I love credit cards so much!

[amalone1013]

Can someone explain to me why it costs more to buy a middle seat in the back of the plane with Frontier than an aisle or window? Seriously, same row? I guess because you're only buying a middle seat to sit by someone, otherwise you'll just be assigned one 'for free'?

 

[Judique]

I’m going to take a moment for my fellow Californians here- OP is paying $2.06/gallon pre discounts. At a SHELL. Sometimes I forget just how expensive living in the CA sun is...

Aww....and I checked gas buddy just now. Somewhere in Maryland they have 1.99 gas, but I couldn't find it on the heat map. I did find 2.03 in an area I'm passing through soon. And, I'll be driving the gas guzzling van for that little ride so any pennies will be appreciated.

Edit: and this reminds me I have to do my Amex Exxon offer!! Van should eat up $40 easily. That's 2 of the $10 of $20 transactions. Now to look for the cheapest Exxon near my house....

 

[BamaBoy]

We are at $1.85 here in my corner of 'Bama.

 

[CoP Luv]

I am approximately 1,000 pages behind since last Monday so I am just going to throw in the towel with trying to keep up and just ask my questions.

I have $5 back on walmart grocery on Amex and a few Chase cards. I was going to try it’s out today since we actually need a few things, it’s raining, I am sick of taking children out of car seats, and Walmart is a little cheaper with what I need (I never shop at Walmart). Anyway, is there a cash back portal that gets triggered with the WM grocery order? I usually do ebates or Swagbucks.

In other news, the boots that I was going to order from Saks with my new Plat are out of stock. And WBC is back on Chase UR but for $322/night. Pre-Expedia is was about $100 less.

Am I allowed to use this or is it reserved?

 

[Haley R]

Can someone explain to me why it costs more to buy a middle seat in the back of the plane with Frontier than an aisle or window? Seriously, same row? I guess because you're only buying a middle seat to sit by someone, otherwise you'll just be assigned one 'for free'?

That's very strange. I think last year the middle seat was free, but this year I noticed it costs the same as the other seats now. But for it to cost MORE is a new one for me.

 

[amalone1013]

That's very strange. I think last year the middle seat was free, but this year I noticed it costs the same as the other seats now. But for it to cost MORE is a new one for me.

It's so weird. Row 28 and back on the one I'm looking at. The others are just the same. I remember when the middle seats were still free to pick - when I tagged along on DHs Vegas trip he was on Frontier and they had paid for a window seat from him, so when I checked in for my flight I was just able to pick the middle seat next to him for $0. That was nice!

 

[amalone1013]

My travel credit for my CSR reset yesterday. This year I'm truly going to downgrade it!
I'm just torn now, because they have better flights back on Frontier than SW in a few weeks for the concert Christmas gift trip (really, better means later so we have more time ) plus we won't be able to use CP yet

• Sunday: SW is $188/12.6k RRs per person, Frontier is $99pp and leaves 2 hours later
• Monday: SW is $208/14k RRs per person, Frontier is $59pp and leaves 3 hours later

If this trip was during Festival of the Arts, it would be a no brainer that I'd plan for Fri/Mon off, but it's not. It's the weekend before the Festival starts, which is also Marathon weekend We'll have to be off Fri no matter what, because the concert is Friday night. So do I just go with a 3 day weekend trip, and plan another in Jan/Feb for Arts festival? Wait a week until Christmas and have DH help decide, and hope there are still okay flights around? I'd probably move some URs to book the Sunday SW flights as a backup in case the other flights would book up. It would be nice and easy to use most of the travel credit on the Frontier flights, but if I pick Sunday and we decide Monday or vice versa, then I screw us with change fees.

I guess we also have a $50 SW GC plus the $75 credit from the priority card, could put that towards a SW flight and use the voucher next time if we wouldn't fly SW... Think if I buy a $188 flight with $50 GC plus $138 on the credit card to use the travel credit, then cancel, I just get a $188 voucher?

I mean, obviously the answer is to get a Platinum and use the airlline credit on $200 in SW GCs ASAP, right?

 

[hsmamato2]

2019 travel plans -

Spring: NCL Bliss cruise to Mexico. Did my 9th refare today. Maybe this really is the last one, lol. Pre-cruise hotel was with URs. Probably will do a food tour in Puerto Vallarta with URs.

Summer: Iceland/Scotland. Flight there on Icelandair paid for with URs, flight back from Aberdeen with AA miles on BA (but boo on high fees/taxes). Might do a puffins boat tour in Iceland with URs. Booked vacation rentals with cash. Keep thinking maybe I should switch to a UR booking, but haven't seen anything that seems worth it comparatively. Seems I get a bit attached to my choices, lol. Car rentals with URs were expensive in Scotland and non-existent in Iceland.

Winter: Carnival Panorama cruise to Mexico (again). A bit on the fence about this one since it's the same itinerary (brand new ship though). But I've saved $500 with AmEx offers at this point, so maybe I'll keep it.

