I love credit cards so much!

[Albort]

I maxed mine, will do the same for DH. I'm chasing AAmiles for a Europe trip and a Marriott Travel pkg is looking like a good way to go.

$1000 worth of points... haha. thanks. i think ill buy 15k more.

 

[2TxAgs]

Just noticed...Sunday is the one year anniversary of this thread being started! What an interesting learning experience it's been.

 

[Jen and Ashwin]

Well, I just got back from my last work trip before I go on maternity leave (in about 3 months). And I should be about $30 over the minimum spend for the Marriott card, which means that my 100k points should post with the next statement closing! Because most of this spend came from actually staying in Marriott hotels for work trips and they were running a great bonus points promotion, I will actually have about 142k points in my account once everything posts. This is the equivalent of 42k SPG points, which seems pretty great to me.

I am not sure if we will need one or two nights in Venice before our cruise. It will really depend on our flights. The hotel by the airport is just 4k SPG points while the hotel in Venice proper is 35k. I think that I will book one night by the airport before and after the cruise, plus two nights in Venice that overlap the start of the trip. Once I have a better idea of our flight schedules, then I can cancel the nights that we don't need. I would love to spend just 39k for our hotel nights instead of 70k. Then I would still have about 50k SPG points left versus 20k. I wish that hotels in Venice weren't so damned expensive (both cash and points-wise).

And now all of my non-category spending can go towards the IHG card.

 

[Angrose]

i finished the minimum, i was referred to buying SPG points @ 35% off. seems like a good deal on airlines, but terrible to redeeming a SPG redemption. 5k points at $134. i bought 10k so far, thinking about getting another 10k-15k just to have it incase i need it in the long run.

Ah, gotcha, I did end up buying 5k as it helped me get up to the next 20k in SPGpts so I could get an extra 5k when transferring to the airline. I think I only paid $113.

 

[Albort]

Ah, gotcha, I did end up buying 5k as it helped me get up to the next 20k in SPGpts so I could get an extra 5k when transferring to the airline. I think I only paid $113.

yeah, since its 25k --> airlines, 3x to marriott, i think i might just max out to 30k. total is like $700 for it all... haha its tempting.

edit: screw it, i just maxed mine out.

 

[Ava]

Thank you! Wohoo. This should make an easy category to earn 5X UR points. I also have my Discover card (5% back) and CSR (3UR) if I go over.

Same here!!! Also I was surprised that my purchases from the Disney Resorts / Parks on my CSR coded as travel - 3X (I was using my CFU - 1.5 but hubby was unknowingly using CSR). We were staying at the Swan so we couldn't charge to the room. SOOOOO - use your CSR for shopping!!!!

This *almost* makes me mad that I've already bought most of what we'll need to cover food/souvenirs for our trip next month in Disney GCs! I did get some of those GCs through Target/eBay churning before that ship sailed, and the rest I got 5X UR points on from the Q2 bonus, so it's not all bad news. I probably won't buy any more though, so I'll still earn some points when we run out of GCs.

I also finally finished the spend on my CSR. Just waiting for the 50K bonus to post. How long did it take for those of you who have gotten it recently? Do I have to wait until my next statement closes, or will it come before then? I checked my account and I don't even see any points pending yet.

 

[platamama]

yeah, since its 25k --> airlines, 3x to marriott, i think i might just max out to 30k. total is like $700 for it all... haha its tempting.

edit: screw it, i just maxed mine out.

LOL! Good for you. :]

 

[peel]

yeah, since its 25k --> airlines, 3x to marriott, i think i might just max out to 30k. total is like $700 for it all... haha its tempting.

edit: screw it, i just maxed mine out.

Can you buy them with the CSR and get 3X for travel?

 

[Albort]

Can you buy them with the CSR and get 3X for travel?

I don't think so. u purchase them through points.com and it doesn't code as hotels. some people say it gives u 2x if u use spg Amex though.

spg 35% ends today though so get them quick! I heard hyatts at 40% now. lol tempted too but I have a ton to use from my UR account.

 

[peel]

I don't think so. u purchase them through points.com and it doesn't code as hotels. some people say it gives u 2x if u use spg Amex though.

spg 35% ends today though so get them quick! I heard hyatts at 40% now. lol tempted too but I have a ton to use from my UR account.

I'm trying to make some calculations for a possible stay at the Swan or Dolphin. I don't have any other specific possible uses in mind for SPG at the moment but using them for a free trip to WDW keeps floating around in my head. I have enough for the Dolphin but I'd need more for the Swan.

 

[hsmamato2]

yeah, since its 25k --> airlines, 3x to marriott, i think i might just max out to 30k. total is like $700 for it all... haha its tempting.

edit: screw it, i just maxed mine out.

