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

[Haley R]

I got like 1000 miles back by changing my SW flight a couple weeks ago. Nobody will talk me out of being super excited about that.

I'm not really a museum person. I would say do one museum with tea in the middle, assuming you can find one you like that is nearby. I would need a food break during museum time. If you end up having time to kill, it looks like there are gardens in the area. I'm usually happy just walking around looking at the architecture in cities though.
I would probably schedule one museum for 10 am....tea for 1pm....second museum for 3pm.
If you think you need less museum time, then I would book one museum for 10...the second for 11:30, then tea for 1pm (or whatever time is the earliest). Noon isn't really "tea time" so you may find that makes the decision for you.

Who are you traveling with?

It’ll be me, dh, and ds who is 5. I’m not sure his attention span will last too long in a museum but I saw one of the two has a kids area so that might help. The afternoon tea we plan to do is right next to both museums. The earliest time they have is 12 pm. I’m torn between doing both museums first or tea in the middle. We can always eat lunch at the museum if we do both museums together and then tea after.

ETA: After thinking about it more I think it might be better to do tea in between to break up the two museums otherwise I feel like ds will get sick of them.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

I was also hoping to visit the Diana Memorial playground

This is literally just a playground. Your DS will like running around blowing off steam but it’s not particularly large or innovative. Depending on your DS, it could be 20 minutes or 2 hours here.

I vote for museum, then tea, then second museum. Personally after 2-3 hours at a museum, I need a break and snack before tackling another museum. My DS definitely would have at that age.

 

[AndreaDM]

It’ll be me, dh, and ds who is 5. I’m not sure his attention span will last too long in a museum but I saw one of the two has a kids area so that might help. The afternoon tea we plan to do is right next to both museums. The earliest time they have is 12 pm. I’m torn between doing both museums first or tea in the middle. We can always eat lunch at the museum if we do both museums together and then tea after.

ETA: After thinking about it more I think it might be better to do tea in between to break up the two museums otherwise I feel like ds will get sick of them.

I just went to the Field Museum with my granddaughter who just turned 6 and she loved it! We were there about 3 hours and if we didn't have reservations at American Girl Cafe we would have stayed longer.

 

[WinterSolider]

Has anyone ever successfully redeemed Alaska Mileageplan for American flights? I've been trying for a week and every day it kicks back as "unable to confirm availability."

 

[Haley R]

This is literally just a playground. Your DS will like running around blowing off steam but it’s not particularly large or innovative. Depending on your DS, it could be 20 minutes or 2 hours here.

I vote for museum, then tea, then second museum. Personally after 2-3 hours at a museum, I need a break and snack before tackling another museum. My DS definitely would have at that age.

Playgrounds are the highlight of a trip for ds We always try to work one in most days to give him time to run around and that one looked pretty cool. He still remembers playgrounds from Germany when he was 3. We can always do it a different day though if it doesn’t work out.

I’m booking one museum at 10 am, tea at 12 pm, and another museum at 1:30 pm. Hopefully that works out.

 

[StephPlum]

Has anyone ever successfully redeemed Alaska Mileageplan for American flights? I've been trying for a week and every day it kicks back as "unable to confirm availability."

I did on May 18.

I saved 23K miles and a hotel room (don't need to fly in day prior). I was able to get flights same day from my airport (CMH) to JFK to LHR in biz for 45K miles. The JFK to LHR segment on AA was 57.5K.

 

[LilSweetPeaPhoto]

I just got an offer from Amex to upgrade my Delta Biz Gold to Biz Plat. But if I do that, you can't downgrade, right? Is that for the biz and personal? IDK why I'm keeping a Delta Card right now. I guess for the 15% off if I use points. But honestly I never use them. I should check and see if DPs get the AF waived like spouses do. Though, the upgrade offer is a $6k spend, it's over 6mos though....but it is a lot.

 

[afan]

I just got an offer from Amex to upgrade my Delta Biz Gold to Biz Plat. But if I do that, you can't downgrade, right? Is that for the biz and personal? IDK why I'm keeping a Delta Card right now. I guess for the 15% off if I use points. But honestly I never use them. I should check and see if DPs get the AF waived like spouses do. Though, the upgrade offer is a $6k spend, it's over 6mos though....but it is a lot.

You can't downgrade which is why I kept my gold when I app'd for the Plat. I want to keep it.

 

[havaneselover]

Just rebooked my 50th birthday cruise. Princess canceled the first one I booked and came out with a ten-day itinerary that leaves out of Athens and added Santorini and Crete. I finally pulled the trigger on that one even though the price is stupid high. The future cruise credit I received from the canceled cruise covered the deposit and I have 60 days to transfer to Chase (will use URs for most of the balance), Hopefully Chase will refund the URs from the canceled cruise in the next 45 days or so. Now I need to replenish my stash!

