I love credit cards so much!

[Lain]

Million Mile Secrets disgusts me.

Review: Newly Revamped AMEX Starwood Business Credit Card Has Highest-Ever Welcome Offer!

D*mn shills. Yeah, "highest ever" if 100,000 > 35,000. 100,000 Marriott points < 35,000 Starpoints. Is the current SPG Biz offer still good? Yes. But calling it "highest ever" is downright deceptive.

 

[Lain]

Are we still seeing MSR URs go pending on Tuesday nights? Waiting for DH's to show up on the CIC.

Usually Tuesday afternoons/early evening.

 

[speedyfishy]

As if your $32k in MSR wasn't enough!

The more you do the easier it gets.

 

[Lain]

Let me know if you figure out how to combine your accounts - I couldn't find anything on how exactly you're supposed to do that. My Marriott info is OK, but I can't get to my SPG info anywhere - the info on the SPG site also shows my Marriott nights/points, excluding my SPG info. Would like to put it all in one place and move on.

Marriott Starting to Allow Members to Combine Accounts. Here’s How it Works.

Gary outlines the steps in this post, but got an error when he tried. I've seen several DPs on r/churning of people successfully merging their accounts. I'm guessing the error might've been fixed, but I'll wait for more DPs before merging my own accounts.

 

[DisneyMandC]

Million Mile Secrets disgusts me.

Review: Newly Revamped AMEX Starwood Business Credit Card Has Highest-Ever Welcome Offer!

D*mn shills. Yeah, "highest ever" if 100,000 > 35,000. 100,000 Marriott points < 35,000 Starpoints. Is the current SPG Biz offer still good? Yes. But calling it "highest ever" is downright deceptive.

I wasn't around back when the husband/wife team that ran it split (don't know their names sorry). Is the beardy guy who looks like Oberyn Martell from Game of Thrones the ex-husband who was busted on Ashley Madison? If so, it seems very awkward that he posts a lot of reviews of resorts with what appears to be his girlfriend, while she's always posting reviews from taking the kids places...

ETA: I see that is his wife, but I stand by my assertion that he looks like Oberyn Martell.

 

[1st*toright]

Marriott really hosed the folks who were planning on upgrading their certificates. They didn't even announce their plan to disallow upgrades/downgrades until Aug 16th, and then it was only on Flyertalk. I mean, I read FT and other blogs, but 99% of Marriott members don't (yeah, I'm making up that number but I'd be surprised if I'm wrong).

Seems like Marriott got hit with enough outcry to change their minds on letting certain certificate holders downgrade one category for a refund of 30K points. I think if they got enough push back on the upgrade side, maybe they'd budge a little?

It's really aggravating that Marriott didn't notify members of these kind of significant changes until the very last minute, and the only people who know about them are the ones who are going out of their way to find out the information. I'd guess that most Marriott members haven't the slightest clue what is going on at all. We're a pretty savvy group on this thread and don't represent the general traveling public.

My question is how many non-churner rewards members would even know about N&F certs, or would have them hanging out in their account un-linked if they did? If you are using them as Marriott markets them, you'd buy a cert and use the miles and hotel nights to book a single vacation right away. They seem to have been popular with people "in the know" about points/miles etc more than your average traveler. So while I agree that Marriott has been sneaky about this, to some extent they are dealing with a worthy adversary - the people who are trying to maximize return on rewards, more than the average consumer. A good bit of the backlash has been from people who were hoping for a better reward due to the program change arbitrage. There may be sufficient backlash from the group who is in the know to allow upgrades under the new program, or it may be another instance of travel bloggers killing the golden goose The game is definitely different because of the dissemination of info (not that I would know a fraction of what I know about churning without travel bloggers and this lovely board).

 

[vanjust14]

Million Mile Secrets disgusts me.

Review: Newly Revamped AMEX Starwood Business Credit Card Has Highest-Ever Welcome Offer!

D*mn shills. Yeah, "highest ever" if 100,000 > 35,000. 100,000 Marriott points < 35,000 Starpoints. Is the current SPG Biz offer still good? Yes. But calling it "highest ever" is downright deceptive.

I saw that this morning! I got it at 35,000 so I knew right away it was untrue. Makes me not even want to read them at all anymore.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Million Mile Secrets disgusts me.

Agreed...no additional explanation necessary. LOL!!

 

[miztressuz]

Woohoo, Lifetime Silver Elite

Marriott has the lifetime status up on your accounts finally. We did indeed get Lifetime Silver like I figured we should. I know it's funny to be excited over Silver but this is our first "lifetime" status really. Silver isn't much by itself but points won't expire now, so that should be one less program off the list to pay attention to.

I have no idea where they pulled their numbers but I like them! Says we have 4 years as a Platinum... I don't recall ever getting to platinum. Unless it was early on when the statuses were different and Platinum was something else. Or they were counting some years at old Gold as Platinum now. Goal was to get Lifetime Gold eventually as I doubt we'll make Platinum, and we're 5 years into the 7 year requirement, but still need close to 90 nights. Apparently we should have utilized our "business" several years ago to stack those nights, this could be rough now

 

[Lain]

what is the difference in the charge and credit?

