Miles or cash back more worth it

htngwilliam

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Hi everyone

I wonder whether it is more worthwhile to accumulate miles or cash back for credit card? Anyone did any comparison before?
 

ceciltan

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If you are someone who prefer short term gain, go Cashback otherwise choose miles.
 

iduncheckmail

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Quite a few years ago I calc the conversion rate. If you can get cash back of >1.6% you are better off getting cashback and outright buy the airtix yourself over the same term.
Of course rates would have changed over the years . But agar agar is around there .
 

cassowary18

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Ask this kind of question will have no answer one. 各有千秋 (each got its own advantages).

For me, I choose cashback because my spending pattern is not enough to accumulate sufficient miles to fly me anywhere. Yes, cashback cards have minimum spends but I choose cards that have no minimum spending requirements.
 

Knightoftheblackrose

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I prefer Cashback over airmiles.

The reason is because of being put on a waitlist for airmiles redemption.
There are just too many other customers with the same idea of airmiles redemption.
 

fr33d0m

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I prefer Cashback over airmiles.

The reason is because of being put on a waitlist for airmiles redemption.
There are just too many other customers with the same idea of airmiles redemption.

Still not enough mile chasers

In more mature market, redemption cost is so high and availability is so low.....
 

xersion

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Quite a few years ago I calc the conversion rate. If you can get cash back of >1.6% you are better off getting cashback and outright buy the airtix yourself over the same term.
Of course rates would have changed over the years . But agar agar is around there .
I guess u are using economy ticket to calculate. Try using business class ticket to calculate and see the difference

Sent from Samsung SM-G965F using GAGT
 

yoongmy

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Used to miles chaser and now switch to cash back. reason as below :-
-Miles tickets booking availability very low, need to book in advanced. (may as well buy promo tickets instead)
-Miles redemption may change from time to time and effected your plan.
-I used to book 3 tickets for my travel plan, it may take me many years to accumulate.
 

fr33d0m

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I guess u are using economy ticket to calculate. Try using business class ticket to calculate and see the difference

Sent from Samsung SM-G965F using GAGT

That only works if you will take business class cash or redemption.

How many will be willing to fork out cash for business class? especially short haul?
 

Trazora

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That only works if you will take business class cash or redemption.

How many will be willing to fork out cash for business class? especially short haul?

It will be based on your own valuation of business class rather than the dollar price.
 

xersion

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That only works if you will take business class cash or redemption.

How many will be willing to fork out cash for business class? especially short haul?
That's why u use the wrong value to calculate. Miles redemption only worth if u redeem for business onwards and not economy.

Sent from Samsung SM-G965F using GAGT
 

badsector

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That's why u use the wrong value to calculate. Miles redemption only worth if u redeem for business onwards and not economy.

Sent from Samsung SM-G965F using GAGT

if miles has $ value to you.
u need to calc the 0% interest u've lost while accumulating for the trip
 
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minamikaze

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Long story short, worth it only if you value business class travel. The experience of flying business is something you likely won't pay for, and it's "special" enough that it counts as part of the vacation experience itself, which is worth something.
 

Knightoftheblackrose

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Only long haul flights to Europe , US or South America are worth the extra expense of business class .

Otherwise it is just a plain waste of money .

Long story short, worth it only if you value business class travel. The experience of flying business is something you likely won't pay for, and it's "special" enough that it counts as part of the vacation experience itself, which is worth something.
 

fr33d0m

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That's why u use the wrong value to calculate. Miles redemption only worth if u redeem for business onwards and not economy.

