I love credit cards so much!

[tink1970]

ETA more info: my kids don’t have ff accounts. Should I sign them up first? Or do you not get miles for award flights?

No, miles are not given for award flights. That said, especially with Delta, no sense NOT to have a Skymiles account, since miles don't expire. DD has had hers since she was an infant.

 

[Limes96]

No, miles are not given for award flights. That said, especially with Delta, no sense NOT to have a Skymiles account, since miles don't expire. DD has had hers since she was an infant.

Do UR flights also not earn miles?

 

[Lain]

I self-referred myself to the BGR. Auto-approved!

It was a bit nerve-wracking after hitting submit because I accidentally clicked one of Amex's many other links on the page that lets you add employee cards before I got to the decision page. But, I didn't get the bonus denial pop up after hitting submit so I was feeling confident. I checked the Amex application status site and it said I was approved. I got an approval email a hot minute later. Then I jumped onto Amex chat and confirmed my approval and that the 50k MR welcome offer was attached. Confirmed. I know frontline reps can be wrong, but I guess this is the best I can do in these uncertain times.

I wrestled with whether to go for the call-in 75k MR/$10k MSR offer or just self-refer to the 50k MR/$5k MSR offer. Complicating my decision a little was I'm maxed out of 15k MR referrals on my Biz Plat, my MB Plat doesn't refer, and I don't have a BBP yet. So I thought maybe I could self-refer to the BBP for 10k MR + 10k MR, get approved, set up the BBP account and self-refer to the BGR for 15k MR + 50k MR, but that would add the BBP's $3k MSR to the BGR's $5k MSR, and the whole point of going the referral route was to avoid adding more in Amex MSRs. (I don't even know if I could get all this done in time! But props if anyone wants to try this.)

So, I settled for a self-referral from my Amex Gold for 10k MR + 50k MR on the BGR with a $5k MSR. I did some mathing, and the difference from the call-in 75k MR offer is 15k MR for $5k of additional spend, or 3x MR/$1. Well, I could do better than that by spending $5k on GoC GCs and earn 4x MR on that spend for a little over 20k MR. I'm feeling pretty good about my decision. The BGR was in my scopes anyway, and applying today lets me avoid the not waived $295 AF that's going to drop tomorrow.

 

[Calfan]

Do UR flights also not earn miles?

UR flights should earn miles. It's like a cash booking from the airline's perspective.

 

[Lain]

No, miles are not given for award flights. That said, especially with Delta, no sense NOT to have a Skymiles account, since miles don't expire. DD has had hers since she was an infant.

Do UR flights also not earn miles?

UR flights should earn miles. It's like a cash booking from the airline's perspective.

@Limes96, @Calfan is right. Paying with UR through the Chase portal is like paying with cash (in the form of UR points). It's a revenue seat as far as the airline is concerned, and you'll earn that airline's miles for it. However, when you redeem that airline's miles for award seats directly with the airline (so redeeming MileagePlus miles for an award seat on United, Skymiles for an award seat on Delta, etc.), you don't earn miles on that.

 

[Friendlyadvice2]

ok..... again @amalone1013 what do you mean start spending now with 50k+60k counting for next year? I know you're not supposed to hit MSR till after Dec statement closes...it's the other detail I can't understand here.... I wasn't planning to start spending till after that Dec date anyway, but isn't it that any spend before that date won't count for 2019?

Any spend before your December closing date won't count toward 2019 because those points will credit to your account in 2018 when the December statement closes. I assume the other poster you tagged was referring to your bonus points. If you have the 50K bonus and the 60K bonus and they both credit to your account in 2019, then those points alone will be enough to get you the CP. In that scenario, the 2K points you earn from trying to achieve the MSR won't be needed to hit 110K points since the bonuses will do it for you. However, if you have two 50K bonuses, then you will still need to earn 10K more points , so in that scenario, it would be best to earn those points after your December statement closes so they will credit in 2019 and help toward the CP. Make sense?

