I love credit cards so much! v4.0 - 2021 (see first page for add'l details)

[hsmamato2]

I found the airline credit easy enough to use for SW, following the DPs on flyertalk.

For the resort credit, we used this year at Grand Wailea. Could have also used it at Hilton Los Cabos. Next year we have Waldorf Astoria Pedregal booked. So, the resort credit is probably better for destination trips, rather than a staycation.

Hilton and Amex did quite a few transfer bonuses last year, which made me more likely to choose Hilton for vacations. If that wasn't the case, I can't see us staying at Hilton quite so often.

I agree, the upgrades are hit or miss and some resorts just seem to be stingy for no good reason.

Also used the FNC at Grand Wailea, which would have cost $900 OOP. Fingers crossed I'll be able to use one at WA Pedregal next year, valued at about $1500.

I've had good experiences with the Diamond breakfast as well, so that has been a win in my book.

I have had a difficult time with points posting to my Hilton account, and trouble via emailing getting them to credit.

Wow. I'm gonna be honest here and say I have sooooooo many Hh points,have used them randomly over the years, but never really say myself down to max them like you all are doing..... I need to focus b/c I have a lot to play with!

 

[CyndiLouWho]

DS finally has his schedule and now needs to read a book, takes notes and read 3 chapters in the next 3 weeks before his AP Human Geography class starts. They are going to have a test on the book 3 days after they return. How crazy! Are AP classes really like that? Oh, and they have to sign a contract. It’s just wild. I am pretty sure none of this happens at our public school.

Yes, it happens at public school. My niece took AP Human Geo as well, at public school last year. They had homework before school started, which she didn't know about because it wasn't communicated, and she found out about 2 days before starting remote school as a freshman in a pandemic. It's all so ridiculous. Apparently they expected incoming freshman to find the info on the website (which my sister had difficulty finding later even knowing what she was looking for) when they hadn't had orientation or other communication with a school they'd never attended.

 

[havaneselover]

DD did IB so only took one AP course and she had a significant amount of summer work throughout high school.

one nice thing about IB in my county is the county pays for the whole program so no test fees unlike AP.

 

[hsmamato2]

soooo can I ask this question here? (I know there are rules about certain subjects right now) SO I posted yesterday about my SWA issues...I ended up on Twitter,where eventually they got sorted properly (even the name switch snafu) but I'm going to be honest here, I haven't flown since Dec 2019.
And I keep reading about flight problems on pretty much every airline, this all is making me anxious. I'm seriously considering bailing on this Sept. trip to see our family(whom we miss so much). Due to the C***d concerns (have serious mask plans anyway etc etc)- the airline schedules constantly changing, the serious glitches in the changes (wrong airports,names etc) I'm just wondering....how do you all feel? IRL experiences? I know a lot of you keep on going, and I need to hear some good stuff..... As it is, I was hoping to do a dual family visit in Sept.- 2 different parts of the country in tandem, that's been scrapped. Now not sure if even 1 will happen. Any thoughts?

 

[MsOnceUponATime]

Requesting some guidance - obviously I'm new to the cc game/s!
I have paid off my SW Chase cc that I've had since 2015. I have no intentions of using it again (not interested in the fees associated with it and the perks seem minimal to me - am I wrong?) so what do I do with it?

 

[atxbound]

DS finally has his schedule and now needs to read a book, takes notes and read 3 chapters in the next 3 weeks before his AP Human Geography class starts. They are going to have a test on the book 3 days after they return. How crazy! Are AP classes really like that? Oh, and they have to sign a contract. It’s just wild. I am pretty sure none of this happens at our public school.

Mom of a college freshmen (eek!). My DD did AP classes and, for the most part, we found they were not worth the hassle. It was a lot of extra work and some schools simply don't take the AP credits or charge a per credit fee. We had a lot better luck with her doing some dual level (college/high school) courses that counted straight across for both. The community college and high school worked out a deal after virtual schooling started where community college credits were 20$/credit. After all the dual level courses, she has sophomore standing at her college and the total cost to us for all the classes was around 1500. Only one of her AP classes had the potential to transfer.
Just a thought it may be worth talking to potential colleges and confirm that the AP classes are worth the extra hassle and stress.

