I love credit cards so much!

[DisneyMandC]

While we're on the subject, I'll reach 25 elite nights in August. With the Starriott merger, that means I will be Gold once that 25th night credits, correct?

 

[jhoannam]

It's tough because I found some great flight options on the delta website but when I check for the award availability with Korean its not there. Delta's first class is 303k points compared to KA's 44k. Major difference!

When you are looking on the Delta website make sure you select Delta Only flights and not their partners. I think Delta releases their award seats closer to the travel date.

United also only releases Business saver seats closer to the travel date. We're going to Hawaii late May 2019, I've been tracking their business saver awards and they only release them a few weeks before the flights.

How many tickets do you need? And you want first/business class round trip?

 

[tink1970]

So Marriott hired someone from Citi IT. I take you've been called by your many alternate identities but the rest of the data in the account has been all yours?

Yes, they had everything else correct, thankfully. Happy ending-after impatiently waiting my 20,000 points (finally) posted. I am going to cancel my citi TY prestige because I hate their website so much

 

[Natgridenergy]

When you are looking on the Delta website make sure you select Delta Only flights and not their partners. I think Delta releases their award seats closer to the travel date.

United also only releases Business saver seats closer to the travel date. We're going to Hawaii late May 2019, I've been tracking their business saver awards and they only release them a few weeks before the flights.

How many tickets do you need? And you want first/business class round trip?

Need 4 seats. Would like business class, first only if its a super crazy deal.

 

[brownhaired_girl]

I've been trying to catch up for a couple of weeks. This morning I finally finished up trying to at least skim through all the posts I missed. The last few weeks have literally felt like a nightmare I couldn't wake up from. I'll just summarize so I don't end up with a post that takes up an entire page.

Saturday May 26th - Attended my uncle's funeral services. He passed away suddenly due to a ruptured stomach aneurysm. My dad was rushed to the ER (as we were coming out of the funeral services) for signs of stroke and transferred to stroke unit at a New Orleans hospital.
Monday May 28th - We found out my dad had a mini stroke and they found 2 small aneurysms in his brain.
Wednesday May 30th - Our son fell backwards into a fire ring while camping. This resulted in 2nd degree burns to his legs, arms and hands.
Friday June 1st - We found out FIL has non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
Saturday June 2nd - My step sister had to deliver her twin baby girls at 25 weeks due to her blood pressure. Babies are in NICU and we're hoping for a miracle.
Sunday June 3rd - My mom's uncle passed away suddenly in the early morning.

I took a few days off work (and life honestly) at the end of last week and beginning of this week to be with my son and DH. We're all stressed out and just plain emotionally and physically exhausted. I'm honestly not sure if I can handle any more bad news. Bringing my son to his dr today for a follow-up on the healing of his burns. Praying it's all looking good.



Now back to the topic at hand. I'm trying to figure out if there's a way I can use URs to offset the cost of WDW AP. My original plan was to use UR to purchase WDW tickets through Chase, then upgrade those tickets to APs when we arrive for our Labor Day weekend trip. However, we also booked a trip for October for my sons' fall break, so that route wouldn't allow me to make FPs for the October trip at the 60 day mark.

I was thinking I could just renew our APs, which just expired on June 3rd, but I can't figure out a way to use URs to directly offset that cost, besides cashing out as a statement credit which I'd rather not do. It's my understanding the value of a ticket cannot be used toward an AP renewal, so I wouldn't be able to try that either. Any insight or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I may be missing something because at this point my brain is almost mush.

I’m very sorry for your troubles. Hoping things start getting better soon

First, I am sending you huge hugs. You and your family are in my thoughts for miracles, speedy healing, and comfort.

When are you going in Oct? I have some extra tickets that could be used to hold FP temporarily (assuming change party on the web holds out). We’re going down in Oct but only planning 2 days in parks so can possibly book extra days of FP).

I also have tickets that can hold fastpasses if needed.

@mhartman09 I won’t quote your whole post it is just too sad! But I am beyond sorry. Good heavens...when it rains it pours.

On the AP issue you can use a ticket to go toward the cost of a renewed AP but it has to be in person in WDW. I would probably just keep with your original plan (buy tickets with Chase and then upgrade to AP). You can only make the 7 days of FP’s anyway. I think sometimes (I am totally guilty of that) we get too fixated on making the FP’s the 60 days out. Especially during party season the FP’s at MK at least are sparse.

We have always purchased tickets from UT with the greatest savings per ticket and then upgraded to AP. UT does code 3x for travel. I think we get the 7D PH or sometimes the 7D PH with water parks. I believe If you don’t use any of the water park entitlements you can switch to regular AP. You might get the best savings when they “bridge” this ticket. You could ask on the theme park thread in the ticket area.

