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

[Limes96]

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[SouthFayetteFan]

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[disneymagicgirl]

by waiting could I save 27k miles...psht...it's 27k AA miles. Those things grow on trees!!!

They do? I thought that was basically over?

 

[amalone1013]

I went ahead and did it. They are 6:05 am flights, 24 hours apart. Fingers crossed nothing will be cancelled and SW FL gets a glancing blow.

You should be fine, I do that sometimes while we are narrowing down exact dates for a trip. Never had them cancel.

What do I doooo????
The path of Dorian slowed and now shows 2am Tuesday. Needless to say, I worry about the airport getting back up to full operation, schedule disruptions, etc if I stick with my Tuesday flight. Also, the spaghetti models show a u-turn which keeps it in my flight path longer than just 12 hours. Earliest I can switch to is Monday leaving BNA at 2:45. That is worrisome too, in case the storm speeds back up. Ugghhh. On the current track, that would put is getting in just shy of 12 hours from when it is supposed to pass thru orlando.
Should I switch now?
And of course, I am wishing I had spent the money to put us at YC if we are going to be there during the storm so we could move about. Boo on that.

I am feeling way more stressed now that I am reading the dis update thread on the storm. Our original flight home is early Tues, I had one Tues evening on SW points and decided it didnt hurt to keep it... but seems like either way those may be out.

GUYS!!!! THEY ARE BACK...

ALL THE MODERATE AND DELUXE DISNEY RESORTS APPEAR TO BE SHOWING FULL AVAILABILITY ON AAVACATIONS and USEAAMILES!!

Special thanks to @pinkxray for mentioning something causing me to check again today. Very limited availability had been coming and going BUT this morning...EVERYTHING!

Sorry just to clarify this is for 2020!

Me originally: VALUES??? Then I saw your update

 

[Alexle2007]

Gah - I can't even type straight today. MOD and DELUXE. I'll Edit! See...I'm not coherent...I've woken up too early...I'm too excited!! Don't worry it's not you...it's me... I'll get there, I just need to get a pop tart in my system HAHA!

Awesome! Which kind of pop tarts? My order is Cherry Frosted, Raspberry Frosted and Strawberry Frosted. (My list ends there )

Now to complete my Aviator Biz spend so I have enough points. I am looking at either YC, BC or BWI so we can walk to Epcot and HS since that is where DS wants to spend most of his time.

 

[hsmamato2]

P2 is officially 4/24 as of 8/12 safe to app for CIP2 now?

 

[Jax1023]

They do? I thought that was basically over?

Right? I thought the grAAvy train was dead as of last week?

also how quickly do we think I can get 300,000 as miles?

 

[*WDW*Groupie*]

Talk to me about filing a trip insurance claim with Chase (CIP)... can I use “trip interruption” and get a part of our trip covered or is it all or nothing? A quick reading through of the policy seems like this hurricane would qualify but I hate the idea of not going at all. ☹

Call Chase and ask -- they are super helpful. I have called a few times and asked questions about what is covered and what isn't. I would say that a hurricane would trigger "trip interruption", but definitely confirm with them.

 

[PolyRob]

So I'm thinking through that right now and we are absolutely on the same page!! I have enough miles in my account to book CR - and to your point, the 10% discount is minimal. I think I'm going to jump on the Contemporary Theme Park view using 271k of my 309k balance. (the 2nd portion of my split stay). So by waiting could I save 27k miles...psht...it's 27k AA miles. Those things grow on trees!!!

I think I might wait on the YC portion because of a few reasons:
1) We don't have enough miles yet - by the end of Sept we'll have another 80k AA miles in her account and that combined with a potential discount could mean $0 out of pocket.
2) it's more likely to receive a deep discount
3) If it went away, my consolation prize is that I can book the dining plan direct through Disney and that would save us some money based on how I've lined up the deals.

Thanks for chiming in and completely confirming where my head is at right now.

Glad I was making sense and we were thinking the same way! I like your plan and consolation prize. Very convenient you would have the DP for the first split too so you have it the whole checkout day to use credits. Worst case scenario isn't all that bad

 

[PolyRob]

Awesome! Which kind of pop tarts? My order is Cherry Frosted, Raspberry Frosted and Strawberry Frosted. (My list ends there )

This is all I can think of when someone mentions a cherry Pop Tart

 

[Tikitoi]

@Tikitoi I agree here. LAX has more options but the idea of it stresses me out because LAX is huge and busy. Plus you need transpo to Anaheim. If you can find something workable to SNA, it’s an easy Uber to the DLR area. If not, LAX would be a second choice for us. It’s a long Uber ride or rental car vs shuttle/car service.

Thanks for that. Will check both since we will be flying out of Vegas. So these will be one way flights.

