I love credit cards so much! v7.0 - 2025 (see first page for add'l details)

[wanderlust7]

Yeah. I have a new AMEX Card coming today but I know it won't count for SUB for that. I think it does for Chase though right? Going to try and get another Ink here in a few weeks.

Chase works. I put it on my Hyatt card for FNC and elite nights. To be safe, you can double check that your cash advance limit is under $3000. For an Ink, it's probably really low anyways.

Certain Amex cards might work. But I wouldn't do it because I'm paranoid when it comes to Amex.

 

[gottalovepluto]

So, we have a trip planned at the end of March, flying into Cartagena, Colombia for a few days, then to Panama City, Panama. We've been looking forward to this trip but with recent political developments (not looking to start anything, just stating facts), we are concerned it might not be a good idea? Hotels are all booked on points/FNCs and our flights can be changed as well. But, I have NO idea what we would pivot to if we have to change our plans. We have 4 FNCs that are expiring at the end of April so we have to use them somehow.

Personally unless Panama or Columbia blow up politically I wouldn’t change my plans just due to US politics.

 

[Judique]

I would keep an eye out for travel department updates on both countries. As far as Columbia, it's been level 3 reconsider travel for a year now.

The big 'if' - if something happens you may not be much of a priority as to getting you help and out of the country. Sadly, getting stranded with no US intervention is a real thing.

Colombia
Republic of Colombia

Travel Advisory​

Colombia - Level 3: Reconsider Travel​

KUTC
Reconsider travel due to crime and terrorism. Exercise increased caution due to civil unrest and kidnapping. Some areas have increased risk. Read the entire Travel Advisory.
... [READ MORE]

Embassy Messages​

Alerts​

Security Alert: Borders and airspace between Colombia and Venezuela closed until January 13Mon, 13 Jan 2025
U.S. Embassy Bogota – Office Closure January 9, 2025Fri, 03 Jan 2025
U.S. Embassy Bogota – Office Closures for December 2024 and January 2025Mon, 23 Dec 2024
Security Alert: U.S. Embassy Bogota – Planned Pro-Palestinian Protests on November 29 (November 29, 2024)Wed, 27 Nov 2024

 

[becauseimnew]

DH approved for a biz plat! We've been stuck in pop-up land for over a year. The pre-approved offer showed up on his BBP, 175k for $20k spend. Not the best offer by far, but we got pop-up on the 250k offer.

I think that attempt may have triggered the offer because there was a message about finishing his application. Got an offer not available message after clicking yesterday, but today it worked!

Congrats on the approval.

I have the Gold Pre-approval on my BBP 125K MR/$15K MSR.
DH has pre-approval for Business Plat 175K MR/$20K MSR.

Which one should would you all recommend? We are both in PUJ so we will be applying for one of these?

 

[gottalovepluto]

Congrats on the approval.

I have the Gold Pre-approval on my BBP 125K MR/$15K MSR.
DH has pre-approval for Business Plat 175K MR/$20K MSR.

Which one should would you all recommend? We are both in PUJ so we will be applying for one of these?

Run the math for your circumstances. Value of the bonus - AF + Credit values to you

 

[wanderlust7]

Congrats on the approval.

I have the Gold Pre-approval on my BBP 125K MR/$15K MSR.
DH has pre-approval for Business Plat 175K MR/$20K MSR.

Which one should would you all recommend? We are both in PUJ so we will be applying for one of these?

For me, it depends on the timing. Biz plat if it's tax season since it gets 1.5x on purchases over $5000. The airline credit is easy, but the Dell credit is just annoying. Hilton credit isn't any better, but they added it without increasing the AF, so I guess free is free.

Without large spend coming up, I tend to go for the biz gold. We get takeout a lot, so the 4x restaurants is nice. The business credit is easy to use buying GC on Staples, but it doesn't cover the AF.

 

[VGCgroupie]

Congrats on the approval.

I have the Gold Pre-approval on my BBP 125K MR/$15K MSR.
DH has pre-approval for Business Plat 175K MR/$20K MSR.

Which one should would you all recommend? We are both in PUJ so we will be applying for one of these?

We were able to come out way ahead on the AF for biz plat. We did utilize clear and tsa. Without utilizing those credits it wouldn’t have been as good but still good. I found using the airline incidental credit very easy even with Delta as my selected airline. I also got status with Hertz and found the rates to be much lower than even my go to cheap car rental option from Costco, so bonus savings there too.

