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Giveaway: Tickets to the Freddies

by on April 12, 2012 · 45 comments

in General TPG Business

The Freddie Awards (think Academy Awards of the loyalty program world!) are coming right up, so it’s time for another TPG reader giveaway!

The ceremony itself will be held on the evening of Thursday, April 26, 2012, at the Renaissance Newark Airport. This is the premier award ceremony for travel loyalty programs and millions of votes are cast by travelers around the world for their favorite airline, hotel and credit card promotions. Voting is closed, so I hope you got your ballots in already.

I’ll actually be presenting one of the awards that night, and I’ve arranged to get a whole table so I can give away 4 more (TPG readers John and Rocky got seats for participating in my Expiring Upgrade Exchange)  seats to TPG readers. It’ll be a great opportunity to meet with the people behind some of the biggest frequent flyer and hotel loyalty programs out there, plus it’s pretty fun!

In order to win you have to do one (or any) of the following:

1. Because the big news of the week is the British Airways 100,000 mile Chase Visa bonus, I’ll be giving away two seats to readers who share a tip on using British Airways Avios miles in the comments section of this post.

2. I’ll give away another to someone who Tweets me @thepointsguy with a BA tip including the hashtag: #tpgBA100k.

3. I’ll give the final seat away to a Facebook member who writes on my wall which airline and hotel (please name both) will win top honors at the award ceremony.

You can enter the contest through each method only once, so make your comments, Tweets and wall posts count! Also, please note, this giveaway will just be tickets to sit at my table at the award ceremony.  I will not be providing any travel or accommodations, so you have to get yourself there and arrange your own stay or transportation home.

I can’t wait to hear all your tips and insights, and to meet a few of you at the Freddies in a few weeks!

Disclaimer: This content is not provided or commissioned by the credit card issuer. Opinions expressed here are author.s alone, not those of the credit card issuer, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the credit card issuer. This site may be compensated through the credit card issuer Affiliate Program.

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  • Thomas

    I think I great use of BA Avios is for business tickets to/from Hong Kong on Cathay Pacific. While they are a little more points per flight than some US carriers (70K avios compared to 60K on United or Delta one way, for example) the taxes and fees on the flights are relatively cheap compared to using avios for award tickets to Europe. So for 70K and ~$100 in fees you can do a flight from JFK to Hong Kong (or reverse) in business on Cathay.

  • http://infamousdx.com infamousdx

    JFK-YVR (Vancouver) in Cathay business class for 50k. I did that last year before the devaluation and doing it again next year after the big change. This gem remained unchanged!

  • http://profiles.google.com/riegelandrew Andrew Riegel

    For those who can’t quite justify using a ton of avios to fly premium class from the US to Asia on Cathay Pacific, the best use of Avios is redeeming 20K (business) or 30K (first) to fly on Cathay’s new business or first class cabins from Tokyo Haneda to Hong Kong. My favourite for several reasons: 1) Tokyo & Hong Kong are both fantastic cities with a lot to see for the Asia novice all the way through people who have lived in the region for years, 2) Tokyo Haneda used to be the domestic airport, and has recently started to allow international flights to select destinations.. It’s 20 minutes away from downtown Tokyo, a heck of a lot easier to get to than Narita (the main international airport), and a pure joy to fly through! and 3) flying from Tokyo to Hong Kong (as opposed to the reverse) allows you to take advantage of the prevailing headwinds to lengthen your flight to approximately 5 hours (the reverse is only 3.5 hours!) which really allows one to sit back and enjoy the excellent CX service.. :) Took this flight back in March in First, and the Japanese Kaiseki meal was without a doubt the best food I’ve ever had in the air!

  • http://frugaltravellawyer.wordpress.com/ Frugaltravellawyer

    Britsh Airways Avios points can be used to book hotel rooms. Many of the choices require too many Avios points, but their are some good values in smaller cities in Europe.

  • Matthew Wilson

    I always try to earn Avios points not AAdvantage. You get so much more bang for the buck!

  • monster

    Avios points are great for short haul economy tickets. For example, NYC-Toronto and Lima-Cusco are only 4500 miles each way. It’s also a great way to hop around Europe.

  • Ketan S

    The new offer requires 20k in spend but spending just 10k more you can get a free companion ticket. This is a sweet deal for using this on an award that required ton of miles for example to Asia or South Africa. The taxes and fuel surcharges are very high on BA but with companion cert it is well worth it.

