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

[CoP Luv]

The time has come for me to ditch the CSR (DH has one too). My AF hit on 2/1, so I have 30 days to cancel or downgrade, right? Do I get another CF or CFU, or just cancel? I might get another CF just because I have been getting pre-paid Visas with the 5x cat each quarter...there usually is one place each quarter that I can get some, and just paying for as much as I can with that. Comes out to about 3.8x UR after the fee on a $500 card.

I think I am also going to cancel my Disney Visa. Just referred DH to that one, so in a year, he can refer me back to it if I want. It's only been open since Summer 2017, so not a long history there.

Any issues with closing two cards in a year with Chase? Or just better to downgrade the CSR? This is a call-in thing right, not SM?

I just ordered my new Priority Pass from my Amex Plat. Any differences in use from the CSR? Still allows guests? We will both be using the PP Lounge in MCO coming up with our two kids so just checking on guest allotments. I read on one place that the Amex charges for guests, but then on another that you can have 2 guests for no charge. Both were Amex sites (not bloggers).

Any recent DP on using the PP Lounge/restaurant upon arrival? We are heading to Miami, and to avoid rush-hour to the hotel, and since it's around dinner, we were thinking of using our PP cards at the restaurant in the airport. I have successfully used PP upon arrival at MCO, but I didn't know if things have changed since the fall when I did that, or if it was different in the restaurants. This will be the first experience using PP in a restaurant, and I want to make sure we don't get charged a huge amount for airport food (we would just grab something quick around the hotel if we didn't do this).

 

[GusGus16]

Just making it back from my trip to Phoenix, I've been following along while I was away. I know there has been some talk about the SW companion pass, I earned mine very recently and added my companion about two weeks before the flights without any problems. Although I was worried about it and did not have enough RR points to book the flight prior to the the credit card bonuses posting. It doesn't typically make sense to book with cash as the refundable fares are typically uber expensive and otherwise you will get a credit good for one year. As a DP the first flight did sell out, and most of the SW flights at least at my airport seem to fly out full. I'm not sure who was asking the question, but my opinion is if that particular flight is super important to you then book it now and hopefully you can cancel the initial reservation and use the CP, but if you don't have the points or are willing to be flexible, have a couple flight alternatives I would roll the dice and wait until the CP posts.

Used TSA precheck again and just love it, if you have a credit on your cards use it, I find it so valuable to me.

I was disappointed that there is only one PP lounge at PHX airport and it is only available to PP holders until 3:30PM, so didn't get a chance to experience it.

Stayed at several different hotels, I may write up a little more in the hotel thread, although I didn't take any pictures of them. I had a great redemption through UR to Hyatt and won't hesitate to transfer UR to Hyatt (and Southwest) as I seem to be able to net >1.5 cent per point that way.

No plans for any new cards at this point, 5/24 until next month and the plan right now is just to optimize spend on my current cards.

Oh and if you made it through my rambling post, I still had that Marriott gift card from months ago that the Dolphin couldn't accept and didn't know when they would be able to accept. I inquired at the Westin we stayed at if I could use the gift card and they told me they were just starting training on the program this week and the plan is to be able to accept them 4/1, so YMMV, but hoping if you are holding some of the Marriott gift cards you will be able to use them at the other properties in a couple months.

ETA: disappointed about the Marriott point changes...another huge devaluation to their points although I haven't gone through the charts closely yet. I am hoping SW will open flights to Hawaii before the new charts go into effect, so I can potentially book flights and hotels before the category changes go into effect. Although that trip is not completely a reality yet.

 

[wendow]

The time has come for me to ditch the CSR (DH has one too). My AF hit on 2/1, so I have 30 days to cancel or downgrade, right? Do I get another CF or CFU, or just cancel? I might get another CF just because I have been getting pre-paid Visas with the 5x cat each quarter...there usually is one place each quarter that I can get some, and just paying for as much as I can with that. Comes out to about 3.8x UR after the fee on a $500 card.

I think I am also going to cancel my Disney Visa. Just referred DH to that one, so in a year, he can refer me back to it if I want. It's only been open since Summer 2017, so not a long history there.

Any issues with closing two cards in a year with Chase? Or just better to downgrade the CSR? This is a call-in thing right, not SM?

I just ordered my new Priority Pass from my Amex Plat. Any differences in use from the CSR? Still allows guests? We will both be using the PP Lounge in MCO coming up with our two kids so just checking on guest allotments. I read on one place that the Amex charges for guests, but then on another that you can have 2 guests for no charge. Both were Amex sites (not bloggers).

Any recent DP on using the PP Lounge/restaurant upon arrival? We are heading to Miami, and to avoid rush-hour to the hotel, and since it's around dinner, we were thinking of using our PP cards at the restaurant in the airport. I have successfully used PP upon arrival at MCO, but I didn't know if things have changed since the fall when I did that, or if it was different in the restaurants. This will be the first experience using PP in a restaurant, and I want to make sure we don't get charged a huge amount for airport food (we would just grab something quick around the hotel if we didn't do this).

Yes, 30 days to PC or cancel your CSR for full refund.

I used my Plat PP benefit in Nov at a restaurant and the server said I would get two guests covered with that (and dh would get himself plus two guests with his CSR).

We did use our PP upon arrival (twice now) and have not had any problems. however, we've never been asked to show a boarding pass and both times we did that, the restaurant was slower. When we were there last in Nov and used the PP restaurant upon departure, there were 1 hour waits for a table so I wouldn't have used it at a busy time like that if we had been arriving.

 

[striker1064]

Too early to panic but there is a DP in the r/churning DD thread today of somebody being billed $100 from their airline credit reimbursement. Apparently they got the reimbursement and then closed the card prompting AMEX to “claw it back”.

