I love credit cards so much!

[wendow]

This is what I do at work...lol

 

[afan]

Crazy as it sounds, this thread is helping me stay sane at work today. Month close on a short month is taking it's toll this week and won't be done until Tuesday.

 

[MinnieMay]

If we call Chase to add our kid as an AU on the Disney Visa, does anyone know if they would expedite the card? Also, is there any reason why we would not want to do this (in terms of that hitting our credit reports). Note, I am not worried about her abusing it at all. I just would prefer her travel w my credit card than her debit card for security. But if I can’t get it FAST, then not sure it’s worth doing. She is going to apply for her own College Credit card soon.

 

[Calfan]

I just applied for the Starwood Business Amex with the 35k point sign-up offer and was instantly approved I did use a referral link from the DISChurners referral page.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

I just applied for the Starwood Business Amex with the 35k point sign-up offer and was instantly approved I did use a referral link from the DISChurners referral page.

Just a reminder to all to send a PM when you use somebody's link. It's a nice gesture and maybe that person will repay you in the future if the opportunity presents itself

 

[Calfan]

Just a reminder to all to send a PM when you use somebody's link. It's a nice gesture and maybe that person will repay you in the future if the opportunity presents itself

I did send a PM, but thanks for the reminder.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

I did send a PM, but thanks for the reminder.

yup no worries, just a general reminder to all as I think we've had a lot of activity on that front with these new offers lately

 

[CyndiLouWho]

For all of you who have been waiting for a higher offer on the SPG Biz, here it is:

Earn 35,000 bonus Starpoints after you make $7,000 in purchases within the first 3 months. Annual fee is waived for the first year, then $95. Offer ends 3/28/2018.

[UPDATE] As @SouthFayetteFan reported, "support" links for this new, higher offer are now available. If you are interested in this offer (and it's a really good offer), please show your support for this wonderful community and thank someone who you feel has helped you in this thread by applying through their link on /r/DISchurners. For those on DISchurners, you'll need to update your links for this new offer.

Note that the higher offer does carry a higher minimum spending requirement. $7k in 3 months may be a bit much for some without getting creative with your spend. But you’ll come out of this with at least 42,000 Starpoints, which is no small sum! The 35k offer ends 3/28/2018. (For those of you thinking about buying Starpoints at 35% off from points dot com, that offer ends 3/16/2018.)

Does Amex generally match offers. I just got SPG Biz last week. Now an increased offer. I know Chase will match, but will Amex?

 

[Lain]

Hi! I'm a new poster, but LONG time lurker. You guys have been amazing to follow...I can't even.

I'm at work and can't keep up with how fast this thread is moving....Oh man.

Here's my dilemma I'm hoping for a quick answer.

I need Hawaiian Airlines miles specifically. I'm in 2 player mode, but DH doesn't care for the game much. LOL

We just finished the MSR on our 2 HA cards. I have some SPG points from both of our personal SPG's that I want to convert to Marriott for the Miles/Nights package, but I still need about 70k Marriott points if I do it that way.

So I was thinking of either getting the SPG Biz (spend is a little high for me) or Marriott.

DH is 3/24, I am 5/24 til the middle of this month.

Can we have a personal SPG and a Biz?

Or is there a better credit card to transfer for HA miles?

Our family flies Hawaiian Airlines almost exclusively to visit family in Hawaii every year. I’ll chime in with some ideas.

How many miles did you get from your Barclaycard Hawaiian Airlines credit cards? How many more HawaiianMiles do you need?

You’ve already got some good leads here.

JetBlue partners with Hawaiian, so you can book HA flights with TrueBlue points through JetBlue. In addition to JetBlue credit card signup bonuses (others here are more familiar with current offers, and whether it's considered high or low), JetBlue has a shopping portal for Amazon that offers 3 TrueBlue points for every $1 spent on Amazon.

[ETA: Hawaiian Airlines also has a shopping portal at https://www.hawaiianairlines.com/merchant-partners/online-shopping]

For award charts and more information:
https://trueblue.jetblue.com/web/trueblue/hawaiian
https://thepointsguy.com/2017/12/new-jetblue-hawaiian-award-chart/

https://trueblue.jetblue.com/web/trueblue/amazon
https://thepointsguy.com/2016/12/3x-trueblue-points-amazon/


SPG’s Starpoints transfer to HA at a 1:1 ratio, and you get 5,000 miles bonus for every 20,000 miles transferred. I think SPG points are too valuable to transfer to HA at 1:1 (or even an effective 1:1.25 with the 5,000 miles bonus), and you may find better value transferring SPG to Marriott for your flights and nights package. Because HA flights vary so much in price based on day of the week and season, and you're more familiar with the package you want to book, you'll have to do the math to decide what's the best way to redeem your points.

