Cool New SPG Auction: Emirates Business Class And 5 Nights In A Suite

Most people think about points and miles as a way to get vacations for cheap or free.  A few people think about points and miles as a way to get a “free” iPad (I’d prefer you weren’t one of those people). A select few try to use points for experiences, things you can’t necessarily buy.  For me, SPG Moments has been the best at this for quite some time.  Marriott seems to be raising their game here, though I haven’t bid on one of their auctions.

I was able to have an unbelievable experience redeeming Starpoints so my wife could have a tennis lesson with Andre Agassi.  We followed that up by watching some US Open tennis.  It was incredible.  To a lesser degree, redeeming Starpoints so my wife and I could see Billy Joel was also a super fun redemption.

I just saw another really interesting experience.  I’m guessing you’ll need a lot of Starpoints, but it could be worth it. Dave from Miles Talk wrote about the opportunity to fly Emirates business class on an inaugural flight and spend 5 nights in a suite.  I really like the details of this one:

Get your passports ready! SPG and Emirates Skywards are giving you the opportunity to be one of the first passengers on the inaugural Emirates flight from Dubai to Santiago de Chile. On July 5, experience Business Class treatment on the first ever Emirates flight to the Chilean capital, where you’ll be able to enjoy lie-flat seats, award-winning gourmet dining, up to 3,500 channels of entertainment on ice Digital Widescreen, and complimentary Emirates Chauffeur-drive service. Upon arrival immerse yourself in a luxurious 5-night stay at the trendiest and most vibrant spot in the city, W Santiago Hotel. Enjoy breathtaking sights of the Andes and stunning Santiago cityscape as soon as you step out onto the private balcony of the one-bedroom Marvelous Suite, where nothing stands between you and the panoramic views.

Experience includes:

• Two Emirates round-trip Business Class tickets on the inaugural flight from Dubai (UAE) to Santiago (Chile) (Departs July 5, 2018 – Returns July 11 , 2018 from and back to Dubai)
• Emirates Business Class tickets include:
  • Chauffeur-drive service to and from the airport in Dubai; access to Business Class lounge at Dubai airport, priority check-in, boarding and baggage delivery
• A 5-night stay in a one-bedroom Marvelous Suite for two at the W Santiago Hotel (Check-in July 5, 2018 – Check-out July 10, 2018 )
• Complimentary daily buffet breakfast for two
• Two complimentary drinks at Red2One rooftop bar
• Complimentary dinner for two at KARAI by Mitsuharu
• Airport transfer to and from W Santiago Hotel
• Experience is for two people

I’ll take Dave’s word on the math, that it would cost approximately 300,000 Starpoints for the trip.  You’ve also got those pesky taxes and fees to contend with.

The Final Two Pennies

For those folks who live a normal life, you’re probably saying something like, “Wait, you want me to fly from Dubai to Chile?”  Totally get that line of thinking.  I’m a special subset of crazy, though.  And, a trip like this has tremendous appeal to me.  I suspect the bidding on this one will get much higher than the ~150,000 points it’s at right now.  Plus, you’d need to find your way to Dubai on relatively short notice.  For all those reasons, I won’t be winning this auction.  But, that doesn’t mean I won’t be thinking it would have been cool.  Maybe not as cool as Andre Agassi….

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