I love credit cards so much! v2.0 (see first page for add'l details)

[PolyRob]

But seriously? What should I do?

Convince me the plat is worth it? The gold has more useful categories for me. But we have a centurion lounge here in philly, but were a family of 4, so it’s almost not useful.

At 100,000, the Plat was worth it to me over the Gold.

I was really torn about the 4x categories and dining credit because I would 100% have used them to their fullest, but 100,000 MRs won't come up all the time and the Gold is only elevated by 10,000 MRs whereas the Plat is 40,000 MRs from the regular offer.

@Lain, @wanderlust7, and @kmc8826 helped me realize that once I got a foot in the door with Amex, I could start referring. If I referred myself to a Gold right now from my Plat, I would get 40,000 + 15,000 referral which is even better than the new offer. I currently have 0 referrals since its my first card so no worry about taxes on the referral right now. There are also business cards that will give you an even higher referral and not count towards your 5/24.

While the Rose Gold is pretty (my friend has one), the card itself carries no additional benefits compared to the regular Gold. You can always apply for the Gold down the line.

 

[LilSweetPeaPhoto]

Do you access it on public wifi at all? That could be the culprit.

Nope...My house most of the time. Maybe ONCE in a blue moon at school but on our "secure" network for teachers.

 

[PolyRob]

Correct!! Chase could absolutely crack down on that in the future but that is NOT the issue here. This was manipulation of links and/or numerous rapid PCs of a card to generate links for each Chase card from one card number. People were earning 200k+ URs from just one card this way.

I will again recommend that if it’s possible to recommend from P1 => P2 vs a self refer, That Route is preferable IMO. BUT if your only option is self refer (or in the instance of SW cards if self refer is part of the path to CP) I wouldn’t hesitate to do it.

Thanks for confirming! I'll play it slow and steady with the CIPpy cup until it dries up or I get hate letters from Chase in the mail haha

 

[PolyRob]

I saw a post on Reddit that Stop & Shop "definitely does not" report L3 data to Amex about four months ago:

https://www.reddit.com/r/churning/comments/act9sd/_/edrleyg

I am going to throw a $25 Disney gift card in my next order just as a test to see what pops up under my statement activity for future reference.

 

[LilSweetPeaPhoto]

Who's done AA Citi Biz card #2 just straight off the public links? I read the thread on Reddit....I'm going to cancel my citi biz today and I want to get going on my next spend.

 

[kidsfirsttrip]

Tried so hard to catch up but just fell waaayy behind!!!

Any DPs in Citi 2nd biz with public link? Is it for sure dead? My 95 days was this week.

Trying to keep Amex happy with DH so spending on those cards and hoping to get out of pop up hell. He is 3/24 so I’m itching to fill that spot but aspire would be a great choice.
Think I’ll go got CIP3 on 7/1!!!!

 

[wanderlust7]

But seriously? What should I do?

Convince me the plat is worth it? The gold has more useful categories for me. But we have a centurion lounge here in philly, but were a family of 4, so it’s almost not useful.

I'd go for the Platicorn. The SUB difference is 50k, you'd have to spend over $16k on the 4x categories to make up the difference. And you might already have other cards with elevated earnings for restaurants?

Do you have uses for the other plat benefits? Assuming you cancel after the first year - $200 airline credit x2, at least $200 in Uber credits (can be used for UberEats), $50 x3 Saks credit. Do you already have TSA Precheck or Global Entry? If your kids are over 13, you can also add them as "Gold" authorized users (not to be confused with the actual Gold card) for free. This will get them TSA/GE credits.

 

[Lain]

See my other comment - this is related to misuse of rewards program on specific cards. This is most likely related to the whole manipulating support links to exceed the intended max.

This would also support our reasoning for pulling the comments/instructions on Chase self-support to all cards (via link manipulation). Seems like that is definitely something to avoid!

I’ve read all the comments in both the dear diary and churning threads. There’s nothing other than vague reference to “rewards abuse” to suggest AK’s shutdown is related to the link manipulation hack to support to other card products. I believe AK, Andy, OJ, et al. were all doing to PC trick to exceed support click limits, and that’s what the first warning letter was supposedly about. Do you have any more info that connects AK’s shutdown to link manipulation to generate support for Chase’s other cards?

 

[amalone1013]

moral question here... looking at Swolphin with AA miles for one night. It's about 3k more miles to add a 3rd person to the room... but really, does it matter if there is an extra person in the room... there is no park time planned, no pool time, nothing like DME we'd be using... I see no reason to pay 3k more miles...

 

[miztressuz]

But seriously? What should I do?

Convince me the plat is worth it? The gold has more useful categories for me. But we have a centurion lounge here in philly, but were a family of 4, so it’s almost not useful.

I don't know that the Plat is necessarily worth it but are the 100k MR ? For me that's what I'd be looking at. How much more spend would you have to put on the Gold card at 4x to make up the difference and is that more than the 3k difference in MSR? My math's been funky lately but I think that's any where from 12.5 - 15K to make up the difference to "break even" depending on if you get the 40 or 50k offer. Even if I'm wrong it's gotta be more than 3k. I'd weigh that against the color. The Gold card itself in it's current form should be around for another year or two at least, could always pick it up later to be a workhorse after the CIP. (and get the self referral for it)

If you can figure out how to break even on the AF, I'd do 100k. But only you can decide what's best for your plans.

