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

[calypso726]

Seeking advice about redeeming a long way off. Wife and I are looking at Paris in 2021 for my 40th birthday. We currently have AMEX and Chase. Trying to get flights from either ORD or MSP, prefer non-stop and premium class but not deal breakers. Anyone have any recommendations of who I should be looking at and what plans I should be making now?

I'd start by doing some dummy bookings to see what airlines have the most available non stop flights on a given day from those airports. Then, once you narrow that down, go to that airline's website and see how many miles it would cost for the flight. This would give you a good idea if any of the Chase or Amex transfer partners would work. ORD is a hub for both AA and UA. But MSP is a hub for Delta. If AA has the most flights, Chase and Amex won't be much help to you since neither has AA as a transfer partner. Chase UR transfer to UA and Amex MR transfer to DL.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Thank you, mmmears! We did end up going with the CSR. Hope your daughter has a great year!

If you went with the CSR today, you have a very small window of time to consider doing the MDD and getting a CSP tomorrow. This would give you the opportunity to earn 64k more URs. If you can hit $8,000 in MSR in 90 days, it's worth considering....but you'd want to apply tomorrow morning for that card to make it work. If you don't do it tomorrow you basically don't get another Sapphire for 4+ years, lol! (If the $8k is a stretch, no worries)

 

[amcc]

Thanks! I’m planning to see if my parents and brother want to be added to get TSA or Global Entry. They don’t care about it taking up a 5/24 slot. I’ll be closing my Platinum when the annual fee comes due in August so trying to squeeze these in. I also have a promo for 5K MR for each AU added that spends $500. I would plan on spending the $500 for them but it’s a nice little bonus in addition to getting them GE for no fee.

Two of my sons got the Gold as AU and both of their GE credits posted. We have our interviews on Tuesday! How did you get that 5k offer? Email or some other way? Right now, my kids are the ones putting spend on this Plat account (through their AU cards) and I hope that keeps the Amex RATs happy.

 

[amcc]

Does anyone know if ETSY ever shows up on a shopping portal? Or, does Etsy have gift cards available for purchase at brick and mortar stores that may offer a higher points per dollar for purchase? I see a growing addiction to Disney inspired Minnie Ears headbands coming my way.

It shows up on Ibotta every so often. Highest I’ve seen is 4%.

 

[kidsfirsttrip]

@striker1064 made a comment about a card not being worth giving up a 5/24 spot. I know this has been discussed before but with offers changing and cards falling off I’m looking for ideas if P2 remains in Amex purgatory. Here’s what I have and why
P1
1. SW Premier (closed now) for a CP
2. SW plus (also closed) for above CP wish I wasn’t too chicken at the time to do a biz
3. Marriott premier - was at 100k and collected a boatload of marriott points with Amex too
4. Amex PGR - came with a good bonus, love the 4x grocery and dining
(Will stay at 4/24 as long a I can keep Opening chase biz cards every 3 months)

P2
1. Freedom unlimited - got 3x for one year
2. Marriott premier - same reason as P2
3. Arrival plus - $700 sign up for travel rewards
Looking to fill spot 4 thinking Aspire if Amex will let me!

 

[Alexle2007]

For the RCCL transfer to Chase, do I complete transfer request first or wait until I call Chase to transfer it?

 

[bernina]

Two of my sons got the Gold as AU and both of their GE credits posted. We have our interviews on Tuesday! How did you get that 5k offer? Email or some other way? Right now, my kids are the ones putting spend on this Plat account (through their AU cards) and I hope that keeps the Amex RATs happy.

I received an email from Amex the other day with the title “Bernina, earn 5,000 Membership Rewards® points (and that's just the beginning)”. It’s a targeted offer although it seems like a lot of folks have received it in the past. It came the same day I applied for a new Delta Gold Business card so not sure if the app triggered the offer or it was just coincidence. I’m also coming up on my 1 year anniversary in August. Maybe they’re trying to entice me to keep it.

 

[Calfan]

Do they not allow points bookings at the Radisson Blu there? Seems like I remember you saying that you had to pay for that one. I like that you can fit 4 in a room there.

