I love credit cards so much! v5.0 - 2022 (see first page for add'l details)

[*WDW*Groupie*]

The Christmas markets in Salzburg were so nice. But man oh man, Friday night, Saturday afternoon and Saturday night I cannot describe how busy it was. You could barely move. I would not recommend visiting on a weekend in December, though the same can probably be said for most markets in the popular ares in Germany and Austria. On Saturday night I went to a concert at the Salzburg Castle and it was lovely (one of the desk clerks at the hotel told me it was 45 mins, but it was just shy of 2 hours, which is a bit long for me). When I got off the funicular and walked through the market the stalls were closed and the streets were deserted (just before 10pm).


View from my room:

 

[FreeDiningFanatic]

Quick recap on my last 2 hotel stays. From Vienna ds and I took the train to Salzburg. Ride was uneventful, I really love train travel in Europe.

I had booked the Goldener Hersch (Marriott Luxury Collection)

View attachment 723330

That headboard is so cute.

 

[*WDW*Groupie*]

I’m heading to Nuremberg tomorrow (from Munich) and excited to see the market there. It’s supposed to be one of the prettiest.

Ds and I are staying at the Platzl, which I booked using URs. I would definitely recommend this hotel to anyone visiting Munich. It is clean, very well-located, the staff are super friendly and knowledgeable and the breakfast is amazing (it is FAR better than the paltry buffet at the Goldener Hersch). Unfortunately I didn’t take any pictures — I wanted to get out and explore Munich, but my room is cozy and I love it. Ds has a smaller category room and it is perfect for him. My room wasn’t ready for 3pm check-in, but they gave me a drink voucher for the hotel bar. I didn’t care because I left my bags in ds’s room and hit the road to explore.

Ds and I dropped a large bag of laundry at a local wash and fold (that I found online before we left) and they only want 15Euros for the bag (the hotel wanted 15Euros for 1 pair of pants!). It will be ready for pick-up Wednesday (we will pick-up Thursday morning).

Ds and I are going on a bus trip on Wednesday to Neuschwanstein Castle, which is the castle that Walt Disney modeled Sleeping Beauty Castle after. It’s a *very* popular site to visit, but a bit hard to reach on your own, thus the bus trip with Gray Line (which is the same company that I booked the Jacobite Steam train trip with in Edinburgh in the summer). I’m super excited for this trip!

 

[afan]

I asked this within a whole other complicated question, so I think it got missed. If dd applies for MR card (so she can get the Amex bank bonus and put her MR"s there to transfer to Delta) and she gets the popup, can she say yes and still get the card and just not earn a bonus?

Yes but she locks herself out of the bonus for at least 7 years by holding it. May be better off going for a biz card for her mr, isn't there one with no af that generally doesn't have a bonus. Could be a good option if she gets a popup on the card she wants. Not sure if you can transfer from it though.

All might make more sense to try for a dl card instead.

 

[wanderlust7]

Ds and I are going on a bus trip on Wednesday to Neuschwanstein Castle, which is the castle that Walt Disney modeled Sleeping Beauty Castle after. It’s a *very* popular site to visit, but a bit hard to reach on your own, thus the bus trip with Gray Line (which is the same company that I booked the Jacobite Steam train trip with in Edinburgh in the summer). I’m super excited for this trip!

Would like to know how you like Neuschwanstein Castle. Have read reviews that the inside is underwhelming, so I haven't decided if we'll make the effect to go in when we go.

I've enjoyed following along on your trip. Love the photos!

That headboard is so cute.

It's the shape of Yoda's head.

 

[elgerber]

Yes but she locks herself out of the bonus for at least 7 years by holding it. May be better off going for a biz card for her mr, isn't there one with no af that generally doesn't have a bonus. Could be a good option if she gets a popup on the card she wants. Not sure if you can transfer from it though.

All might make more sense to try for a dl card instead.

But if she gets a popup, which I suspect she will, she wouldn't get a Delta card at all. I'm also not sure she can meet the spend, but with the banking offer there is no spend requirement.

 

[elgerber]

On this same issue, does anyone know of a way to pre-pay YouTubeTV? Mine just paid last week, so next is 10/27 and then 11/27. I don't really get the wording on this, the payment must be made after the offer expires?