 

[lsutigers03]

Chase works. I put it on my Hyatt card for FNC and elite nights. To be safe, you can double check that your cash advance limit is under $3000. For an Ink, it's probably really low anyways.

Certain Amex cards might work. But I wouldn't do it because I'm paranoid when it comes to Amex.

Where would I see the cash advance limit and would I be charged a fee for funding the account with an Ink Cash? I just got a new CIC and if I can quickly knock out my MSR I can apply DW for one.

 

[becauseimnew]

We were able to come out way ahead on the AF for biz plat. We did utilize clear and tsa. Without utilizing those credits it wouldn’t have been as good but still good. I found using the airline incidental credit very easy even with Delta as my selected airline. I also got status with Hertz and found the rates to be much lower than even my go to cheap car rental option from Costco, so bonus savings there too.

I ended up applying for the Gold, but it went pending. ugh

 

[wanderlust7]

Where would I see the cash advance limit and would I be charged a fee for funding the account with an Ink Cash? I just got a new CIC and if I can quickly knock out my MSR I can apply DW for one.

You can see it under More -> Account details.

There's no fee as long as it goes through as a purchase and not a cash advance, which it should with USB biz checking and Chase cc. If for some weird reason, it goes through as cash advance, the amount being larger than the limit will cause it to fail (which is what you want).

Note that only the USB biz checking has $3000 cc funding, personal checking is only $250.

Both DH and I had to call for the biz checking accounts. My call was very easy (besides the 1 hour hold time), they just sent a text to verify. DH needs to send in ID, SSN card, and utility bill. Only the water bill is in his name, so I'm waiting for the next bill since it needs to be dated within 60 days. It's billed every 2 months, so the last bill is just over. Hopefully it'll be easy once everything is uploaded, but I don't know yet.

 

[VGCgroupie]

I ended up applying for the Gold, but it went pending. ugh

Hopefully you get approved. I have the gold and for everyday spend it far outshines the platinum for us. Makes me realize how much we spend eating out haha!

 

[gottalovepluto]

I ended up applying for the Gold, but it went pending. ugh

I went through a phase of that, approvals usually rolled in within 24 hours.

 

[Haley R]

Is 3 days too short in Pigeon Forge? Allegiant changed our flight time from 4 pm to 7 pm and that’s too late for us so now we have to lose a day and fly a day late. We will be doing two days at Dollywood so will have one full day left for the rest of Pigeon Forge before moving to Gatlinburg. Otherwise we can fly a day early but then we’ll have 5 days in Piegon Forge which seems like too much

 

[jujubiee4]

I just SM'd to close my CIU that is over a year. So I'll have 3 biz cards. I can't close 2 of them since they are still under a year, LOL. I added up my CL and I'm at $43k, which is less than 50%. I could lower my CFU (which had my CSR CL limit). Maybe I'll lower some of my other freedom card limits.

What is the ratio they like you to be at?

 

[jujubiee4]

Thanks. DH is over 60, but kiddo is still in HS so definitely not planning on retirement yet.
So no one thinks AutoSlash will refund immediately? It's a pay now rate, so the reservation I made in November has been fully paid, I'd make a new one, pay in full and cancel the old one.

Hi so sorry to hear about DH's job. Scary times. We used Auto slash once for an Alaska Road trip.
I'm positive I cancelled after paying to switch to different date with no problem and got refund.
Problem is this was right before Covid so things might have changed. Good luck.

 

[leeniewdw]

Seriously (for the first time) considering applying for the Amex Plat if I can get the 175K offer... but first, a question about the ease of using the credits.
I am not likely to use all of them, but these interest me:

-The AMEX Global Lounge- does this mean that with the card I'd be able to visit any listed Amex Lounge when I'm in an airport? Does it matter if I'm coming/going, what airline I'm flying on, anything like that?

-Uber Cash: Is this easy to use? I don't use Uber Eats now, but I would if it weren't so expensive or if I could get it for 'free'. I do occasionally take Ubers when I am traveling, but usually only when I have gone somewhere for work, and work pays for it.

Things I will likely NOT use:

-Probably not going to ever book a "Fine Hotel or Resort" or the "Hotel Collection."
-Don't anticipate being able to use the Digital Entertainment Credit (we already pay for Disney Plus as an almost no-cost add on to our Verizon plan).