As @calypso726 mentioned, this hotel does allow points bookings. My issue was just a shortage of points, but once my DD and I decided to come in a day early, I did book our first night on points in a non-family room since it will just be the two of us.

 

[orangecuse]

P2 got the Platicorn! Actually I pulled it up and yelled “OMG you got a Platicorn!” And he went “What did you just say to me?!” Hahaha

 

[GlamMistress]

Has anyone else posted about the offer from Amex for those of us with the Amazon Biz card?

You get a $100 statement credit after spending $3k in 3 months... but any money you spend at Amazon isn't eligible.

I'm not doing this offer but why in the world isn't Amazon spend eligible on the Amazon card?!

 

[Haley R]

Get any pins lol or prints? Those are my obsessions lol



Wow! I’m only working on
P2s Amex Gold. (2k) and p2s citi AS Biz (5k)

Their pins here are pretty bad lol. They aren’t very good quality. They don’t do the whole pin trading here. I did see some I liked but they didn’t say Tokyo Disney on them. What are prints?

 

[DisneyMandC]

AF finally posted on my Hilton Biz today. Thinking I’ll apply for another Amex around 7/1 and then cancel Hilton biz... Now I need to decide which card to get. I want more Hilton points, but also more Marriott points... but I also don’t have any MR cards yet lol.

 

[kidsfirsttrip]

AF finally posted on my Hilton Biz today. Thinking I’ll apply for another Amex around 7/1 and then cancel Hilton biz... Now I need to decide which card to get. I want more Hilton points, but also more Marriott points... but I also don’t have any MR cards yet lol.

Rose gold? Platinum?

 

[Haley R]

I got so excited for you when I saw the pictures up on Instagram

We're about $600 away from dh's CIP MSR. It was approved two weeks ago lol

To use the excursionist benefit, you have to book all 3 flights at the same time. The third flight must end in the region where the first flight originated. The second flight must originate and end within one region.

For example, we could fly to Australia, fly from Australia to New Zealand, then fly home to the US from New Zealand. Unfortunately we won't be able to do that because the biz saver flights to Australia may not be still be available when the NZ return flights are.

United regions are weird, so check especially if you are planning on going to Asia.

Today we’re just sitting around to relax before the next 4 days of parks but I almost wish we went into a park today lol.

 

[MrPTato]

Has anyone else posted about the offer from Amex for those of us with the Amazon Biz card?

You get a $100 statement credit after spending $3k in 3 months... but any money you spend at Amazon isn't eligible.

I'm not doing this offer but why in the world isn't Amazon spend eligible on the Amazon card?!

I don't think most banks charge interchange fees on their co-brand offerings to their respective store/affliate. So Amazon probably doesn't have to pay Amex any fees when the card (Amazon Biz) gets "swiped" and used through Amazon. I assume they are hoping to make money off the swipe fees elsewhere to help cover the promotion.

 

[mmmears]

P2 got the Platicorn! Actually I pulled it up and yelled “OMG you got a Platicorn!” And he went “What did you just say to me?!” Hahaha

Congrats! And LOL. What's a "Platicorn?" I was really excited when I saw that I had that offer.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Totally off-topic but I'm sure you'll all get a kick out of this here...

I'm not big on shopping...so when I buy something, I usually buy a lot of it so I don't have to shop frequently. It probably also won't surprise you that I price shop everything and take forever to make a decision....I can spend 30 minutes making a decision over $0.50!

Well today was Deodorant day... My supply is running low so I headed to Walmart which is right next to my Giant Eagle (grocery store) to make this all-important purchase! I first ducked into Giant Eagle just to comparison shop (and this is after I also looked up some prices online before I headed to the store). I'll spare you the nickels and pennies of my analysis but Walmart was the winner. I'll also spare you how I went back and forth a dozen times on brands as well (basically debating if switching from the one I currently use was worth it over $0.68...somehow I convinced myself to stick with the tried and true product)....

