I love credit cards so much! v3.0 (see first page for add'l details)

[afan]

Anyone else pushing back travel plans for spring 2021 and beyond? I am actually feeling optimistic about the state of the world by then but for a variety of reasons decided it would just be easier to move our Japan trip from May to October. Plus, Halloween stuff at USJ and Tokyo Disney! Now I'm just waiting for Virgin Atlantic's phone lines to open up at 1 am Central so I can snag those seats in F for the date I want...

Also, anyone know how long it generally takes for points from a cancelled Hyatt and/or Hilton booking to show up again in your profile? I'd love to get all this rescheduled tonight.

Hyatt's super easy to switch if you call then you don't have to wait just in case it isn't instant. If you have the hyatt card, call the hyatt number on it, they are super nice and helpful.

 

[Hoosier John]

Uses for the Amex Platinum $200, and Gold $100 Airline Incidentals fee credits:

• Checked baggage fees
• Overweight/oversize baggage fees
• Change fees
• Phone reservation fees
• Pet flight fees
• Airport lounge day passes and annual memberships
• Seat assignment fees
• Inflight amenity fees (beverages, food, pillows/blankets, etc.)
• Inflight entertainment fees (excluding wireless internet)

Since I have no flights planned this year and need to use the benefit before January, I'm thinking about buying lounge day passes (good for 1 year).
Other options for someone in my situation include Annual Memberships: Frontier Discount Den, Spirit $9 Club, or Southwest EarlyBird Boarding.

Spending that is NOT included in the benefit:

• Fees charged to other card accounts
• Charges that aren’t separate from airline ticket payments (for example, you may pay to select seats when purchasing a ticket)
• Fees not charged by the cardmember’s airline of choice (for example, wireless internet and fees incurred with airline alliance partners)
• Incidental air travel fees charged prior to selection of a qualifying airline
• Airline tickets
• Upgrades
• Mileage points purchases
• Mileage points transfer fees
• Gift cards
• Duty-free purchases
• Award tickets

Of note, apparently buying airline Gift Cards used to work with certain airlines, but no longer do.

October 20, 2020 source: Your guide to the Amex Platinum's airline fee credit - The Points Guy

 

[Artygal90]

Hyatt's super easy to switch if you call then you don't have to wait just in case it isn't instant. If you have the hyatt card, call the hyatt number on it, they are super nice and helpful.

Oh that would be great. So I can just call and ask "hey can you please change my booking from these dates to these dates" and they can do it over the phone?

 

[Judique]

Amex offer today:

Get 20% back on purchases, up to $20
Expedia
EXPIRES
12/31/2020

 

[Judique]

Uses for the Amex Platinum $200, and Gold $100 Airline Incidentals fee credits:

• Checked baggage fees
• Overweight/oversize baggage fees
• Change fees
• Phone reservation fees
• Pet flight fees
• Airport lounge day passes and annual memberships
• Seat assignment fees
• Inflight amenity fees (beverages, food, pillows/blankets, etc.)
• Inflight entertainment fees (excluding wireless internet)

Since I have no flights planned this year and need to use the benefit before January, I'm thinking about buying lounge day passes (good for 1 year).
Other options for someone in my situation include Annual Memberships: Frontier Discount Den, Spirit $9 Club, or Southwest EarlyBird Boarding.

Spending that is NOT included in the benefit:

• Fees charged to other card accounts
• Charges that aren’t separate from airline ticket payments (for example, you may pay to select seats when purchasing a ticket)
• Fees not charged by the cardmember’s airline of choice (for example, wireless internet and fees incurred with airline alliance partners)
• Incidental air travel fees charged prior to selection of a qualifying airline
• Airline tickets
• Upgrades
• Mileage points purchases
• Mileage points transfer fees
• Gift cards
• Duty-free purchases
• Award tickets

Of note, apparently buying airline Gift Cards used to work with certain airlines, but no longer do.

