By Gabriel Eronmosele, Erons Travel, Fargo, ND · Last verified September 28, 2026
Quick answer:
- Yes.
- Points are strongest for positioning flights and high-priced business-class awards.
- Cash through an eligible preferred-partner rate can make sense for luxury hotels: preferred-partner access, ask me for details.
- The best mix depends on award availability, cash prices and booking rules.
You don’t have to choose between your credit-card points and someone who knows the hotel. We book mixed itineraries for clients in Fargo, Minneapolis and Des Moines regularly.
Image courtesy of Blake Wisz on Unsplash
Where points tend to win
- Positioning flights from FAR or GFK to MSP, Chicago or Denver
- One-way transatlantic or transpacific flights when cash business class is expensive and saver space exists
- A fifth night or a room category the award chart values generously
Image courtesy of Frugal Flyer on Unsplash
Where a paid preferred-partner rate tends to win
- Hotels where I have preferred-partner access (ask me for details)
- Safari camps and the Maldives
- Any stay where the rate code determines the benefits
Benefits vary by hotel, rate and dates, and depend on availability.
Sometimes you can redeem hotel points and still get a perk. Sometimes the perk disappears once you leave the eligible rate, so we check the rate code before you transfer 80,000 points you can’t get back.
Image courtesy of Ariel Nathan ADA MBITA on Unsplash
Taxes and “free” nights
Award tickets still carry taxes, resort fees and transfer costs. A “free” night that leaves you paying $400 a day for breakfast for two isn’t free.
Timing
Award inventory changes daily. If your dates are a Fargo wedding weekend or Christmas week, we search early and keep a cash backup.
Image courtesy of JESHOOTS.COM on Unsplash
What changes when you leave from Fargo
An award seat from MSP can look great while the Fargo-to-MSP flight can’t be added to the same ticket.
Before transferring points, price a positioning flight, a possible overnight, bags and the risk of separate tickets. If family members leave from Des Moines, Omaha or the Twin Cities, compare everyone’s arrival times before redeeming awards that are hard to change.
Image courtesy of Rachel Park on Unsplash
FAQ
Can you add benefits to a hotel I’ve already booked?
Usually benefits are tied to an eligible rate and booking channel, so ask before you book.
Will you charge a fee to book my points?
On a simple award ticket, ask us. On a full trip, the hotel and tour side is usually how the work is compensated.
Should I transfer points now?
Confirm award space, transfer rules and the final ticket price first. Transfers are often irreversible.
What should I bring to the first call?
Your dates, approximate balances, desired cabin and the programs where you hold points.
Want to know how advisor partner networks differ from card hotel programs? Read Hotel Preferred-Partner Networks Are Built on Relationships, Not a Big Bank.
Book a consultation · info@eronstravel.com · +1 (701) 729-6352
