I love credit cards so much! v6.0 - 2023 & 2024 (see first page for add'l details)

[FreeDiningFanatic]

I need some new passport advice… DH and I submitted our first passport applications and they were received 3/30/23. We were quoted 10-13 weeks processing time. We are now at 12 weeks and it still says In Process on the status page. I didn’t do expedited because our cruise is at the end of July and I thought it would be plenty of time. We leave in less than 5 weeks for our cruise and I am starting to get nervous. I looked it up and our passports are at the New Orleans office. Not sure if that’s good or bad. Is there anything I can or should do now to ensure they both arrive on time? I don’t want to be panicked at the last minute if I can do anything now. Obviously, they have our original birth certificates also. I did make copies of both of them before I sent them off though just in case we needed them for any kind of reason.

I bet in the next week the status will change. I think the next status is "shipped." DS's passport was just completed and it took the full processing time quoted. It only took a couple days to receive once the status changed to shipped.

Don't let this cause you any anxiety. You have a good amount of time left and I'm sure it will come through.

 

[disneylover81]

I bet in the next week the status will change. I think the next status is "shipped." DS's passport was just completed and it took the full processing time quoted. It only took a couple days to receive once the status changed to shipped.

Don't let this cause you any anxiety. You have a good amount of time left and I'm sure it will come through.

That makes me feel better to know it did take the full time and no more. When I was quoted 10-13 weeks, and now I’m on week 12 and nothing’s changed, I was starting to get worried.

 

[havaneselover]

I need some new passport advice… DH and I submitted our first passport applications and they were received 3/30/23. We were quoted 10-13 weeks processing time. We are now at 12 weeks and it still says In Process on the status page. I didn’t do expedited because our cruise is at the end of July and I thought it would be plenty of time. We leave in less than 5 weeks for our cruise and I am starting to get nervous. I looked it up and our passports are at the New Orleans office. Not sure if that’s good or bad. Is there anything I can or should do now to ensure they both arrive on time? I don’t want to be panicked at the last minute if I can do anything now. Obviously, they have our original birth certificates also. I did make copies of both of them before I sent them off though just in case we needed them for any kind of reason.

My daughter's was received 3/23 and she got hers back a week ago (regular service). I think I'd give it another week or two. I signed her up to get her notifications and she got the in process email (which was weird since it had been in process for 11+ weeks) the night before she got the approved email. Followed (I think) by the shipped email. I think the passport arrived three business days after the approved email.

Meanwhile USPS says I have a delivery from passport services. I was really excited that it was mine because mine has my name change court order and I need that back so I can change my name with banks. Nope, it's my son's. His appointment was May 3 (regular service).

 

[Crazed4DisneyinSC]

Credit card fail yesterday. Spent $105 at Aldi for groceries. Used my Amex for the "Get 10% back on purchases, up to $30 on Groceries" offer. Realized this morning that the offer was on DH's Amex, not mine. #facepalm. The offer is good til 10/6 so I'll have no problem maxing it out before then, but annoying that I used my Amex for no reason. Churners, I know some of you out there can relate, lol.

 

[IFlossU]

Credit card fail yesterday. Spent $105 at Aldi for groceries. Used my Amex for the "Get 10% back on purchases, up to $30 on Groceries". Realized this morning that the offer was on DH's Amex, not mine. #facepalm. The offer is good til 10/6 so I'll have no problem maxing it out before then, but annoying that I used my Amex for no reason. Churners, I know some of you out there can relate, lol.

Just did something similar last week. DH has 9x points (enhanced support bonus) on his gold card right now. I placed a pick up grocery order for $175 and forgot to switch the payment method to his card. Big sigh.. It took me a solid hour to mentally let it go. So yeah, SUPER frustrating!

 

[mmmears]

I have 2 AMEX Hilton offers on my Plat card - is there any trick to get them to show up on my Aspire instead? I haven't taken the offers since I keep hoping they will show up on the Aspire list, but it's not working.