 

[atxbound]

Requesting some guidance - obviously I'm new to the cc game/s!
I have paid off my SW Chase cc that I've had since 2015. I have no intentions of using it again (not interested in the fees associated with it and the perks seem minimal to me - am I wrong?) so what do I do with it?

Is it one with an annual fee? If so, I would wait until the annual fee posts, get the renewal southwest points and then cancel.

 

[havaneselover]

Mom of a college freshmen (eek!). My DD did AP classes and, for the most part, we found they were not worth the hassle. It was a lot of extra work and some schools simply don't take the AP credits or charge a per credit fee. We had a lot better luck with her doing some dual level (college/high school) courses that counted straight across for both. The community college and high school worked out a deal after virtual schooling started where community college credits were 20$/credit. After all the dual level courses, she has sophomore standing at her college and the total cost to us for all the classes was around 1500. Only one of her AP classes had the potential to transfer.
Just a thought it may be worth talking to potential colleges and confirm that the AP classes are worth the extra hassle and stress.

I can't believe how many of dd's friends went to schools where they basically ended up with no credit for AP/IB (Michigan, Brown, NYU). DD is lucky that GA Tech is pretty generous.

 

[MsOnceUponATime]

Is it one with an annual fee? If so, I would wait until the annual fee posts, get the renewal southwest points and then cancel.

It is, yes. That'll be March of next year.

 

[Arcades]

After two long years, I'm back under 5/24 and I just got approved for a new CIU! I read some old data points about Chase and Venmo on this board, but has anyone had recent success using Venmo to hit a MSR without it coding as a cash advance or otherwise being problematic?

 

[Crazed4DisneyinSC]

I am guessing you are over 5/24?

Yes.

That is the way it was when Chase first implemented 5/24. My CSP and CFU were both obtained through the green star offers when I was LOL/24. I think that's how it should be, if you're going to push me to get a new card, you know how many new cards I have.

Yes, I was happy to see it worked for me! I've read mixed data points all over online, and I know some said it's only the black star offers that work, so I really didn't know what to think but I'm glad I tried it!

 

[jujubiee4]

soooo can I ask this question here? (I know there are rules about certain subjects right now) SO I posted yesterday about my SWA issues...I ended up on Twitter,where eventually they got sorted properly (even the name switch snafu) but I'm going to be honest here, I haven't flown since Dec 2019.
And I keep reading about flight problems on pretty much every airline, this all is making me anxious. I'm seriously considering bailing on this Sept. trip to see our family(whom we miss so much). Due to the C***d concerns (have serious mask plans anyway etc etc)- the airline schedules constantly changing, the serious glitches in the changes (wrong airports,names etc) I'm just wondering....how do you all feel? IRL experiences? I know a lot of you keep on going, and I need to hear some good stuff..... As it is, I was hoping to do a dual family visit in Sept.- 2 different parts of the country in tandem, that's been scrapped. Now not sure if even 1 will happen. Any thoughts?

I don't feel comfortable at all. It is not just SW. I have had 2 separate roundtrips rescheduled by JetBlue.
DH has had several business flights interrupted by American. He doesn't have a choice to fly but I do.
If DCL resumes normally I was going to book cruise for this year. Now im worried about doing that due
to flight disruptions. I'm a planner and like everything in place and all these reroutes/layovers when i
booked nonstop is driving me crazy. I don't want to sit home and family will be disappointed but I might
just cancel upcoming WDW trips until January. Not to mention the rising cases. I have to keep reminding
myself WDW DCL Europe etc isn't going anywhere. I really hope things settle down the next several
months.

 

[Judique]

It is, yes. That'll be March of next year.

Close it now since it's a long wait for a relatively small stash of SW points, unless you need the card soon for something. Then reapply when there is a great bonus - more than 40K.

 

[Judique]

Yes.

Yes, I was happy to see it worked for me! I've read mixed data points all over online, and I know some said it's only the black start offers, so I really didn't know what to think but I'm glad I tried it!

That's the same thing that was being said a year or two ago when I got my star offer.

