SPG Starwood Starpoints give a 25% bonus on transfers of 20,000 points and they transfer to BA Avios at a rate of 1:1. Until 13 January 2013 Avios are giving 25% more Avios when you convert your hotel loyalty points into Avios. I don't know if that is 25% on 20,000 or 25% on 25,000, but either way it seems a good deal if you use Avios, as I do for short trips. A short hop North American return ticket, say NYC to Montreal or loads of options in Europe is only 9,000. A flight from NYC to Tel Aviv on Air Berlin is just 60,000 Avios round-trip with $81 in taxes. That is just 40,000 Starpoints. Seems a good combination deal. Starpoints convert to Delta at 1:1 who require 80,000 miles NYC-TLV-NYC [i.e. 65,000 Startpoints using the bonus on 60,000] but Delta have very low availability. United, who have great availability also take 80,000 miles NYC-TLV-NYC but they convert from Starwood at 2:1, i.e you will need 130,000 Starwood points [including the bonuses]. Air Berlin is not at all bad if you don't mind not flying direct but at three Air Berlin tickets for the price of one on United, it is a great deal.