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

[babyready]

not sure if it’s system wide or just SW changing direct flights to/from ISP and MCO but my mid October flight times were just changed

Our October SW flight to ATL got changed as well.

 

[Duckbug.Ducktales]

Oct SW flights roundtrip to MCI (Kansas City) got changed, too. This trip is cursed, lol. Originally had it this month but a schedule change made it so we'd have little time there. Now this schedule change has done the same, we'll probably cancel again.

 

[Duckbug.Ducktales]

DH wants to tour every state capitol building so we use our companion pass to periodically check some off the list. SW isn't making it easy lately, though!

 

[FreeDiningFanatic]

Paris Planning - Flights

Any Virgin Atlantic experts? We have MR and UR to transfer.

I have been watching Air France for awhile and it was 88k one way for business for days leading up to when we want to travel. Our booking window opened and now it's 154k (+$200)! I looked into Virgin Atlantic and there are a few options in the weeks leading up to when we want to go (end of May), but they haven't released award space yet for the end of May. Only one day a week is available for Air France or KLM at 48.5k (+$300). Seems too good to be true to book the same flights at a third of the points cost. What am I missing? When Virgin shows Upper as a booking category is that equivalent to Business or First for AF or KLM?

United wants 395k one way business. ONE WAY! British Airways keeps giving me an error or they are not showing any AA space. Is that normal?

We using Flying Blue (AF/KLM) quite a bit out of Chicago (ORD) and I have found that points prices are high when they are released and then at some point they seem to normalize. My best advice is to check frequently or subscribe to an alert service.

I have also booked AF flights on VS. The issue with doing this is that AF allocates only a certain number of award flights to VS. So if you are booking very far out, like you are, and AF cancels or changes that flight, if they all of the award space they've allocated to VS is gone, you are out of luck. Yes, you can accept a cancellation and get your money back, but you are stuck trying to find new flights. Whereas if you book directly with Flying Blue, you can switch to pretty much any available flight.

Also, as you've been advised, there are the VS phantom award issues right now.

May isn't usually peak travel time, more shoulder, so I think you are safe to wait a bit for prices you are comfortable with.

 

[FreeDiningFanatic]

We recently sold our Boca house — wasn’t on the market, but a realtor brought a couple through that loved the house and they made an insanely good offer that we couldn’t refuse. With dd in uni here and me seldom going there, it made sense to sell. Dh rented a 4 bedroom / 3 bathroom house in Fort Lauderdale while we decide what we want to buy (condo on the beach most likely). This is a long-winded way of asking if this is going to hurt my credit score? We are very fortunate to have no debt (mind you we aren’t exactly young anymore), so I’m worried that my credit score may have taken a hit. With the upcoming 120k CIP offer I want to be sure that I’m well-positioned (can’t apply until the end of July).

Congrats on the unexpected home sale! We also don't have a mortgage or any installment payments, like an auto payment. We have no debt and only charge and pay our CCs in full monthly. Because of that, I think our scores are a bit lower than what other people sometimes post here, but we are probably in the 790-830 range? I have been approved for every card I've applied for and usually get auto-approval. So, I think you'll be in good shape.

 

[tink1970]

This is a long-winded way of asking if this is going to hurt my credit score?

Congrats on the home sale...with insurance prices the way they are in FL, whoo hoo!

I don't think your credit score should dip more than a tiny bit, if any. I haven't had a house or other revolving payment for quite a while (approaching a decade now) and it hasn't seemed to affect my credit score in any significant way. I don't blame you for wanting to take advantage of the new CIP offer...so many URs is tempting . Fingers crossed late July you'll report back with happy news!

 

[CoP Luv]

We using Flying Blue (AF/KLM) quite a bit out of Chicago (ORD) and I have found that points prices are high when they are released and then at some point they seem to normalize. My best advice is to check frequently or subscribe to an alert service.

I have also booked AF flights on VS. The issue with doing this is that AF allocates only a certain number of award flights to VS. So if you are booking very far out, like you are, and AF cancels or changes that flight, if they all of the award space they've allocated to VS is gone, you are out of luck. Yes, you can accept a cancellation and get your money back, but you are stuck trying to find new flights. Whereas if you book directly with Flying Blue, you can switch to pretty much any available flight.

Also, as you've been advised, there are the VS phantom award issues right now.

May isn't usually peak travel time, more shoulder, so I think you are safe to wait a bit for prices you are comfortable with.

Thanks for this. I am also looking for ORD to CDG, so I really appreciate the first hand experience. I don’t want to be stuck with points on VS if there is a cancellation, or AF really since I don’t know if I would really have a use for them. Best case is if United’s award cost came down significantly.

 

[Judique]

Staples is doing no fee Visas starting Sunday.

 

[mmmears]

Looks like we will definitely do the architecture river cruise! Thank you all for this suggestion and all the others. I have made a list of all of it.

I forgot to add that the cruises were sold out the weekend we went. We had booked in advance, but it was a holiday weekend so I'm not sure if it normally sells out. We took one in the evening which was nice because it started out in daylight, went to dusk, and then ended when it was dark and all the lights were on.

 

[GZanta77]

Not been a good week for P2 - Amex pop-up and Chase Ink denial. Might be time to put some spend on existing cards for a while.

 

[palhockeymomof2]

DH wants to tour every state capitol building so we use our companion pass to periodically check some off the list. SW isn't making it easy lately, though!

I really miss the old days when SW never changed their schedule once released

 

[ten6mom]

Good morning. I recently got the Chase IHG Mastercard, and met the MSR and such. All of the 'regular spend' points, including those from my most recent statement, have shown up in my IHG account, but the bonus (165K) has not. It is no longer showing in the Chase portal either (although it does say I've earned it).

