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

[Crazed4DisneyinSC]

I'm excited to hear about your trip! I cannot believe you are renting a scooter! I just don't think I could ever. And not now that I'm middle aged! Also, disboards popped a link on the word scooter in your original post that implies you'll be renting a mobility assistance scooter, like one would rent at WDW!

LOL, the scooter link is hilarious. I don't know how to get rid of it! (guess it automatically linked on your post too, HAHA). It definitely won't be a mobility scooter! I'm a little nervous about renting a regular scooter and driving that in a country like Cambodia, but apparently it's the common way to get around, and I've read a lot of reviews of people's experiences... so we're going to try it and hoping all goes well. It'll be an experience, that's for sure! I'll do a trip report when we get back, for anyone curious if we crashed, LOL.

 

[Judique]

Nordstrom, Dillard's, belk, saks, bloomingdales, some are regional but still dept stores.

Yes, I've forgotten them all!

 

[afan]

Yes, I've forgotten them all!

I miss Dillard's shoe dept. Was always good to wander through.

 

[VGCgroupie]

People are reporting 6,000 free Virgin Miles with a targeted email. Neither DH or I got the email. Title of email has "London Calling" in it

 

[Judique]

We'll be staying at the Park Hyatt in Siem Reap for 4 nights, coming up fast in less than 2 months... I'm SO excited! This has been my most anticipated trip we've been planning for the past year (Cambodia combined with Singapore and Vietnam).
We only have Discoverist status with Hyatt. I know it's been offered in here before, and others have kindly helped us in the past (thank you!!)... but if anyone has a Guest of Honor award that will be going to waste again this year, we'd love to help use it! I believe that would get us free breakfast, free parking (we'll be renting a scooter! lol), and a suite upgrade if available. The hotel already looks very nice, so we're super pumped for this stay and to explore the surrounding area and Angkor Wat for a few days.
Would also love any recommendations on food/restaurants in the area for anyone who's been! TIA

Try searching on Instagram for Siem Reap and Angkor Wat and a lot of food and restaurants come up. My DD went to Hong Kong and Cambodia in 2020 to her cousins wedding, and visited both of the above. She signed up for food tours and ate a lot of street food. Not sure where she stayed other than she shared a suite of some kind with her Dad and his wife. She loved it and had a lot of family around in Cambodia (for the wedding) so a different situation but you may find some interesting pictures and ideas.

 

[Sheree]

We'll be staying at the Park Hyatt in Siem Reap for 4 nights, coming up fast in less than 2 months... I'm SO excited! This has been my most anticipated trip we've been planning for the past year (Cambodia combined with Singapore and Vietnam).
We only have Discoverist status with Hyatt. I know it's been offered in here before, and others have kindly helped us in the past (thank you!!)... but if anyone has a Guest of Honor award that will be going to waste again this year, we'd love to help use it! I believe that would get us free breakfast, free parking (we'll be renting a scooter! lol), and a suite upgrade if available. The hotel already looks very nice, so we're super pumped for this stay and to explore the surrounding area and Angkor Wat for a few days.
Would also love any recommendations on food/restaurants in the area for anyone who's been! TIA

Loved Vietnam and Singapore! We had a private guide in Saigon who was the best we've ever used anywhere. Rode in a tri shaw, went on top of embassy building (ladder where last Americans left), tunnels etc. Singapore is beautiful, zoo was great
enjoy!

 

[becauseimnew]

For those of you that have been to Italy recently, what do I need to pre-book?
Going to Rome, Florence and Venice.

Buying Vatican and Colosseum tickets, do I need to book a tour?

 

[Crazed4DisneyinSC]

Loved Vietnam and Singapore! We had a private guide in Saigon who was the best we've ever used anywhere. Rode in a tri shaw, went on top of embassy building (ladder where last Americans left), tunnels etc. Singapore is beautiful, zoo was great
enjoy!

Oh this makes me excited... we're going to Saigon too! Honestly that's the part of the trip I wasn't sure I would love as much, but glad to hear you had a great time there! We did book a private tour to the tunnels; DH is very excited for that and the War Remnants museum... he's a huge museum/history buff.
I'm glad you mentioned the zoo in Singapore... that is something I want to do, but DH is not thrilled about it. He's like "we've been to so many zoos, one more or less, they're all the same". But I recall others here commenting about the zoo being really great, too, so I think we're just going to go... I'm sure he'll wind up liking it, like all the other stuff I "drag" him to, lol.

 

[mmmears]

For those of you that have been to Italy recently, what do I need to pre-book?
Going to Rome, Florence and Venice.

Buying Vatican and Colosseum tickets, do I need to book a tour?

We got into the Vatican early because we booked a private tour. I'm not sure if it's the same this year as it was in 2023 though. I think they are now telling people to book the Pantheon in advance (it was changing right after we left). Borghese Gallery must be booked in advance if you are interested in going - it books up very quickly, too. Rome is amazing!!!

 

[mmmears]

We'll be staying at the Park Hyatt in Siem Reap for 4 nights, coming up fast in less than 2 months... I'm SO excited! This has been my most anticipated trip we've been planning for the past year (Cambodia combined with Singapore and Vietnam).
We only have Discoverist status with Hyatt. I know it's been offered in here before, and others have kindly helped us in the past (thank you!!)... but if anyone has a Guest of Honor award that will be going to waste again this year, we'd love to help use it! I believe that would get us free breakfast, free parking (we'll be renting a scooter! lol), and a suite upgrade if available. The hotel already looks very nice, so we're super pumped for this stay and to explore the surrounding area and Angkor Wat for a few days.
Would also love any recommendations on food/restaurants in the area for anyone who's been! TIA

We may have some left - let me know if you still need one.

