And the Winners of the Freddies Tickets Giveaway Are...
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here – British Airways Visa Signature Card
Thanks to everyone who responded to my post last week about giving away tickets to the Freddies next Thursday in New York.
A lot of you had great tips on maximizing British Airways Avios as well as guesses on which airline and which hotel would take home the top honors at this year's awards ceremony.
So, without further ado, here are the four winners and the answers they came up with.
1. Because the big news last week was the British Airways 100,000 mile Chase Visa bonus, I gave away two seats to readers who shared a tip on using British Airways Avios miles in the comments of my original post.
The two winners are:
-Jeff, who said: "A great use of Avios is to use them for a short hop flight on American Airlines. I am using 7,500 Avios to get me to the Chicago Seminars this October, where I will learn how to earn even more Avios." That'll be a great use of them, Jeff.
-DCMOMO who said: "Using Avios for flights between Caribbean islands is a great value. I recently used them to get from San Juan, Puerto Rico, to St. Kitts. A one-way ticket was running $350 at the last minute, but it only cost me 4,500 Avios." Another great example of using the Avios distance-based formula to your advantage--and in the Caribbean no less.
2. I gave away another ticket to someone who Tweeted me @thepointsguy with another British Airways tip:
-Mike, otherwise known as infamousdx, who said: "Use the Miles & Cash option to get the most bang for your buck." Great tip, and one I'll be discussing later this week in my new Maximizing British Airways Avios Series.
3. I gave the final seat away to a Facebook member who wrote on my wall which airline and hotel they think will win top honors at the award ceremony:
-Erica, who wrote: "I think they'll go to Starwood Preferred Guest and Lufthansa, although personally, I hope Delta takes it." Interesting choice, and great to put a European carrier into the mix with Delta coming in a close second—not sure many people will agree with you there, Erica. Meanwhile I think SPG has a good shot since they've really ramped up their program within the past year.
So congratulations to all, and thanks again to everyone who commented, Tweeted and Facebooked.
I'll actually be handing out an award myself that evening, so be sure to follow my Tweets for the full story in real time.
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.