US Airways 50% Bonus on Hotel Transfers

US Airways is offering a 50% bonus on hotel points transferred into US Airways miles until March 31, 2012. I generally don't recommend transferring hotel points to airline miles (unless you really need to top up for an award), though this promotion certainly sweetens the value proposition - especially if you know how to maximize US Airways redemptions (check out this post for my rundown of the Dividend Miles program).

One of the biggest opportunities here is to transfer Starwood points, because this promotion stacks on top of the existing 5,000 mile bonus Starwood adds to each 20,000 point transfer to US Airways. So 20,000 Starpoints = 25,000 US Airways miles + this 50% promotion = 37,500 miles.

You can also transfer Amex points to Starwood at 2:1 until March 31, 2012, so with this bonus you can essentially move Amex to US Airways at 1: .94, which is nearly an even exchange.

US Airways has some gem redemptions like 110,000 miles in business class to Australia/Oceania/New Zealand and you can route through Asia. The other day I booked a friend on Newark-Singapore-Newark on Singapore airlines in business class for 120,000 US Airways miles and $140 in fees. US also has off-peak promo awards, like 60,000 miles roundtrip US to Europe in business class. Unlike many frequent flyer programs US Airways generally has very low taxes and fees on awards, though note they do not have one-way awards.

Click here to transfer Startpoints: note there is a maximum of 79,999 points transferred per 24 hour period. There is a clause in the T&C that states "Dividend Miles members will earn only one bonus when they transfer hotel points into Dividend Miles during the promotion." I've Tweeted and emailed US Airways for clarification, so I'd hold off on doing multiple transfers until we know whether more than one will get the 50% bonus.

While I love Star Alliance travel, I have way more airline miles than hotel points these days so I'm not going to transfer any Starwood points. Instead I'm going to transfer 120,000 Amex to 60,000 Starwood, which will then turn into 112,500 US Airways miles - more than enough for a business class roundtrip to Australia/New Zealand. What are you thinking of doing to take advantage of these promotions?

Terms & Conditions

Eligibility: Offer void where prohibited by law. No registration required. Only miles converted with an activity ('eligible activity date') date between March 11, 2012 and March 31, 2012 will earn a bonus. Earning bonus miles: Bonus miles are in addition to Dividend Miles awarded by hotel partners for points conversions. Only hotel points that are converted into Dividend Miles from March 11, 2012 – March 31, 2012 are eligible. Hotel bonus miles do not count towards Preferred status. Bonus miles will post 6-8 weeks from date of the eligible activity date. Dividend Miles members will earn only one bonus when they transfer hotel points into Dividend Miles during the promotion. Dividend Miles members will earn a 50% bonus. Eligible activity date: Eligible activity date is based on the date the qualifying partner records the mileage transaction, and not necessarily the date on which the transaction occurred. US Airways assumes no responsibility for how qualifying partners record activity dates. Check with the applicable partner to confirm policies and procedures for recording activity dates. The last date that activity from a qualifying partner can be received by US Airways for bonus miles consideration is April 10, 2012, regardless of the eligible activity date for such activity. General terms: All US Airways Dividend Miles terms and conditions apply. You may opt out of US Airways emails at any time. US Airways is not responsible for the quality or delivery of goods and/or services provided by Dividend Miles partners. All Dividend Miles partner terms and conditions apply. Partner offers are subject to change without notice. Hotel transfers (points to miles conversions) are subject to terms and conditions as stipulated in your agreement with your hotel program.
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