Parting is such sweet sorrow and so is redeeming SPG points. SPG points are some of the most valuable loyalty program points. Their flexibility is powerful. You can redeem them for a lot of different things including hotel rooms, aspirational airline awards, and an often overlooked but interesting redemption, the SPG moment. But without pain there is no pleasure.
Alex shared his infamous 1 CPM (cent per mile – a value metric) redemption yesterday and it reminded me of something. We’ve all been there, feeling sorrow or regret for redeeming points and miles at a below par value. I’ll admit it, I was there once too.
I traded a friend a very flexible currency (not SPG) for a non-loyalty brand hotel stay at just over 1 CPM. This wasn’t the greatest value on paper. I rationalized it in my mind at the time since I couldn’t redeem points or miles for the hotel. But when I look back at that hotel stay and trip, I can remember the moments very well. We spent the entire weekend with my brother, his wife and their new born baby. A priceless weekend.
Programs are now offering more and more options to redeem points and miles for unique or once in a life time experiences, and I couldn’t be happier. So are others.
Just yesterday, I sat next to a Delta Diamond member and Gold lifetime member at the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival. He has more miles than he knows what to do with. But he doesn’t always want to fly somewhere. As he told the story sitting next to his dear wife, I could see where he wanted to be, right there next to her. So when Delta gave him the chance to redeem about 100,000 SkyMiles to attend the Miami Food & Wine Festival, he jumped at the opportunity to spend a weekend with his wife doing something really fun. When he was speaking about the story, you could see the value he got from the fond memories. Much more than 1 CPM.
Whether you’re jetting off to the Seychelles, Mauritius and Paris for 3 weeks or just heading down to the Food & Wine Festival in Miami for the weekend, using points and miles for experiences you could not otherwise have had is what it’s all about in my book.
Last week we shared how you could sizzle and mingle with the stars on American Airlines miles. Those events didn’t catch our eye so we passed. But this week something unique piqued our interest.
SPG Moment Redemption
Fast forward to this week we checked the SPG auction site and noticed an event we’ve always wanted to attend, the 94th PGA Championship event on Kiawah Island. So we pulled the lever and redeemed 20,000 Starpoints for jackpot. An afternoon in the SPG Skybox on the 17th green of the Ocean golf course with my brother.
Ocean Course At Kiawah Island
How To Purchase
You can purchase a number of moments for the PGA Championship through SPG’s website.
- VIP Access in 17th Green SPG Skybox
- Tickets to the grounds for any day
- Play the course like a pro on Monday after the tournament
My Choice
We selected the VIP access to the PGA Championship.
We get 2 VIP tickets to the event, a free ride from and parking from the Sheraton by the airport, and access to the SPG Skybox on the 17th hole of the course.
Bottom Line
The SPG moment award is an often overlooked redemption option. We stalk this page like it is our job, hoping for that once in a lifetime opportunity to experience something new that we could not access otherwise.
While we’ve had our fair share of high value awards (NA, SA, AF, EU, AP), we’ve found there is more to this points and miles game than a high CPM. In our minds, we’re redeeming the 20,000 SPG points for a moment that carries a priceless CPM.
The weekend will be filled spending time with my brother and his family, introducing Baby Weekly Flyer to the cousins, and making new memories. The catalyst for all of these memories, the unique opportunity to spend afternoon in the Skybox with my brother. We could not have had access if it wasn’t for the use of a SPG moment.
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The Weekly Flyer writes about travel from a business traveler perspective. He travels the world every week accumulating points and miles along the way.
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Hear hear! Well done, well said. If I want a comfortable bed I have one in my home, don’t need a plane for that. But I don’t have a major golf championship in my bedroom.
Have you been to Kiawah?
Hi Rapid Travel Chai – Thanks
Stacey – Not yet, but we are on our way
I feel the same way redeeming 40k at Disney Swan. Priceless considering it’s the first visit for the kids and the first time MIL has gone with any grandkids.
Kiawah is about 45 min to an hr drive from the Sheraton.
Don’t stay @Sheraton if you can avoid it. Horrible location and nothing to do around there.
If you’re staying overnight and not staying at Kiawah, stay in downtown CHS it will be 25/30 min drive. Marriott has great options, Hilton has options and then there’s the fabulous Charleston Place Hotel. Only decent SPG in CHS is aloft airport and it’s just as far as Sheraton. You could stay at my place since it sits empty about 10 mths a year…but it’s also about an hr drive.
If you need restaurant recs, LMK. If I am in town, I’d be happy to buy you a drink schedule permitting.
Also, there are tons of private condos for rent at Kiawah. That’s a great way to go too.
Hi Stacey – Agree on Sheraton, not our first choice. We are considering houses with family on Edisto, Folly, and Isle of Palms. We are open to other areas but are having a hard time finding decent houses that have availability. Would like Kiawah but can’t touch their asking prices with a 10 foot pole. Any thoughts on rental homes in the area would be appreciated.
I will send you a message on the BA forums
There a lot of options and I might have some neighbors looking to rent their places.
We also redeemed our points for both the Friday and Sunday SPG 17 Skybox at Kiawah, and we also reluctantly booked the Sheraton due to the shuttle service and the sky high hotel prices in old town. Very interested in any additional insight on other avenues. IT is just my wife and I, and we are coming in Wednesday afternoon and leaving the monday after the tournament. We use our SPG points almost exclusively on SPG Moments, and we have done some downright amazing things on these points. I just played golf with a tour pro at one of the most exclusive courses in Texas, and we are doing the Van Halen VIP concert experience as well!!