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

[VGCgroupie]

It knows you have a DVC add-on in your future

Not gonna lie can’t say that didn’t cross my mind.

 

[CaliforniaGirl09]

She could use the $200 airline credit to pay for bags

We usually use that right away on cheap flights, but good point.

 

[miztressuz]

Not sure I understand AA terminology. Are all AA operated business international seats "flagship"? I'm on an AA operated flight JFK to LHR. I don't see anywhere on the ticket it says Flagship - I used Alaska Miles to book. If I look at the website it says Flagship available on that flight. So am I in Flagship and have access to Admirals Club lounge in JFK?

I believe so, it's international to Europe and if it has lie flat business it should have all the Flagship amenities. (Best one for me was the arrivals lounge in LHR; having a shower after an overnight was priceless.) I don't recall it specifically being on my ticket and I bought it directly from AA. It's based on the cabin so not any different service buying from a partner. No picking and choosing based on seat or class bucket. The 'Flagship Available ' indicator on the AA site is just marking if it has business/first seats available for purchase and the flight qualifies for the Flagship amenities.

It was one of my best travel experiences, I called it the day of eating! It was a long travel day with a connecting flight, hit the Centurion lounge in PHL because I hadn't eaten yet all day, then noshed at the Admirals in BOS during my long layover in a comfy arm chair, dinner on the flight, then breakfast on the flight, then at LHR I had a cup of tea while getting my Internet sorted on my phone. (I seriously didn't buy food the rest of the day! My hotel had some prepackaged biscuits they set out with the tea and that was my dinner, haha)

I'm sure you've read through this on the website, but for posterity -
https://www.aa.com/i18n/travel-info/experience/seats/flagship-business-international.jsp

Your Flagship® Business and Flagship® Business Plus ticket gives you access to elevated amenities and services on international flights between the U.S. and Asia, Australia, Europe, New Zealand and South America.*

We also now offer Flagship® Business on select flights between the U.S. mainland and Hawaii.

*Flagship® Business is only available on aircraft with lie-flat seats: Boeing 777-200, 777-300, 787-8 and 787-9; and Airbus A321T. Flagship® Business Plus is only available on Boeing 777-200, 787-800 and 787-900.

 

[StephPlum]

@miztressuz, thanks for the confirmation. I’m such a literal person that if I don’t see the word flagship on my itinerary, I question it. I did read all about the lounges/experiences. Someone on flyertalk said the Greenwich lounge (also available to business) in JFK is nicer than the Admirals club. I’ll probably just hit up whichever is closer to my gate. I am looking forward to the arrivals lounge in LHR. Freshening up and depending on the breakfast on the plane having a quick bite sounds wonderful.

You made me realize I need to fly somewhere with a centurion lounge to use that benefit and experience before my AF hits on my Biz Plat. Not sure if I’ll keep it or not.

 

[leeniewdw]

Thanks for the trip report! Definitely want to travel to Switzerland someday. Are you willing to share the hotel in Charleston? We travel there often.

It was The Palmetto. Nice location but lots of construction next door and there was some sort of drip in the wall of our room. We even checked to see if something was dripping in the bathroom, but it must have been in the wall.

Just not good use of the Amex Hotel Credit imo. Especially given we could compare that stay to our stay in Munich just a month later (booked with last year's credit).

 

[afan]

Tried the pre-approval for the venture x and it still said no but now only because of too many cards since my inquiries have gone down.

I know some have still been approved when they weren't pre approved but I don't know I'd it's worth trying.

It does show I'm pre approved for the reg venture which has the same sub and transfer partners which is good. I would prefer the x since if the csr gets the higher af I may PC to a csr and the x would fill in.

I don't have any personal cards I want to cancel or can cancel at the moment.

I'd still be under 5/24 and would do an ink for the next card. I do have an upcoming reason for the cap 1 points.

Is it worth trying for the x anyway or should I just do the regular one?

 

[disneybirds]

It was The Palmetto. Nice location but lots of construction next door and there was some sort of drip in the wall of our room. We even checked to see if something was dripping in the bathroom, but it must have been in the wall.

Just not good use of the Amex Hotel Credit imo. Especially given we could compare that stay to our stay in Munich just a month later (booked with last year's credit).

Thanks for the info. It is a good location and we usually stop in Carmella's next door for dessert at some point!

 

[palhockeymomof2]

Has anyone applied for the JB Barclays business card. Is it easy to get ?
Currently have the JB Plus card which I got in August.

Thinking about applying since we are now flying them a lot since they started flying ISP to MCO and getting the A group boarding would be helpful.

 

[GZanta77]

Has anyone applied for the JB Barclays business card. Is it easy to get ?
Currently have the JB Plus card which I got in August.