 

[palhockeymomof2]

No fee VGCs will be back at Staples! (9/1-7) Yay!!!!! Staples is so much more convenient than OD/OM.

https://www.doctorofcredit.com/staples-no-purchase-fee-on-200-visa-gift-cards-9-1-9-7/

Yaa...Staples is right by me....Thanks for posting

 

[ten6mom]

I just called quality assurance and they assured me only one payment is showing on their end and it may just be the authorization. Makes me feel a little better, but only time will tell

Mine has corrected itself!

Awesome! Which kind of pop tarts? My order is Cherry Frosted, Raspberry Frosted and Strawberry Frosted. (My list ends there )

Unfrosted Strawberry, toasted, with butter . Don't knock it till you try it!

 

[calypso726]

I knew I would lose value of the URs by not transferring them.... but I am afraid of doing something wrong in all the transferring! I'm feeling overwhelmed more than anything. I have just been combing the award travel and churning threads on reddit and it seems very, very overwhelming to me and all I can think is "I'll never be able to figure out this travel partner/miles transfer thing!"

No real objection to ANA either. I've already signed up for both theirs and Virgin Atlantic's frequent flier programs so that I would have a place to put my miles when I got them....

I'm sorry; I'm just rambling and trying to be realistic. I would honestly LOVE to try business class (on either airline, really) but perhaps I am in over my head and having delusions of grandeur? I don't know. Maybe I am trying to go too big too soon.

Thanks for talking some sense into me... although I feel bad that you're awake right now!

I’m not gonna lie, this hobby is overwhelming, so what you’re feeling is totally normal. You will “get most of it” eventually. Giving yourself less than two years planning makes things all the more stressful but not undoable. @Haley R managed it with less than two years planning.

Please do not think for one second you are trying to go too big too soon. My very first foray into travel hacking wound up with me booking lie flat international first class seats. I was just as overwhelmed and many years later still am some days. The good thing about this hobby is that pretty much whatever you want to do, some blogger already did it and published a how to on it. The great thing about this hobby is that you have the support and help of the phenomenal group we have here on the DIS in this thread.

I always like to say have a pan A and a plan B. Let your UR points to purchase a flight through the UR portal in economy be your plan B. Plan A should be the UR to VS transfer to book ANA. When you see the availability on United, call VS and confirm it is really there and not phantom space. Have them hold the flight and transfer your miles and then book with a same day “ fake news return flight.” When your real return flight shows up call VS and change your “fake news” return to your “for reals” return.

Let me try to explain partner awards a bit here. Most airlines belong to an alliance, or group that partners with each other The big 3 are Star, One World and Sky Team. Some airlines don’t belong to an alliance but still partner with other airlines that may belong in different alliances. Alaska Air is one, which is why their miles are considered so valauable as they have good partners in different alliances.

Cash money, credit cards, UR, MR, TYP used as money in their respective portals allow you to purchase any flight on any airline with no restrictions as long as you have the money or points.

Each individual airline has their own individual form of “currency” in the form of miles. Each airline also sets their own “prices” in the form of miles for what they will let you book. Each airline will allow a certain amount of their seat inventory to be booked with their miles on their planes. The airline will also allow a certain number of seats on their airline to be booked by one of their partners.

Let’s say ANA has 8 first class seats on a plane. All 8 seats are available to be purchased with real money or points like UR, MR, TYP being used as real money via a portal. I can pay $22,757 on my credit card for one RT flight. Yes, that is how much it really costs. I can use 1,517,134 UR points with my CSR account on the UR portal, I can use 22,757,000 TYP or the same amount in MR and then get back 796,495 a few weeks later if I have the business Plat card.

Of those 8 seats that ANA has in first, they might make only 6 of them available to be booked with their own ANA currency miles through their own website platform or by calling them. ANA decides their price will be 150,000 ANA miles and their “store” opens at 355 days out to book. Of those 6 seats available for an award flight ANA may decide that they will allow 2 of them to be booked by their partners. Think of partner awards like seats that are “on sale”. The only way to know if there is a partner award or seats on sale is by checking a partner website or “store” that shows the availability. If I want to use the currency that belongs to a different “store” then I have to go to that “store” to book it. ANA won’t let me buy an award flight at their store with someone else’s currency.

The partners set their own pricing for whatever suits them. United and VS are both ANA partners. Their “stores”may not open until 330~ days out. So, even though ANA is giving them some “on sale” seats they can book I still have to wait until their stores open for business. I can book an ANA flight on United with United miles if ANA has made inventory available to partners. The same with VS. United may decide that an ANA flight will be 400,000 United miles and VS decides an ANA flight is 110,000 VS miles. Clearly, I want to use VS currency because it costs less. But VS won’t show me what is “on their ANA section and shelf” to buy with VS miles on their website. United will. So I search United for the ANA flight and then call VS to book it with them. It doesn’t matter what United is charging with their miles since I’m not buying it form them.