Amex's charge cards have to be paid in full each month. The upside to this is Amex's underwriting for charge cards seems to be more lax. The downside, charge cards don't earn Amex much in the way of interest. Amex has introduced pay over time/extended pay options for eligible charges on their charge cards in recent years to make them a little more like credit cards that earn interest.

 

[elgerber]

#adulting

I'm 49, not ready to start adulting yet!! ( I don't actually drink coke that often anymore, but I sure do love one in the early hours)

 

[vanjust14]

Let me know if you figure out how to combine your accounts - I couldn't find anything on how exactly you're supposed to do that. My Marriott info is OK, but I can't get to my SPG info anywhere - the info on the SPG site also shows my Marriott nights/points, excluding my SPG info. Would like to put it all in one place and move on.

Marriott Starting to Allow Members to Combine Accounts. Here’s How it Works.

Gary outlines the steps in this post, but got an error when he tried. I've seen several DPs on r/churning of people successfully merging their accounts. I'm guessing the error might've been fixed, but I'll wait for more DPs before merging my own accounts.

I just merged my accounts successfully. I logged into Marriott with my existing credentials. I clicked on merge accounts and had to give my SPG login and password. They confirmed my SPG password about 4 times but it all worked out and the accounts are merged.

Now if I had read this article you posted first, I would have started on the SPG side, since I just "like" SPG better and have their cards. Not a big deal since I'm really just glad it has worked!

 

[Lain]

Makes me not even want to read them at all anymore.

At this point, I'm just popping in every few days to see what deal they're going to kill next.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

Let me know if you figure out how to combine your accounts - I couldn't find anything on how exactly you're supposed to do that. My Marriott info is OK, but I can't get to my SPG info anywhere - the info on the SPG site also shows my Marriott nights/points, excluding my SPG info. Would like to put it all in one place and move on.

This is how ours is too...still today...
I can get into the spg site with my spg info on chrome incognito mode. But that is the only way. It would be nice to be able to access my points.

 

[amalone1013]

Marriott Starting to Allow Members to Combine Accounts. Here’s How it Works.

Gary outlines the steps in this post, but got an error when he tried. I've seen several DPs on r/churning of people successfully merging their accounts. I'm guessing the error might've been fixed, but I'll wait for more DPs before merging my own accounts.

Followed a link in someone's comment and was able to merge with no issues. Wooooo Gold... lol

 

[kidsfirsttrip]

I don't see why you can't go for the CIP in October and refer DH for the CIP in November.

Alternatively, since DH is 4/24, he could go for the CIP in September and refer you for the CIP in October.

DH's new SPG Biz won't show up on his credit reports, won't count against 5/24, and if Amex didn't do a hard pull then Chase won't even know about that app. In any case, it shouldn't affect DH's chances.

[Nevermind -- still too early.] I'm just wondering how DH's CLs are with Chase. <50% of total household income? Do you need to do any trimming before statements close this month before DH submits an application in September?

Good luck!

DHs Marriott premier posted 6/12/18 so I think I need to wait until late Oct/Nov for him? Chase has extended $77K to him which is 20k less than they gave me so I think he is ok?

I just lowered my CL by 10K last month but doing the math I’m still a bit over our 50% so wondering if I should trim more?

 

[Lain]

I wasn't around back when the husband/wife team that ran it split (don't know their names sorry). Is the beardy guy who looks like Oberyn Martell from Game of Thrones the ex-husband who was busted on Ashley Madison? If so, it seems very awkward that he posts a lot of reviews of resorts with what appears to be his girlfriend, while she's always posting reviews from taking the kids places...

ETA: I see that is his wife, but I stand by my assertion that he looks like Oberyn Martell.

Daraius

vs.

Oberyn Martell

No. Not even close.

 

[amalone1013]

I spoke too soon, can't see my Dolphin reservation next month.

Let's recap that:

• Originally booked reservation under maiden name while SPG acct was still in maiden name, showed in acct.
• Had SPG acct updated to married name, could no longer see Dolphin reservation in acct but could always look it up
• Had Dolphin reservation updated to new married name, still cannot see but can look up
• Merger. When logging in under SPG site, with SPG details before merging accts, could see reservation!
• Merge accts and can no longer see. Can look up reservation by maiden name, though it shows as married name when it comes up

I hate technology sometimes.

 

[Lain]

DHs Marriott premier posted 6/12/18 so I think I need to wait until late Oct/Nov for him? Chase has extended $77K to him which is 20k less than they gave me so I think he is ok?

I just lowered my CL by 10K last month but doing the math I’m still a bit over our 50% so wondering if I should trim more?

Mid-September is 3 months from the Marriott. I'd still do some major cutting on that $77k credit line and your $97k before then. Does he need $77k in credit from Chase? I've seen some discussion that after some point <50% doesn't matter anymore, and too much is too much.

 

[palhockeymomof2]

DHs Marriott premier posted 6/12/18 so I think I need to wait until late Oct/Nov for him? Chase has extended $77K to him which is 20k less than they gave me so I think he is ok?

I just lowered my CL by 10K last month but doing the math I’m still a bit over our 50% so wondering if I should trim more?

I’d lower it more...not that you have to go this low but a month prior to applying for the CSR I lowered mine to 25% ...let the statements close and was instantly approved