That said, definitely consider applying for the new 35k Starpoints/$7k spend in 3 months offer on the Amex SPG Biz. You can have both SPG personal and business cards at the same time, although Amex does have a 5 open credit cards limit. The SPG Biz offer is at it's historical points high (35k Starpoints) for the next best minimum spend, historically ($7k/3 months), with the first year annual fee waived, and it won’t add to your (or DH’s) */24 count with Chase. As you probably realize, 35k + 7k Starpoints = 42k Starpoints = 126k Marriott Rewards points. Alternatively, if the spend is too high on the SPG Biz, you could sign up for the Marriott Rewards Biz from Chase, which you can get even if you're over 5/24, won't add to your */24 count, and has a very solid 75k Marriott Rewards points/$3k spend in 3 months offer right now, with the first year annual fee waived.

Amex’s Membership Rewards points also transfer to HA at 1:1, and usually once a year Amex offers a 25% bonus for points transferred to HA (it hasn't happened yet in 2018). Keep in mind when you transfer MR points to domestic airlines like HA, Amex will charge you a small cash fee for excise taxes. Amex offers a lot of cards that earn MR points, but you need to be very aware of public signup bonus offers vs. historically best offers. Amex signup bonuses are almost always once per lifetime per card (or "product"). When you sign up for a card, you're stuck with the bonus you signed up under. Often, using a public or even referral link for an Amex card will not yield you the best offer. Amex's higher or best offers are usually targeted by mailers to prospective new customers or to existing accounts. Aside from being targeted for better bonuses, there are a number of tricks to get targeted for high offers. Don't sign up for any card with a bonus that is not at its highest or near best!!!

For more information about transfer bonuses, Membership Rewards, and getting better offers from Amex:
https://thepointsguy.com/2017/06/amex-to-hawaiian-25-percent-bonus/
https://www.rewardexpert.com/blog/transferring-amex-membership-rewards-to-hawaiian-airlines/

https://millionmilesecrets.com/2014...-points-part-1-all-the-ways-to-get-to-europe/

https://www.doctorofcredit.com/cardmatch-offering-people-100000-points-american-express-platinum/
https://www.doctorofcredit.com/find-increased-targeted-american-express-sign-bonuses/

Hope this provides a good start. Let me know if I can be of more help!

 

[Albort]

Does Amex generally match offers. I just got SPG Biz last week. Now an increased offer. I know Chase will match, but will Amex?

match no, but someone in here got a 3k courtesy points instead. @Lain can confirm.

 

[tink1970]

If we call Chase to add our kid as an AU on the Disney Visa, does anyone know if they would expedite the card? Also, is there any reason why we would not want to do this (in terms of that hitting our credit reports). Note, I am not worried about her abusing it at all. I just would prefer her travel w my credit card than her debit card for security. But if I can’t get it FAST, then not sure it’s worth doing. She is going to apply for her own College Credit card soon.

I don't know but it never hurts to ask, especially if you explain to them you'd like for her to have their card as her main currency!

 

[Lain]

Does Amex generally match offers. I just got SPG Biz last week. Now an increased offer. I know Chase will match, but will Amex?

@platamama got some courtesy points.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Does Amex generally match offers. I just got SPG Biz last week. Now an increased offer. I know Chase will match, but will Amex?

You can call in and voice your displeasure. They may do something like a courtesy match - in my case last year I had to escalate the call to a supervisor and they ultimately decided to give me some points. I believe I actually had to call back in once I met my min. spend to get the points. Others have had different experiences.

 

[amalone1013]

@Albort sorry to ask again, but were you staying/stayed at the Sheraton San Diego Hotel and Marina, that had the lounge and you did the best rate guarantee? Plans might be changing around here...

 

[ski_mom]

I have a question and I have to admit that I'm behind in reading lately. I've followed this thread from the beginning, reading basically every day, but I got a promotion at work and my mom got diagnosed with Cancer, both have taken a huge amount of time on my part, so I've been neglecting the disboards .

Anyway, DD1 is on a study abroad trip and DH and I have decided to meet her at the end of her voyage, so we are flying into Hamburg Germany. I have found what I consider to be our ideal flight - leaves from our home airport (STL) at 7:50 pm and arrives in Hamburg (HAM) late afternoon the next day, which would get us there for the next morning when DD arrives.

