3. Pros:
16 airline partners
4 hotel partners
Transfer bonuses – Delta, British Airways, Virgin America
Transfers post instantaneously (mostly)
Has added some partners like British Airways, Virgin America (bad ratio)
Cons:
Losing transfer partners – Continental, Southwest, Airtran, Priority Club
6/10 cents per point for transfers to US airlines
Earning portal shut down

4. Star Alliance OneWorld
• Aeroplan 1:1 • British Airways 1:1
• All Nippon Airways 1:1 • Iberia 1:1
• Singapore Airlines 1:1 • Asia Miles 1:1
Airline Transfer
Partners
Skyteam Other
• Aeromexico 1:1 • El Al 50:1 JetBlue 1.25:1
• Alitalia Airlines 1:1 • Frontier 1:1 Virgin America 2:1
• Delta 1:1 • Hawaiian 1:1 Virgin Atlantic 1:1
• Air France/KLM 1:1

5. • Positives: Instant transfers, transfer
bonuses, some great values from
distance-based awards, no last-minute
booking fees
British • Negatives: High fuel
Airways surcharges, segment pricing on
awards, hard to search for some awards
• Good awards: Expensive short- and
mid-haul flights. Ex: New York to Toronto

6. • Positives: Star Alliance has 27
members, instant transfers, flexible routing
• Negatives: Recently increased award
requirements, expensive one-ways, fuel
surcharges on Air Canada
flights, Lufthansa, ANA, Adria, Asiana
Aeroplan Airlines, Austrian Airlines, LOT Polish
Airlines, TAP and THAI.
• Good awards: US to Western Europe
60/90/125, short-haul awards
• *A Tips: ANA good for distance-based 63,000
NYC-London, Singapore for one-ways

7. • Positives: Instant transfers, flexible routing, miles don’t expire, no last-
minute fees, upgrades on awards for Gold Medallion and higher, non-
alliance partners
• Negatives: Broken website, stealthily increased award requirements, no
Delta one-ways, no last-minute changes, international origination charge, 3
award tiers, no international first class redemptions
• Good Awards: US to Africa with a stopover in Europe for 120k in
business, 150k in business to Australia
Flying • Positives: 50% off promo awards, one-ways possible, instant transfers
• Negatives: Huge fuel surcharges
Blue • Good Awards: Most promo awards, Israel (included as Europe)

8. • Best Western 1:1
• Choice Privileges 1:1
Hotel Transfer • Hilton HHonors 1:1.5
Partners • Jumeirah Hotels and Resorts 23:1
• Starpoints 3:1

9. Earn 1 point per dollar spent (Premier Rewards is 3x on airfare
and 2x on gas & groceries, 4x per dollar with Amex Travel)
Points go into pending status for a month after statement close
(can be expedited)
Cannot combine Membership Rewards points
Transfer to anyone!
- Link (not enroll!) their account to your account
membershiprewards.com -> Points Summary -> Bottom right
- Advance points for free, just earn them back
- Up to 60,000 for Platinum
- 15,000 for most other cards (not corporate)
- Buy points at 2.5 cents each, up to 500,000 a year!

10. Pay With Points
Easy, but fixed value: 1 cent (1.25 for Platinum/Centurion)
- A $5,000 business class ticket would require 500,000 points!
- Could be an okay decision for cheap domestic tickets
Earns elite status just like a purchased ticket

11. My Top Amex Cards:
Premier Rewards Gold: 3x on airfare, 2x at gas stations and grocery stores, 1x
on other purchases, $175 annual fee waived 1st year. Current bonus 25,000 points
after $2,000 in 3 months, 15,000 points after $30,000 in one year.
Platinum: Access to over 600 lounges, no foreign transaction fees, Global Entry
discount, Fine Hotels & Resorts Program, $450 annual fee. Current bonus 25,000
after $2,000 in 3 months.
Others To Consider:
Business Gold Rewards: 3x points on airfare, 2x points on advertising, gasoline, and
shipping, 1x on other purchases, $175 annual fee waived 1st year. Current bonus 50,000 points
after $5,000 in 3 months.
Mercedes-Benz Platinum: Delta SkyClub and US Airways Club access, $1,000 reward
certificate towards purchase or lease of Mercedes-Benz, 5x on eligible Mercedes-Benz
purchases, $475 annual fee. Current bonus 50,000 points after $1,000 in 3 months.

