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

[afan]

thank you! I'm starting to stress...never been international before! I'm not even sure what vitamins I'm allowed to take with,or if I can use smaller container (not labeled ones) etc

You need to look at the country's travel website. It'll have all the info on what you can bring, what you need etc.

 

[StephPlum]

Couple of business flight questions.

What do you determine is a "good" price points-wise? Do you look at CPP or a threshold <xx points or really depends on the airline?
In my specific case, I booked flights to Rome on AF for 40K points (Flight was 50K but I transferred during a bonus period). $ cost was $4K. I am looking at flights back from Zurich. I see AA non-stop (which would be my preference) for 70K miles; $7K. About the same redemption but not sure AA is really 2x the cost! Just wondering how others think about it. Most of the time I don't calculate a CPP and just book what makes the best sense logistically, timewise,...

Second, is it weird to sit in the backward facing seats in business (see picture). Do most people favor the forward facing and then pick backward if that is what is left?

 

[afan]

Couple of business flight questions.

What do you determine is a "good" price points-wise? Do you look at CPP or a threshold <xx points or really depends on the airline?
In my specific case, I booked flights to Rome on AF for 40K points (Flight was 50K but I transferred during a bonus period). $ cost was $4K. I am looking at flights back from Zurich. I see AA non-stop (which would be my preference) for 70K miles; $7K. About the same redemption but not sure AA is really 2x the cost! Just wondering how others think about it. Most of the time I don't calculate a CPP and just book what makes the best sense logistically, timewise,...

Second, is it weird to sit in the backward facing seats in business (see picture). Do most people favor the forward facing and then pick backward if that is what is left?

I don't worry about getting cpp. I'll track it to sew how I did but my concern is getting to where I want to go with the fewest connections, a way that makes sense for where I'm going for the best mileage/point rate I can get. Same for hotels. Location and how much time I'll spend in the room and any benefits I'll get from status are factors there.

My goal is always not to have to pay cash foe stuff I can do on points so I have the cash for the stuff I can't easily do with points. I can't get enough points where cashing them out to cover stuff makes sense.

For next year I didn't want to wait to see if the reward price for AF ever went down for the nonstop CDG-SEA so I decided to fly KLM to ORD via AMS. Then I'll fly DL home since they are in the same terminal which just makes it easier. It also kept my redemption at 50k. Flight home is cheaper, I'll grab it next month on my Aspire to use the credit.

Flying to LHR I am doing the VS non stop with the crazy taxes but it was only 67.5 miles and I had 90k stranded from Japan getting cancelled twice.

If you cancel the 1st flight will you have use for those miles before they expire (if they do I'm not sure) and which is easier to get more of UR or AA miles. For me it's more about what I have, what I can easily replenish or what I can get to make a trip work, like when I needed AA miles to fly JAL because it would be easier to book (at that time) then ANA via VS.

International flights cpp should be done by dividing the round trip fare in half and using that since one way flights are often more $, it skews things, unless you'd buy them in cash as one way flights. If I'd bought mine I wouldn't be flying 2 dif airlines or biz for that matter. Prob wouldn't be going at all if I had to pay cash for the whole thing.

 

[StephPlum]

I don't worry about getting cpp. I'll track it to sew how I did but my concern is getting to where I want to go with the fewest connections, a way that makes sense for where I'm going for the best mileage/point rate I can get. Same for hotels. Location and how much time I'll spend in the room and any benefits I'll get from status are factors there.

My goal is always not to have to pay cash foe stuff I can do on points so I have the cash for the stuff I can't easily do with points. I can't get enough points where cashing them out to cover stuff makes sense.

For next year I didn't want to wait to see if the reward price for AF ever went down for the nonstop CDG-SEA so I decided to fly KLM to ORD via AMS. Then I'll fly DL home since they are in the same terminal which just makes it easier. It also kept my redemption at 50k. Flight home is cheaper, I'll grab it next month on my Aspire to use the credit.

Flying to LHR I am doing the VS non stop with the crazy taxes but it was only 67.5 miles and I had 90k stranded from Japan getting cancelled twice.

