The world was hit hard by Covid-19, but luckily, things have started picking up, and travel is back strong. As this happens, hotel and flight rates are sky-high, especially in the luxury segment. However, almost all major travel outlets, fortunately, often sell miles and points with bonuses, and this could make for a good discount on the rates being offered by these airlines and hotels.
It would be a great time to update all the hotel miles and points that are up for sale right now so that you can stock up on the right ones for your travels and start planning your travel for the times ahead.
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Airline Miles bonus sales
Buy United Mileage Plus Miles with an 80-100% Bonus (through December 22, 2022)
United is running a Buy Mileage Plus Miles promotion, where you can buy United Miles with an 80-100% discount, albeit only through December 22, 2022. With this promotion, which is offering 80% bonus miles to me at the top end, I see the ability to buy 175,000 miles (including the bonus) at the price of 2.09 US Cents per purchased mile (INR 1.72 per mile). For those who receive the 100% bonus promotion, they can get 175,000 miles (including the bonus) at a price of 1.88 USD Cents per purchased mile.
United MP Miles do not expire, and this is a generous promotion, so if you’d like to stock up before the year ends, this promotion has something for you, especially as it offers India – USA business class fares at 90K points one-way. Read this post for details.
Buy United Mileage Plus Miles (with up to 100% Bonus)
Buy Alaska Airlines Miles with a 50% Bonus (till December 23, 2022)
Alaska Airlines is offering a tiered sale, with up to a 50% bonus on miles bought. You can purchase up to a 50% Bonus on purchased miles, which will bring your net cost of miles bought to 1.97 US Cents / INR 1.61 per mile bought. With an assortment of partners such as Singapore Airlines, all oneworld airlines and some others, and the ability to book stopovers, this is a great programme to consider buying miles on. Here are the details.
Buy Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan Miles with up to a 50% Bonus.
Buy KLM/Air France Flying Blue Miles with a 100% Bonus (till December 21, 2022)
KLM/Air France’s loyalty programme, Flying Blue, is offering up to a 100% bonus on miles bought. The bonus is tiered but is one of their best bonuses offered.
During the promotional period, Elite members can receive a maximum bonus of 300,000 Miles when buying Miles, while Explorer members can receive a maximum bonus of 100,000 Miles. Bonus Miles will be rewarded on transactions made between December 1 and 21, 2022, 2359 CET +1. You can maximise the promotion by buying miles at the cost of 1.53 Cents (US)/ 1.45 Cents (Euro)/ INR 1.26 INR. That is the best price you’d get with this programme. Here are the details of the promotion.
Buy Flying Blue Miles (with a 100% Bonus)
Hotel Points bonus sales
Purchase IHG Rewards points with an (up to) 100% Bonus (till December 29, 2022)
IHG Rewards is currently offering an up to 100% bonus on purchased points when you buy more than 5,000 points; you earn a 100% bonus until December 29, 2022. With this promotion, you can buy up to 250,000 points, which will get you a total of 500,000 points in your account (250K+250K) if you buy the complete quota. The price of each point works out to be 0.5 USD Cent or INR 0.41 per point purchased. Read this post for details.
Buy IHG Rewards points (with a 100% Bonus).
Purchase Marriott Bonvoy points with a 25% discount (till December 20, 2022)
Marriott Bonvoy is offering a buy Bonvoy Points promotion, where you get a 25% discount on purchasing points as long as you purchase points by December 20, 2022. The promotion gets triggered on buying as low as 2000 points, bringing the purchase rate to just 0.94 USD cents per point (or INR 0.78 per point).
As long as the Marriott Bonvoy award chart is still fixed and predictable, there is value to be had at properties that are high priced (including various properties that are luxury and available outside the country).
Buy/Gift Marriott Bonvoy Points (with a 25% discount)
Which Credit Card to use to buy miles and points?
Typically, these point purchases are processed through Points.com and not directly by the hotel or airline. However, you will almost always pay in USD/EUR/GBP, not INR. So, the best cards to earn a bonus are Citi Prestige, American Express Platinum Charge Card and Axis Bank Reserve Credit Card, as these cards offer an international spending bonus. Beyond these, you might look at any card that provides a reduced foreign exchange spend conversion or one where you want to meet minimum spend requirements.
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Planning to travel with my family. Thank you Ajay this is a great information.
I really like your blog it is very interesting and helpful for me!! Thanks for sharing!!
One of the best Airline miles program I’ve been using for the past year is Air Canada’s Aeroplan. They frequently have 50% bonus sales and enabled me to get some wonderful business class deals throughout India to ME, Europe and within EU as well.
I think their recent sale just ended up but keep an eye on it!
Hi Ajay,
I am new to credit cards and points game.
I have 60K+ points accumulated on AmEx Plat Travel and not sure where to use them for best value. Researched to conclude that exchanging them for Marriot Bonvoy (MB) points offers the best value.
My question is:-
1. Does the above mentioned promo apply when we use AmEx points to buy MB points?
2. What is the usual value (on an average) of one MB point in INR terms.
Thanks
@Newbie, we don’t put a numeric value on points here. And these promotions are for buying points with cash, what you are enquiring about is the transfer of points. Redemption as Taj Vouchers gives a 50 paise value of Amex MR points from the Plat Travel and also when you transfer to Marriott, your value will vastly change depending on domestic vs intl. properties etc.
Will Marriott Bonvoy change the points required for an existing booking when they start there dynamic pricing in March for the bookings which will be made using Points Advance system and the points available in account are less then actually required.
Please advise
Thanks
@Anshul, yes. Points Advance bookings are confirmed on the basis of the number of points required on the day you are presenting the points. So, it could go up or down. But they save you a room, yes!