Points Queen: How to Maximize Your Travel Rewards Points

Points Queen. That's me. Not because I have the most points, but because I use them thoughtfully and creatively. I've bought furniture with hotel points and rental cars with airline points. I even plan to do all my Christmas shopping with my points.

Here is a great example. This weekend I went shopping for my new condo. I got all this stuff with minimal impact on my points balance:

Let me share my secrets.

I have travel points in 3 main accounts: Delta Skymiles, Marriott Rewards, and my American Express Business Card Rewards. You may have others (maybe you fly US Airways, bless your heart), but the guiding principles on how to use them are the same. Think about the following:

1. Point Value. All points are not created equal. Consider the dollar return on your points. For example, a Kindle PaperWhite 3G (with case) from the Marriott Online Store is 82,500, or about 375 points used per dollar. I can order the same thing from the Delta Skymiles Marketplace for 31,000 points, or 141 points per dollar.
2. Ease of Point Accumulation. My Marriott Rewards points multiply like bed bugs (see what I did there?). But my Delta Skymiles and Amex Points are much arder to get because my flights have been short and my business expenses low. So this is my point profile: lots of Marriott points, fewer Amex and Delta points. 

It's a balancing act. Let's consider the Kindle. Marriott charges over 2.5 times more than Delta (82,500 versus 31,000). But hey, I accumulate Marriott Points 5 times faster than Delta Skymiles, so using Marriott still makes more sense for me.
It will be different for everybody. Maybe you're like me - you don't travel far, but you stay in nice hotels. Or maybe you fly to Shanghai every week, but you stay in a 1-star hotel above a brothel.
In any case, getting the best bang for your buck is a function the two factors above. Consider both when decided how to buy with your points.

Here are some other useful tips to maximize your rewards:

1. Consider a rewards credit card. In addition to perks (free checked bags, double miles, buddy passes, automatic status upgrades, etc), you usually get a reward when you sign up (Delta offers 30,000 miles and Marriott offers up to 100,000 points). Be aware that there may be an annual fee after the first year. Therefore, these cards are really only worth it if you use them regularly.
2. Airline points are best for airline purchases.  Although not always true, airline points generally have the best return on travel purchases. Plus, many airlines offer wonderful packages or last minute travel deals for points; you can get a great deal if you're patient and flexible.
3. There are multiple ways to redeem for merchandise, and they are not equal. Let's go back to the Kindle example. Marriott offers the Kindle for 82,500 points. Or you could get a $200 Best Buy Gift Card for 60,000 points. The gift card is a much better deal! Shop around, be creative, and take  a moment to do the math.
4. Gift cards are awesome. In general, gift cards have great point value and give you flexibility. Here's another example: The Coach Madison East/West Satchel. American Express offers this gorgeous $398 bag for 52,550 points (132 points/dollar). Not bad. Or you can get a $400 gift cards for 40,000 points (100 points/dollar). The gift card also allows you to wait for a sale (even more value!) or go to the outlet to find a bag you like even better.
5. Shop Sales. And not just in stores. Points marketplaces will often put things on "point" sale. Truth be told, I haven't figured out any kind of pattern and they don't seem to advertise it. However, if you're not in a hurry to get something, then it may be worthwhile to watch and wait.
6. Shop through bonus portals. United Airlines offers a unique option for online shopping through Mileage Plus Shopping. Simply access your vendor through the United Rewards Marketplace, and you'll get miles for your purchase. You're still shopping from your chosen vendor (Macy's, Nordstrom, The Gap, etc), but you get a point boost with United Airlines. For example, my coworker spent $137.49 on Nordstrom.com and received 825 miles (a 6 mile/dollar bonus). I'm sure they're using her purchase history for evil market research, but if that doesn't bother you then it's a great deal.
7. Hooray for Promotions. Many companies offer occasional bonus promotions, often with little or no commitment. I'm a big fan of the Marriott Mega Bonus, which offers 50,000 points if you stay 25 nights within a certain time period. I almost exclusively stay at Marriott when I travel on business, so it's just free points. Here's another example: Delta is currently offering unlimited bonus miles for New York-->Milan. Do you live in NYC and fly to Milan every week on business? Congratulations, free points! Seriously, keep an eye out for these rando promotions! Read the spam email from your rewards programs, because there are hidden gems.
8. Don't be a status slut. Quality over quantity. The higher your status, the more points you get for every dollar you spend. So if you can, try to stick with one (maybe two) hotel/airline/rental car lines to build status. Here is food for thought: You're flying Atlanta-->Memphis on Delta. Without status you get 500 miles, with Silver status you get 625 miles, and with Gold you get 1000 miles. And so on. Monogamy wins.
9. Complain and reap the rewards. I'm not saying you should take advantage (wink), but if you have a really awful experience, then by all means call customer service. They'll usually help you out, especially if you have status. For example, this past weekend I rented an SUV that required a funnel to fill the tank (seriously, a FUNNEL), but the funnel was nowhere to be found. I was late for my flight. I gave up. I had to return the gar without gas. I immediately called National Customer Service to complain, and they didn't charge me for gas. I got a free tank! Awesome! Also, turns out the funnel was located under the spare tire in the trunk. Wtf.