If you cancel the 1st flight will you have use for those miles before they expire (if they do I'm not sure) and which is easier to get more of UR or AA miles. For me it's more about what I have, what I can easily replenish or what I can get to make a trip work, like when I needed AA miles to fly JAL because it would be easier to book (at that time) then ANA via VS.

International flights cpp should be done by dividing the round trip fare in half and using that since one way flights are often more $, it skews things, unless you'd buy them in cash as one way flights. If I'd bought mine I wouldn't be flying 2 dif airlines or biz for that matter. Prob wouldn't be going at all if I had to pay cash for the whole thing.

I made that confusing with my specific example. I'm not planning to cancel the outbound flight to Rome. I was comparing, in my mind, spending 40-50K miles to get to Europe vs spending 70K to get back to US. I like your thought process though of using points where possible and cash where you can't use points. I think I need to decide my travel plans and stop second guessing if I've optimized every mile/point I am using. Thanks.

 

[afan]

I made that confusing with my specific example. I'm not planning to cancel the outbound flight to Rome. I was comparing, in my mind, spending 40-50K miles to get to Europe vs spending 70K to get back to US. I like your thought process though of using points where possible and cash where you can't use points. I think I need to decide my travel plans and stop second guessing if I've optimized every mile/point I am using. Thanks.

In 2022 I paid 60k AA miles for my JAL biz flights each way for last fall. So it's not too out there. I also found it's harder to find that 50k on AF or KLM depending on dates and where you're going.

 

[Crazed4DisneyinSC]

What's a Citi card that doesn't have a welcome bonus that DH can PC his AA card to? Want to get the AF back but not make Citi angry

If you're able to PC to any Citi card, you could do the Double Cash or the Custom Cash. They both have very low MSR bonuses, that it may make sense for you and you won't miss out on too much.

 

[onelove8187]

20% transfer bonus AEROPLAN from UR. Does anyone have past experience if the 10% bonus when holding aeroplan card stacks and if Disney world packages code correctly to be eligible for PYB? If so that’s 1.625 CPP for UR, which is pretty fantastic if I can get this when paying down my package with free dining…

 

[DogCat]

Chase Freedom Flex and Freedom 3rd categories gas stations, EV charging, select live entertainment and movie theaters

What normally counts as entertainment? Does anyone happen to know if the EPIC pass (season passes for ski resorts) counts?

 

[CyndiLouWho]

I made that confusing with my specific example. I'm not planning to cancel the outbound flight to Rome. I was comparing, in my mind, spending 40-50K miles to get to Europe vs spending 70K to get back to US. I like your thought process though of using points where possible and cash where you can't use points. I think I need to decide my travel plans and stop second guessing if I've optimized every mile/point I am using. Thanks.

IMO traveling with points is hard work, maximizing point redemptions makes it harder. If maximizing is your thing, go for it. I’m in the ‘use points to make whatever I can free’ camp.

 

[georgina]

What normally counts as entertainment? Does anyone happen to know if the EPIC pass (season passes for ski resorts) counts?

Hard to guess. I know for the grocery category some things that the website charge says 'grocery' don't count. DH uses divetrip.com for some of his trips, and they say they are entertainment so don't count as travel, but I don't even know if that would count for this. From nerdwallet -

The select live entertainment category includes most things you’d buy tickets for, including sporting events, zoos and aquariums, concerts, theaters, museums, amusement parks, circuses and carnivals. You’ll also earn bonus rewards at eligible ticketing agencies. However, exclusions include bowling alleys, horse racing tracks, casinos, dance halls, clubs, and any purchases through a hotel or concierge or as part of a travel package.

 

[palhockeymomof2]

What normally counts as entertainment? Does anyone happen to know if the EPIC pass (season passes for ski resorts) counts?

The only things I have charged that were entertainment were Disney on ice tickets and Disney annual passes

 

[Duckbug.Ducktales]

20% transfer bonus AEROPLAN from UR. Does anyone have past experience if the 10% bonus when holding aeroplan card stacks and if Disney world packages code correctly to be eligible for PYB? If so that’s 1.625 CPP for UR, which is pretty fantastic if I can get this when paying down my package with free dining…

The 10% stacks with the 20% transfer bonus if holding the Aeroplan card, according to https://upgradedpoints.com/news/chase-aeroplan-transfer-bonus/

 

[mmmears]

IMO traveling with points is hard work, maximizing point redemptions makes it harder. If maximizing is your thing, go for it. I’m in the ‘use points to make whatever I can free’ camp.

