Travel Partners that criss cross UR and MR

[Vic Diaz]

Hey guys,

On the quest to take my first trip on points I am looking for an answer that I can't find the answer to. I have a Freedom and CSP and I am earning my UR points. I also want to get a few AMEX cards to begin gaining MR points. Later I want to get the Citi ThankYou points.

Are there any programs that all three are partnered with and can you guys share any strategies on how you guys have maximized your travel when you have points in all three programs?

From my research these seem to be the most flexible, although SPG lets you transfer as well so I guess we can add that to the mix.

 

[kodiak jack]

I like this post on the best uses of MR http://travelisfree.com/2015/03/31/best-use-of-american-express-membership-rewards-points-2/

One strategy would be do your flying on MR and use UR for hotels. Hyatt is a decent transfer partner, and you can redeem for about 1.5c per point at their hotels. AMEX MR doesn't have great hotel options, though sometime Choice hotels can be an OK value overseas. Not good in the US though.


British Airways is one of the Airlines in both UR and MR. I think you'll want to focus mainly on 2 (rather than all 3) programs as you're starting out. You've chosen the right two, as Chase and AMEX are going to give you the most options.



TYP can be great, especially for AA revenue redemptions at 1.6c each, and for transferring to Flying Blue for cheap discount redemptions. But many of their other partners are much less-used, so Citi's program is in some ways the "red-headed stepchild." Hoping they continue to improve it, and i think it's likely they will.

 

[Allen Chung]

This is my favorite diagram showing the relationship between airlines from 2014, so slightly outdated (top 10 diagrams of all-time):

Source: http://www.welltraveledmile.com/flexible-bank-point-airline-transfer-partner-master-guide/

 

[Confectioneer]

I'd consider looking at this a slightly different way. I'd suggest approaching things like this:
* Where do I want to go -- countries and cities
* Which airlines fly there
* Which loyalty points can fly me there
* Which loyalty points can get me a room there

With a rough outline like that you can see how many miles are needed for the airlines under consideration, in the cabin you want to fly. And then work out a plan to get those through the various methods available.

Similarly for hotels. And don't forget about cash back -- the money from a Barclays Arrival, or WFB Propel, or Spark Business can fill in expenses that aren't covered by loyalty programs.

 

[RollPlayer]

The chart above pretty much sums it up. I would like to point out that Singapore Airlines is a transfer partner for all and they offer one of, if not the best, first class experiences out there. They have a "suites" class that is available where you pretty much get a cabin in the sky. Availability isn't bad either if you are into aspirational travel (instead of flying economy).