 

[disneylover81]

My daughter's was received 3/23 and she got hers back a week ago (regular service). I think I'd give it another week or two. I signed her up to get her notifications and she got the in process email (which was weird since it had been in process for 11+ weeks) the night before she got the approved email. Followed (I think) by the shipped email. I think the passport arrived three business days after the approved email.

Meanwhile USPS says I have a delivery from passport services. I was really excited that it was mine because mine has my name change court order and I need that back so I can change my name with banks. Nope, it's my son's. His appointment was May 3 (regular service).

I signed up for notifications on day 1 and haven’t gotten any at all. I’m more hopeful now that I don’t need to be worried.

Surely yours will arrive soon also.

 

[afan]

I have 2 AMEX Hilton offers on my Plat card - is there any trick to get them to show up on my Aspire instead? I haven't taken the offers since I keep hoping they will show up on the Aspire list, but it's not working.

There's no way to move them between cards.

 

[mmmears]

There's no way to move them between cards.

I thought there was a way to try to put them on a card if not selected yet, but I don't remember the amex link.

 

[mmmears]

Has anyone here stayed at the Andaz in Amsterdam? Thoughts?

 

[calypso726]

I thought there was a way to try to put them on a card if not selected yet, but I don't remember the amex link.

Two ways. The last time I did it, I had to make the Aspire card my primary card in my account.

Then go to Amex connect https://www.americanexpress.com/us/network/shopping.html#All

The other method is to make the card your primary and then go run the script. Deets here:
https://milestomemories.com/this-cool-trick-lets-you-add-all-amex-offers-at-once/

 

[*WDW*Groupie*]

Has anyone here stayed at the Andaz in Amsterdam? Thoughts?

I haven't stayed there, but I do have a stay booked on points for next spring (I may cancel because the pts are more than I'd like to spend and I love the College Hotel where I also booked a room on points). It's very well reviewed on FT, but be aware that the bathrooms are 'open' (sink in bedroom with separate doors for toilet and shower), so may not be ideal for everyone.

 

[ten6mom]

NVM I am dumb

 

[Haley R]

NVM I am dumb

Sorry this made me laugh for some reason lol

 

[nlenguyen]

Let me know if this strategy is not good.

I am looking into the Hilton Honors cards. I am thinking of applying for the Surpass card first as the initial bonus is 130k + free night certificate. Then a couple months after that get the no annual fee card or the aspire card.

any thoughts?

 

[hsmamato2]

I'm wanting to think about and plan a trip somewhere...this sounds like such a noob question but where are you all finding inspiration for planning? My usual MO back in the day was cruise the internet, land on a screaming deal,book it and go After pandemic changes,and some major life changes,I've been to my "usual" faves a couple of times(easy places like Orlando or visiting fam out of state) but my wandering nature is starting to return,and I'm wondering where the 'screaming deals' are found lately! Are there any usual places you keep up with/read that allows you to plan and use your points etc? I'm not even super adventurous,it's all domestic travel for me but I'm wanting to do something different (for me)---- just looking for general thoughts from the experts here.....(I have points in various ecosystems,mainly UR plus hotel/airline brands,and well versed in using them)

 

[calypso726]

Let me know if this strategy is not good.

I am looking into the Hilton Honors cards. I am thinking of applying for the Surpass card first as the initial bonus is 130k + free night certificate. Then a couple months after that get the no annual fee card or the aspire card.

any thoughts?

This will depend on what your current goals, both long and short term are and what cards you already have in your portfolio. If you are looking to stay in this hobby long term and you are starting out without any of the Chase UR earning cards, you will be burning 3 of your five 5/24 slots and that would leave you with 2 open slots with Chase for the next two years. Not a good strategy. The advice is always get your Chase family of cards first, and then go from there for long term goals.

Now, if you already have a portfolio of cards that work for you, aren't staying in this hobby long term and just need a relatively quick solution to accumulate Hilton points for a specific Hilton property for a specific trip that you have planned, then this could be a great strategy.