I agree. I'm not as concerned about getting the best point redemption as I am getting where I want to go when I want to get there (and in comfort if at all possible). It's hard enough for me to find a flight that will work and when I do I grab it. Of course I'm not going to pay an extra 100k for a flight, but I don't worry if it's 10-20k more points.

 

[mmmears]

thank you! I'm starting to stress...never been international before! I'm not even sure what vitamins I'm allowed to take with,or if I can use smaller container (not labeled ones) etc

Don't worry too much about it. With GE you really have a FP through customs. I forget where you are going. Haven't had any issues with taking meds and vitamins to Europe and Mexico, but it looks like Japan is a lot more complicated. The only problem I've had is with meds at LRH (they are just really picky there) - I had to show the agent my Rx to be albe to take extra liquids with me.

 

[afan]

Don't worry too much about it. With GE you really have a FP through customs. I forget where you are going. Haven't had any issues with taking meds and vitamins to Europe and Mexico, but it looks like Japan is a lot more complicated. The only problem I've had is with meds at LRH (they are just really picky there) - I had to show the agent my Rx to be albe to take extra liquids with me.

For Japan I packed everything in their normal bottles and took my pull organizer so I could toss all the vitamin bottles. And extra space for stuff I bought Easier to do when your checking.

 

[Duckbug.Ducktales]

For Japan I packed everything in their normal bottles and took my pull organizer so I could toss all the vitamin bottles. And extra space for stuff I bought Easier to do when your checking.

Did you do a vacation package when you were at Tokyo Disney? I want to do that but it's for a max of 2 nights, so then I'd have to book an extra night separately in a couple of months when hotel-only bookings open, and hope it works out that I can find the exact same category so we can stay in the room.

 

[afan]

Did you do a vacation package when you were at Tokyo Disney? I want to do that but it's for a max of 2 nights, so then I'd have to book an extra night separately in a couple of months when hotel-only bookings open, and hope it works out that I can find the exact same category so we can stay in the room.

No, I used points at the hilton. Goes back to that why pay when I can stay for free discussion. The happy 15, as a solo person willing to pay for rides, there wasn't a benefit to me for staying at a Disney hotel. Plus breakfast and evening snacks in the lounge were a huge help.

 

[Haley R]

No, I used points at the hilton. Goes back to that why pay when I can stay for free discussion. The happy 15, as a solo person willing to pay for rides, there wasn't a benefit to me for staying at a Disney hotel. Plus breakfast and evening snacks in the lounge were a huge help.

You were there before Fantasy Springs opened though right? The vacation package seems to really help getting on those rides. We happened to be there the week before during the soft openings and the happy entry helped a ton in getting premier access and standby times for Fantasy Springs

 

[Duckbug.Ducktales]

You were there before Fantasy Springs opened though right? The vacation package seems to really help getting on those rides. We happened to be there the week before during the soft openings and the happy entry helped a ton in getting premier access and standby times for Fantasy Springs

Yeah, I'm considering primarily because of Fantasy Springs. We'll be there in November. The Fantasy Springs vacation packages are already on sale for those dates (but not other packages)

 

[afan]

You were there before Fantasy Springs opened though right? The vacation package seems to really help getting on those rides. We happened to be there the week before during the soft openings and the happy entry helped a ton in getting premier access and standby times for Fantasy Springs

I would have done the same and if I didn't get to see it I wouldn't see it. Those rides are worthing paying to ride, but they aren't worth that much. There's also a huge difference in what makes sense cost wise when you are talking about more than one person or adding kids in. I'm paying a premium any time I get a room because it's just me. I'm one income and one person earning points. Never going to vacation the same because of it. It allows me to do stuff that aren't cost effective when you add more people to it, like some tours or even Genie +/ride access, but it also limits stuff I'll willing pay for out of my vacay budget.