Even better than the 20% offer seen in December and January, Melia Hotels International Mas Rewards program has launched a new buy Mas points bonus of 25% that runs until June 28! Much like my posts from the previous offer, this buy points offer can be parlayed into getting cheaper flights on airberlin between the U.S. and Europe (this is only one example, I’m sure there are other airberlin options available too!)
To start this off, per my posts earlier in the year, you can transfer Mas Points that are purchased over to airberlin or other Mas Rewards partners.
airBerlin topbonus is partner of the Mas Rewards program and Mas Rewards points transfer to Top Bonus at a rate of 2:1, which is probably their best ratio compared to their other partners like American and Delta.
As we already know from earlier in the year, it can worthwhile to buy Mas Rewards points to convert to airberlin topbonus for flight redemptions on airberlin especially now that airberlin is introducing a new lie flight business class cabin. Mas Rewards only allows you to buy up to 100,000 points in a 12 month period so I looked at airBerlin options at 60,000 miles and lower (100,000 Mas Points + 25% bonus of 25,000 Points converted to topbonus equals 62,500 Miles). One option under this amount is for a one way airBerlin Business Class ticket between North America and Berlin. According to airBerlin it costs 40,000 miles one way. This would require the purchase of 80,000 Mas Points, which with this promo the option is to buy 64,000 points + the 16,000 points bonus for 512EUR
I then looked at the cost of a one way Business Class ticket between New York and Dusseldorf on Oct 30, 2013. The cost total cost was $2555.62
Next I checked availability for the same flight using topbonus Miles and there was availability at 40,000 Miles + $460.00
To buy the Mas points and redeem for the flight you are looking at a total cost around $1140. That’s a $1,400 savings if you were to book the flight with cash! I noticed that airberlin has increased their fuel and security charges since the last time this buy points option came around which has made it a little more expensive.
Visit Melia.com to find out more about the buy points offer
Of course there are various business class sales that do pop up that can provide a better value than this but I think this option is worth being mentioned to the readers of FFB.
I’d love the hear comments/suggestions about this, other options for Melia stays, airberlin flights or other Melia partner redemptions that this buy points bonus should be used for!