Is this just IHG being slow, or do you think there is something I need to worry about? The relationship between Chase and Marriott was much faster IME.

 

[Judique]

Good morning. I recently got the Chase IHG Mastercard, and met the MSR and such. All of the 'regular spend' points, including those from my most recent statement, have shown up in my IHG account, but the bonus (165K) has not. It is no longer showing in the Chase portal either (although it does say I've earned it).

Is this just IHG being slow, or do you think there is something I need to worry about? The relationship between Chase and Marriott was much faster IME.

What does 'recently' mean? This could be the key to your problem (or not a problem) if you finished the spend in one day (I and others have with taxes, heating system etc) one week or one month or longer. The bonus drops on a sort of schedule after you meet spend. I'm too foggy right now to remember it, but I know there is one with Chase cards. It may be something like the 'Tuesday after your statement closes'. I'm sure you'll get it soon.

The regular spend points show up quicker on an individual basis.

 

[hsmamato2]

I just thought of something..... So I have the Amex preferred blue, 6% back on grocery cc..... I was gonna pc back to everyday to avoid the AF, but just realized I'm still getting the Hulu/Disney bundle discount of $7 a month..... Dang, I'll lose that if I pc,right?

 

[ten6mom]

What does 'recently' mean? This could be the key to your problem (or not a problem) if you finished the spend in one day (I and others have with taxes, heating system etc) one week or one month or longer. The bonus drops on a sort of schedule after you meet spend. I'm too foggy right now to remember it, but I know there is one with Chase cards. It may be something like the 'Tuesday after your statement closes'. I'm sure you'll get it soon.

The regular spend points show up quicker on an individual basis.

Sorry I wasn't clear.

I got the card in March and met the spend in May.

Around the beginning of June I saw the award bonus points as "pending" in my Chase account and it said it would be "added to my available point balance" June 18. It's now June 22 and it no longer shows the bonus points pending, but neither do they show up in my IHG account.

I will give it another few days!

 

[Judique]

Sorry I wasn't clear.

I got the card in March and met the spend in May.

Around the beginning of June I saw the award bonus points as "pending" in my Chase account and it said it would be "added to my available point balance" June 18. It's now June 22 and it no longer shows the bonus points pending, but neither do they show up in my IHG account.

I will give it another few days!

That's what I would do. I don't think they do much on weekends. I'd keep checking through a couple of business days next week. Or, if you are in the mood to talk by chat or phone, you can always reach out.

Just an FYI if you didn't know - IHG points show up under 'redeem' on the Chase site on the actual credit card account as well as on your IHG account.

 

[ambgoph]

I just thought of something..... So I have the Amex preferred blue, 6% back on grocery cc..... I was gonna pc back to everyday to avoid the AF, but just realized I'm still getting the Hulu/Disney bundle discount of $7 a month..... Dang, I'll lose that if I pc,right?

Nope - the Blue Cash Everyday includes the Hulu/Disney $7 credit.

 

[WardFam]

I don’t have a Costco membership. Is that required? I’ve pretty much talked myself into not using Turo. It just seems too risky. I actually just checked Alamo. You’re right, it was about $70 less than enterprise. If it were up to me, we’d stay at Aulani and never leave, but my family tends to get stir crazy so we will definitely venture out some. I know we plan to go to Pearl Harbor. Thinking about Kualoa Ranch. DS wants to go skydiving. We are all overwhelmed and don’t know what to do, but also trying to stay budget friendly, which seems impossible at the moment. DH says this may be a once in a lifetime trip so we should not try to be cheap, but I think we are going to love it there and will definitely go back again. This is why we have DVC after all !!

I actually have found Priceline or discount Hawai’i car rental to have the best rental car prices lately. I swore by Costco for years, but it has been significantly more lately for my dates! So maybe try those?

 

[LilSweetPeaPhoto]

Back from our quickie trip (#4) to Vegas to use the $150 dining credit we got for my BF's bday month w/ the Wynn match. We used our $300 in spa credits at FountaineBleu too! The spa was totally worth $228 but $528 would have been hard to swallow, LOL.

At about 2am Friday morning (not tired) we decided to take the 6am flight home vs the 9:40am flight I had booked us on. Plus that flight had the most open seats. At 2am it was a good idea. At 4:30am I was sitting at the gate in full on anxiety attack bawling my eyes out. My poor BF. I learned I can not non-rev on no sleep, LOL. Luckily he managed to get us seats next to each other. And he validated everything w/o me saying anything. Flight anxiety is a newer fun just added to anxiety randomly at any time. I have attacks for no reason, and the logical parts of my brain know everything I'm thinking/freaking out over isn't rational. But this man deserves a medal dealing with me (also on no sleep himself, LOL).

I saw the rumors for the 120k CIP SUB. I didn't do my application yet for the CIU I wanted. I'm trying to decide if it's worth doing the CIP (I haven't had one in awhile) or do I just do the CIU like I was planning? I plan on buying a macbook for myself, now that Apple released the summer promo. And my son wants a macbook as well. So I have those spends immediately to put on the card, LOL. I'd like to think I can meet an $8k spend. Especially since I had medical bills to pay. But I like the 12 mos 0% the CIU would give me. UGH. I have the money, in savings, but I like earning on the savings vs paying off when it's 0%. Decisions, decisions! UGH.

 

[hsmamato2]

Nope - the Blue Cash Everyday includes the Hulu/Disney $7 credit.

well that's awesome, I wonder if it will transfer? Or is there a current one I can get? my last one was good for 12 months