I love credit cards so much!

[miztressuz]

I'm probably late to the party again but just going through my AmEx offers and see one for Uber users out there:

$10 off 15+ in one or more transactions for Uber or UberEats. Exp 12/10.

For the new Platinum holders it'd be a good stack with the monthly credit. ( so you know it's probably not going to show up there )

Accidental cross post on the Gift Card thread too

 

[Teal03]

It will be a range depending on how you use them, but generally anywhere between $10 and $40 for 1000 AA miles. The best value is if you can use them for first or business class saver tickets for international flights. AA sells miles too, and when they go on sale AA prices them between 1.5 to 2.0 cents per mile.

What deals are you talking about? If it's something where you get bonus AA miles for a hotel or car rental or flowers or something, you should always check the regular price on those because those deals are often inflated to cover the cost of the miles. If it's shopping through the AA portal and you earn 20miles/$1 then those are good deals. Credit card signup bonuses are always the best way to pick up thousands of miles.

Thank you! I saw a bonus deal for buying from Macys that I should’ve done months ago. The most recent deal I’ve seen is 1000 AA points for a $1 WSJ subscription.

 

[Haley R]

It shows up just like the travel credit does.

Me and my SO just went through the process and the wait time on the background check varies from 5 days to 8 weeks, so I would apply ASAP.

I’ll talk to Dh tomorrow and see if he wants to go ahead and apply. Thanks

 

[Haley R]

If you have GE you don't do anything on the plane (you don't even have to fill out the customs forms, or at least we didn't). When you land and go through customs there is an expedited process (ours was basically scanning our passports and walking through).

ETA - we were J class and were able to use the priority security lines both in and out of the US.

Oh okay that makes sense. When you say priority security lines are you talking about the pre-check lines?

 

[Haley R]

u get processed when u land, not on the plane. For GE, there is a dedicated line for those who have it. usually no one is there(in my experience).
probably get GE for Precheck, having 1 person with GE and one person without is kinda lame haha. or do a mobile passport for the GEless person.

LAX *A lounge is really nice. u will get some yummy breakfast to eat! and if u wanna do some alcohol, u can!

One of us will use the CSR to get GE and for the other we will just pay for it. It’s another thing to go towards my Hilton MSR anyway.

You mentioned the *A lounge is good so I put a note on my google doc about it. Is it easy to find in the airport? I don’t drink alcohol so maybe a cold glass of milk instead lol

 

[calypso726]

Read all of it, wow, I see their point about not posting it. What I find crazy is that people actually do that, two new personal cards in a rolling 60 day period and 1 biz every 90. That's nuts and you really only want AA miles to do that.

I am not the person to give advice on international travel...BUT I can say from following on this thread that you want to start thinking about award flights now. Somebody like @calypso726 and numerous others can probably give good advice.

Things people might want to know to give effective advice...

• What are your travel dates?
• What airport(s) could you fly out of and where are you flying into?
• Are you looking for economy seats or something better (first class, etc...)
• How many does your travel party consist of (adults & kids/ages)?
• Is the hotel choice flexible or will there be a specific hotel with the wedding?
• If the hotel is a Marriott or Hilton or Hyatt, it might make sense to focus on earning points in that program instead of using URs

The 1.50x sounds nice...BUT it could make more sense to transfer your points to a travel partner and book an award flight (again not my area of expertise). If you are going to use the 1.50x you might want to get that CSR quickly and start booking some things. This may feel stressful, it almost stresses me to type it, lol - but if you ask @Haley R about planning her int'l flights, the one thing she'd emphasize is start early!

Tagging @Calfan, @Albort, @Lain, @calypso726, @gottalovepluto (sorry if I left any Int'l flight experts out)...

Can you guys give @DrFacilier some advice on how to start to figure out these flights...

I know the airline transfer partners are:

• United MileagePlus Miles
• Southwest Rapid Rewards
• JetBlue TrueBlue
• British Airway Avios
• Air France Flying Blue
• Singapore KrisFlyer
• Virgin Atlantic Flying Club
• Iberia Plus
• Aer Lingus AerClub

BUT as you might imagine...I don't know anything about any of these other than Southwest, HAHAHA!

@DrFacilier

AwardHacker suggests flying BA on Iberia Metal Direct BOS--MAD nonstop.
BA.com resulted nothing. So...
Pulling up Iberia.com, i plugged in those dates and it pops up 40k RT. Say I had to login which i dont have an account so i dont know what is available after that screen. (Iberia is a Chase Partner and will transfer 1:1 from UR points).
Other routes to consider is BOS-->JFK--> MAD (Iberia), BOS-->LHR-->MAD(BA/Iberia)
Edit: ExpertFlyer is showing 9 award tickets available(T class) for 6/18
ExpertFlyer is showing 9 award tickets available(T class) for 6/26


*A wise, SQ can save u 5k(UA is 5k more). Most likely easier to search on United.
routes are BOS-->LIS-->MAD on TAP Portugal...
BOS-->EWR --> MAD on UA... I found this route at 30k one way. 60k RT.