Contemplating:
- Weekend trip for anniversary, maybe Mendocino, hopefully using URs.
- Taking the kids to WDW by myself (I get more vacation days than DH). Or maybe more likely, the DL Halloween party for a long weekend. Looking at the Courtyard Anaheim Theme Park Entrance with URs.

You're my cruising hero....I'm gonna PM you at some point about how to get those deals and refares you talk about,since cruising is my next goal

 

[LilSweetPeaPhoto]

I bought my first $50 GC on Delta. Why am I so scared? LOL. Do I want to space these over a few days? A few hours? Can I do them back to back to back but just as seperate?

 

[hsmamato2]

Still in catch up mode but here are our 2019 plans:

We will be in Antarctica from Christmas through the first week of the New Year. Used AA miles to get our flights for that trip. The cost of it earned us a travel together ticket with British Airways which we will use to go to Europe for a future unplanned trip.

January, we will be going to New York for the Mickey True Original Exhibition. We are staying at a Residence Inn by Central Park that available using our annual free night certificate with our Marriott cards. Flights were paid for with Amex MR points.

March, we leave for a trip to Dubai staying at the Al Maha Desert Resort and Spa using Starriott points at 60K per night before the category changes to something like 100K per night. Then we fly to the Maldives and at staying in Overwater Bungalows using Hilton points. The $500 sea plane transfers are covered with the Hilton Aspire resort benefit. We are flying first class on Etihad using Alaska miles that were accumulated with the Marriott Night and flight packages before they were devalued.

April we are going to WDW for Flower and Garden. DVC points and staying at the Boardwalk.

May we are going to New Orleans for a long weekend and using our 7 night travel package certificate from one of the aforementioned Marriott night and flight packages.

June/July we are going to Scotland using a British Airways travel together pass that was earned last year.

August we will be going to New York for the weekend to see Hamilton and we used AA gift cards to pay for the flights.

Late August and early September we will be on a 3 night Disney Cruise paid for with discounted Disney GCs or earned at 5x UR points.

September/October is our Adventures by Disney trip to Japan. Flights are in first using MR points with a bonus transferred to Virgin Atlantic in order to book ANA. The trip will be paid for using discounted Disney GCs or earned at 5x UR points.

late October - WDW F&W and staying at AKV with DVC points

November Thanksgiving trip will be a repeat and we are taking both sides of the family again to WDW using DVC points.

Tentatively planning Disneyland in December but nothing set in stone just yet.

as usual... LOL we got back from HAwaii and Dh said "no more trips for a while! I'm tired of traveling!" this was our 2nd trip in 2018.... he would call a lawyer if I was able to plan like this (but I would love it) so our steady seems 2-3 trips per year max or he rebels lol

 

[hsmamato2]

this talk about double checking/third party hotels got me thinking.... so on our recent trip I had booked flight using Jetblue from BOS-LAX and then Avios on AA or Alaska for flights to/from OGG. JB would never let us print boarding passes ahead,I have no idea why just got error pages after checkin online. So we got them at airport.
AA was fine with the printable passes. Alaska was a different story and freaked me out- I didn't realize at the time but 3 months ago they changed the flight time by 5 minutes.... so when I went to checkin in online got an error page....couldn't check in....(!) so I called, they told me to cal BA,who told me to call AK..etc in a circle for an hour or two(and BA phone line was a hot mess that night,I had to use the actual room phone!)
long story short(er) BA had not 'reissued' the tix after the time change. and no one could do anything about it... eventually after too much stressing out I was told to check in at airport and there wouldn't be an issue. and there wasn't,but the stress leading up to that moment was unnecessary. Now I'll know to check WAY ahead of time for something like this.

 

[GlamMistress]

Nice write up on the new Disney 4park/4 day ticket option. https://milestomemories.boardingare...s/?utm_source=BoardingArea&utm_medium=twitter

 

[hsmamato2]

BTW I do want to thank everyone here for their helpful selves.... I so appreciate all the answers and advice I've gotten over the past year.... this last trip would have been so difficult to piece together without your kind assistance..... I feel like a 10 day trip coast to coast,and then to Maui,and back again for around $700 for 4 people is a miracle!
In Boston,I used the Hilton gc I had gotten a while back with the Amex offer, so the cost to stay overnight,get free breakfast,park for 10 days was $255-minus the already discounted gc I used (vs cost to park in cheapest economy lot at airport is $260+taxes!)
Used PP to grab some great snacks at lounge at BOS before flight...
In LA,I used the IHG free night at Crowne Plaza LAX which came with free breakfast buffet and club access in evening...
in Maui, the nights and Flights cert for 7 nights, left me with resort fees etc at about $475....
In LAX on way back we just dozed in airport for a few hours overnight
then back to BOS to get the car..... It felt AWESOME paying so little for so MUCH!!!!!!!
My own family looks at me like I have three heads when I say this, they are so used to me and my deals that for them it's normal to do something like this and spend so little..... here on this thread,I know you all understand the thrill of cheap travel!