So think of partner airlines like different stores, selling their brand and some partner branded inventory that is “on sale”.

I hope this helps.

 

[Limes96]

For those in the pop-up jail, it's being reported on DoC that if you can find an email offer (and it doesn't have to be yours) that you can get through the pop-up.

https://www.doctorofcredit.com/american-express-pop-up-not-showing-when-clicking-e-mail-banner/

I’m curious to know if the Hilton pop ups will decrease now that the special offer is over. DH has gotten emails for more Hilton cards, so I could use his email, but I’d rather get “support points”.

 

[Alexle2007]

Unfrosted Strawberry, toasted, with butter . Don't knock it till you try it!

Clearly, I need frosted And they have to be toasted and then I have to break off the edges that are not frosted I would have never thought to put butter on them. I guess that makes them more like crunchy toast with jelly.

 

[speedyfishy]

August is basically over I won't be signing up for any new cards or doing any new MS until September so here is my haul this month.

70,000 AA P1 Personal Card
50,000 AA P2 personal card
30,000 MR for 2 support clicks.
15,000 MR bonus.
10,000 MR bonus for adding two AU's
25,000 UR from staples MS with CIC (only managed to get $5,000 worth)
7,000 Hyatt and a Free night ($150) from MSing the rest of the 15,000 with GCM
130,000 Hilton and a free night ($150)
4,500 UR from some Freedom Unlimited MS.
6,000 MR from BBP MS.
$90 from MS with Ebates card.

Bank Bonues
$400 Wells Fargo
$100 Unify and 2 Rams tickets $196
$100 Unify and 2 Rams tickets $130

Total Value assuming $150 for the free nights and Hilton is worth half a cent per point- $4,141

Plans for September
Have more success MSing the CIC hopefully I can get 50,000 UR.
MS the Freedom to my credit limit 30,000 UR
MS the BBP to my credit limit 20,000 MR
Finish MS on SO's Gold 50,000 MR
take 50,000 MR upgrade offer to Biz plat
get me a biz plat 100,000 MR
Get $1000 in value from bank bonuses

 

[amalone1013]

August is basically over I won't be signing up for any new cards or doing any new MS until September so here is my haul this month.

70,000 AA P1 Personal Card
50,000 AA P2 personal card
30,000 MR for 2 support clicks.
15,000 MR bonus.
10,000 MR bonus for adding two AU's
25,000 UR from staples MS with CIC (only managed to get $5,000 worth)
7,000 Hyatt and a Free night ($150) from MSing the rest of the 15,000 with GCM
130,000 Hilton and a free night ($150)
4,500 UR from some Freedom Unlimited MS.
6,000 MR from BBP MS.
$90 from MS with Ebates card.

Bank Bonues
$400 Wells Fargo
$100 Unify and 2 Rams tickets $196
$100 Unify and 2 Rams tickets $130

Total Value assuming $150 for the free nights and Hilton is worth half a cent per point- $4,141

Plans for September
Have more success MSing the CIC hopefully I can get 50,000 UR.
MS the Freedom to my credit limit 30,000 UR
MS the BBP to my credit limit 20,000 MR
Finish MS on SO's Gold 50,000 MR
take 50,000 MR upgrade offer to Biz plat
get me a biz plat 100,000 MR
Get $1000 in value from bank bonuses

I'm just hoping some of your amazingness rubbed off on me when we met

 

[PolyRob]

Deal is dead

SHOPDISNEY GLITCH

ELECTRONIC DISNEY GIFT CARDS ARE CODING 40% OFF YMMV. GO GO GO!!!

10% EBATES GOOD LUCK ALL

 

[Lain]

Roundup of current Visa and Mastercard Gift Card Deals [UPDATED]:

Safeway/Vons/Randall’s/Albertsons/Tom Thumb/Acme/Jewel/Shaw’s is running a deal on Visa Gift Cards, now until 8/31/19.

• Save $10 on 2x $50 VGC ($4.95 activation fee/each, $0.10 savings)

• Save $15 on 2x $100 VGC ($5.95 activation fee/each, $3.10 savings)

Safeway/Vons/Randall’s/Albertsons/Tom Thumb/Acme/Jewel/Shaw’s is running the same Save $10/$15 deal on Mastercard Gift Cards, now until 9/7/19.

• Save $10 on 2x $50 MCGC ($4.95 activation fee/each, $0.10 savings)

• Save $15 on 2x $100 MCGC ($5.95 activation fee/each, $3.10 savings)

Safeway et al. tends to stock Metabank-issued MCGCs, which can be used on Plastiq as a debit with only a 1% fee.