My issue is that it's on American Airlines - when I look at their website I can find the flight for 30,000 miles one way, but I don't have any direct AA miles. I have plenty of transferable points from Chase, Citi and AmEx, but from all the reading I've done, I don't see how they can transfer to AA. I did read a bit about transferring to BA and booking through them, but it sounds like there are always large fuel charges for transatlantic flights and when I go the BA website, it doesn't show the flight I was looking for as available anyway.

Anyway, I guess I'm just trying to verify that I"m correct that AA is probably out for our flight and that I'm going to have to go with plan B and transfer my points to another airline and take an earlier flight. It's definitely not the end of the world, but I was hoping to be able to work the full day before we took our flight. This way, I'm going to have to leave early, but it will all work out in the end.

Thanks so much for any advice and back to page 756 where I last read from!

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

EDIT: I created a post on DISchurners will all the info to make it easy to find again if interested.

AMERICAN EXPRESS - QUICK GUIDE TO BUSINESS CARDS
Since many people are trying to "slow their roll" with Chase I figured it might be helpful to list ALL of the AMEX Business Cards available. Keep in mind that Charge Cards are not subject to a limit BUT on Credit Cards AMEX will limit you to only 4 or 5 cards open at one time. Also if you have no idea what MRs are worth I would advise understanding that too before you consider the first 4 cards here.

MEMBERSHIP REWARDS CARDS:

Business Gold Rewards (BGR)

• TYPE: Charge Card
• STANDARD BONUS = 50,000 MRs: Earn 50,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $5,000 in qualifying purchases on the Card within your first 3 months.
• REFERRALS: Yes - for the standard bonus
• HIGHER OFFERS: Yes sometimes targeted mailers, sometimes available by calling in and asking. These are typically for 75,000 MRs with varying min. spends
• ANNUAL FEE: $175 WAIVED YEAR 1
• COMMENTS: This is a SOLID MR earning card that belongs in your lineup if you're pursuing AMEX MRs. It earns 3x MRs in one category (which can be GAS STATIONS), earns 2x MRs in numerous other (typically less useful categories) and earns 1x MR on all other purchases.

Business Platinum Card (Biz Plat)

• TYPE: Charge Card
• STANDARD BONUS = 75,000 MRs: Earn 50,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $10,000 and an extra 25,000 points after you spend an additional $10,000 all on qualifying purchases on the Business Platinum Card within your first 3 months.
• REFERRALS: Yes - for the standard bonus
• HIGHER OFFERS: Yes sometimes targeted mailers, sometimes available by calling in and asking. These can range from 75,000 MRs - 150,000 MRs with varying min. spends
• ANNUAL FEE: $450 NOT WAIVED
• COMMENTS: This card has numerous "platinum" level benefits which I recommend reading up on. I couldn't begin to include them all in this post. This is a high AF card that doesn't necessarily deliver as good a return on the sign-up bonus. It can make sense if you find a high targeted offer or have an extremely large expense (i.e. medical, home improvement, etc.) coming up that necessitates a huge spend on one card. It is likely not a good card for everyday spend.

Business Green Rewards (Biz Green)

• TYPE: Charge Card
• STANDARD BONUS = 5,000 MRs: Earn 5,000 Membership Rewards® points after your first purchase on the Card within the first year of Card Membership
• REFERRALS: No
• HIGHER OFFERS: No
• ANNUAL FEE: $95 WAIVED YEAR 1
• COMMENTS: This is a great card to "keep your MRs active". You would ideally get it if you had large annual fees posting soon (maybe on a BGR, PLAT or PRG) and didn't want to lose your MRs. You literally can put $1 on this card and earn the 5,000 MRs. Of course it too has an annual fee so it only buys you a year then.

Blue Business Plus (BB+ or Blue Biz+)

• TYPE: Credit Card
• STANDARD BONUS = N/A
• REFERRALS: Yes = 10,000 MRs: Earn 10,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $3,000 in qualifying purchases on the Card within your first 3 months. (available through referral link only)
• HIGHER OFFERS: Yes - by calling in you may be able to get a 20,000 MR for $3,000 offer. Otherwise the referral is your best bet!
• ANNUAL FEE: NONE
• COMMENTS: This is the PERFECT card to keep your MRs active. It has no annual fee so as long as you can spare a CC Slot with AMEX you can keep it forever. It earns 2x MRs on ALL purchases which is phenomenal! The signup bonus provides a decent value if you have a good use for MRs (either cashing out via a Schwab Plat or using it for Travel or Travel transfer partners).