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  • sdrummer

    I use this website for a quick calculation of exactly how many Avios a flight with connections would cost, rather than tediously type it in one connection at a time on BA’s website calculator. http://www.wandr.me/Avios-Calculator.aspx

  • Ericlipkind

    You and spouse get the BA Chase card for 100K miles each and meet the $30K spend threshold for the free companion voucher on one card and pool the miles under a household account in order to get two free first class tickets.

  • DC MOMO

    Using Avios for flights between Carribean islands is a great value. I recently used them to get from SJU to St Kitts. A one way ticket was running $350 at the last minute but it only cost 4,500 avios.

  • http://twitter.com/dollarbill6570 William Marlowe

    Use Avios for JFK to Montreal, I often see those tickets for $600+ not bad for 4500 avios each way

  • Sean

    For those like me who don’t live in a hub city, you can use Avios to position yourself to a hub for a mileage run or fantastic international award.

    I live in San Diego but I can find better/cheaper flights from LAX. I use 4500 Avios and $2.50 for positioning flights each way.

  • http://profiles.google.com/tjtjtjtj Tim J

    I used some Avios (technically, Executive Club miles, but this should work fine with Avios as well) to fly YYZ-JFK-SFO in business class. This is one of the only domestic “premium cabin” awards I would consider with BA; three-cabin business (JFK-SFO or JFK-LAX) is a better seat than two-cabin first, and BA only charges you 2x the Avios for business vs. 3x for first, no matter the number of cabins!

    YYZ-JFK is an Avios bargain, as all short haul transborder flights seemed to be really overpriced for revenue tickets. The premium cabin (using that term very lightly) on these flights is considered business class, so it still only costs 2x the Avios rather than 3x, but I wouldn’t spring for business class now that Avios are charged segment-by-segment. 4,500 miles one way in coach is still a bargain, though!

    Bonus tip: American has a YYZ-JFK and a YYZ-LGA flight leaving from essentially the same gate every Saturday morning. Don’t take a wrong turn and get on the wrong New York flight!

  • Sean

    Through May, that’s a transfer of only 3000 AmEx Membership Rewards points!

  • Ctrix65513

    I use Avios for short haul awards on AA. Some of my best redemptions have been flights to NYC last minute (no close in booking fee) to visit my sister from my home in Chicago, fly my brother home from college in Cincinnati on the weekends togive him a break (usually another expensive flight/little competition), flights to Montreal (often $600+ even when booked in advance), or for flights from Ft. Lauderdale (use Spirit to get their way cheap from Chicago- sometimes $9) to the Carribean islands. Heck, I’d more than likely use Avios to get me to the Freddies if I win.

  • Ctrix65513

    Doing that trip next week! Can’t wait…

  • Jim

    I absolutely love using Avios for domestic trips on AA. The reduced mileage, priority access and tiny fees make this a huge deal. I am transferring 200,000 Membership Rewards so I can get 150% Avios points. That should keep me in domestic travel for a while (Including the NYC Frequent Flyer University).

  • NYCgirl

    Using Avios for short hauls awards in Asia!

    During my last round the world trip in business class using 110k US Air miles, I added another side trip to Taipei to see The National Palace Museum, which is “home to what could quite easily be termed the world’s largest and finest collection of Chinese art.” 9000 avios for HGK-TPE-HKG on Cathay Pacific!

  • Jonathan Palmer

    While booking an award trip in Business Class to Santiago using Avios, I learned that you can significantly reduce the number of Avios by flying to another city (such as Lima) in Economy before continuing on to your final destination in Business class. For example, I am flying back to Miami from Santiago in Business and normally it is 50,000 Avios. If I fly economy to Lima and then fly business class from Lima to Miami, it only costs 35,000 Avios, one way. That 15,000 Avios in savings is enough for a one way to Hawaii!

  • Carberrie

    The best use of Avios points for those based in NYC is NYC-Toronto and NYC-Montreal. These usually cost $400+ r/t, but can now be yours for only 9,000 Avios miles and less than $100. WERK!!!

  • http://twitter.com/ccrank23 Chris Crank

    Fly MCI to ORD for 4500 Avios + a small co pay…not the $203 ea way recently quoted on AA

  • Aaron

    was doing some reasearch. If you want to see russia, S7 has low fees on it’s award using avios. example Moscow to vladivostok via irktusk is only 45,000 miles RT +$77USD in taxes.

