I love credit cards so much!

[MinnieMay]

Hi

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

It’s probably a good idea to wait on the Amex Business Platinum if you don’t have paid flights in your plans in the next year. The $450 AF is significant, but as @SouthFayetteFan already said, there are a lot of tanglible first year benefits that offset the cost of at least one annual fee.

One additional reason to time your Business Platinum for a year where you will be redeeming all those MR points you’re accumulating in the meantime on cheaper cards and the bonus you’ll get when you eventually sign up for the Business Platinum is when you redeem through Amex’s Pay With Points, you’ll get 35% of the points rebated back on all flights booked with your selected airline, and all first and business class flights on any airline through Amex’s travel portal.

And because Amex’s signup bonuses are generally once per lifetime per product, you’ll want to wait for a really good 100k or 150k MR points offer to apply for the Business Platinum. The MSR on this card is also usually significant, so you also want to be sure you have the requisite spend to meet the MSR.

I concur with your observations lol

For anybody else who's starting to consider MRs as an option - once you know that they have value and work for you in some fashion, you'll want to consider the order of applying for cards. The idea of getting a biz plat at the end is GREAT because you can earn a ton of MRs on the front end...and then reap the benefits of a Plat on the back end. That Business Blue Plus card I've mentioned a few times warrants early consideration if you're looking at MRs - the signup bonus isn't necessarily huge but the ability to earn 2x MRs on all purchases AND no annual fee (which keeps your MRs active) AND business card so no report to personal credit make it a nice card.

 

[peel]

What uncanny timing...the Mommy Points blog just now posted The Best Marriott Category 1-5 Hotels in 2018.

 

[Lain]

I concur with your observations lol

For anybody else who's starting to consider MRs as an option - once you know that they have value and work for you in some fashion, you'll want to consider the order of applying for cards. The idea of getting a biz plat at the end is GREAT because you can earn a ton of MRs on the front end...and then reap the benefits of a Plat on the back end. That Business Blue Plus card I've mentioned a few times warrants early consideration if you're looking at MRs - the signup bonus isn't necessarily huge but the ability to earn 2x MRs on all purchases AND no annual fee (which keeps your MRs active) AND business card so no report to personal credit make it a nice card.

I’d say that’s the same idea with the Charles Schwab Platinum. If you don’t intend to redeem MR points for travel and would rather convert your points to cash, rack up a ton of MR on cheaper cards then get the Schwab Platinum whenever you’re ready to cash out at 1.25 ccp.

 

[christineinvegas]

I need to go to that St. Pierre Marriott Hotel & Country Club!!! Yes please!

 

[peel]

I need to go to that St. Pierre Marriott Hotel & Country Club!!! Yes please!

That one looks amazing! The rooms aren't anything to write home about, but the surroundings are gorgeous. I don't know if I could spend a 7 nights there, but I'd definitely do a few days.

 

[miztressuz]

So if you have the card you may know about this already, but I was just on the PHL site looking up parking info for my FIL and found a limited time parking discount for AAdvantage® Aviator® MasterCard holders. Discount only goes through May 2018

https://www.phl.org/Pages/Passengerinfo/Aviator-Parking-FAQ.aspx

If it's in Philly there might be other airports doing promos eventually (where it's cheaper and you may actually want to park in the garages). I don't remember seeing it when I double checked parking around labor day last year so it started sometime after that.

 

[Lain]

On the topic of MR points, I think I’m going to cancel my personal Platinum when it comes time to pay the AF next month and churn the Mercedes-Benz Platinum.

The way I’m thinking about this is at best Amex retention will offer me 30k MR to keep the card. I put a good amount of spend on the personal Plat this past year (over $25k) but nothing extravagant, and most of that spend was 5x MPX so I don’t really want eyes on my account. Meanwhile I’ve already double dipped the airline fee credit for the first and this year; if I pay another AF, I won’t be able to utilize the credit again until next January.