I THOUGHT I had seen an airline incidental credit on the terms of the application, but when I just look at the benefits/info page, I don't see anything about that. I don't fly a ton, and I generally try not to check a bag if I could help it, but I'd happily pay on legacy carriers (which I fly sometimes for work) for an upgraded seat if I could get it credited back!

We probably use our UBER credits about 50% on Ubers and about 50% on food. I don't know how anyone pays for UBER ONE delivery because when we've done it, I get reasonable food for 2 people and it's like $40 lol. So it's hard to count that as a real benefit when I wouldn't do it otherwise. Picking up makes more sense, but we've not done that enough.

I didn't think I'd use FHR, but we did in Vegas. We went during the week at got a great rate at the Bellagio and then with the credit, it was like $300 for 2 nights (total) then 1 full breakfast (our flight left too early the next day to get breakfast) and $100 for a dinner out. A very good deal. This year we booked a nice hotel in Munich for our arrival and again will get breakfast and $100 hotel credit. I'm happy with that benefit!

We happen to use HULU Live (ESPN+ and D+ included) so we make full use of this digital credit.

I've used the flight incidentals most years between skyclub entries for Delta flights (for my travel partner) or when I've ended up with an e-credit and the Amex credit covered the rest of the ticket once I used it. There's a trick to buy a Delta GC, book a refundable flight, get the credit, then cancel the flight to have the full e-credit including the Amex credit. I should have done that this year with the remainder of my Delta credit but never got around to it.

In 2023 I got a retention offer (25k MRs for $3k spend I think), I didn't try in 2024, but I think I will this June. The AF *IS* a lot!

 

[AmyAnne]

For me, it depends on the timing. Biz plat if it's tax season since it gets 1.5x on purchases over $5000. The airline credit is easy, but the Dell credit is just annoying. Hilton credit isn't any better, but they added it without increasing the AF, so I guess free is free.

Without large spend coming up, I tend to go for the biz gold. We get takeout a lot, so the 4x restaurants is nice. The business credit is easy to use buying GC on Staples, but it doesn't cover the AF.

The Dell credit is scheduled to end in June I believe.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

I'm positive I cancelled after paying to switch to different date with no problem and got refund.

I did end up canceling and rebooking. The refund showed as pending on my CSR about 15 minutes after I canceled.

 

[pinkxray]

I just submitted my vacation request for Thanksgiving week. Dh and I are both essential workers. I work Thanksgiving every other year and every third week. Dh does Thanksgiving every third year and weekends every fourth week. This is the first time in years we have aligned with no weekends and no holiday that week. I have never taken the week off, so I have a good shot of getting it.

That means Thanksgiving at WDW! JetBlue prices are close to $800 a person. No one else has flights available. Thinking about possibly getting the JetBlue card and maybe a SW card. Looking at SW the bonuses seem low right now? They have historically gotten higher right?
JetBlue seems about the same as always, around 50,000. I’m not interested in super high annual fees. Maybe $99 but not the premier cards.

 

[Judique]

I just submitted my vacation request for Thanksgiving week. Dh and I are both essential workers. I work Thanksgiving every other year and every third week. Dh does Thanksgiving every third year and weekends every fourth week. This is the first time in years we have aligned with no weekends and no holiday that week. I have never taken the week off, so I have a good shot of getting it.

That means Thanksgiving at WDW! JetBlue prices are close to $800 a person. No one else has flights available. Thinking about possibly getting the JetBlue card and maybe a SW card. Looking at SW the bonuses seem low right now? They have historically gotten higher right?
JetBlue seems about the same as always, around 50,000. I’m not interested in super high annual fees. Maybe $99 but not the premier cards.

I booked my DVC at Disney for Dec 1 to Dec 8, 2025. Now I'm still trying to decide if I want to do all 7 nights. it may stay 7 or become 4, 5, or 6, I don't know yet.

I'll also be going end of January or sometime in February. This depends on family who are far from getting their vacations approved.
January is more difficult due to lower points requirements but I already have it. February is not a piece of cake but should be feasible.

And then there is Son's family. DIL wants to go as soon as the kids are both old enough. That means booking larger units because they will be four. So, with DVC I have to start the planning now to have the correct amount of points ready for that trip. Add to that she is a teacher. At least she is planning on taking time rather than wanting a holiday period.