I love credit cards so much!

[kayteekt]

Nice that you got it! We could actually use it for home improvement but we were 0/7.

I was excited. Didn't realize how rare it was. Yesterday, ebay paypal gifts had a $100 Lowe's GC for $90. Maybe that would help some, if they still have them.

 

[hsmamato2]

1) You can check to see the availability and make the reservation - you don't need all the points to hold the reservation.
2) the points get transferred to your United account - or whatever airline you pick.
3) I don't know if it's possible to apply the certificate to a Sheraton
4) From what I've read you don't have to stay the 7 nights - you can only book the 5 you need. But yes, the value of transferring 132K united miles is awesome.

I was probably going for SWA at 120k..... and I think my problem will be booking that sheraton thru the cert program,since it doesnt show on the marriott site yet,just the spg site.

 

[pillow]

When I was trying to get my 1st mortgage payment to go through, they charged my card but then when I didn't submit the docs they wanted, they reimbursed me, and the the status showed declined.

Yep! This is what happened, but they did not ask for docs. I keep forgetting that Plastiq communicates via DH's email and not mine. I should have checked there first - ugh! He received an email that says something along the lines of my payment is being refunded since Plastiq "cannot support this payment." It was my Wells Fargo mortgage payment and my Chase payment. I should have known pushing those through was too good to be true. Drats! Seems like Ditech and Mr. Cooper are still processing fine though.

 

[hsmamato2]

1) I think it's possible that there won't be availability at that particular hotel. But I don't see your dates as being very popular (not over a holiday, for example) so my feeling is that you would able to re-book it. Just no guarantee.
2) Flights are separate. Put the miles into whatever program you want, then they'll be subject to whatever the expiration rules are of that airline. They do not need to be used for the HI trip.
3) The certificate just stays in your Marriott account until you attach it to a booking. When you go to book, you need to check the "Use Rewards Points" box when you're searching for availability. The certificate can only be used on rooms available on points. Once you have the booking, call into Marriott Rewards customer service and ask to attach the certificate to your reservation. You have to wait until 8/1 to book a Sheraton thru the Marriott website.
4) You don't need to stay for the entire 7 nights. That said, I think it's easier to check-in on the first day of your reservation and leave early. Otherwise you have to call the hotel if you're not arriving that day, and if you don't it's possible they will give your room away.

Thanks...that;s what I was thinking for 2-4..... I can't remember, how fast does the cert get sent to me once I do this? is it instant? bc I could likely try it on Aug 1 or 2 for my dates..... I can't blow the plans I have now to try this tho so it would have to be an 'all at the same time' kind of process. I'm really tied to this hotel it looks perfect for us! Arg. ok thanks for all the info! I think it's a good deal even if we only stay 5 nights....

 

[pillow]

I think you might have hit the credit limit on your CIP.

I’m inclined to agree with @wendow that if Plastiq flagged your payments as suspicious or needing review, they’d put a hold on your payment and request supporting documentation; and if you don’t send anything, then they’d cancel your payment.

I had a payment declined a while ago, and that was because I tried to make a large payment on my (then-) new CIP and triggered a fraud alert on Chase’s end. (This could be another possibility, but if you’ve been making Plastiq payments on your card previously, I doubt a recurring monthly payment would do that.)

If you’ve got a low credit limit on your CIP, then it’s possible your Plastiq payments might’ve gotten caught in between your credit card payment posting and clearing, even though it showed your payment posted on your account.

Both were recurring mortgage payments and had been paid the month before. Something flagged them though - the address perhaps? Apparently the creative naming techniques didn't work. Oh well.

 

[Albort]

OK, I think I have made some progress.

Alaskan Airlines flights 35k each x 6 people...210k points....need help with this part.

Hilton Grand Wailea x 5 nights x 2 rooms. room 1 380k hilton points. room 2 UR portal/ 159,760 points.

Westin Kaanapali x 6 nights x 2rooms. Room 1 104k SPG points. Room 2 104k SPG points (purchase 30k)
*(I'd rather do Aulani at 381k URs but i think i need those for flights?)
Hertz car rental on hertz points.


Alright...I even got all this lined up around the flights. Here is the kicker...how in the world do I buy the alaskan flights with alaskan points.