October 20, 2020 source: Your guide to the Amex Platinum's airline fee credit - The Points Guy

Can you tell us more about annual memberships?

I just checked and I still have 2020's credit, but not likely to fly.

I've gotten a SWest gift card twice, but that is no more. How about day passes for lounges? Would they be transferable? Could I give as a gift to son and girlfriend or anyone else that may use them?

 

[snugglebug]

For Southwest, what does it mean when one encounters "Airport check-in required." My googling is leaving me all over the place and most things I've read are 2+ years old. I've tried to check in via a few different browsers over the past hour.

I had EBCI purchased. Last time (the first time) I purchased EBCI it got dropped from my kids' tickets when I had SW change itinerary. My luck with EBCI is not so great.

 

[Alexle2007]

For Southwest, what does it mean when one encounters "Airport check-in required." My googling is leaving me all over the place and most things I've read are 2+ years old. I've tried to check in via a few different browsers over the past hour.

I had EBCI purchased. Last time (the first time) I purchased EBCI it got dropped from my kids' tickets when I had SW change itinerary. My luck with EBCI is not so great.

I would go on Twitter and send a private message with your confirmation number. They should be able to help you.

 

[have2getaway]

DH currently has a rotating freedom card. We have maxed out the 4th qtr 5% bonus, but it appears we are getting 5% back on grocery purchases. We have been using our CSR for Instacart purchases, which gets 3% at Price Chopper. If we switch and pay from his freedom card, will we get the 5%?

Also, curious about the best way to earn points for airfare? We have tentatively planned a trip to Florida in 2022, but obviously so much is up in the air with the pandemic. Anyway, regardless of what happens and when, we know we’re going to want to fly to Orlando after this is all over, so just looking at the best options to earn points towards flying? We have focused exclusively on Chase for travel rewards and can still do that if that’s our best route to go?

 

[*WDW*Groupie*]

I think I'm crazy. On a whim, I just booked an Airbnb in Florida for a month. It's about a 10 hour drive (which I can usually do in a day) but I am taking my animals (a month is too long for me to leave them), so I will stop somewhere overnight. Anyone ever travel with a dog and a cat? During a pandemic? My DDs informed me that I have gone off the deep end, but I am just so stir crazy right now.

Dd and I traveled from Boca Raton, FL to Toronto in early June with our 11 lb doggie. It was such an easy drive. We stopped in Savannah, GA and Roanoke, WV on the way back. In Savannah we stayed at the Perry Lane (it is pet friendly) for 2 nights. We walked around town, had a few nice meals, did a trolley tour and strolled through the boutiques. Savannah seemed to be a pet friendly city -- every store allowed the dog in and we also took her on the trolley tour (I don't like leaving her in a hotel room by herself). Leopold's Ice Cream in Savannah even has a doggie ice cream (dog-safe) sundae (free!), which our dog LOVED (she devoured it). I'm not sure where you are staying in Florida, but from Savannah to Boca was approx. 6.5 hours (but we had some pretty awful rain that slowed us down as we approached Savannah).

 

[ten6mom]

We are finally home from WDW (our connecting flight in DFW was delayed for rain/storms! What a novel concept!) and in a nutshell:

WDW has the better castle and better queues (by "better queues" I mean how detailed and lovely some of them are compared to DL... especially Peter Pan and TSMM. They are VERY GOOD at HIDING their queues!!!).... but we liked DL better for everything else.

Still- we are grateful for having been able to go!

 

[afan]

Oh that would be great. So I can just call and ask "hey can you please change my booking from these dates to these dates" and they can do it over the phone?

Yup. The hyatt I had booked for dlr back in March I called changed twice when availability opened up. I also always call when I'm combining points and a free night cert because they can more easily figure out how to make it work.