 

[vanjust14]

For my RI peeps and fellow New England peeps, there is a Cambridge Savings Bank checking bonus of $175 with NO REQUIREMENTS. Plus, you can fund up to $1000 with a Visa, Mastercard or Discover. Just thought I'd pass this along. I found the info on DOC.

 

[Angrose]

@mhartman09 I'm so sorry to hear about everything you and your family are dealing with right now. So scary about your son! I hope his burns heal quickly.

 

[GZanta77]

Ugh...needed gas today.....even after Amex 10% and Speedpass+ 10c/gal disc - Costco was still 12c/gal cheaper for premium. Mobil gas around here is so much more expensive in general, although there are one or two locations I pass occasionally that are a bit more reasonable.

 

[1st*toright]

While we're on the subject, I'll reach 25 elite nights in August. With the Starriott merger, that means I will be Gold once that 25th night credits, correct?

So, yes, you will be a gold member under the new system (not current Marriott gold, which will map to platinum under the new system, but the equivalent of current Starwood gold). But all you will care about in August is new system, so yes, gold!

 

[1st*toright]

Ugh...needed gas today.....even after Amex 10% and Speedpass+ 10c/gal disc - Costco was still 12c/gal cheaper for premium. Mobil gas around here is so much more expensive in general, although there are one or two locations I pass occasionally that are a bit more reasonable.

Yeah, I have pretty much stopped caring about any gas discounts because I just can't do better than the Costco price. I just try to remember to get gas there when I'm anything like running low.

 

[Albort]

Yaaaaay! Another convert. YNAB rocks. If you haven't already, do take the webinars - I found it confusing until I did some of the classes. There is no way I would do this hobby without having everything aggregating in YNAB. And I just find it helpful for managing our financial life. Hope you enjoy using it.

There are support links for YNAB too, the new YNABer and the person who refers them both get a free month of the service. Its only tangentially related to churning, but maybe we could add a place for links on the reddit page. What do you think, @SouthFayetteFan and @Albort?

we have a wiki link full of information. i can add something there

currently at Disneyland so will update whatever tonight!

 

[DisneyMandC]

So, yes, you will be a gold member under the new system (not current Marriott gold, which will map to platinum under the new system, but the equivalent of current Starwood gold). But all you will care about in August is new system, so yes, gold!

Perfect! Just thought it would be nice to hit gold before my stay at the Marriott Marquis in NYC in December. Maybe I can get an upgrade to a Times Square View while I'm there.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Ugh...needed gas today.....even after Amex 10% and Speedpass+ 10c/gal disc - Costco was still 12c/gal cheaper for premium. Mobil gas around here is so much more expensive in general, although there are one or two locations I pass occasionally that are a bit more reasonable.

Same. Especially once I add in the 4% cashback on the Costco Visa.

 

[amalone1013]

Now I'm curious for Starriott status, because I'm struggling to understand...
Current: 6 Marriott, 17 SPG
Planned: June 2 Marriott, Sept 6 SPG + maybe 3 SPG

Sooo what does that do when they combine in August? Just out of curiosity.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Update on my Southwest Plus retention offer attempt. Second call...I was offered a $35 statement credit. She would not offer anything more. I said I would think about it. @SouthFayetteFan , thoughts?

If that's the best they offer, I'd probably still keep the card...$35 mostly offsets the fee and then you can keep it for another year and collect your 3k anniv points again next year. Good Luck in pushing them to a full refund of the fee though!

 

[amalone1013]

Ugh...needed gas today.....even after Amex 10% and Speedpass+ 10c/gal disc - Costco was still 12c/gal cheaper for premium. Mobil gas around here is so much more expensive in general, although there are one or two locations I pass occasionally that are a bit more reasonable.

I'm attempting to compare Kroger vs Mobil vs the weird non-chain station DH prefers (sooo difficult haha).

This shouldn't be this hard!

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

@mhartman09 - I'm not even sure what to say, so sorry you're going through all of that. I hope God can somehow bring your family peace through this difficult time.

 

[snugglebug]

@mhartman09

I'm so sorry for all you're dealing with.

 

[vanjust14]

If that's the best they offer, I'd probably still keep the card...$35 mostly offsets the fee and then you can keep it for another year and collect your 3k anniv points again next year. Good Luck in pushing them to a full refund of the fee though!

OK, thanks! I will definitely keep trying but most likely keep it. I didn't think about getting another set of anniversary points!

 

[gottalovepluto]

Thanks yeah I get the food blog emails hoping there’s an early registration. We are going during break so not to pull them from school this trip.

http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2018/...rly-booking-date-confirmed-for-select-groups/ Jun 12 looks like