Here is my current stash (pending points):
Hilton 413k (earn more every week)
SPG 59,706 (55k pending. Can buy 30k x2)
UR 361,379 (116,523 pending)

Did I organize it to make best use of points? Should I change something? How to do make my URs into alaska miles...need 17,500 each way for 6 people.


ETA: this completely wipes out my entire stash. do I really want to go to hawaii? all you young churners out there...remember when family planning that hotel rooms are made for 4.

what's the cash price on alaska vs UR portal with CSR?

 

[platamama]

Thanks...that;s what I was thinking for 2-4..... I can't remember, how fast does the cert get sent to me once I do this? is it instant? bc I could likely try it on Aug 1 or 2 for my dates..... I can't blow the plans I have now to try this tho so it would have to be an 'all at the same time' kind of process. I'm really tied to this hotel it looks perfect for us! Arg. ok thanks for all the info! I think it's a good deal even if we only stay 5 nights....

The certificate is instant. There are some moving pieces in this new Starriott rollout: how many points will the Sheraton cost in the new system, how many points will it take to redeem a travel package? Hopefully all those numbers will be out there before 8/1 so you can make an informed decision.

 

[gottalovepluto]

i did not end up going to Lake Tahoe for spring break. they were suppose to get like 3-5 inches a day for 8 days. We feared we probably couldnt even get up the moutain in our 2 wheeled drive car. It was deemed dangerous.

heh, my my friends just want to stay home. I dont have any friends that play this credit card game so they cant take nice trips themselves...

@SouthFayetteFan did u read the most recent shutdown? thats probably the most scariest one ive seen... although i feel like the poster isnt telling us the full truth.

I hope your travel curse is broken soon!!

Uggg, totally feel you on the friends who don’t churn thing. Kills my soul because one of them I know is super responsible with finances but just doesn’t want to be bothered with “points stuff”.

You made a very responsible call on not going to Tahoe in a 2-wheel drive with that much snow coming in! It never ceases to amaze me how many people have no respect for how fast snow and ice can cause deadly conditions at Tahoe and fail to properly prepare. (One trip we saw a guy in a Jeep zoom by us on 80 in a chain control area then watched him slide into a snow bank. Passed him and 20 mins later same truck shoots by. We then see him in another snow bank a little later as we pass him. And then later he zooms by us again. Not too long after that we see his jeep FINALLY completely stuck in a snow bank (he was miraculously fine and standing outside of it). It's not just getting your car in/out to worry about in those conditions- it's idiots like that as well on 80.

OMG- was thinking the same thing about the shutdown report. Like, there has to be something else going on there- I hope!

 

[jhoannam]

I was probably going for SWA at 120k..... and I think my problem will be booking that sheraton thru the cert program,since it doesnt show on the marriott site yet,just the spg site.

You could just wait and see what happens in August, when they are all one program.

 

[gottalovepluto]

I'm right there with you I had the same feeling - something seems to be missing. The potential things to be careful with here:

• Fraud Alerts trigger eyes on your account and can cause a review
• Fraud Alerts that are specifically tied to an Apple Pay transaction
• Accessing your accounts online when you are out of the country
• A Reason cited as "rapid increase in revolving balances" although this one seems very mystical to me

Again - this is a strange one.

I missed that one! We know banks don't like that one at least when it comes to apps...

 

[gottalovepluto]

Idk if anyone here hits giftcards.com via shopping portals...

https://www.doctorofcredit.com/gift...ng-out-via-shopping-portals-beginning-in-may/

 

[CaliforniaGirl09]

OK, I think I have made some progress.

Alaskan Airlines flights 35k each x 6 people...210k points....need help with this part.

Hilton Grand Wailea x 5 nights x 2 rooms. room 1 380k hilton points. room 2 UR portal/ 159,760 points.

Westin Kaanapali x 6 nights x 2rooms. Room 1 104k SPG points. Room 2 104k SPG points (purchase 30k)
*(I'd rather do Aulani at 381k URs but i think i need those for flights?)
Hertz car rental on hertz points.


Alright...I even got all this lined up around the flights. Here is the kicker...how in the world do I buy the alaskan flights with alaskan points.

Here is my current stash (pending points):
Hilton 413k (earn more every week)
SPG 59,706 (55k pending. Can buy 30k x2)
UR 361,379 (116,523 pending)

Did I organize it to make best use of points? Should I change something? How to do make my URs into alaska miles...need 17,500 each way for 6 people.