12. Pros:
Adding partners
Most transfers instantaneous
No transfer fees
Transfer points to anyone else, combine points with anyone else
Points post right after statement closes
Good customer service
Cons:
Limited number of partners
No transfer bonuses yet

13. • British Airways 1:1
• Korean Air 1:1
Airline • Southwest 1:1
• United 1:1
• Hyatt 1:1
• Priority Club 1:1
Hotel • Marriott 1:1
• The Ritz Carlton 1:1
Other • Amtrak 1:1

14. • Positives: One-way awards, low fees, lots
of Star Alliance and non-alliance
partners, good website
United • Negatives: Close-in booking and change
fees, post-merger glitches
• Good awards: Business/First Class flights
on partners like Lufthansa and Asiana

15. • Positives: Low points requirements for free
nights, great elite perks
• Negatives: Just over 400 properties
worldwide
Hyatt • Good awards: Top-tier redemptions for
22,000 points like Park Hyatt Paris
Vendome, only 6,000 points to upgrade paid
stays for up to 4 nights

16. Maximizing Ultimate Rewards Points
Sapphire Preferred: 2x points on travel and dining (airfare, hotel, rental
car, taxi, parking, subway, etc.), no foreign transaction fees, $95 annual fee
waived 1st year, 7% annual points bonus. Current offer 40,000 points sign up
bonus.
Ink Bold: 5x points on first $50,000 spent at office supply stores and on
utilities, 2x points on first $50,000 spent at gas stations and hotels, no foreign
transaction fees, $95 annual fee waived 1st year. Current sign-up bonus 50,000
points. Also available on Ink Plus.
Others To Consider:
Freedom: Quarterly bonus categories, no annual fee. Current 5x bonus
categories: hotels, airlines, Kohl’s, Best Buy up to $1,500 per quarter. Current sign
up bonus $100 cash back after $500 in 3 months.
Chase Checking + Chase Freedom = 10 points per transaction + 10% bonus
on all purchases.
*Old Ink Bold: Keep it open. 20% bonus on all spend and up to 47,500 points
spend bonuses on spend up to 100,000. Basically 1.67 points per $1.

17. Pay With Points:
1.25 cents per point in travel
Transfer to anyone: ultimaterewards.com -> Manage
Ultimate Rewards -> Combine Points -> Transfer To Other
-> Enter credit card number and last name
Chase Experiences

18. Pros:
Over 1,100 properties
Cash & Points
Reward stays count toward elite status
30 airline partners
5,000 point bonus on transfers of 20,000 points
Cons:
Member can only transfer to own accounts
No other transfer bonuses
Posting times vary greatly
No shopping portal

19. Airline Transfer Partners Other
Aeroplan 1:1 British Airways 1:1 LAN 1:2 Amtrak 1:1
Air Berlin 1:1 China Eastern 1:1 Mexicana Frecuenta 1:1
Air China 1:1 China Southern 1:1 Miles and More 1:1
Air New Zealand 65:1 Delta 1:1 Qatar Airways 1:1
Alaska Airlines 1:1 Emirates 1:1 Saudi Arabian 1:1
Alitalia 1:1 Etihad Airways 1:1 Singapore Airlines 1:1
ANA 1:1 Flying Blue 1:1 Thai Airways 1:1
American Airlines 1:1 Hawaiian 1:1 US Airways 1:1
Asia Miles 1:1 Japan Airlines 1:1 United Mileage Plus 2:1
Asiana Airlines 1:1 King Club 1:1 VARIG Smiles 2:1
Virgin Atlantic 1:1