 

[happ]

Can someone explain to me why it costs more to buy a middle seat in the back of the plane with Frontier than an aisle or window? Seriously, same row? I guess because you're only buying a middle seat to sit by someone, otherwise you'll just be assigned one 'for free'?

I think I would just buy two aisle seats next to each other and then offer to switch one with the person who got stuck in a middle seat. I think most people would jump at the offer.

 

[Haley R]

I think I would just buy two aisle seats next to each other and then offer to switch one with the person who got stuck in a middle seat. I think most people would jump at the offer.

I wouldn't do this. You might get that one weird person who really does want to sit in the middle. We always pay for the seats we want because I wouldn't want to deal with asking someone to switch. I guess it just gives me peace of mind.

 

[Haley R]

It's so weird. Row 28 and back on the one I'm looking at. The others are just the same. I remember when the middle seats were still free to pick - when I tagged along on DHs Vegas trip he was on Frontier and they had paid for a window seat from him, so when I checked in for my flight I was just able to pick the middle seat next to him for $0. That was nice!

Yeah I always need the window so Dh always got the middle seat for $0, but he can't do that anymore.

 

[happ]

I am approximately 1,000 pages behind since last Monday so I am just going to throw in the towel with trying to keep up and just ask my questions.

I have $5 back on walmart grocery on Amex and a few Chase cards. I was going to try it’s out today since we actually need a few things, it’s raining, I am sick of taking children out of car seats, and Walmart is a little cheaper with what I need (I never shop at Walmart). Anyway, is there a cash back portal that gets triggered with the WM grocery order? I usually do ebates or Swagbucks.

In other news, the boots that I was going to order from Saks with my new Plat are out of stock. And WBC is back on Chase UR but for $322/night. Pre-Expedia is was about $100 less.

Am I allowed to use this or is it reserved?

For Walmart Grocery, I have tried TopCashBack and Swagbucks. Neither one worked. If you do find one that works, please post.

 

[amalone1013]

I think I would just buy two aisle seats next to each other and then offer to switch one with the person who got stuck in a middle seat. I think most people would jump at the offer.

The good thing is it's only $1 higher, so not going to make or break the budget. I'll just pay it. Just so strange!

I wouldn't do this. You might get that one weird person who really does want to sit in the middle. We always pay for the seats we want because I wouldn't want to deal with asking someone to switch. I guess it just gives me peace of mind.

I'm too paranoid and would worry about that! And wouldn't want to ask. I'll pay the extra dollar to be anti-social

 

[wanderlust7]

You're my cruising hero....I'm gonna PM you at some point about how to get those deals and refares you talk about,since cruising is my next goal

I'm far from a cruising expert, but here's some things I learned along the way. Feel free to PM, I love talking about this stuff.

- I use www.cruisecompete.com once I decide on a sailing. It's easier to compare if the cabin category is decided too. Different travel agencies will submit quotes to the site and I just pick whoever has the best deal. Have been able to get about 10% directly off the base price or as on board credit. Not for DCL though, Costco is the best I've been able to find for that.

- For the refare, I signed up for the www.cruisewatch.com price drop e-mails. It's doesn't seem to always work though. The NCL cruise has been dropping so often that I basically just check everyday. Before final payment, you can call and get it refared. You'll lose any perks if they're not part of the new rate though. I've read some TAs will do this automatically. I haven't had one yet that does that, maybe because I go for the TA with the lowest price, lol.

- The AmEx offers for World's Leading Cruise Lines (Carnival, Holland American, Princess), spend x amount, get x credit - seems to always work out to 20%. If it's spend $500 get $100 credit, I do $500 on my card, $500 on DH's, then wait for the next offer to come around.

 

[hsmamato2]

I'm far from a cruising expert, but here's some things I learned along the way. Feel free to PM, I love talking about this stuff.

- I use www.cruisecompete.com once I decide on a sailing. It's easier to compare if the cabin category is decided too. Different travel agencies will submit quotes to the site and I just pick whoever has the best deal. Have been able to get about 10% directly off the base price or as on board credit. Not for DCL though, Costco is the best I've been able to find for that.

- For the refare, I signed up for the www.cruisewatch.com price drop e-mails. It's doesn't seem to always work though. The NCL cruise has been dropping so often that I basically just check everyday. Before final payment, you can call and get it refared. You'll lose any perks if they're not part of the new rate though. I've read some TAs will do this automatically. I haven't had one yet that does that, maybe because I go for the TA with the lowest price, lol.

- The AmEx offers for World's Leading Cruise Lines (Carnival, Holland American, Princess), spend x amount, get x credit - seems to always work out to 20%. If it's spend $500 get $100 credit, I do $500 on my card, $500 on DH's, then wait for the next offer to come around.

awesome thanks!