This would be something to follow as it could affect triple dip strategies on AMEX cards. That darn RAT is really messing with things if this starts to become a thing...

Meanwhile, I continue to be happy I’ve ended my relationship with AMEX.

If that's the real reason, that's bananas.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

I'm not finding hardly anything in Oak Brook as far as hotels that include breakfast and parking right off the interstate. I'm seriously considering just going my initial route that's only 20 minutes longer and has no tolls.

ETA: Thanks everyone for your help. The hotels I found aren't actually in Joliet. They're right off of I-55 in Grand Prairie. There were just more options here that included parking and breakfast.

Hyatt House Oak Brook $139
Town Place Suites Lombard $108.
Embassy Suites Lombard $149
Embassy Suites Naperville $102

 

[amalone1013]

Got DHs GE interview moved from 5/30 to 4/3 after just one day of checking

 

[tink1970]

I ended up donating my old car to Make a Wish...wanted to help out those kids that we so much of in Disney World. I called and they picked it up a couple hours later.

I wish they had a "love" button because that's awesome! Hooray for you!

 

[Oscar Madison]

It has for me at Walgreens, so I'm guessing yes to CVS.

ETA: when CF was 5% back at Walgreens (specifically only WG one quarter last year) I bought a Walgreen's gc after calculating the cost of DD's rx co-pays so it was like getting 5% for the rest of the year. You could also do that if you have recurring monthly co-pays

Great idea, with two type 1 diabetics in the family, we unfortunately meet our OOP spending each year.

 

[Haley R]

Hyatt House Oak Brook $139
Town Place Suites Lombard $108.
Embassy Suites Lombard $149
Embassy Suites Naperville $102

Are you looking on the chase portal? I’m wanting to book with URs.

I ended up booking the best western right off I-55 to the west of Joliet

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

also a survey going on to gather DPs...

This was a completely separate issue - the survey was on people not getting reimbursed (ie the AA issue). This comment was somebody who got their reimbursement (no issues) but had it clawed back after closing the card. Definitely something to watch although our usual welcoming crew at r/churning is immediately discrediting everything the poster has ever said LOL!

If that's the real reason, that's bananas.

Totally agree...I would want to see numerous DPs before declaring this one true.

 

[amalone1013]

I had the thought today that... instead of calling DCL to transfer to Costco... why not just book through Costco? Like there is literally no reason in this case to not do this, duh. And then I looked and they don't show aft rooms on the deck/category I want right now on Costco. That would be too easy.

 

[Haley R]

Dh and I decided we wanted to be extra romantic tonight so we are gonna go see the Lego Movie lol

 

[amalone1013]

Dh and I decided we wanted to be extra romantic tonight so we are gonna go see the Lego Movie lol

We loved it!

 

[Haley R]

We loved it!

That's good news! We were going to see The Upside, but Dh changed his mind. He told me we also have $15 in snack cash to use! I'm getting pretzel bites!

 

[Psychodisney]

for WoH question....nobody here familiar with the program/cc?

I am somewhat. We earned Explorist status for our Baha Mar stay in 2 weeks! Club access!!!

I think I missed your question...

 

[brownhaired_girl]

for WoH question....nobody here familiar with the program/cc?

Familiar with program/cc but not your specific problem as I already had an account before the cc. Think you might have to call WoH for this one.

I relay like the Hyatt program. I had been thinking you might need separate email, but that was Marriott. I have 3 WoH accounts in my email. I agree with @GZanta77 you may need to call in this one.

 

[momincolorado]

Hi All, I came across this thread just a few days ago, very new to this and would really appreciate some advice. Our current situation - we have a few cards (MPE, BoA and CF) that were opened many, many years ago, only recent one is Chase Disney Visa (opened 10/18). Credit score at 829. We do a bit of travel every year, multiple short trips to Disney each yr (prefer to fly SW), occasional international travel to visit family overseas (usually Lufthansa/United to Munich), one Etihad trip to Middle East last yr but this type of trip would be more rare for us. Looking for advice on travel CCs. I have a 100k MR offer from AMEX Plat (offer expiring in April) but also looking at CSR or possibly pairing the AMEX Plat with CSP as we do quite a bit of dining out and I have concerns about AMEX not being accepted everywhere overseas. This would mean earning both MRs and URs, not sure I like the idea as I would prefer to have points in one place, any thoughts on this? I like the Amex Platinum perks - would use the $200 travel credit on SW gift card - does this still work? - we use uber (or uber eats), like the hotels status and lounges but I also like the 1.5 CCP that CSR would provide if booking through the Chase portal. No issue with AF although the AMEX Plat $175 AU fee is pretty steep - I assume I would be able to put spouse and kids (ages 16 and 13) as the 3 AUs? We have a major remodel project coming up so no issue with the MSR for either AMEX Platinum or CSR. The question is - what card or cards would you recommend in our situation? AMEX Plat (and possibly also CSP) or just go with the CSR? Any cards out there that would be a better fit? TIA

 

[mhartman09]

Dh and I decided we wanted to be extra romantic tonight so we are gonna go see the Lego Movie lol

We just took DS to see this Sunday. We really loved it!

 

[Haley R]

We just took DS to see this Sunday. We really loved it!

This makes me happy because I thought it looked pretty dumb, but I enjoyed the first one. When we saw Lego Batman in theaters we thought it was terrible, but the more times I've seen it the more I've liked it. Let's be honest....I go to the movies for the snacks.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

Are you looking on the chase portal? I’m wanting to book with URs.

I ended up booking the best western right off I-55 to the west of Joliet

You can transfer URs to Marriott and Hyatt.

Just be aware you will be taking multiple expressways or lots of stoplights through the city to get there from UC.
When I use Google maps, it estimates 1 1/2 hr drive UC to the Best Western on Enterprise if that’s the one.