HOTEL CARDS:

Hilton Honors Business

• TYPE: Credit Card
• STANDARD BONUS = 100,000 Hilton Points: Earn 75,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 3 months of Card Membership† and an additional 25,000 Bonus Points after you make an additional $1,000 in purchases with your new Card within your first 6 months
• REFERRALS: Yes (I think so for the standard bonus)
• HIGHER OFFERS: New card so no history on this yet
• ANNUAL FEE: $95 NOT WAIVED
• COMMENTS: This new Hilton card is a great way to earn more Hilton points without affecting your personal credit report (5/24 status). It's a pretty solid offer but unfortunate that you have to pay the annual fee.

Starwood Preferred Guest Business (SPG Biz)

• TYPE: Credit Card
• STANDARD BONUS = 25,000 SPG Points: Earn 25,000 bonus Starpoints after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases within the first 3 months
• REFERRALS: Yes - typically for the standard bonus or whatever higher bonus is out there at the time
• HIGHER OFFERS: Yes typically available via referral or public. NOT typically targeted. Higher offers seem to appear 2-3 times a year
• ANNUAL FEE: $95 WAIVED YEAR 1
• COMMENTS: A Favorite of this group - SPG points are all the rage right now! This is a great card to get at it's standard offer, a phenomenal card to get at it's increased offer. I would almost go so far as to say that EVERYBODY should have this card, it's just that good!

DELTA (AIRLINE) CARDS:

Gold Delta Skymiles Business (Delta Gold Biz)

• TYPE: Credit Card
• STANDARD BONUS = 30,000 SkyMiles + $50: Earn 30,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card within your first 3 months and a $50 statement credit after you make a Delta purchase with your new Card within your first 3 months.
• REFERRALS: Yes - typically for the standard bonus or whatever higher bonus is out there at the time
• HIGHER OFFERS: Yes typically available via referral or public. Higher offers seem to appear multiple times a year. Also has targeted mailer and email offers that are even better than the public higher offers.
• ANNUAL FEE: $95 WAIVED YEAR 1
• COMMENTS: Probably not worth the standard offers but a decent value when the higher offers roll around. Should definitely understand how you will use these points before you apply as your options are basically Delta Flights or gift cards (at a greatly reduced value)

Platinum Delta Skymiles Business AND
Delta Reserve for Business

• COMMENTS: Both of these cards are for folks who fly Delta and understand the INs and OUTs of their point system and status. Both have high annual fees not waived the first year. This does not mean they are bad cards – they are just out of the scope of this post.

 

[Alice Sr.]

I have a question and I have to admit that I'm behind in reading lately. I've followed this thread from the beginning, reading basically every day, but I got a promotion at work and my mom got diagnosed with Cancer, both have taken a huge amount of time on my part, so I've been neglecting the disboards .

Anyway, DD1 is on a study abroad trip and DH and I have decided to meet her at the end of her voyage, so we are flying into Hamburg Germany. I have found what I consider to be our ideal flight - leaves from our home airport (STL) at 7:50 pm and arrives in Hamburg (HAM) late afternoon the next day, which would get us there for the next morning when DD arrives.

My issue is that it's on American Airlines - when I look at their website I can find the flight for 30,000 miles one way, but I don't have any direct AA miles. I have plenty of transferable points from Chase, Citi and AmEx, but from all the reading I've done, I don't see how they can transfer to AA. I did read a bit about transferring to BA and booking through them, but it sounds like there are always large fuel charges for transatlantic flights and when I go the BA website, it doesn't show the flight I was looking for as available anyway.

Anyway, I guess I'm just trying to verify that I"m correct that AA is probably out for our flight and that I'm going to have to go with plan B and transfer my points to another airline and take an earlier flight. It's definitely not the end of the world, but I was hoping to be able to work the full day before we took our flight. This way, I'm going to have to leave early, but it will all work out in the end.

Thanks so much for any advice and back to page 756 where I last read from!

I know the pressure of a promotion is stressful, and worrying about your mom on top of that is terrible. So sorry I can't offer AA advise but do want you to be careful and take care of yourself.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

This is what I do at work...lol

If you look at my most recent post...you'll see what I accomplished today. It was a good day at work. HAHA!

 

[wendow]

If you look at my most recent post...you'll see what I accomplished today. It was a good day at work. HAHA!

Yeah, I can see you've been really busy lol!

 

[elgerber]

This is what I do at work...lol

Ha, I work from home, and I have had literally nothing to do this week, so this is what I do too LOL.

Just a reminder to all to send a PM when you use somebody's link. It's a nice gesture and maybe that person will repay you in the future if the opportunity presents itself

PM sent