Just catching up. @Albort posted exactly what I was thinking and this is the route I'd go for travel to Madrid. The flight appears to be $1246 RT in economy and $3499 in business on Iberia. This would be a case where it is better to use the UR for award tickets than to purchase with points.

Can someone explain Global Entry in simple terms?

I know nothing about international travel (literally nothing), but I’m looking to do the ABD Japan trip in the summer of 2021 with a friend! It’s a long time from now, but it’s a time that works for both of us. I’m just curious if GE is something I/we should be looking into before the trip. It sounds like precheck for international flights. I haven’t applied for precheck because I don’t fly very often and sometimes I luck out and get precheck anyway. If not, I haven’t really had too long of waits in the regular security lines anyway. I’m sure international travel is a whole different story though.

I’ve had the CSP for a little over a year now. If GE is worth it I would upgrade it to the CSR so I could get the credit. Or, would it be possible or worthwhile to cancel my CSP and apply for the CSR and get a new sign on bonus? I don’t remember what the bonus language is lately.

It's more than just pre-check. It's a Fastpass through customs when you return home. Having seen the horrendous lines I did not have to stand in, I would never be without it. Instead of a line, you go to one of the GE kiosks which I've never seen with a line. I don't believe I've ever spent longer than 2 or 3 minutes to get through customs since having GE. I've seen customs lines that were easily over an hour long wait more often than not. GE also gets you TSA pre-check more often than not when you add your known traveler number to your flight reservation so it saves you time and hassle on the front end too.

 

[Alexle2007]

Oh okay that makes sense. When you say priority security lines are you talking about the pre-check lines?

I believe the reference is to the special TSA screening line that is typically available to first class passengers. I know Delta had one at BWI when we flew to PHX. I believe it was separate from the TSA line but that was before we had GE.

 

[MarBee]

Needed an expert opinion here. I have 3 Southwest credit cards from Chase that I opened to get the companion pass. Which 1 should I keep and which 2 should I close?

Premier opened February 2016
Plus opened October 2017
Business opened November 2017

We do fly Southwest a bunch, but I’m not even sure it’s necessary to have any of the cards open at this point because we also have the Chase Sapphire Preferred which transfers 1:1 with Southwest Rapid Rewards and offers better ways to earn more points on the same purchases.

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[striker1064]

https://www.reddit.com/r/churning/comments/9mygi3/comment/e7ip3vy?st=JN3YZVL8&sh=ab47125c

Oh boy, I saw this getting started yesterday, but missed all of this. Well, that was fun.

The referral seeking is terrible over there, I don't dislike "AK" the guy all the drama is directed at...but he's absolutely a referral w**re.

Also that. This is coming from the same user that not that long ago wrote a long Live Journal style post about needing to step away and take time off churning because he had been shut down by Chase... but then he was reinstated and everything was fine.

Anyway.

 

[palhockeymomof2]

Needed an expert opinion here. I have 3 Southwest credit cards from Chase that I opened to get the companion pass. Which 1 should I keep and which 2 should I close?

Premier opened February 2016
Plus opened October 2017
Business opened November 2017

We do fly Southwest a bunch, but I’m not even sure it’s necessary to have any of the cards open at this point because we also have the Chase Sapphire Preferred which transfers 1:1 with Southwest Rapid Rewards and offers better ways to earn more points on the same purchases.

Thanks in advance for your help!

Ive had the same 3 SW cards...what I did was upgrade my plus to the new Priority card in August...felt the Priority was worth it to me for the $75 SW credit and 4 free upgrades...I don’t put a lot on this card...

going to close the business and premier cards once the 6,000 RR points hit my account the end of this month.

If you closed all 3 just make sure to do a qualifying activity every 2 years to keep your RR account active...shopping through the RR portal, booking a flight with cash etc

 

[Livelovedance]

It's precheck for both domestic and international flights.
It also means that you don't have to fill out the customs form they hand you on the airplane before returning to the US.
And that you do a quick scan of your passport when returning to the US instead of standing in the sometimes very long line.
My family has had it for a few years now and we are glad we do (esp. after an 11 hour flight when the line at customs looks like a line for a popular Disney ride during peak season).