  • Jimgotkp

    The best way of using BA miles is for domestic US flights!

  • Ty

    Also great for hopping around South America on LAN. BUE-COR is only 4500 Avios plus 25 bucks. And train service is much less feasible than in Europe.

  • Hayden Stewart

    Being a Delta loyalist flying another airline, even for free, can be counter productive when it comes to working towards status. While it doesn’t maximize the dollar value you get from the points, 100k Avois still provides great value that can be used on hotels and car rental and you can still fly your airline of choice.

  • Adam

    just did that trip last weekend – very fun city and such friendly people – only 4500 avios + $129 total for round trip!

  • http://fieldofburch.com/ Bryce

    A great tip for using Avios would be to book a ticket on LAN to avoid hefty fuel surcharges.

  • Jeanne

    My next use of Avios will be LAX to HNL, 12,500 Avios each way.

  • Texasex95

    Definitely West Coast to Hawaii…especially with last minute trips. Much cheaper than using AA miles.

  • Flamingo

    The best tips to use BA Avios points will be TPG’s BA series — Spotlight on Taxes and Fees for BA.

    http://thepointsguy.com/2012/04/maximizing-british-airways-avios-series-spotlight-on-taxes-and-fees/

    I did use 60K BA Avios points 2 weeks to help my brother to get 2 PVG to LAX tickets to help him to unite with his family. I am happy that I can help my family members using the BA Avios points.

  • ScottLAX

    Love the current AMEX Membership Rewards 30% bonus transfer rate to Avios making the LAX-Hawaii only 19,231 points instead of the already great rate of 25,000 miles.

  • T. Wright

    Via Aer Lingus, round-trip US to Ireland for 25,000 Avios + $146.28 in fees and taxes. Departure cities include New York, Chicago, and Boston. A great deal!

  • lindsaytravel

    My favorite redemption of Avios so far is for our upcoming Peru trip! I used AA to get to Lima. We are going to visit Cuzco and Juliaca as well. Traveling through Peru ended up being three additional one way flights. On LAN, this trip priced out to 750 a piece, 1500 for two people. We are using the points and cash option that BA offers. LOVE that option. We used 4500 for one person and paid $70 for the second flyer plus 8.50 in tax. I like BOGO!!!! For the three one way flights for two people, it was 13,500 Avios and $242.84. Not too bad compared to $1500. We get to go to the floating islands!

    Thank for all your help Points Guy! I can’t wait to meet you in a couple weeks. This will be our first points conference. I am starting off in the points world and have learned lots of very useful information through your blog. My Peru dream trip is next to nothing between Starwood, AA and Avios!!!! Thank you for all the tips that assisted me in booking this trip.

  • Seemald

    I love Avios for routes to south america. Used for us-lim-scl-ipc round trip in business on LAN.
    LAN is the only way to reach Easter Island, and what better way to visit this amazing place on earth than via LAN business sleeper seats, and with virtually no taxes and fees on your Avios!!

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  • http://IndulgeTheWanderlust.com/ Jeff The Wanderer

    A great use of Avios is to use them for a short hop flight on AA. I am using 7500 Avios to get me to the Chicago Seminars this October, where I will learn how to earn even more Avios.

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  • KC NCSY

    Britsh Airways Avios points can be used to book hotel rooms. Many of the choices require too many Avios points, but their are some good values in smaller cities in Europe.

  • runnergirl

    I take a totally different approach to using Avios points. I use Avios points for hotel stays and car rentals, get a great return per mile and avoid the fuel surcharge issue altogether! This summer my family and I are traveling to Israel. We are picking up a car in Tel Aviv using Avios points approximately 7,000 per day, spending 3nts at the Dead Sea (compliments of Starwood!) and then heading to Jerusalem and staying at the Prima Kings Hotel which is a very nice hotel in an excellent location for 26,000 Avois points per night including all tax, service charges and a full breakfast daily! Do I have a shot at 2 tickets to ther Freddie Awards?!!!!

  • Chris G

    I just came back from a trip to Easter Island courtesy of pre-Avios miles, but use Avios for intra-Australian flights. Those can cost an arm and a leg, and some awesome redemptions can be had for only 9000 miles!

  • gretbazela

    AA Los Angeles -Hawaii is a great deal! Never flown a mile on BA but racked up some nice points with Amex bonus!

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  • terri

    Hi NYC girl,
    Can you give details on how you got around the world business class for 110k US Air miles ? Thank you so much!