So anyway...as any normal male would do, I had no cart, no basket...and who cares. I proceeded to grab four 2packs of the deodorant I had settled on and 4 individual antiperspirants that are for use on especially sweaty days. (Yes I know this is way more detail than you wanted). And so I proceeded to carry 12 deodorant cartridges (is that the word??) cradled in my arms, up to the register and plop them down on the belt. I'm thinking nothing of this activity at all as this could be a 12+ month supply for me which is exactly how I like to shop.

Well, the look a young 20-something Walmart register operator gives you when you purchase 12 things of deodorant...let's just say it's a little strange. She's thinking "how sweaty is this dude"...or "does he eat this stuff or something". So uhh I think I became my own "person of walmart" meme today...

But hey, it's $25 towards my MSR and I'm set on the deodorant front for a year probably!

 

[Lain]

Totally off-topic but I'm sure you'll all get a kick out of this here...

I'm not big on shopping...so when I buy something, I usually buy a lot of it so I don't have to shop frequently. It probably also won't surprise you that I price shop everything and take forever to make a decision....I can spend 30 minutes making a decision over $0.50!

Well today was Deodorant day... My supply is running low so I headed to Walmart which is right next to my Giant Eagle (grocery store) to make this all-important purchase! I first ducked into Giant Eagle just to comparison shop (and this is after I also looked up some prices online before I headed to the store). I'll spare you the nickels and pennies of my analysis but Walmart was the winner. I'll also spare you how I went back and forth a dozen times on brands as well (basically debating if switching from the one I currently use was worth it over $0.68...somehow I convinced myself to stick with the tried and true product)....

So anyway...as any normal male would do, I had no cart, no basket...and who cares. I proceeded to grab four 2packs of the deodorant I had settled on and 4 individual antiperspirants that are for use on especially sweaty days. (Yes I know this is way more detail than you wanted). And so I proceeded to carry 12 deodorant cartridges (is that the word??) cradled in my arms, up to the register and plop them down on the belt. I'm thinking nothing of this activity at all as this could be a 12+ month supply for me which is exactly how I like to shop.

Well, the look a young 20-something Walmart register operator gives you when you purchase 12 things of deodorant...let's just say it's a little strange. She's thinking "how sweaty is this dude"...or "does he eat this stuff or something". So uhh I think I became my own "person of walmart" meme today...

But hey, it's $25 towards my MSR and I'm set on the deodorant front for a year probably!

TMI!

 

[platamama]

Does anyone have the Discover It Miles card? I've read that you can redeem the miles at 1 cpm as a statement credit, is that accurate? I already have a regular Discover It card from a long time ago so I'm familiar with that one.

I'm considering opening one. Since Discover will match earnings within the first year, it's basically a 3% card for the first year with no cap. And Discover is allowed for mortgages on Plastiq (that's the kicker). Because I have some FFDs from the recent promo, it could make sense in my situation. I might even be able to get a total of 5% cash back on my mortgage til the end of the year; but I have to see if my plan works before I know for sure.

That will put me at 5/24 until August, and if the CIPpy cup is still flowing I can try for #3 then and it will be 4 months since opening #2, so opening the Discover now doesn't disrupt my CIP timing too much.

Except for the Hyatt and IHG cards, I pretty much have all the Chase cards I could need or want: CF (x2), CIC, CSR, CIP (x2), Marriott, SW Priority, SW Biz and I'm an AU on an old CFU.

 

[platamama]

@striker1064 made a comment about a card not being worth giving up a 5/24 spot. I know this has been discussed before but with offers changing and cards falling off I’m looking for ideas if P2 remains in Amex purgatory. Here’s what I have and why
P1
1. SW Premier (closed now) for a CP
2. SW plus (also closed) for above CP wish I wasn’t too chicken at the time to do a biz
3. Marriott premier - was at 100k and collected a boatload of marriott points with Amex too
4. Amex PGR - came with a good bonus, love the 4x grocery and dining
(Will stay at 4/24 as long a I can keep Opening chase biz cards every 3 months)

P2
1. Freedom unlimited - got 3x for one year
2. Marriott premier - same reason as P2
3. Arrival plus - $700 sign up for travel rewards
Looking to fill spot 4 thinking Aspire if Amex will let me!

I'm seeing a big gaping hole where a CIP should be!! And that doesn't even affect any plans for an Aspire!