GE is basically a speedy pass through customs. They do their background check on you beforehand(the app process) and they u become a known traveler to them. At busy airports such as LAX or JFK, its likely that you would be processed through in half the time than a regular US citizen. i came out once in 30 mins while it took my mom over 2 hours to get out. GE comes with Pre-Check, which is also a light version security lane. U do not need to take off your shoes or belt. Not all airlines participate in it and you are not always guaranteed it. Its good to have if your credit card has it. might as well right?

depends what time u come in at LAX. u will get processed at lax. Highly suggestive to have it, although u can probably get away with mobile Passport.
Make sure u leave plenty of time between your arrival time and your flight back home. LAX sometimes may take 3 hours to process out and pick up your luggage depending on timing and blah blah stuff happening.

edit: i totally quoted the wrong post.

Apply for Global Entry, pay with the CSR and it gets reimbursed. If your Player 2 gets a CSR before your trip they could get it too for free. Otherwise it’s only $100
I think so it’s not super expensive.

Global Entry is 100, only 15 more than TSA PreCheck. The CSR will reimburse only one or the other every 4 years; GE is valid for 5 years IIRC. Personally, if you have your passport it makes sense to go GE since you still get PreCheck with it. There are other cards that reimburse it too so you could each get it covered if you're willing to look into that. I wouldn't pick up a card just for it but I'd put it on the list to consider.

If you have GE you don't do anything on the plane (you don't even have to fill out the customs forms, or at least we didn't). When you land and go through customs there is an expedited process (ours was basically scanning our passports and walking through).

ETA - we were J class and were able to use the priority security lines both in and out of the US.

u get processed when u land, not on the plane. For GE, there is a dedicated line for those who have it. usually no one is there(in my experience).
probably get GE for Precheck, having 1 person with GE and one person without is kinda lame haha. or do a mobile passport for the GEless person.

LAX *A lounge is really nice. u will get some yummy breakfast to eat! and if u wanna do some alcohol, u can!

You'll get a statement credit like how the travel credit works.

As for logistics on how it works, you don't have to fill out the paper customs form like usual, you'll deplane and go through the customs lines but they'll be a separate kiosk area for you to scan your passport and make your declarations. Should be much faster than waiting in line for an agent. The kiosk should spit out your receipt and as long as it's not marked for special processing (like you had something to declare) then you're free to go.

It's more than just pre-check. It's a Fastpass through customs when you return home. Having seen the horrendous lines I did not have to stand in, I would never be without it. Instead of a line, you go to one of the GE kiosks which I've never seen with a line. I don't believe I've ever spent longer than 2 or 3 minutes to get through customs since having GE. I've seen customs lines that were easily over an hour long wait more often than not. GE also gets you TSA pre-check more often than not when you add your known traveler number to your flight reservation so it saves you time and hassle on the front end too.

Thank you everyone! I’m so glad a couple of us are considering GE because I learned so much in so little time lol. I just have to decide if it’s worth changing my CSP to a CSR in the future, or if I should just pay the $100 myself (I thought it was more).

I also have to consider my friend, because it won’t make sense for me to have it if she doesn’t. It sounds worthwhile and it’s a small price for a trip that costs thousands of dollars. I’ll talk to her about it.

 

[amalone1013]

Thank you everyone! I’m so glad a couple of us are considering GE because I learned so much in so little time lol. I just have to decide if it’s worth changing my CSP to a CSR in the future, or if I should just pay the $100 myself (I thought it was more).

I also have to consider my friend, because it won’t make sense for me to have it if she doesn’t. It sounds worthwhile and it’s a small price for a trip that costs thousands of dollars. I’ll talk to her about it.

If you do it, I would probably change to the CSR for it. If you spend the $300 travel credit on things you planned to pay for anyways, the AF is effectively $150 so you're paying an additional $55 in AF to get a $100 service.

 

[miztressuz]

Needed an expert opinion here. I have 3 Southwest credit cards from Chase that I opened to get the companion pass. Which 1 should I keep and which 2 should I close?

Premier opened February 2016
Plus opened October 2017
Business opened November 2017

We do fly Southwest a bunch, but I’m not even sure it’s necessary to have any of the cards open at this point because we also have the Chase Sapphire Preferred which transfers 1:1 with Southwest Rapid Rewards and offers better ways to earn more points on the same purchases.

Thanks in advance for your help!

Hm that's tough. Here's a question though, do you fly SW a lot? Or rather, do you spend cash at all with SW I guess? If so I'd look at product changing one to the new Priority card, and hope you get an upgrade bonus, and then close the others. With the $75 statement credit, if you'd spend that on SW in a year anyway it basically makes that a $74 card getting you 7,500 anniversary points instead. Otherwise with the Premier and Biz you're basically buying $99 worth of points (roughly), and the Plus you'd be over paying for those anniversary points. If that's appealing I'd hold onto the Premier for no other reason than it's older than the Biz.(if you absolutely wanted to keep one and not upgrade)

For the experts at dissecting bonus language, when Chase says "new Cardmember bonus " they mean a sign up bonus or does an upgrade bonus count and resets the clock? I mean wouldn't an upgrade to a Priority be a new card? Or am I totally over thinking again?

