Why I Bought 80k Choice Hotel Points

I am trying to go for the Southwest Companion pass this year and I was only able to apply for one card (biz version) since I already had the personal version. So that means I had to find a way to come up with the remaining 60k points within a few months. In hind site, I should have started earlier this year but oh well.

Well, I came across MMS post on 10 ways to get extra points towards a Companion Pass and saw all the many great options. A few have to do with transferring hotel points to SWA which would count toward the pass.

Luckily for me, the Daily Getaways this past Thurs was selling Choice hotel points. I could get 40k points for $150 with my Amex card. According to the hotel website, 6,000 Choice hotel points would convert to 1,800 SW Rapid Reward points.

I am serious about getting this Companion Pass so I stalked the Daily Getaways website, and right when the time came, I decided to buy 2 packages of 40k points. This total of 80k points would cost me $300 and would convert to 23,400 SW points. This cost I feel would be worth it since someone could fly with me for free for the remaining time in 2013 and all of 2014. This gets me a third of the way there. I guess I jumped on the gun when I posted that actually getting a Daily Getaways was a joke.

Other ways I’m earning miles is going through their shopping portal whenever I shop and flying southwest for trips I am taking soon.

I’m also doing manufactured spending for free by buying Chase gift cards which will also earn me miles.

Oh the things we will do for miles and points 🙂