If I’m going to pay another $550 AF, I might as well go for the MBZ Plat because (1) it carries a 60k MR signup bonus (>30k MR, at best, retention offer), and I won’t be able to get those 60k MR ever again because the card is being discontinued; (2) I’ll get another bite at the $200 airline fee credit this year, and again next year (and possibly two more times next year if I dip when the card is still a MBZ Plat and again if the benefit resets upon conversion to another product); and (3) the best guess is Amex will convert the MBZ Plat to a personal Plat in or after January 2019, leaving me back with a personal Platinum anyway.

The downside is another $5k MSR under the oppressive rule of the RATs and a 5/24 slot. Mitigating factor is a card drops off in April 2018, leaving me at just 2/24.

 

[gottalovepluto]

So if you have the card you may know about this already, but I was just on the PHL site looking up parking info for my FIL and found a limited time parking discount for AAdvantage® Aviator® MasterCard holders. Discount only goes through May 2018

https://www.phl.org/Pages/Passengerinfo/Aviator-Parking-FAQ.aspx

If it's in Philly there might be other airports doing promos eventually (where it's cheaper and you may actually want to park in the garages). I don't remember seeing it when I double checked parking around labor day last year so it started sometime after that.

OMG I just saw that 10 mins ago and thought "huh, never heard of that one" when I was looking at the website deciding if a 3 flight + 3 hour layover in PHL is worth saving 20,000 AA...

 

[PrincessMom98]

FYI, since you are already at 5/24 so you won't get approved for Chase Business cards (other than the Marriott Biz card).

Thanks, I wasn't sure about the CIC.

 

[wendow]

Thanks, I wasn't sure about the CIC.

The CIC and CIP both require you to be under 5/24 to be approved. However, getting those cards will not add to your 5/24.

 

[Lain]

NICE!! I LOVE the Marriott travel packages! I even buy SPG points on sale to reach those Marriott package redemptions. Quick question on HA - are those award flights capacity-controlled, i.e. do they only release a limited number of seats for each flight? I'm used to Southwest, where you can pretty much always use your points for any flight.

Hmm, you have my wheels turning on this idea too. Curious also about the HA flights. We are a family of six. Are you able to get all five of you on the same flight? How far out can you book the award seats?

AH! I just checked and now my flights are 60k each - so I need 75k more points. Think I will be paying cash for at least 1 ticket.

Note to others- start accumulating points early. The flights are 7 months from now and the point price went up. I think a week ago (or 2) it was 47,500 each. So book early if you can!

From what I can tell, there is no limit to award seats, but then again, I can't even try yet. I'll let you know!

Award seats on Hawaiian Airlines are capacity controlled. Generally, you can book award travel on Hawaiian Airlines 330 days in advance, and seat availability opens up at midnight Hawaii time 330 days out. Hawaiian Airlines advertises no blackout dates, but from experience the ~4 weeks before Christmas through after the new year show no availability at 330 days for coach, some availability in first class; and HA agents tell me to keep checking because these seats are likely to be released later. When? Who knows? (I have booked award travel for Christmas before, but it's been impossible for the past two years.) There's usually good availability for the rest of the year, but the lowest mileage awards do get booked fast. Keep in mind high seasons, which is basically whenever kids are out of school. If you have a Hawaiian Airlines MasterCard, you get access to additional discounted flight availability.

You can check Hawaiian Airlines' awards chart here: http://hawaiianair.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/2218/~/book-award-flights

 

[gottalovepluto]

For those booking flights/awards with United I saw a new one today: please note your connection involves an airport change. I may not be from DC but even I know Dulles to Reagan is not exactly walking distance!

 

[jhoannam]

https://www.doctorofcredit.com/save-best-buy-southwest-e-gifts-ppdg/

If I check out through paypal, will it code 3X on CIP?

 

[Lain]

https://www.doctorofcredit.com/save-best-buy-southwest-e-gifts-ppdg/

If I check out through paypal, will it code 3X on CIP?

