Yesterday I wrote about a unique offer from Marriott Rewards and American AAdvantage. The offer is to convert Marriott points to AAdvantage miles with a 30% bonus. Transfer ratios varied based on the number of points transferred. In the end, it only sort of made sense to take AAdvantage (sorry bad pun) of the promotion when transferring 140,000 Marriott points to AAdvantage. At that level, the transfer ratio between the two programs is about 2.15:1. In the end the promotion isn’t an awful deal, but it just didn’t work for me. For reference, I value 140,000 Marriott points as $980 and 65,000 AAdvantage miles as $975.
Today, I received another promotional email. Today’s email notified me that the SPG to AAdvantage transfer bonus promotion has been extended until October 31, 2017!
Transfer SPG Starpoints To American AAdvantage Miles With A 30% Bonus
Interestingly, Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) is currently offering a very similar promotion. Through October 31, 2017 when you transfer SPG Starpoints to the AAdvantage program you’ll earn a 20% bonus.
Additionally, you’ll earn 10,000 AAdvantage miles for every 100,0000 miles received through conversions. Here are links to the SPG transfer page and the American AAdvantage promotion page. Below is an image from the email I received from American informing me the current promotion is being extended until October 31, 2017.
Keep in mind SPG points transfer to American AAdvantage at a 1:1 ratio with a 5,000 mile bonus per 20,000 miles transferred. That’s the current, non-promotional rate. That means you’ll only need to transfer 80,000 Starpoints to earn 100,000 AAdvantage miles. In addition to the standard bonus, you’ll earn a 20% bonus on all transfers and a 10,000 mile bonus per 100,000 miles received. In total, for 80,000 Starpoints you’ll receive 130,000 American AAdvantage miles. I hope you followed that!
There is however one key thing to remember about this promotion. Starwood only lets you transfer 79,999 points on a single day! Obviously things would just be too simple if Starwood let you transfer that extra point. Instead, you have to break up transfers into two transactions on two days. Also, to maximize this offer you have to complete each transfer in 20,000 point increments. I’d recommend doing 40,000 one day and 40,000 the following day, but to each their own.
Does It Make Sense To Take AAdvantage Of This Offer?
Again, I’m sorry, it’s just too tempting of a pun! Basically if you maximize this bonus you’re transferring SPG points to AAdvantage at a 1:1.625 ratio. I (highly subjectively) value Starpoints at $0.021 each and AAdvantage miles at $0.015 each. That means I value 80,000 Starpoints as $1,680 and 130,000 AAdvantage miles as $1,500. Considering this is how I value each reward currency this promotion doesn’t make sense for me personally.
However, if I had a specific AAdvantage redemption in mind and needed a lot of AAdvantage miles fairly quickly, it’s not a terrible deal.
Final Thoughts
I find it interesting that both hotel chains are offering 30% bonuses toward AAdvantage transfers. I could be completely off base, but perhaps these bonuses hint at a strong relationship between the AAdvantage program the new combined Marriott Rewards program?
Either way, neither promotion represents a great deal. With both promotions you’ll end up losing a little bit of value if you value points the way I do. However, if you value AAdvantage miles more than hotel points, than either promotion could represent a good value. In that case, you’re only decision is if you want 65,000 miles or 130,000!
