I love credit cards so much!

[Lain]

I have the Priority Pass app, and it will give me the lounges, but I can't get it to give me the restaurants with benefits. When I put in DEN, for example, it comes up with nothing. Maybe my app is just quirky. I am finding them on the website at least.

Common misconception. Denver International Airport is abbreviated "DIA" not "DEN."

ETA: Weird. I just checked the Priority Pass site and it gives the Denver airport code as DEN. I read some chatter on /r/churning that said Timberline Steaks & Grill is coming to the end of their trial run with Priority Pass. So far, all the managers and waiters love all the new business Priority Pass has brought to the restaurant. So speculation is the relationship with Priority Pass will continue, but with some restrictions that have already been put in place, like dine in only/no take out.

 

[Calfan]

Common misconception. Denver International Airport is abbreviated "DIA" not "DEN."

I don't actually think that's true:

Denver International - United States - World Airport Codes
https://www.world-airport-codes.com/united-states/denver-international-1888.html
Denver International Airport (DEN)

But I do appreciate the effort to help. And neither DEN nor DIA yield any results on my Priority Pass app. Sigh....

 

[Lain]

I don't actually think that's true:

Denver International - United States - World Airport Codes
https://www.world-airport-codes.com/united-states/denver-international-1888.html
Denver International Airport (DEN)

But I do appreciate the effort to help. And neither DEN nor DIA yield any results on my Priority Pass app. Sigh....

Strike that! I thought it was DEN, but then was informed by someone I trusted on travel matters that it's DIA. Now I see DEN is on the airport's website and twitter handle! So I was right before?

Forgive my ignorance. I've flown through Denver like once. My United connections usually take me through ORD.

Just checked the Priority Pass desktop site, clicked Find a Lounge, entered Denver, clicked on DEN, and found Timberline Steaks & Grille.

 

[amalone1013]

Denver is often called DIA by the locals for Denver International Airport...

I have a question:

Amex wants to increase my limit. I do not need the increase, and my instinct tells me to ignore it. Would there be any benefit to my increasing? Would it make a drastic change up or down to my credit score?

I do have some plans for this year that may make me accept the increase if it would increase my credit score (already above 810):
Apply for the Chase Freedom Unlimited. (already have and plan to keep forever the Sapphire Preferred and Freedom 5%) I am currently at 4/24
Cancel both my SW cards after the yearly points post. (unless they give me a retention offer when I call).
Eventually apply for the Discover card that gives 5% rotating cash back.

Towards the end of 2018 or in 2019 I will venture into cards that give hotel points. Right now I primary need airfare points and have more than enough (never enough) SW and slowly working on Jet Blue through AMEX.

So - should I accept the Amex increase or just continue to ignore it?

TIA!

If it was me, I'd have them do it. I don't know how much it will increase your score, since it's so high already, but unless you're worried you would abuse this limit increase and go into debt, why not? It will just lower you utilization ratio. We've picked up over $100k in credit limit on cards in the last two years. If I was worried about my financial behavior, I wouldn't have gotten involved in this. But it's a personal decision

Is SPG business eligible for Amex Offers? I could get that now, get me started with Amex while I pass some time with Chase. I'm just not quite ready for my next Chase app. I know they're watching my CSP with the fraud charge and I don't want to risk a review or anything.

Sometime in March or April I'll get Marriott personal to fill in my last 5/24 slot. I'm going to PC my CSP to a Freedom in June. Then I have no real plans beyond that for now other than venturing outside 5/24 a bit.

It sure does!

 

[Albort]

Strike that! I thought it was DEN, but then was informed by someone I trusted on travel matters that it's DIA. Now I see DEN is on the airport's website and twitter handle! So I was right before?

Forgive my ignorance. I've flown through Denver like once. My United connections usually take me through ORD.

Just checked the Priority Pass desktop site, clicked Find a Lounge, entered Denver, clicked on DEN, and found Timberline Steaks & Grille.

haha, reminds me of that one lady that was going to fly to San Jose,CA and ended up in San Jose, Costa Rica.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Is SPG business eligible for Amex Offers? I could get that now, get me started with Amex while I pass some time with Chase. I'm just not quite ready for my next Chase app. I know they're watching my CSP with the fraud charge and I don't want to risk a review or anything.

Sometime in March or April I'll get Marriott personal to fill in my last 5/24 slot. I'm going to PC my CSP to a Freedom in June. Then I have no real plans beyond that for now other than venturing outside 5/24 a bit.

All AMEX biz cards are eligible for AMEX offers however they do sometimes get different ones than the personal cards. Admittedly I've had less success finding good ones to use on my biz cards.

 

[Lain]

haha, reminds me of that one lady that was going to fly to San Jose,CA and ended up in San Jose, Costa Rica.

I saw that story and wanted to post a link to it when you guys were talking about South America yesterday!