20. Airline Transfer Time In Days
Delta 1
Aeroplan 3
Air Berlin 4
ANA 4
Virgin Atlantic 6
American Airlines 8
US Airways 8
Alaska Airlines 8
British Airways 9
LAN 9
United 11
Asia Miles 15
Asiana N/A
Flying Blue N/A

21. • Positives: Low fees, one-way awards, free
stopovers in your destination
• Negatives: Ticketing fees, no international
stopovers
• Good awards: 40,000 Off Peak awards to
American Europe October 15-April 15; Cathay Pacific First
Class North America-Asia for 67,500
• Alaska: 115,000 SPG Points = Cathay Pacific First
roundtrip to Asia for 140,000 miles roundtrip.
Other partners: Icelandair, Emirates (soon)

22. • Positives: Star Alliance partners, flexible
routing, ability to buy miles cheaply through Miles
Multiplier, Share and Buy Miles Promos
US • Negatives: No one-ways, terrible
website, ticketing fees
Airways • Good awards: 90,000 Business Class to North
Asia; 110,000 Business Class to Australia, 50,000
for 3-class United First Transcontinental; 60,000
Off Peak award to Europe in Envoy

23. • Transfers at a 1 : 2 ratio, so 20,000 SPG = 50,000
LAN kms
• Distance-based award chart.
• Ex: Lima-Cusco 16,000 kms roundtrip
• Ex: North America-Northern South America
LAN 48,000/100,000 coach/business
• Ex: North America-Deep South America,
70,000/150,000 coach/ business
• So 28,000 Starpoints for coach to Deep South
America, 60,000 for business class roundtrip

24. Membership levels: Preferred, Gold, and Platinum (50, 75 and
100 night)
Free Night Awards: On standard rooms, no blackout dates
Cash and Points: Ability to book rooms with a combination of cash
and points
5th Night Free: Redeem 5 nights and the 5th night is free at
category 3 – 7 hotels
SPG Moments: Bid Starpoints on experiences

25. Credit Cards:
SPG Personal: 2x points per $1 at Starwood. Use points for hotel
awards, transfer to airline partners, $65 annual fee waived 1st year.
Current bonus 25,000 points after $5,000 in 6 months.
SPG Business: 2x points per $1 at Starwood. 1 Starpoint for every
dollar of eligible purchases, no blackout dates, $65 annual fee waived 1st
year. Current bonus 25,000 points after $5,000 in 6 months.

26. Goal: Earn more than one point
COMPANION TICKETS
British Airways Visa: Travel Together Ticket after $30,000 spent in 1
year, smart chip technology, no foreign transaction fees, $95 annual fee. 50,000
Avios after $1,000 in 3 months.
Southwest Rapid Rewards Visa: Southwest Companion Pass when you fly
100 one-way flights within a calendar year or accrue 110,000 points in a calendar
year. Hotel transfers count, Chase Ultimate Rewards don’t. 2x points on
Southwest Airlines purchases, Rapid Rewards Hotel and Car Rental
Partners, 3,000 points every anniversary.
Delta Reserve Card: Bring companion on a roundtrip first/business or
economy ticket with the purchase of an adult roundtrip fare on domestic routings.
Tickets must be purchased with the Delta Reserve Card
Other Cards: Alaska Airlines Visa Signature, US Airways Premier World MasterCard

27. Delta: Delta Platinum get 5,000 MQM’s at sign-up, spend $25,000, get
another 10,000 MQM’s. Spend $50,000 and get 10,000 more MQM’s.
Delta Reserve get 10,000 MQM’s at sign up, 15,000 MQM’s when you
spend $30,000, and another 15,000 MQM’s at $60,000.
Citi Executive AAdvantage: 10,000 EQM’s after $40,000 in a
calendar year.
Barclay’s US Airways Premier World MasterCard: Offers up to
10,000 Preferred miles with $25,000 in a year.