Keep in mind that Amex usually takes up to 12 weeks to post the free night certificate. For example, I got my first Aspire the day the card was released in January and made the spend the same day. I did not get my free night certificate added to my account until April. Each year I have renewed, I do not get the FN cert until April. The second Aspire was upgraded from a no fee Hilton card and that AF hits in March. I don't get the FN cert for that one until June. So, if you are trying to time FN certs for a trip, you will need to factor that into your plans.

Hope this helps

 

[djmeredith]

Let me know if this strategy is not good.

I am looking into the Hilton Honors cards. I am thinking of applying for the Surpass card first as the initial bonus is 130k + free night certificate. Then a couple months after that get the no annual fee card or the aspire card.

any thoughts?

I agree with what Calypso said about considering your overall goals and can also confirm that the FNCs take a long time to post. I have the Hilton biz and got the Aspire a few months ago. I love the Diamond status with the Aspire. That Surpass offer is a good SUB, so if it works with your plans I would go for it. You don't have to decide your next card right now.

 

[calypso726]

I'm wanting to think about and plan a trip somewhere...this sounds like such a noob question but where are you all finding inspiration for planning? My usual MO back in the day was cruise the internet, land on a screaming deal,book it and go After pandemic changes,and some major life changes,I've been to my "usual" faves a couple of times(easy places like Orlando or visiting fam out of state) but my wandering nature is starting to return,and I'm wondering where the 'screaming deals' are found lately! Are there any usual places you keep up with/read that allows you to plan and use your points etc? I'm not even super adventurous,it's all domestic travel for me but I'm wanting to do something different (for me)---- just looking for general thoughts from the experts here.....(I have points in various ecosystems,mainly UR plus hotel/airline brands,and well versed in using them)

Besides my own bucket list places, I am usually inspired by others. Often times, I didn't even know a place existed or might even appeal to me until I read someone else's trip report or see something on social media that makes me go, "WOW! I wanna go there and see/experience that place too. Wait, I can do this with points and miles?! Sweet!" Then, on the list it goes as a "to do" one of these days. Grand Hyatt Kauai was inspiration from some who had visited before on this thread. My first visit there was last year and I will definitely be back.

Sometimes, it's simply a by-product of my planning not working the way I thought it would and then I suddenly have a trip I hadn't planned on. This has happened to me several times over the years. The most recent was my dismal failure on multiple attempts to get to Cairo and back for an ABD trip next January in J seats using miles. Now, I am going to London for New Year's Eve, have a hotel room with a fireworks view and tickets to see ABBA Voyage while I'm there, then going to Cairo for the ABD using a stopover award flight out of London. On the way back home from Egypt, it seems I will be spending a weekend in NYC to see Broadway shows before catching a flight to Florida. As frustrating as it can be when Plan A or B don't work while trying to pull the trigger, these usually turn out to be my favorite trips because of the "SURPRISE" element.

I find that the majority of the travel bloggers can be quite inspirational for booking a trip. Al Maha, Ventana Big Sur, Moorea, Conrad Bora Bora, Park Hyatt NYC, Willard in DC for cherry blossom season were all inspired by the credit card points and miles bloggers. I read their trip reports and how they did it and thought, well that looks fun and I could do that too. Lots of places, have been placed on my radar thanks to them.

Reading articles on blogs after doing a Google search for something like "aspirational trips with Hyatt points" "Best value for Hilton free night certificate in US" "best use of Marriott free night certificate" and similar search parameters will yield lots of inspiration. I do that periodically and it will add a new element to my travel plans.

Hope this helps

 

[smallsy]

Ugh. I may have screwed up. I thought my Swolphin reservation last week would trigger the CSR travel credit but it used my points for the deposit half of the booking only and nothing went on the card. Should I cancel and rebook without using points? My AF hit June 1, so I'm down the wire. Will it be enough time for the charge to even go through before I need to PC/cancel? I'll also need park tickets and could try purchasing through UT I guess... again, if there's time.