How Do I Get the Most Value Out of the Points I Earn?

This is a common question that We've ran in to over the years, and the simple answer is - it depends, not all programs are made equally and thus not all points are equal, but there are a few things that you can do to try and get the most out of those hard earned points!

One of the methods, that I've had the most success out of is in finding programs that have a fixed value for points, for example a flight from LA to New york is always 2000 sky miles, or in a recent example I've personally taken advantage of: Marriott's points program is hard and fast that a category 1 hotel night is worth 7,500 points, and a category 2 night is worth 10,000 points, always. With this in mind, making the most of your points is simple, just find a category 1, or 2 hotel as part of your getaway that costs above average and use your points to book it! You get all the benefits of the more expensive room, but your cost in points remain same.

Something to keep in mind when working on a trip that involves the potential for a marriott stay is that currently Chase has a credit card offering for 80,000 bonus Marriott points when you meet the $3,000 min spend. If spent wisely (and if you maximise your earning with an authorized user - 7,500 bonus) this can easily be worth 11 nights in one of their category 2 hotels, or roughly $1600 for only a $3,000 min spend!