Add the Just4U coupons on the Safeway app, or create an online account and add the offer there. Limit 1 per account. (Add the offers to your account(s) ASAP, as Safeway et al. has been known to pull a coupon before the expiration date.)

Pay with a credit card that earns a high bonus at supermarkets, like the Amex Gold for 4x Membership Rewards Points, Amex Hilton Surpass for 6x Hilton Honors Points, or Amex Blue Cash Preferred for 6% cash back; another card that has supermarkets as its quarterly bonus category; or a card on which you're working on the MSR. Amex cards on which you're working towards MSR are generally fine to use for gift cards at grocery stores as long as you mix in some actual grocery items to give your purchase an odd number.

Office Depot/Office Max has a Save $15 deal on $300+ Visa Gift Cards, now until 8/31/19.

Limit 1 per customer, but YMMV when purchasing more.

OD/OM sells fixed denomination VGCs in $100 (with a $5.95 activation fee) and $200 (with a $6.95 activation fee). To maximize this deal, it’s best to buy 2x $200 VGCs, paying with a CIC/Ink+ for 5x UR at office supply stores.

$206.95 x 2 = $413.90 - $15 = $398.90 (a $1.10 discount off face value) x 5x UR = 1,994.5 UR

You won’t earn as many points buying $200 and $100 VGCs, and multiple $100 VGCs will increase your fees.

$105.95 + $206.95 = $312.90 - $15 = $297.90 (a $2.10 discount off face value) x 5x UR = 1,489.5 UR

$105.95 x 3 = $317.85 - $15 = $302.85. ($2.85 in fees) x 5x UR = 1,514.25 UR

Pay with a credit card that earns a high bonus at office supply stores, like the Chase Ink Cash or Ink+ for 5x Ultimate Rewards Points, or a card on which you're working on the MSR. DO NOT purchase gift and prepaid cards at office supply stores with an Amex while working on that card's MSR.

These $15 off deals are about as good as they get, so act fast or expect your store(s) to be picked clean within a day or two.

Staples has a No Activation Fee deal on $200 Visa Gift Cards from 9/1/19 through 9/7/19.

Limit 1 per customer, but YMMV when purchasing more.

This isn't as good as the Office Depot/Office Max deal, but most Office Depot/Office Max stores are probably cleared out of $200 and $100 VGCs by now. The Staples deal is still no fee (usually $6.95) on potentially 2,000 UR when using CIC/Ink+ for 5x UR at office supply stores.

$200 x 5x UR = 2,000 UR.

Pay with a credit card that earns a high bonus at office supply stores, like the Chase Ink Cash or Ink+ for 5x Ultimate Rewards Points, or a card on which you're working on the MSR. DO NOT purchase gift and prepaid cards at office supply stores with an Amex while working on that card's MSR.

Again, don't wait to take advantage of this deal. Reports are stores get cleaned of VGCs within the first few days when deals like these happen.

Kroger is offering 4x Fuel Points on all Gift Cards, including fixed value Visa and Mastercard Gift Cards, from 8/30/19 through 9/2/19.

Check your Kroger coupons for the following offers:

• Save a digital coupon to get 4x fuel points on Visa and Mastercard $100, $50, or $25 fixed-value gift cards.
• Save a digital coupon to get 4x fuel points on third party gift cards. (Should work on all third-party gift cards.)

Pay with a credit card that earns a high bonus at supermarkets, like the Amex Gold for 4x Membership Rewards Points, Amex Hilton Surpass for 6x Hilton Honors Points, or Amex Blue Cash Preferred for 6% cash back; another card that has supermarkets as its quarterly bonus category; or a card on which you're working on the MSR. Amex cards on which you're working towards MSR are generally fine to use for gift cards at grocery stores as long as you mix in some actual grocery items to give your purchase an odd number.

You may be able to stack Kroger deals with shopping apps like Dosh for additional cash back.

Harris Teeter is offering 4x Fuel Points on all Gift Cards, including fixed value Visa and Mastercard Gift Cards, through 9/3/19.

Add the coupons to your account before purchasing.

Pay with a credit card that earns a high bonus at supermarkets, like the Amex Gold for 4x Membership Rewards Points, Amex Hilton Surpass for 6x Hilton Honors Points, or Amex Blue Cash Preferred for 6% cash back; another card that has supermarkets as its quarterly bonus category; or a card on which you're working on the MSR. Amex cards on which you're working towards MSR are generally fine to use for gift cards at grocery stores as long as you mix in some actual grocery items to give your purchase an odd number.

Previously - whenever you buy gift cards, be vigilant that the gift card's packaging hasn't been compromised and made susceptible to being drained. @Lain shared some tips to avoid buying tampered gift cards.

https://www.disboards.com/threads/i...t-page-for-addl-details.3729982/post-60519331