ETA: this completely wipes out my entire stash. do I really want to go to hawaii? all you young churners out there...remember when family planning that hotel rooms are made for 4.

British airlines may be your friend here. I would call them and ask them to search for the saver fares you found. They have to be the 17.5 Alaska awards each way for this to work. This is a sweet spot in the Avios redemption chart and my favorite use. Assuming those Alaska flights are still available they will only cost you 150k UR total for all 6 rt (25k avios each RT). You can Insta transfer once they have confirmed availability from chase to your British air account while on phone to book. They should waive any booking charges as you can’t do this online. I’m assuming you have a British air account. If you don’t, you’ll want to set one up and then double check that there isn’t a wait time for new accounts before transferring points.

 

[platamama]

British airlines may be your friend here. I would call them and ask them to search for the saver fares you found. They have to be the 17.5 Alaska awards each way for this to work. This is a sweet spot in the Avios redemption chart and my favorite use. Assuming those Alaska flights are still available they will only cost you 150k UR total for all 6 rt (25k avios each RT). You can Insta transfer once they have confirmed availability from chase to your British air account while on phone to book. They should waive any booking charges as you can’t do this online. I’m assuming you have a British air account. If you don’t, you’ll want to set one up and then double check that there isn’t a wait time for new accounts before transferring points.

Just want to add on that because the BA award chart is distance based, the 25K RT is based on flying out from the west coast, @disneymagicgirl. Meaning, you'll need to get a flight to position your family to the west coast before and after.

 

[gottalovepluto]

...Alaskan Airlines flights 35k each x 6 people...210k points....need help with this part...

Anyone who's done AS award flights: what is the probability that @disneymagicgirl will be able to find 6 RT tickets to HI at saver rates? Is AS known for releasing a decent amount of award availability at the saver level? I don't have any experience with this but am concerned here that it might be very hard to find that many saver tickets on the same flight.

 

[CaliforniaGirl09]

Just want to add on that because the BA award chart is distance based, the 25K RT is based on flying out from the west coast, @disneymagicgirl. Meaning, you'll need to get a flight to position your family to the west coast before and after.

Ah yes, sorry about that. I assumed west coast

 

[Lain]

SPG 59,706 (55k pending. Can buy 30k x2)
...

How to do make my URs into alaska miles...need 17,500 each way for 6 people.

SPG transfers to Alaska at 1:1 with a 5k miles bonus when you transfer increments of 20k points.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Sooo excited when I thought informed delivery told my my Citi card was coming in, made a special trip to the neighborhood box just for that- and it was the welcome letter. Can't believe I forgot they do that, feel like I should lose a churning card for falling for that.

 

[Albort]

SPG transfers to Alaska at 1:1 with a 5k miles bonus when you transfer increments of 20k points.

makes me wonder if she could hold out and do a marriott nights and flight that westin hotel(cat 7?)+ 120k alaska miles @330k marriott or 110k SPG

 

[1st*toright]

A question for anyone who has had a Marriott credit card since Jan-April 2016:

In 2017 did you receive your 15 elite night credits on your anniversary?

In 2018 did you receive your 15 elite night credits on your anniversary? If so, did it add to your rollover nights from 2017 so that you have more than 15 nights currently? Or did the 2017 15 night credits expire once you received your 2018 15 nights credit?

This woke me up at 1AM and kept me up for an hour last night.

I did receive my elite nights in both 2017 and in 2018. The rollovers have always been super confusing. My understanding is that if you achieved new status or maintained status, your extra nights would roll over. If you dropped status tiers (I was plat last year, did not make it to renewal, dropped to gold) no nights roll over. I had no rollover nights coming into 2017.

Its all moot- 2017 into 2018 was the last year for rollovers - they won't do it from 2018 into 2019.

I'm still confused, but that is my limited understanding.

 

[amy1115]

I booked a vacation package today, and completely forgot that I have the Disney Visa Rewards Card and can take advantage of the 0% for 6 months financing. I only paid the deposit today with another card that I have. Is it too late to change the payment type on this reservation? Also, even if I can't change the payment type on the $200 I paid today, would I be able to charge the rest of the package amount to the Dis Visa and at least get the 0% Financing on that? I know this isn't a Cash Back ?, but thought maybe one of you CC guru's might know the answer. TIA!