Sent from Samsung SM-G965F using GAGT

which you never pay cash? so use 0 as the value?
 

hygge island

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-Miles tickets booking availability very low, need to book in advanced. (may as well buy promo tickets instead)

Couldn't agree more with the above. Or maybe I am somehow doing all of it wrongly? Just yesterday, I burned half a day trying to find available tickets to redeem because some of my 5xxk miles is expiring soon. First, try to fly to venice, but can only confirm 3 tickets out of 4 for family. Tried Athens, then Prague and finally found something for Moscow. And I am only looking at 2020 june holidays and not Dec. So I am already booking way in advanced, but still had to jump thru many hoops and loops. I think I stick to cashback.
 

fr33d0m

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Couldn't agree more with the above. Or maybe I am somehow doing all of it wrongly? Just yesterday, I burned half a day trying to find available tickets to redeem because some of my 5xxk miles is expiring soon. First, try to fly to venice, but can only confirm 3 tickets out of 4 for family. Tried Athens, then Prague and finally found something for Moscow. And I am only looking at 2020 june holidays and not Dec. So I am already booking way in advanced, but still had to jump thru many hoops and loops. I think I stick to cashback.

fly 2 at a time. 4 redemption tickets are hard to come by....

or fly somewhere with more than 1 flight per day....
 

badsector

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Only long haul flights to Europe , US or South America are worth the extra expense of business class .

Otherwise it is just a plain waste of money .

for me.. if i'm going for miles.
will only target long haul 1st class or suites

airlines and banks loves it.
selling miles seems like good deal to them
 

fone

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Couldn't agree more with the above. Or maybe I am somehow doing all of it wrongly? Just yesterday, I burned half a day trying to find available tickets to redeem because some of my 5xxk miles is expiring soon. First, try to fly to venice, but can only confirm 3 tickets out of 4 for family. Tried Athens, then Prague and finally found something for Moscow. And I am only looking at 2020 june holidays and not Dec. So I am already booking way in advanced, but still had to jump thru many hoops and loops. I think I stick to cashback.

What class of service were you looking at?

Maybe way in advance for you, but not for me. I usually book when they just open up for booking. So for today, they open up 24 or 25 July 2020 (ie about 330 days in advance) for reservations, then I will book my inbound flight at a later date, when they just open up. Now is about 1 month since SQ opened up for redemption (for June 2020), and you are looking at European destinations during Singapore school holidays, I'm not sure if there would be plenty availability left.

I do see 4 seats available in business for Venice on 24 July, via IST. The destinations you are looking for (other than Moscow), I do not think SQ flies direct. This, you also have to look at partner availability, not all airlines release seats at the same time, which may be the issue. For example, I booked SIN - FUK - HND - SIN, where the FUK - HND is on ANA. ANA did not open up 330 days in advance, and I can only ticket after they opened up like 250 days (or so) in advance. So if you are looking at partner flights, you will need to do some homework on when they open up (like LH only opens up premium cabin like 2 weeks before departure date).

Editted: I just anyhow put a date in for June 2020, and it shows 4 seats in business class to Venice, what were you looking to book, that you are complaining about?
Feel free to PM if you do not want too much of your information in public.
 

hygge island

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What class of service were you looking at?

Maybe way in advance for you, but not for me. I usually book when they just open up for booking. So for today, they open up 24 or 25 July 2020 (ie about 330 days in advance) for reservations, then I will book my inbound flight at a later date, when they just open up. Now is about 1 month since SQ opened up for redemption (for June 2020), and you are looking at European destinations during Singapore school holidays, I'm not sure if there would be plenty availability left

Editted: I just anyhow put a date in for June 2020, and it shows 4 seats in business class to Venice, what were you looking to book, that you are complaining about?
Feel free to PM if you do not want too much of your information in public.

Thanks for the advice. I already booked Moscow so not keen spend more time on it. At same time, I also bought tickets to Tokyo for Dec school holiday, pay money, so was a breeze to just choose and pay.

Wife and I have busy jobs, so we always choose dates that are wildly popular like Xmas, or there is some European holiday so that we can at least assure no one from Europe HQ calls us during vacation. Managing company crisis over phone is too stressful from experience... lol
And instructions from wife is not to pamper kids, so family holiday only in coach class. Anyway, will try to book earlier like u said but always a risk when jobs are demanding, and some jokers will always call for important meetings on days when I travel.. lol
 
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