 

[happ]

 

[kidsfirsttrip]

moral question here... looking at Swolphin with AA miles for one night. It's about 3k more miles to add a 3rd person to the room... but really, does it matter if there is an extra person in the room... there is no park time planned, no pool time, nothing like DME we'd be using... I see no reason to pay 3k more miles...

Nah it’s so busy there have one person check in while the others hang in the lobby somewhere

 

[happ]

moral question here... looking at Swolphin with AA miles for one night. It's about 3k more miles to add a 3rd person to the room... but really, does it matter if there is an extra person in the room... there is no park time planned, no pool time, nothing like DME we'd be using... I see no reason to pay 3k more miles...

Perhaps it's the Dasani bottled water in your room. LOL

 

[Jax1023]

I'd go for the Platicorn. The SUB difference is 50k, you'd have to spend over $16k on the 4x categories to make up the difference. And you might already have other cards with elevated earnings for restaurants?

Do you have uses for the other plat benefits? Assuming you cancel after the first year - $200 airline credit x2, at least $200 in Uber credits (can be used for UberEats), $50 x3 Saks credit. Do you already have TSA Precheck or Global Entry? If your kids are over 13, you can also add them as "Gold" authorized users (not to be confused with the actual Gold card) for free. This will get them TSA/GE credits.

I did it! Approved! It really probably was a unicorn as I already have 3 other amex cards.

 

[wanderlust7]

I’m feeling so impatient and having major FOMO about the app for DH’s cip2. Closed the first one 5/31. Trying to hold off a few more days even tho Lain shared that DP of 6 days being fine. As y’all know, I am overly cautious in my churning.

In the meantime, dh’s Hilton biz comes up on the AF on 6/1. Considering switching to a personal card for him b/c the categories are better and he would still get 12x-14x for Hilton purchases. I’m not sure the Aspire is worth the AF since he is diamond anyways but we would use the resort credit. So I am leaning towards he ascend. Any thoughts? Change to personal or keep the biz version?

What's his 5/24 status, since it'll take up a slot? I want to get my DH the Aspire, seems it pays for itself. $250 airline credit, $250 resort credit, 1 weekend night each year (that you get right away, don't have to wait for the first anniversary). The first 2 already pays for the AF.

 

[wanderlust7]

I did it! Approved! It really probably was a unicorn as I already have 3 other amex cards.

Woohoo! We've got a whole herd of platicorns here!

Good trick combining the 2 word city name into one.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

I’ve read all the comments in both the dear diary and churning threads. There’s nothing other than vague reference to “rewards abuse” to suggest AK’s shutdown is related to the link manipulation hack to support to other card products. I believe AK, Andy, OJ, et al. were all doing to PC trick to exceed support click limits, and that’s what the first warning letter was supposedly about. Do you have any more info that connects AK’s shutdown to link manipulation to generate support for Chase’s other cards?

My understanding was that AK was taking this to a level far beyond most people’s comprehension. This probably comes as no surprise based on his personality and track record With all of his guides and such he was harvesting a crazy number of clicks I think.

I’m also basing that on the fact that they shut down specific accounts and cited Rewards Abuse which is a very different reason vs previous shutdown that specifically cited credit risk factors.

EDIT: so I acknowledge that I’m make some assumptions here and don’t specifically know the reasons (and Chase will probably never give them to him as they like to hide behind vague T&Cs as would be expected in any case like this).

 

[palhockeymomof2]

I did it! Approved! It really probably was a unicorn as I already have 3 other amex cards.

Congrats

 

[gottalovepluto]

Agree on showing up as if it's not delayed. I got to SJC on time for my flight only to have Alaska move me to the flight that was about to take off due to my later flight being delayed or something. Thankfully it's a small terminal where thr flight was. They were paging me as I went through security as I'm telling the tsa person that's me let's hurry up. Had to put my belt back on once I got to the plane. Shortest time I've ever been at an airport it was nuts.

I've also gotten to the airport for a redeye that was shown fine when we left for the 7ish mile drive to the airport only to be told it's cancelled and you're rebooked for the morning. Had to have mom come pick me back up.

And, while this won't happen with SW because they don't have bigger planes. Going to MI from SFO in college on united through DEN and the flight to DEN the night before had been canceled and they had a 777 they needed to get to DEN so they put everyone from the 2 flights on that plane and we took off normal. But I got stuck with a middle section seat but it was bulkhead.

You never know what the airline will ultimately decide to do which is why it's always good to show up 2 hours before.

My incident was AS at SJC too!

 

[Chancery8]

@SouthFayetteFan @georgina @Chancery8 And any other people with PIT as home airport (I am terrible at remembering, maybe we can share home airports on reddit somewhere?) DH said they are expanding the lounge. It wasn't like that when he was there a couple weeks ago, no clue on how long it will take but it is needed. The one there now is tiny.

View attachment 405982

I've been so out of the loop here on the boards, I just saw this...thanks for the heads up. I agree, it needs to be bigger, but ugh...I'm flying out next weekend for Disney (part of the reason I've been MIA here...trying desperately to wrap up with work stuff and pack and get life in general in order before we go) and wanted to hit up the lounge. Any chance this photo isn't showing that part of the club is still operating (wishful thinking).....?

Speaking of packing...any DCL cruise veterans have any suggestions on must pack items for the cruise? I'm stressing out packing for both the parks and the cruise....is that normal? Is it just me? Why is packing so stressful for me?!?