“We don't rely on airlines much and we just provide you with a significant amount,” Leff said. “In many cases, you need two cards. One is a pairing from the same bank that earns multiple points in the category you spend most, and one pairs into the same ecosystem from the same bank that earned 1.5 or 2 points per dollar.” This means using two cards from the same bank. For example, Chase's Sapphire pairing was preferred with the Freedom Unlimited card to pool the points earned.
This flexibility proves important as sweet spots move between programs. For example, the Virgin Atlantic charges just 90,000 miles on a first-class flight to Japan. That same seat costs 220,000 United Miles. Even Air France-KLM's program Flying Blue still offers business class to Europe with 60,000 points. Premium AMEX and CHASE credit cards allow points transfers to multiple airline programs. This means that the cardholder is not connected to the availability of one airline.
Timing is important for families looking for multiple premium seats. “If you're going to Europe, you might be surprised by the Flying Blue, as they offer multi-seat availability even at savings,” Qin said, referring to tickets for the lowest-priced awards offered by airlines. Some airlines, such as Japan Airlines, often release award seats blocks within two weeks of departure.
Leff recommends booking what is available for major airlines and monitoring better options. Currently, most programs abandon award ticket change fees, so you can switch to them if partner space is opened. Please note that once you have transferred flexible points to the airline, you cannot send them back.
Perhaps most important: Don't make perfect an enemy of good.
“Remember, the best points are the best for you. That makes sense, so if you need to book a financial flight, do it,” Qin said. “You never use your points and they're trying to devalue them, so you don't always shoot for perfection or ideals.”
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