I maxed it out too- I know it's not the highest rate of return, but my dates at Dolphin are always between 280-410 per night...so even 3-4 nights for 600 bucks is a savings for me..... if I get 3 nights thats 200 straight up no stress....but I'll get the 5th night free as I add on....so that's enough for me.

 

[hsmamato2]

I don't think so. u purchase them through points.com and it doesn't code as hotels. some people say it gives u 2x if u use spg Amex though.

spg 35% ends today though so get them quick! I heard hyatts at 40% now. lol tempted too but I have a ton to use from my UR account.

Albort, how do you see if you got 2x points? I can't see how on my acct page, or do I look at spg acct?

 

[Jen and Ashwin]

Albort, how do you see if you got 2x points? I can't see how on my acct page, or do I look at spg acct?

You probably won't see until your SPG Amex statement closes with the charges.

 

[gottalovepluto]

I've been tracking my Barclaycard envelope with egregious amounts of personal information that was requested in my attempt to get approved for the Arrival+ and it arrived at their PO Box late Thurs morning and it's still sitting there. I'm glad they're on top of collecting their consumer's personal information. Anybody else who proceeds to go this route I HIGHLY encourage you to get tracking as it's good for your peace of mind since Barclay is apparently not zippy about picking this stuff up.

 

[peel]

I maxed it out too- I know it's not the highest rate of return, but my dates at Dolphin are always between 280-410 per night...so even 3-4 nights for 600 bucks is a savings for me..... if I get 3 nights thats 200 straight up no stress....but I'll get the 5th night free as I add on....so that's enough for me.

Have you thought about going for the Nights and Flights? Or do you not have enough SPG points after maxing out this sale? I'm wondering how good of a deal it really is, since with a 5 night certificate I assume you'd lose the 5th night free benefit, so you're essentially paying an extra night's worth of points for the same stay. But you'd get 50K miles out of it, too. Nothing like waiting until the last minute to think about these kinds of things!

 

[gottalovepluto]

and now, ladies & gentlemen allow me to eat my crow in our little public forum. When I checked a couple mins ago the envelope had not been picked up and I figured I was out of luck until Monday as they would probably pick up their mail in the morning. Guess what is now showing as delivered as of 7:05AM this morning? Yes indeed, my envelope. USPS and their delayed data delivery. I eat my ranting words against Barclaycard- unless they deny me after all of this then I'll be back!

 

[Albort]

I used my SPG card- b/c I had read(reddit) that it would code for 2x points purchased. I have NO idea how to check on that though How do you see if you earned extra starpoints on a purchase? ...anyway..... I also bought thru portal called giving assistant- it was like 10% cashback(?) I think...so waiting like 2 months for hopefully another $17.+ cash back.....I don't think it codes as spg purchase,since it's points.com

Albort, how do you see if you got 2x points? I can't see how on my acct page, or do I look at spg acct?

reddit confirmed, flyertalk confirmed, someone in here also confirmed it. I think we should be fine... :]
like someone else said, end of statement but im pretty sure u will get it since so many places confirms it!

I'm trying to make some calculations for a possible stay at the Swan or Dolphin. I don't have any other specific possible uses in mind for SPG at the moment but using them for a free trip to WDW keeps floating around in my head. I have enough for the Dolphin but I'd need more for the Swan.

Ive been reading that transfering SPG to airlines using the 20k --> 25k airlines, u basically pay like 1.8cents per point vs the 2.3cents per point for SPG redemption. I was also reading that transfer these points to Marriott and doing those vacation packages are worth it too.
SPG points stand out a lot more to me, i was also thinking of buying Hyatt points too but they arent as vertile as SPG. Worth it imo. last day today!

 

[peel]

I was also reading that transfer these points to Marriott and doing those vacation packages are worth it too.

The Marriott packages are a great deal, but I'm never going to spend 7 nights in one hotel. The 5 night SPG packages are a bit better for our needs, but when you're forfeiting the 5th night free I don't know how good of deal it truly is.

 

[Albort]

The Marriott packages are a great deal, but I'm never going to spend 7 nights in one hotel. The 5 night SPG packages are a bit better for our needs, but when you're forfeiting the 5th night free I don't know how good of deal it truly is.

well, its just a place to sleep right? you should be out a majority of the day!

 

[Jen and Ashwin]

Have you thought about going for the Nights and Flights? Or do you not have enough SPG points after maxing out this sale? I'm wondering how good of a deal it really is, since with a 5 night certificate I assume you'd lose the 5th night free benefit, so you're essentially paying an extra night's worth of points for the same stay. But you'd get 50K miles out of it, too. Nothing like waiting until the last minute to think about these kinds of things!

The nights and flights takes into account the 5th night free in the points cost, so you still get that benefit.