 

[Limes96]

Thanks all. I guess I lumped two questions into one there. But that’s kinda what I thought. You guys are the best! I assume there won’t be problems likely booking from two different sites so long as I do it at approximately the same time? My kids are 15 and almost 18 so we’re not concerned about seats. Although DD15 I plan to put on dh’s FF miles so they can choose seats in the same row. My DS18 and I it doesn’t matter so much.

 

[amalone1013]

ok..... again @amalone1013 what do you mean start spending now with 50k+60k counting for next year? I know you're not supposed to hit MSR till after Dec statement closes...it's the other detail I can't understand here.... I wasn't planning to start spending till after that Dec date anyway, but isn't it that any spend before that date won't count for 2019?

That's right, those points wont count for CP. But if you have a 60k biz card and can get a 50k personal card, you dont need the points from spending to get CP.

We got DHs biz card last week. Were finishing SPG Lux now, then well move to my CIP (which will be assisted by extra payments on my car loan). I'll probably put a few things here and there on the biz, and ramp up after the cip is close to done. But I won't make that last bit of spend until the first few days of January. Same with the personal, I'm planning to apply on a flight the first weekend of December for a 50k offer. I might spend more on that after getting it and do more car payments on the SW biz.

 

[GlamMistress]

Well I just got a Dosh notification. I got my missing money from lunch last Friday. I hadn't gotten around to fill out a support ticket yet. So random but yay.

 

[tink1970]

I self-referred myself to the BGR. Auto-approved!

Congrats!

 

[wendow]

Try this: https://www.schwab.com/public/schwab/nn/promo/refer-prospect.html?refrid=REFER4U498PXV

Thank you! And that GrAAvy train guide page was missing too. Can you make it magically appear as well?

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Thank you! And that GrAAvy train guide page was missing too. Can you make it magically appear as well?

Sorry, lol - that was a quirky DISboards error with the link:

https://www.reddit.com/user/aksurvivorfan/comments/9n0mkn/guide_to_churning_citi_aa_cards/

 

[Alexle2007]

I self-referred myself to the BGR. Auto-approved!

It was a bit nerve-wracking after hitting submit because I accidentally clicked one of Amex's many other links on the page that lets you add employee cards before I got to the decision page. But, I didn't get the bonus denial pop up after hitting submit so I was feeling confident. I checked the Amex application status site and it said I was approved. I got an approval email a hot minute later. Then I jumped onto Amex chat and confirmed my approval and that the 50k MR welcome offer was attached. Confirmed. I know frontline reps can be wrong, but I guess this is the best I can do in these uncertain times.

I wrestled with whether to go for the call-in 75k MR/$10k MSR offer or just self-refer to the 50k MR/$5k MSR offer. Complicating my decision a little was I'm maxed out of 15k MR referrals on my Biz Plat, my MB Plat doesn't refer, and I don't have a BBP yet. So I thought maybe I could self-refer to the BBP for 10k MR + 10k MR, get approved, set up the BBP account and self-refer to the BGR for 15k MR + 50k MR, but that would add the BBP's $3k MSR to the BGR's $5k MSR, and the whole point of going the referral route was to avoid adding more in Amex MSRs. (I don't even know if I could get all this done in time! But props if anyone wants to try this.)

So, I settled for a self-referral from my Amex Gold for 10k MR + 50k MR on the BGR with a $5k MSR. I did some mathing, and the difference from the call-in 75k MR offer is 15k MR for $5k of additional spend, or 3x MR/$1. Well, I could do better than that by spending $5k on GoC GCs and earn 4x MR on that spend for a little over 20k MR. I'm feeling pretty good about my decision. The BGR was in my scopes anyway, and applying today lets me avoid the not waived $295 AF that's going to drop tomorrow.

I broke down and did the same except I had referrals on my Plat so I used that. So I’ll have 100k Plat Bonus, 50k Gold, 15k Referral and 50k BGR = 215k MRs. Watch I’ll see my 15k referral before I see any MRs from spend or bonus.