​

Back on this topic from awhile back, where the expiration date on the YouTube TV offer was before the date they say the spend has to be made...I just got the $20 credit for my payment made on 11/27, which was after the expiration date of the offer.

 

[wanderlust7]

I asked this within a whole other complicated question, so I think it got missed. If dd applies for MR card (so she can get the Amex bank bonus and put her MR"s there to transfer to Delta) and she gets the popup, can she say yes and still get the card and just not earn a bonus?

Yes, she can open the card with no bonus. You'd still get the support points.

 

[calypso726]

.
I am also pretty bad about keeping track on the travel hacking expenditures. None the less here is my recap for 2022

*March - Panama Canal Cruise with DCL 14 nights (Disney gift cards at 10%+ off or 5x flew using UA miles)
*March - Disneyland (DVC, dues paid with Disney gift cards at 10%+ off or 5x, AA miles)

*April - Galactic Starcruiser Hotel experience (Disney gift cards at 10%+ off or 5x)

*May - New York City (3 nights Park Hyatt using 90K Hyatt points, Suite upgrade certificate applied, AA miles)

*June - New York City (2 nights at Conrad using FN Hilton certs, AA miles)

*July - Key Largo (Bakers Cay using Hilton points)

*July - Disney Wish Maiden Voyage (Disney gift cards at 10%+ off or 5x)

*September - Kauai (5 nights at Grand Hyatt Kauai 121K points, Suite upgrade cert applied, UTB credits used to fly UA)
*September - Napa (3 nights at Alila Napa Valley 100k points, AA miles)

*October - Miraval Berkshires (3 nights 130K points, Jet Blue flights using AO for $60 off each ticket)

*November - Dubai (3 nights Habtoor Palace using Hilton FN certs, 5 nights Al Maha Desert Resort & Spa 400k Marriott points, flew Emirates 100K pp business class on the way over, 136,250K pp for first class return flight)

*December/January - Galapagos on Celebrity Flora (Used Chase PYB, plus $450 in statement credits, plus 45k MRs from AO for Celebrity)

 

[afan]

But if she gets a popup, which I suspect she will, she wouldn't get a Delta card at all. I'm also not sure she can meet the spend, but with the banking offer there is no spend requirement.

A pop up on one card doesn't mean a pop up on all cards. Just as a pop up with one offer doesn't mean a different offer for the same card would get the pop up. It's been discussed before. If you need more info I would ask, I wouldn't get a card without a sub without looking at all options.

Why do you think she'll get the pop up? Has she gotten it before? What amex cards does she have?

 

[elgerber]

A pop up on one card doesn't mean a pop up on all cards. Just as a pop up with one offer doesn't mean a different offer for the same card would get the pop up. It's been discussed before. If you need more info I would ask, I wouldn't get a card without a sub without looking at all options.

Why do you think she'll get the pop up? Has she gotten it before? What amex cards does she have?

Yes, she has gotten several pop ups before. She only has one card, the Delta Blue. She has never closed it, spends a little bit on it each month.
The reason she would get one without a bonus, is for the 60000 MR from the business checking. Her only option for Delta miles is a Delta card or an MR card/account. She has gotten the Delta pop up a couple of times already. I did tell her she could try that first, and it doesn't work then go with the other.
But 60k MR's with no spend, just a bank account is a pretty great deal. I don't know for sure that she would get a popup on an MR card, I just wanted to make sure she could still get the card, if she can't get either without a pop up. The BBP isn't a huge bonus anyway, to miss out on, especially for the required $3k spend.

 

[LynnTH]

Instant approval for both DH and I for the AMEX 60,000 Biz Banking Promo. Very happy since we had been shut out with AMEX for a while. Nice easy way to get some points. Transferred the $5000 to each account - now just have to wait for the debit cards and do 10 transactions each. I think that is it right?

 

[elgerber]

Instant approval for both DH and I for the AMEX 60,000 Biz Banking Promo. Very happy since we had been shut out with AMEX for a while. Nice easy way to get some points. Transferred the $5000 to each account - now just have to wait for the debit cards and do 10 transactions each. I think that is it right?

I don't think debit card counts anymore, I just transferred $1 out of my US Bank account several times. turned out it counted the initial deposit also as a transaction.

 

[LynnTH]

I don't think debit card counts anymore, I just transferred $1 out of my US Bank account several times. turned out it counted the initial deposit also as a transaction.