 

[jujubiee4]

soooo can I ask this question here? (I know there are rules about certain subjects right now) SO I posted yesterday about my SWA issues...I ended up on Twitter,where eventually they got sorted properly (even the name switch snafu) but I'm going to be honest here, I haven't flown since Dec 2019.
And I keep reading about flight problems on pretty much every airline, this all is making me anxious. I'm seriously considering bailing on this Sept. trip to see our family(whom we miss so much). Due to the C***d concerns (have serious mask plans anyway etc etc)- the airline schedules constantly changing, the serious glitches in the changes (wrong airports,names etc) I'm just wondering....how do you all feel? IRL experiences? I know a lot of you keep on going, and I need to hear some good stuff..... As it is, I was hoping to do a dual family visit in Sept.- 2 different parts of the country in tandem, that's been scrapped. Now not sure if even 1 will happen. Any thoughts?

Interesting enough I have a small trip planned to go visit a friend in Oct and so far Southwest has not
changed the schedule. Of course it is still early Right now I'm keeping all reservations and just
keeping tabs. The closer it gets to travel date I will decide if better to go or cancel.

 

[georgina]

.

 

[WVMomof3]

Mom of a college freshmen (eek!). My DD did AP classes and, for the most part, we found they were not worth the hassle. It was a lot of extra work and some schools simply don't take the AP credits or charge a per credit fee. We had a lot better luck with her doing some dual level (college/high school) courses that counted straight across for both. The community college and high school worked out a deal after virtual schooling started where community college credits were 20$/credit. After all the dual level courses, she has sophomore standing at her college and the total cost to us for all the classes was around 1500. Only one of her AP classes had the potential to transfer.
Just a thought it may be worth talking to potential colleges and confirm that the AP classes are worth the extra hassle and stress.

This is highly dependent on what type of college you want to get into because to get into the top tier schools you need the strength of schedule the APs give you just to be admitted even if the classes may not end up counting. Though I really don't know how the dual enrollment with a community college would figure into it. I really dislike College Board and the whole AP model. I paid a boat load (all that money by check because not until DS very last year did our school allow us to pay with Credit Card!) to them with 3 kids that took over 40 AP classes combined but I really don't think they would have ended up at their schools without the classes. And you do have to get at least a 4 and sometimes a 5 to get credit. Oldest DD went to local state university so all of hers credited. She could have graduated in 3 years easily but instead did a semester and a summer abroad and got 2 degrees. Middle DD although the classes show as "credit" they don't necessarily count. Like she started as a Biochem major and although got a 5 in both AP Bio and Chem they were required to take the on campus class. I think as a different major they would have counted as a science credit. She did breeze through them since she had already had all the material. Same with Calculus. She got a 5 in that and got credit for Calc 1 and 2 but was required to take an on campus math class so had to take Calc 3. Her school has been the most restrictive on all the credits being useful but they have helped because even with changing her major she is still able to double major because of the ones that did credit. So far DS's seem to be counting for him. He as also able to start with Calc 3 and was able to skip his Physics lecture and just take the lab. I was really hoping he would try to graduate in 3 years and save me some $$$ but he is also looking to double major and a minor. Darn it. lol The problem with taking so many AP classes though is that a lot of them are history/sociology type classes and you don't really need all those credits anyway. Like Human Geo for example, it is kind of a waste of an AP class to me because who really is going to take a Human Geo class in college anyway.

 

[georgina]

.

 

[FreeDiningFanatic]

soooo can I ask this question here? (I know there are rules about certain subjects right now) SO I posted yesterday about my SWA issues...I ended up on Twitter,where eventually they got sorted properly (even the name switch snafu) but I'm going to be honest here, I haven't flown since Dec 2019.
And I keep reading about flight problems on pretty much every airline, this all is making me anxious. I'm seriously considering bailing on this Sept. trip to see our family(whom we miss so much). Due to the C***d concerns (have serious mask plans anyway etc etc)- the airline schedules constantly changing, the serious glitches in the changes (wrong airports,names etc) I'm just wondering....how do you all feel? IRL experiences? I know a lot of you keep on going, and I need to hear some good stuff..... As it is, I was hoping to do a dual family visit in Sept.- 2 different parts of the country in tandem, that's been scrapped. Now not sure if even 1 will happen. Any thoughts?

For a domestic trip, I would still plan on it. You’ve done all of the hard work already! As best as you can, try to go with the flow.

Hopefully seeing family will make all those travel woes melt away.

Now, if at some point prior you begin questioning the safety, I think that’s different and a personal decision. But don’t let flight delays and changes prevent you from family and some normalcy.

 

[havaneselover]

Thoughts on buying tickets now for Disney cruise out of Rome next summer?