Also, does anyone know if Staples is going to have fee free $200 Visas starting Sunday? It feels like they should but I haven't seen anything. I have another $1,400 of property taxes to pay.

 

[palhockeymomof2]

Just rebooked my 50th birthday cruise. Princess canceled the first one I booked and came out with a ten-day itinerary that leaves out of Athens and added Santorini and Crete. I finally pulled the trigger on that one even though the price is stupid high. The future cruise credit I received from the canceled cruise covered the deposit and I have 60 days to transfer to Chase (will use URs for most of the balance), Hopefully Chase will refund the URs from the canceled cruise in the next 45 days or so. Now I need to replenish my stash!

Also, does anyone know if Staples is going to have fee free $200 Visas starting Sunday? It feels like they should but I haven't seen anything. I have another $1,400 of property taxes to pay.

If the pattern over the last at least a year holds, Staples should have the fee free VGCs starting Sunday since this week its fee free Mastercard GCs.

 

[danceintherain]

It’ll be me, dh, and ds who is 5. I’m not sure his attention span will last too long in a museum but I saw one of the two has a kids area so that might help. The afternoon tea we plan to do is right next to both museums. The earliest time they have is 12 pm. I’m torn between doing both museums first or tea in the middle. We can always eat lunch at the museum if we do both museums together and then tea after.

ETA: After thinking about it more I think it might be better to do tea in between to break up the two museums otherwise I feel like ds will get sick of them.

With a 5 year old, I'd definitely plan "lunch" in between the two museums.

I went with my 8 year on a kids science center field trip a few weeks ago, and he was over it very quickly. The planned time was like 5 hours, and the break for lunch was welcome to all of us. They did a couple things for a long time, and went back to the things they liked the most. But, whereas, I could have sat and does logic puzzles for hours, their attention spans were much shorter. I was glad I didn't have my 5 year old with me.

 

[AndreaDM]

Has anyone ever successfully redeemed Alaska Mileageplan for American flights? I've been trying for a week and every day it kicks back as "unable to confirm availability."

I booked a one-way on AA via Alaska about a month ago.

 

[eticketplease]

Does AMEX have a tracker for meeting the required minimum spend like Chase does?
I know it has lots of tracking on the website for spending but can't seem anything like that.
I am tracking it manually but it would be nice to see it at a glance.

 

[tink1970]

Has anyone ever successfully redeemed Alaska Mileageplan for American flights? I've been trying for a week and every day it kicks back as "unable to confirm availability."

I just did...I think the trick is whether AA has sAAver availability on the flights I'm searching. If not, then I get that message...or something like that. It's still sort of a mystery... clearly
When it works, though, it really iS a great deal, points-wise! I just booked two seats for DH and me (one way) in F for a total of 18K when AA wanted the same amount of miles for main economy. Yes, the partner fees were an added expense but overall, I viewed it as a win

 

[VGCgroupie]

Does AMEX have a tracker for meeting the required minimum spend like Chase does?
I know it has lots of tracking on the website for spending but can't seem anything like that.
I am tracking it manually but it would be nice to see it at a glance.

Nope. You can chat in to get spend, but they never give a 100% accurate amount from what I am told and what I have experienced.

 

[GZanta77]

Does AMEX have a tracker for meeting the required minimum spend like Chase does?
I know it has lots of tracking on the website for spending but can't seem anything like that.
I am tracking it manually but it would be nice to see it at a glance.

Don't think so, but if you want confirmation of your progress, a quick online chat should get you the numbers Amex has.

 

[eticketplease]

Nope. You can chat in to get spend, but they never give a 100% accurate amount from what I am told and what I have experienced.

Thanks @VGCgroupie and @GZanta77 I will just continue to track it with Excel.
Worth a shot

 

[VGCgroupie]

Thanks @VGCgroupie and @GZanta77 I will just continue to track it with Excel.
Worth a shot

Welcome. I had a complete panic meltdown when they had me like thousands less than what I had tracked. It was all fine in the end. The only thing that didnt count was a venmo payment and possibly a GC purchase at giftcards.com although Im not 100% certain on the latter. I could never get the numbers to match

 

[eticketplease]

Welcome. I had a complete panic meltdown when they had me like thousands less than what I had tracked. It was all fine in the end. The only thing that didnt count was a venmo payment and possibly a GC purchase at giftcards.com although Im not 100% certain on the latter. I could never get the numbers to match

Well right now I’m trying to not meet the minimum spend lol.

I have to wait 2 months to apply for the Chase Marriott card, hit that spend ASAP and wait for the bonus to post and then finish AMEX brilliant.

 

[wanderlust7]

Well right now I’m trying to not meet the minimum spend lol.

I have to wait 2 months to apply for the Chase Marriott card, hit that spend ASAP and wait for the bonus to post and then finish AMEX brilliant.

The Brilliant has the Earned Choice Award tracker. You can use that as a double check assuming your MSR doesn't span calendar years.