Quick $200 Giveaway – Leave a Comment Here

by Gary Leff

Quick giveaway: $200 (2 prizes of $100 gift cards)

I received 5000 Starwood Starpoints from a complaint that I didn’t feel was a great idea for me to take. Rather than trying to get them to claw back the points, I feel better giving something away in its place. A few readers had proactively suggested (I didn’t ask for advice… 😛 ) that I give away Starpoints, but I can’t really transfer them and they’re expensive to buy. So a $100 gift card seems appropriate there.

And in addition I had an extra $100 card I had purchased to do a few experiments with, and that I don’t wind up needing. Obviously it’s money, and I could either use the card or manage to get the funds back into a bank account. But the card was purchased in the name of frequent flyer ‘science’ so I figure it’s worth giving away here as well.

So that’s two good reasons to give away $100, and I thought I’d give away 2 x $100 gift cards. It’s not a monster big prize, so we’re not going to do a multi-day multi-post extravaganza on it. Just a quick giveaway over the course of the next 24 hours. (I’m leaving it open that long to ensure everyone following by email subscription, or regardless of time zone, has a change to participate.)

All you have to do is leave a comment on this post that answers any of the following:

  • What you will do with a $100 gift card?
  • What is the best travel tip you know?
  • What is the most valuable thing you’ve learned from this blog?

Any of these work.

You may enter one time only. By entering you agree that I’m trying to do something reasonably nice and you won’t give me a hard time over the nuances of rules, complain in any way, and agree to be bound by any and all of my judgments are they relate to this offer (and agree that those judgments are final and are not appealable).

Fire away in the comments, I look forward to drawing winners and sending out the prizes.

About Gary Leff

Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel - a topic he has covered since 2002. Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »

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Comments

  1. I’d use the $100 gift card on my upcoming vacation to Europe, which was partly made possible by Gary’s sage advice.

  8. I’d probably use it for any spends that I cannot get more than 2X on, so nothing from Office stores, gas station, or restaurants. Perhaps pay the cable bills?

  11. I will use the $100 to dive with sharks when I visit Australia using points that I learned to acquire while reading your blog

  13. Most valuable thing(s) I’ve learned from you, Gary, is how to wrack up huge numbers of miles in a variety of programs mostly via credit card bonuses and spend. Truly helpful.

  15. I’d break the hundred dollars into twenties and use it to score upgrades in Vegas. Fine it a number of times and it had never failed.

  17. The most valuable thing I have learned is how to accrue miles through credit card usage, and then how to redeem those earned miles for the best possible value.

  21. I would use the $100 toward paying the fuel surcharge on a BA award ticket to get home from Europe next summer. 🙂

  24. Pack clothes you are planning to donate. You can still donate at your destination and will have more room in your suitcase for souvenirs. The whole family is doing this in Milan right now but my daughter isn’t happy about having to wear floods!

  25. Share it with my newlywed friends from Montana, who i am gifting with award tix to FL in late March to thaw out!

  26. I would pour $100 back into basic frequent traveler research to supplement government funding 😉

  30. I’ve learned that anyone can travel in style but it does require some work to get the most out of it

  34. Best travel tip I’ve learned is how to most effectively use US Airways Divided Miles for Star Alliance reward to North Asia with free stopover in Europe. I’ve done this reward ticket twice in the past 8 months!

  36. The most valuable thing I’ve learned from this blog: simple economics related to miles. Back when US Airways did that 250% Holiday shopping bonus (aka as either the “trackitback deal” or more simply “the stickers deal”), I was on the fence. Didn’t want to buy a bunch of stuff I didn’t need; didn’t really want to fly US Air. Then, you posted the math, showing how we could essentially purchase miles for very little and use them on amazing award travel. A real light bulb went off for me. My life–and that of my family and friends–has never been the same!

  37. Best travel tip: Don’t spend BA avios on BA long hauls, use them on shorthauls (especially on AA or LAN)

  42. the most important thing i’ve learned from this blog is the importance of diversification! (esp when different promos come up and they require a certain currency….)

  43. What I’ve learned from this blog is the importance of finding the award seats you want before calling to book your trip. Phone agents are too busy and say no too much to be expected to find the most creative routings and their computers don’t necessarily find all stopover options.

  44. I would take the $100 gift card and use it toward a Priority Club stay to get credit towards Big Win so I can get more points!

  49. When you’re in a restaurant in China don’t call the waitress “Miss”. It also means “Whore” in Chinese.

  50. I’ll use the $100 gift card towards expenses when I attend the Seattle FTU in April! That’s a win-win for both us, Gary! 🙂 Thank you for all you do!

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