 

[Psychodisney]

Also, curious about the best way to earn points for airfare? We have tentatively planned a trip to Florida in 2022, but obviously so much is up in the air with the pandemic. Anyway, regardless of what happens and when, we know we’re going to want to fly to Orlando after this is all over, so just looking at the best options to earn points towards flying? We have focused exclusively on Chase for travel rewards and can still do that if that’s our best route to go?

A few more details can help :What airline(s) do you plan on flying? Is SW an option? What is the size of your travel party?

 

[punkin]

Dd and I traveled from Boca Raton, FL to Toronto in early June with our 11 lb doggie. It was such an easy drive. We stopped in Savannah, GA and Roanoke, WV on the way back. In Savannah we stayed at the Perry Lane (it is pet friendly) for 2 nights. We walked around town, had a few nice meals, did a trolley tour and strolled through the boutiques. Savannah seemed to be a pet friendly city -- every store allowed the dog in and we also took her on the trolley tour (I don't like leaving her in a hotel room by herself). Leopold's Ice Cream in Savannah even has a doggie ice cream (dog-safe) sundae (free!), which our dog LOVED (she devoured it). I'm not sure where you are staying in Florida, but from Savannah to Boca was approx. 6.5 hours (but we had some pretty awful rain that slowed us down as we approached Savannah).

I'm not too worried about the dog. It's the cat that worries me. Both animals have pretty laid back personalities but it's a long trip.

 

[Haley R]

I'm not too worried about the dog. It's the cat that worries me. Both animals have pretty laid back personalities but it's a long trip.

When we moved to Florida we drove with our cats. We got meds from their vet that helped make them drowsy. They still meowed but it wasn’t too bad. We even stopped for the night at a hotel

 

[punkin]

When we moved to Florida we drove with our cats. We got meds from their vet that helped make them drowsy. They still meowed but it wasn’t too bad. We even stopped for the night at a hotel

How did you manage litter box use?

 

[wanderlust7]

Made a reservation for the Grand Wailea a couple months ago for July with FNCs. Was charged today about $50/night. First thought was fraud?? Then I remembered the fine print mentions a deposit.

Also, my CSR $150 retention credit posted!

 

[Killer Fish]

Uses for the Amex Platinum $200, and Gold $100 Airline Incidentals fee credits:

• Checked baggage fees
• Overweight/oversize baggage fees
• Change fees
• Phone reservation fees
• Pet flight fees
• Airport lounge day passes and annual memberships
• Seat assignment fees
• Inflight amenity fees (beverages, food, pillows/blankets, etc.)
• Inflight entertainment fees (excluding wireless internet)

Since I have no flights planned this year and need to use the benefit before January, I'm thinking about buying lounge day passes (good for 1 year).
Other options for someone in my situation include Annual Memberships: Frontier Discount Den, Spirit $9 Club, or Southwest EarlyBird Boarding.

Spending that is NOT included in the benefit:

• Fees charged to other card accounts
• Charges that aren’t separate from airline ticket payments (for example, you may pay to select seats when purchasing a ticket)
• Fees not charged by the cardmember’s airline of choice (for example, wireless internet and fees incurred with airline alliance partners)
• Incidental air travel fees charged prior to selection of a qualifying airline
• Airline tickets
• Upgrades
• Mileage points purchases
• Mileage points transfer fees
• Gift cards
• Duty-free purchases
• Award tickets

Of note, apparently buying airline Gift Cards used to work with certain airlines, but no longer do.

October 20, 2020 source: Your guide to the Amex Platinum's airline fee credit - The Points Guy

I was going to try and grab 2 SW flights under $100 and then cancel and convert to travel funds...

 

[punkin]

How long do I have to cancel and Amex Platinum after the AF posts?

 

[wanderlust7]

How long do I have to cancel and Amex Platinum after the AF posts?

30 days. Did you already try retention? Some people have been getting 50k MRs no spend.

 

[punkin]

30 days. Did you already try retention? Some people have been getting 50k MRs no spend.

I got a retention offer last year. Do you think it would work 2 years in a row?