal before we do the cruise. It is our first time traveling like this really. I booked our hotels using my airmiles...booking was easy peasy...just worried about how check in and everything will go. I really don't want this to be a trip from hell. I would have used am for entry tickets, but we are only doing MAYBE two at DW and one at Universal.

 

[Donald - my hero]

I had just over 7000 miles. My daughter and I were gifted a cruise from Miami...the DH and I decided that I would take her to Disney and Universal before we do the cruise. It is our first time traveling like this really. I booked our hotels using my airmiles...booking was easy peasy...just worried about how check in and everything will go. I really don't want this to be a trip from hell. I would have used am for entry tickets, but we are only doing MAYBE two at DW and one at Universal.

We've used our miles for hotel stays a LOT and never had any trouble with check in. I always take a print out of the e-mail confirmation with me and show it at the front desk. I love when it's time to check out and there's nothing more to pay!

We've also redeemed for tickets to see Harry Potter and I've contacted Universal and they told me i should be able to downgrade them at the gate to 1 day tickets and get the difference on a gift card, even if that doesn't happen, no skin off my teeth ... free!

Have a great trip, sounds like a lot of fun.

 

[Disney Addicted]

Well ... you need to wander over to the Airmiles Alert thread and join in the fun! We're quite an active bunch of savvy flyer studiers and avid shoppers and you should pick up some tips to help you get that pass in no time! (personally I'v racked up just over 3,000 in a month but one DIS-er did that in under a WEEK!)

I've found the best use is for Disney & Universal passes and rental cars. I also use them fairly regularly for hotel rooms.
Here's the link to the thread from last weekend http://www.disboards.com/threads/airmiles-alert.3442770/page-77

HOW MANY?!!! That sound you heard was my jaw dropping and hitting the floor...

I'm heading there now!

 

[ilovetotravel1977]

*sigh*, I wish we had all of the really good deals like Ontario...The Maritimes don't have great offers most of the time.

 

[Pumpkin1172]

*sigh*, I wish we had all of the really good deals like Ontario...The Maritimes don't have great offers most of the time.

We don't either in the West. I'm in a small city in northern Alberta...I seen there were Rexall Drugs when I was in Edmonton this past weekend. The only place to get miles is Safeway for me. Also going to start shopping through the airmiles stores when I do online shopping, which I do use...as we don't have all the great stores of the bigger centers.

 

[Canadian Girl]

None of mine were expiring just yet but I decided to get rid on mine before they did. I booked an Orlando airport hotel for our early flight in March and ordered a Fitbit for one of my daughters for Christmas. My 3200 plus miles are now basically used up. From where I live on the east coast, the number of miles and availability for flights etc was poor. Just switched things over to cash rewards for movies and shopping and will use Aeroplan for flights from here on in.

 

[ilovetotravel1977]

I booked an Orlando airport hotel for oir early flight and ordered a fitbit for one of my daughters for Christmas. My 3200plus miles are now basically used up. From where I live on the east coast, the number of miles and availability for flights etc was poor. Just switched things over to cash rewards,for movies and shopping and will use Aeroplan for flights from here on in.

East Coast'er as well. However, I seem to have good luck with flights on air miles. You definitely have to start looking a year out. If you have a BMO World or World Elite Mastercard, you get flights for 25% less miles. Makes a difference when booking more than one flight at the same time.

 

[OnceUponATime15]

I've used Airmiles for a 3 or 4 night mid stay car rental on several WDW stays. It's a nice extra and completely free - all taxes & any s/c are covered. I've also used Airmiles on airport hotels when taking very early morning flights. I gifted both my DDs with Costco memberships in the past, not sure that is available now.

 

[Donald - my hero]

I've used Airmiles for a 3 or 4 night mid stay car rental on several WDW stays. It's a nice extra and completely free - all taxes & any s/c are covered. I've also used Airmiles on airport hotels when taking very early morning flights. I gifted both my DDs with Costco memberships in the past, not sure that is available now.

We've rented cars through Airmiles for years, multiple times, in many places and we always have to pay a loyalty fee for booking as well as the taxes, this is what is showing for a car we'll be renting in January for example :

Taxes & Fees ..... USD 96.24 Payment is due at pick-up location in local currency.
Just don't want someone to get a surprise when they pick up the car! less than $100.00 for a car for almost 3 weeks is still an AWESOME deal!