 

[Crazed4DisneyinSC]

We may have some left - let me know if you still need one.

You’re too kind!!! I’m pretty positive you helped us out before too… not quickly forgotten!! I’ll send you a message

 

[georgina]

Has anyone signed up for free Apple TV+ through the CSR? Everything I read says go to 'benefits' link through Chase, but I don't see it anywhere. Or maybe it doesn't start until Oct 26.

 

[CaliforniaGirl09]

I have both an Amex Plat Schwab and an Amex Plat Business. Not happy about the higher fee and the additional coupon booking. I'm really debating on my business card. My Schwab is basically paid for by the Schwab credit, but with the increased fees to pay taxes with business cards--so annoying--I'm struggling with whether to keep it for the any purchases I have over $5,000 to get 2 points. I have only used the hotel credit once. Most of the places I go, I don't need hotels. I need to check when my renewal date is... hope to have a year to decide. Very frustrated with the direction the cc companies are taking of huge annual fees offset by coupon books of questionable value.

 

[Duckbug.Ducktales]

Amex Platnium changes leaked also. Per DOC

• Annual Fee: $895 – this is an increase from $695, we discussed this in a prior post
• Additional Card Fee: $195 – same as with the current version of the card
• No annual fee for companion Platinum cards – same as with the current version of the card

Featured Benefits:

• 5x points on direct flights and on Amex Travel; 1x points on other purchases – same as with the current version of the card
• Global Lounge Collection – same as with the current version of the card
• $400 Resy credit ($100 per quarter) – this is a new benefit, we discussed this in a prior post
• $600 semi-annual hotel credit (FHR any stay; THC min. 2-night stay) – this is a new benefit, we discussed this in a prior post
• $200 Uber Cash – same as with the current version of the card
• $120 Uber One credit – this is a new ben

My Plat renews next week. I will miss the old fee by just a week! I hope they at least offer me a decent retention bonus given the AF hike

 

[Psychodisney]

Has anyone signed up for free Apple TV+ through the CSR? Everything I read says go to 'benefits' link through Chase, but I don't see it anywhere. Or maybe it doesn't start until Oct 26.

I think for existing card holders it has that Oct start date.

 

[babyready]

For those of you that have been to Italy recently, what do I need to pre-book?
Going to Rome, Florence and Venice.

Buying Vatican and Colosseum tickets, do I need to book a tour?

We were in Rome last month. Definitely get your Vatican tickets, those fill up very quickly. We booked ours a few months out and still got a pretty bad time, late in the day. And a tip to anyone who gets a late start at the Vatican...when it says they close at 8:00, they will actually start clearing out at 7:30.

We pre-booked pretty much everything. The Colosseum was SO CROWDED so I would definitely recommend getting those on the early side as well. I think I got those a couple weeks in advance and there were some times sold out but many still available. Same with the Pantheon.

Our family just did the free Rick Steve's audio tours and they worked fine for us but I think a tour at the Colosseum/Roman Forum would be beneficial. Probably at the Vatican too.

We did the Amalfi Coast, Rome and Venice. And ended up skipping Florence this trip. And then everyone I talked to said Florence was their favorite! Venice ended up being my favorite, I especially appreciated the cooler temps after how hot it had been in Rome.
Have a great trip!

 

[MsOnceUponATime]

For those of you that have been to Italy recently, what do I need to pre-book?
Going to Rome, Florence and Venice.

Buying Vatican and Colosseum tickets, do I need to book a tour?

Certainly book the Pantheon in advance. Even with timed tickets we waited in a weird European line which was actually not a line at all - just a bunch of people shoving and pushing into one another to filter into one small line. We did a tour for the Colosseum and would do that again if it we were going with first timers.

These days the Trevi fountain almost needs a ticketed line too. I suggest early morning or late at night for the Trevi if you're going there. We actually left our Airbnb at 2am to go to the airport and there were bunches of people sitting out at the Trevi fountain as we passed by in our hire car. I was shocked.

 

[mmmears]

I have only used the hotel credit once. Most of the places I go, I don't need hotels. I need to check when my renewal date is... hope to have a year to decide. Very frustrated with the direction the cc companies are taking of huge annual fees offset by coupon books of questionable value.

The BBP gives 2 MRs for every dollar spent with no AF, so if that's the only reason you're hanging onto the Plat Biz card you could consider using a BBP instead. I really can't see the benefits to that Plat Biz card anymore. I'm considering canceling mine.

 

[wanderlust7]

Got DS on the same flight as us to Japan! Booked 1 first and 2 biz on JAL with Cathay at calendar open. Hoped to get premium economy for DS, but it never happened. Got seat.aero alert for JAL first with Jetblue, a whopping 179k points and $119 taxes. But I need that exact flight! Had 30k Jetblue leftover and transferred 147k URs while knowing that it could well be phantom. But it ticketed and I selected the seat! Hopefully no issue swapping my biz seat with DS, so DH and I can sit together in first!

If anyone else is looking, many days in April through July has 1 first seat from SFO-HND. The flight I got was waitlisted for first as JAL award direct, which is very weird. But I think that was the case too when there was wide open availability several months ago.

 

[KPK02090]

Can I apply for a CIC and a personal SW card on the same day?