 

[AmyAnne]

Is anyone else having trouble accessing the AmEx page for selecting an airline for the airline fee credit? I've been trying off and on all afternoon and just get a "page not found" message. I've tried on Chrome, Chrome incognito, and Edge.

 

[Lain]

I broke down and did the same except I had referrals on my Plat so I used that. So I’ll have 100k Plat Bonus, 50k Gold, 15k Referral and 50k BGR = 215k MRs. Watch I’ll see my 15k referral before I see any MRs from spend or bonus.

Haha! Congratulations! Nothing like FOMO as a reason for another card.

​

 

[Lain]

@SouthFayetteFan: My BGR that was approved today has a statement close date of 20 days after approval (11/27).

 

[snugglebug]

I self-referred myself to the BGR. Auto-approved!

It was a bit nerve-wracking after hitting submit because I accidentally clicked one of Amex's many other links on the page that lets you add employee cards before I got to the decision page. But, I didn't get the bonus denial pop up after hitting submit so I was feeling confident. I checked the Amex application status site and it said I was approved. I got an approval email a hot minute later. Then I jumped onto Amex chat and confirmed my approval and that the 50k MR welcome offer was attached. Confirmed. I know frontline reps can be wrong, but I guess this is the best I can do in these uncertain times.

I wrestled with whether to go for the call-in 75k MR/$10k MSR offer or just self-refer to the 50k MR/$5k MSR offer. Complicating my decision a little was I'm maxed out of 15k MR referrals on my Biz Plat, my MB Plat doesn't refer, and I don't have a BBP yet. So I thought maybe I could self-refer to the BBP for 10k MR + 10k MR, get approved, set up the BBP account and self-refer to the BGR for 15k MR + 50k MR, but that would add the BBP's $3k MSR to the BGR's $5k MSR, and the whole point of going the referral route was to avoid adding more in Amex MSRs. (I don't even know if I could get all this done in time! But props if anyone wants to try this.)

So, I settled for a self-referral from my Amex Gold for 10k MR + 50k MR on the BGR with a $5k MSR. I did some mathing, and the difference from the call-in 75k MR offer is 15k MR for $5k of additional spend, or 3x MR/$1. Well, I could do better than that by spending $5k on GoC GCs and earn 4x MR on that spend for a little over 20k MR. I'm feeling pretty good about my decision. The BGR was in my scopes anyway, and applying today lets me avoid the not waived $295 AF that's going to drop tomorrow.

I have a few hours left to decide. So, if I take this on I can get Visa GCs at the grocery store (HEB) to cover my Costco shopping, right? I think that was ok to do to meet spend. I plan to do SW combo late Dec/early Jan so I'd need to put everything I can into this. Have not attempted mortgage and probably won't. I tend to organic spend.

 

[Lain]

I have a few hours left to decide. So, if I take this on I can get Visa GCs at the grocery store (HEB) to cover my Costco shopping, right? I think that was ok to do to meet spend. I plan to do SW combo late Dec/early Jan so I'd need to put everything I can into this. Have not attempted mortgage and probably won't. I tend to organic spend.

Grocery stores generally don't report level 3 data to Amex, so HEB should be fine, but I would throw the VGCs in with other items to avoid $xx5.95 charges showing up on your statement. I use VGCs at Costco all the time. Mortgages won't work on Amex cards anyway, unless you can somehow slip the payment through Plastiq. Good luck with your decision!

 

[amalone1013]

I think it's been awhile since I mentioned this, but BIL and his partner do some house flipping. Tonight we went to dinner for grandmas birthday, so we split the bill with him. He paid with a BRG so now I feel better. They were so strange about credit cards when we brought up SPG cards when planning the wedding (for staying Swolphin) that part of me had been worried this whole time that they had no decent business credit card.

 

[Limes96]

All done! Made my first free flights. It’s a great feeling. Used SkyMiles for two tickets, UR for the other two. Hope I did it all right. Paid for the fees on SkyMiles with my CSR so hopefully that will get refunded as part of my $300 travel credit.