Under the 10 Qualifying transactions it say:
Mobile Deposits
Electronic/Online Transactions including ACH, Wire and Bill Payments made to or from your account.
Business Debit Card Transactions using our Redeem Membership Rewards Points for Deposits are not Qualifying Transactions.

Hmmm.. Now I am confused. Glad I asked. I may end up doing the same and transferring $ over from my Associated Bank account .

 

[IFlossU]

I don't think debit card counts anymore, I just transferred $1 out of my US Bank account several times. turned out it counted the initial deposit also as a transaction.

Thanks for the USBank DP. I just opened a USB checking account for the bonus. Appreciate knowing it will work for this bonus as well

 

[amcc]

I’m heading to Nuremberg tomorrow (from Munich) and excited to see the market there. It’s supposed to be one of the prettiest.

Ds and I are staying at the Platzl, which I booked using URs. I would definitely recommend this hotel to anyone visiting Munich. It is clean, very well-located, the staff are super friendly and knowledgeable and the breakfast is amazing (it is FAR better than the paltry buffet at the Goldener Hersch). Unfortunately I didn’t take any pictures — I wanted to get out and explore Munich, but my room is cozy and I love it. Ds has a smaller category room and it is perfect for him. My room wasn’t ready for 3pm check-in, but they gave me a drink voucher for the hotel bar. I didn’t care because I left my bags in ds’s room and hit the road to explore.

Ds and I dropped a large bag of laundry at a local wash and fold (that I found online before we left) and they only want 15Euros for the bag (the hotel wanted 15Euros for 1 pair of pants!). It will be ready for pick-up Wednesday (we will pick-up Thursday morning).

Ds and I are going on a bus trip on Wednesday to Neuschwanstein Castle, which is the castle that Walt Disney modeled Sleeping Beauty Castle after. It’s a *very* popular site to visit, but a bit hard to reach on your own, thus the bus trip with Gray Line (which is the same company that I booked the Jacobite Steam train trip with in Edinburgh in the summer). I’m super excited for this trip!

Thanks for taking us along on your trip- what a great reference source for each of those cities. How far in advance did you book hotels?
Munich and the region was breathtaking, truly a fairy tale land, no wonder Walt got caught up in the imagery! We didn't enter Neuschwanstein but hiked over to it and up to Mary's bridge (highly recommend if you can on your tour) and beyond then visited Hohenschwangau in the afternoon. All of it, in that stunning natural setting, is spectacular. Some of my kids and husband paraglided nearby and the views of the castles seem unreal.

 

[Princess Michele]

I don't think debit card counts anymore, I just transferred $1 out of my US Bank account several times. turned out it counted the initial deposit also as a transaction.

Under the 10 Qualifying transactions it say:
Mobile Deposits
Electronic/Online Transactions including ACH, Wire and Bill Payments made to or from your account.
Business Debit Card Transactions using our Redeem Membership Rewards Points for Deposits are not Qualifying Transactions.

Hmmm.. Now I am confused. Glad I asked. I may end up doing the same and transferring $ over from my Associated Bank account .

I am considering the AMEX 60,000 Bank Biz Promo also but I am not sure what qualifies for the 10 Qualifying transactions. If I am understanding correctly I can just transfer additional money from another bank account or pay any type of bill from the AMEX account? Thank you.

 

[IFlossU]

I am considering the AMEX 60,000 Bank Biz Promo also but I am not sure what qualifies for the 10 Qualifying transactions. If I am understanding correctly I can just transfer additional money from another bank account or pay any type of bill from the AMEX account? Thank you.

I’ve seen DPs of $1.00 pushes from Chase, and now USBank working.

 

[elgerber]

I’ve seen DPs of $1.00 pushes from Chase, and now USBank working.

This is what I did ( I padded the balance to make sure I was well over the $5k average balance)

 

[amcc]

I am considering the AMEX 60,000 Bank Biz Promo also but I am not sure what qualifies for the 10 Qualifying transactions. If I am understanding correctly I can just transfer additional money from another bank account or pay any type of bill from the AMEX account? Thank you.

That worked for me. Even the test deposits and debits of a few cents from my bank that they sent over to verify the account counted towards the 10.

I did the 30k and got the bonus about a month ago. What are the odds that Amex would match the offer?