 

[kmc8826]

Thank you everyone! I’m so glad a couple of us are considering GE because I learned so much in so little time lol. I just have to decide if it’s worth changing my CSP to a CSR in the future, or if I should just pay the $100 myself (I thought it was more).

I also have to consider my friend, because it won’t make sense for me to have it if she doesn’t. It sounds worthwhile and it’s a small price for a trip that costs thousands of dollars. I’ll talk to her about it.

In reference to your first post you couldn’t get a CSR on its own until 48 months after you got the points on the CSP. So the product change would make sense. I don’t know if you have any Amex cards? The tsa/global precheck is a credit in some of them. I have it on my CSR but also now on the SPG Lux. So something to consider if you want to start targeting getting points for flights. That’s exciting to plan and look forward too! You could always see if you can get her to start working the credit card angle too. Then you could refer her!

 

[DisneyMandC]

This is not my week y'all. Still can't get Universal tickets, Delta website is so glitchy I can't get a ticket booked on miles and am going to have to call. Can technology just work for me?!

 

[tink1970]

When you say priority security lines are you talking about the pre-check lines?

So, leaving the US at an airport, you go through security. Different airports have different "fastpass" options-CLEAR, TSA pre check, and sometimes for Business/First. When you arrive in an international country, you'll go through immigration (their's). If you are business/first you might get a "fastpass" there (usually prior to disembarking the plane the flight attendant will hand you a piece of paper which says something like priority). Having waited in line at NRT for two hours at immigration-this will be worth it.

Once you leave for the US, again, security may or might not have a "fastpass" for screening/security if you're business/first/elite. Then, upon arrival in the US is when the Global precheck is helpful. There are usually 3 lanes at immigration (big picture, I know those with visas fall in somewhere) : US passport holders/non US passport holders/Global Entry. The GE line is the shortest, and there are kiosks where you scan your passport, your fingerprints, answer some questions, a truly horrible photo is taken and a slip of paper shoots out that you take to the immigration official. It definitely speeds the process...to the point that we don't wait in line for immigration but half the plane catches up for us as we're reclaiming luggage .

TL;DR TSA precheck gets you through US screening more quickly, Global Entry through immigration Stateside more quickly. Biz/first may or may not have additional front of the line privileges depending on the airport.

 

[MKTokyo]

Darn on the J class lol. That’s okay, though. So if we get GE (and I’m thinking we will) we get processed on the plane on the way back? Or did I misunderstand what a PP said?

We will definitely get there at least 2 hours early. I do want to use the lounge! I’m hoping to stay at a hotel with an airport shuttle so we can get there easily when we fly into LAX and leave the next morning.

Make sure to apply well before your trip. You have to apply online & pay the fee, wait for conditional approval, then schedule an interview at one of these locations: https://ttp.cbp.dhs.gov/schedulerui/schedule-interview/location?lang=en&vo=true

When you first schedule your interview, there might not be any slots left for months. However, if you keep checking back, you can very likely move it up. Each person needs their own appointment slot.

Some locations take walk-ins. Some don't. Some take walk-ins sometimes. I think it's better to have an appointment. It would be annoying to go far out of your way hoping for a walk-in appointment & end up wasting your time.

After you have GE, you can just renew online without needing another in-person appointment, unless your name changes or something to that effect.

 

[miztressuz]

With all the talk of Global Entry, got me curious, is the Amex BizPlat the only business card that offers reimbursement for it? There's lots of options for personal cards, even ones with AFs lower than the GE cost, but if you're chasing Chase cards and trying to keep under 5/24 there's a lot of opportunity cost potentially it looks like.

It is amazing though how many and what cards offer it now. Kicking myself for not doing more research on it when I paid OOP last year

 

[danjoealexis3006]

Does anyone know how undercover tourist charges code for Capital One?

 

[kidsfirsttrip]

This is not my week y'all. Still can't get Universal tickets, Delta website is so glitchy I can't get a ticket booked on miles and am going to have to call. Can technology just work for me?!

Ugh. Hope things start looking up! I’m sure the tickets will show up soon, they made it to the CSR site!

Speaking of the CSR I’m thinking of breaking up with him again. I have such love for that card but I’m not sure I can justify the fee. I will wait until my $300 travel credit posts in December and then consider it. I’ll get the prorated AF back. I will use my big stash of URs beforehand. I don’t see a major need. I have PP and GE/TSA with the lux and did pre TSA already but will prob go for GE now. I can transfer with my CIP. I have a bunch of SW points and JetBlue coming. I have about 500K marriot points and free certs on 6 cards throughout the year. I think it makes the most sense and if we need to redeem again for something big like a cruise I’ll upgrade again.