No, PayPal Digital Gifts killed 3x on CIP, 5x on CIC/Ink+ about half a year ago.

 

[linzjane88]

Oh man. I booked our Hawaii flights last night using UR's (39,800 per round trip flight ) and the prices dropped this morning--not much, but about 40 bucks total. I'm pondering if it's worth it to cancel and rebook since I am still in my 24 hour period until about 7:30 pm tonight. Anyone ever cancelled an UR booked trip? Do the points go immediately back? I would get about 2600 points back, not to mention resetting my 24 hour clock if the prices drop further.

I have played the 24 hour cancel and rebook game a few times with cash when ticket prices were iffy and while yes they are immediately cancelled they don't get refunded back to your card for a few days. Learned that the hard way.

 

[Lain]

Oh man. I booked our Hawaii flights last night using UR's (39,800 per round trip flight ) and the prices dropped this morning--not much, but about 40 bucks total. I'm pondering if it's worth it to cancel and rebook since I am still in my 24 hour period until about 7:30 pm tonight. Anyone ever cancelled an UR booked trip? Do the points go immediately back? I would get about 2600 points back, not to mention resetting my 24 hour clock if the prices drop further.

I have played the 24 hour cancel and rebook game a few times with cash when ticket prices were iffy and while yes they are immediately cancelled they don't get refunded back to your card for a few days. Learned that the hard way.

Are the tickets refundable? If so, UR points go back into your account almost instantly (no more than 5 minutes).

 

[Lain]

I should add that Hawaiian Airlines recently started flying new narrow-body Airbus A321neos on some of its smaller west coast routes to and from Hawaii. They were supposed to take delivery of more of these planes through this year and into 2020, but that’s been delayed.

I haven’t had a chance to fly on any of the new planes yet, and since we fly out of SFO to HNL -- two of HA’s biggest markets -- I expect we’ll continue to fly on the higher capacity, wider body Airbus A330s. But I have mixed feelings from what I’ve read. The new HA A321neos are supposed to have new interior designs with mood lighting for better sense of space, but they’ll also have slightly narrower seats and no seatback entertainment screens, opting for a “bring your own” experience. The upside is supposed to be that these planes are more fuel efficient and have longer range, which will allow HA to offer more direct flights between smaller markets like the neighbor islands and its various mainland ports, and possibly cheaper fares.

Check seatguru . com for your flight and seat maps.

 

[Lain]

https://www.doctorofcredit.com/save-best-buy-southwest-e-gifts-ppdg/

If I check out through paypal, will it code 3X on CIP?

Tagging @disneymagicgirl:

You said you needed to buy a load of Disney Gift Cards, right? PayPal Digital Gifts has a deal for Best Buy gift cards and savings codes, both of which can be used in store to buy Disney Gift Cards. The deal is buy one $100 Best Buy gift card and get an additional $10 savings code, limit 3, which works out to be a 9% discount before any credit card rewards. You'll get the Best Buy e-Gift card and savings code via email. I just open them up, take a screenshot of the barcode and PIN on my phone, open up my phone's photo album in Best Buy for the cashier to scan at checkout.

Unfortunately, Chase Ink cards no longer earn 3x/5x UR bonuses on PayPal Digital Gifts, and Amex may not count this purchase towards MSR or for points since you're buying gift cards. You also can't use eBay gift cards for third-party gift cards. Nor do you earn eBay Bucks or cash back from most (if not all) of the shopping portals for gift card purchases. So you'll have to decide which card is best to use if you want to take advantage of this deal.

 

[miztressuz]

For those booking flights/awards with United I saw a new one today: please note your connection involves an airport change. I may not be from DC but even I know Dulles to Reagan is not exactly walking distance!

I've seen that a few times before and always wonder why they put that together? Even when airports are close, it's still not usually a " hop a tram, be next door within 30 minutes"... you'd have to be giving me a really awesome special or I'd have to be so desperate and have no checked luggage to go along with that.