Thinking about applying since we are now flying them a lot since they started flying ISP to MCO and getting the A group boarding would be helpful.

DW and I both have the JB Biz - had them for over a year - but I don't recall any difficulties with the application. Very low credit limits though.

DW also recently did a status match challenge - and with flights she already had booked plus a large amount of credit card spend (mainly medical and taxes) she was able to qualify for Mosaic 2 through the end of 2026. this means she can select the 'Even More' seats for free at booking. We typically fly JB 8-10 times per year and at 6'5" I have a strong preference for extra legroom seats so we will certainly enjoy this perk.

 

[leeniewdw]

Thanks for the info. It is a good location and we usually stop in Carmella's next door for dessert at some point!

We definitely did!

 

[leeniewdw]

I know there are a lot people who travel to Italy and Switzerland and I wanted to give a rec to our favorite stop of our 2+ week trip. No travel hacking here, just a very unique beautiful place.

We stayed 1 night at Arva Oeschinensee which is a small guesthouse/restaurant on Oeschinensee Lake in Kandersteg Switzerland. The lake is a popular day trip for locals and tourists, but there are only 2 places to stay overnight (I forget the name of the other one). In order to get there, you can get off the train in Kandersteg, walk to the gondola, ride the gondola, then a 15-20 minute walk/hike down to the Lake. The lake is a glacial lake surrounded by a cirque/mountains. It's stunning from the time you step off the train. They serve food to day visitors as well (until around 4pm).

Once the day visitors are gone (either hiking down or riding the gondola), the only people left are overnight guests and have the place and view to themselves until the next day when day visitors begin to arrive again. At Arva, it's lovely dining (you pay ala carte for dinner, breakfast is included) in a charming little dining room with a wood burning stove (they serve dinner outside on the patio if the weather isn't too cold -- it was too cold our evening). It's run by a lovely couple (I believe the property has been in the family for generations). I believe there are 6 rooms at Arva, but only 3 were occupied the night we were there (they'd just opened).

We stowed our luggage at the train station lockers and just took travel backpacks with our overnight necessities.

Our room is in the first picture (on the left with a small balcony) and our view in the pic below it.



Main house and dining patio.

 

[palhockeymomof2]

DW and I both have the JB Biz - had them for over a year - but I don't recall any difficulties with the application. Very low credit limits though.

DW also recently did a status match challenge - and with flights she already had booked plus a large amount of credit card spend (mainly medical and taxes) she was able to qualify for Mosaic 2 through the end of 2026. this means she can select the 'Even More' seats for free at booking. We typically fly JB 8-10 times per year and at 6'5" I have a strong preference for extra legroom seats so we will certainly enjoy this perk.

Thanks…I remember reading about some business card where they wanted documents sent in but didn’t pay attention at the time to which one

 

[GZanta77]

Thanks…I remember reading about some business card where they wanted documents sent in but didn’t pay attention at the time to which one

Yes - I have seen people saying that Barclays wanted documents but we have JB Biz and have also had the Barclays Aviator Biz - have never been asked for documents applying under SSN.

 

[hsmamato2]

Can you get the reg Venture and PC to x? I wonder bc I may try that at some point too.... I used most of my Cap1 bonus already lol.... so it has it's uses, that portal.

 

[eticketplease]

Can you get the reg Venture and PC to x? I wonder bc I may try that at some point too.... I used most of my Cap1 bonus already lol.... so it has it's uses, that portal.

Yes you can.
I was given that as an option along with Venture One and Quicksilver.
Already have an X so changed mine to a Quicksilver as I'm hoping that the Savor card will become an upgrade option later for 3x dining and groceries and to be able to combine those points with my X.

 

[palhockeymomof2]

Can you get the reg Venture and PC to x? I wonder bc I may try that at some point too.... I used most of my Cap1 bonus already lol.... so it has its uses, that portal.

If the x has a higher annual fee, you would have to wait a year after opening due to the CARD act

 

[happysavermp]

Thanks…I remember reading about some business card where they wanted documents sent in but didn’t pay attention at the time to which one

My husband did have to send in documentation before he was approved for the business card in September of 2024. However he did apply for the business card before he was approved for the personal one. He had no other Barclaycards at the time other than being an authorized user on my Gap card (which was opened around 20 years ago).

 

[palhockeymomof2]

My husband did have to send in documentation before he was approved for the business card in September of 2024. However he did apply for the business card before he was approved for the personal one. He had no other Barclaycards at the time other than being an authorized user on my Gap card (which was opened around 20 years ago).

Thanks for the DP…I do have the JB plus card so I hope that will help….taking off on a flight soon so may apply while onboard

Edited to add..good thing I read the terms and conditions they overnight the card if approved so will wait until we are home