 

[CyndiLouWho]

can you provide more detail on that? I'm curious

https://thepointsguy.com/guide/5-reasons-to-get-boa-premium-rewards/

50k points ($500) for 3k spend in 3 months. Higher earning rates if you have balances with B Of A.
@calypso726 also has this card & may be able to give more details on how easy to redeem.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Can you transfer MR points to SW so you can book the flights with points (like with UR)? This is what I found online: To redeem your Membership Reward points for Southwest Airline tickets, simply book your ticket directly with Southwest Airlines and then redeem your points after the charge posts via Your Charges online at: membershiprewards.com/yourcharges or through the American Express App on your mobile device (iPhone and Android platforms only). You have the ability to schedule a point redemption for eligible pending charges through the American Express Mobile App. You must have enough Membership Rewards® points to cover the entire cost of the charge with Your Charges.

MRs do not transfer to Southwest (and thus unfortunately don't give you the benefits of booking a trip with Southwest RR points which are great benefits).

I don't actually have any experience doing what you describe above but I'd assume it works as you describe. I also would check how they are valued in that manner as it looks like it's only 0.6 cpp which would be a terrible value for MRs...

 

[AquaDame]

What is your guy's strategy when it comes to finding business fares on miles..? I technically have enough for round trip according to the charts but it keeps showing me mixed cabins which is driving me nuts. I don't really want to "waste" miles if I only have business on the short legs... I "need" it for the long ones and I'm not seeing a good way to search.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

I saw that story and wanted to post a link to it when you guys were talking about South America yesterday!

There is a statue we saw in San Jose CR that was supposed to go to San Juan PR (& vice versa). Apparently shipped to wrong city. Both cities kept what they got, too much trouble to return.

 

[AmyAnne]

What is your guy's strategy when it comes to finding business fares on miles..? I technically have enough for round trip according to the charts but it keeps showing me mixed cabins which is driving me nuts. I don't really want to "waste" miles if I only have business on the short legs... I "need" it for the long ones and I'm not seeing a good way to search.

How far in advance are you trying to book? From what I have seen, a lot of the good business class miles seats need to be booked as soon as the booking window opens (11 months?).

 

[snugglebug]

Yes, the SPG Biz gets Amex Offers, but personally I haven't gotten any really good ones yet.

Why not double dip your last 5/24 slot?

I didn't really think about that. I could double dip Marriott and Freedom Unlimited. Hmmm. I need to go plan this out a little more.

 

[AquaDame]

How far in advance are you trying to book? From what I have seen, a lot of the good business class miles seats need to be booked as soon as the booking window opens (11 months?).

We have a ton of time... we're planning on going to South Africa in Sept or Oct of 2019. I've started playing with the 2018 dates to get ready, but so far it isn't looking as good as I had hoped even when looking as far out as I can from today. I need a better strategy I guess... if I can't pull it off I'll use the miles on closer trips but I *really* want lay flat seats for the two long flights each way if at all possible!

 

[Psychodisney]

can you provide more detail on that? I'm curious

I also recently got the BOA premium card for my DH. It has a $95 annual fee. It includes a global or precheck. Cash back (2 points on travel and dining and 1.5% on all other) (similar to purchase eraser on Capital one). Also, an annual allotment of $100 toward airline charges other than airfare. I used up 2017's credits on SWA EBC. Seems like a keeper...you net $5 after the annual fee even without any cash back! $500 rewards initially. I probably won't use it for much other than airline incidentals.

 

[AmyAnne]

. . . I *really* want lay flat seats . . .

Paging @calypso726 - your plans are more in her league than mine

 

[wendow]

Common misconception. Denver International Airport is abbreviated "DIA" not "DEN."

When I check airfares, I put in DEN for Denver. Like @amalone1013 said, I think since most people call the airport DIA, then it is assumed that is the airport code.

 

[wendow]

Like @wendow posted, both Amex and Chase had eBags promos in the last quarter of 2017. Amex frequently has Amex Offers that are like $25 statement credit when you spend $125 or more. Chase's promo was get 10x UR points when you spend up to $20 on a Freedom, Freedom Unlimited, CSP (and maybe Sapphire?) using Chase Pay.

Yes, much better explanation of the Chase offer here I'm always posting in a hurry lol! I did use the offer on the Sapphire card as well.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

I didn't really think about that. I could double dip Marriott and Freedom Unlimited. Hmmm. I need to go plan this out a little more.

I think an SPG Biz, then Marriott + something double dip (Freedom unlimited or another card) would be great. You could then come back to SPG personal and potentially even a Marriott Biz then and hammer out some major Marriott points lol!!

 

[JC0712]

So excited. My 80,000 UR bonus is now showing as pending on my CIP. Thanks to everyone on this thread. I don't post often but I read all of the posts and you are all so helpful.