I love credit cards so much!

[SouthFayetteFan]

I have just skimmed over the discussion about the AmEx SPG offer that has been all the rage, but it has finally caught my attention. I am currently at 6/24, but will be at 4/24 at the end of this month and don't want to jeopardize that because I have plans to apply for the CIP and then double dip the CSP and CSR. Am I correct that it will not count against me if I apply for the AmEx SPG business card? I've never accumulated Starwood points, but it looks like they transfer to Marriott at a 3:1 rate?

Any other words of wisdom before I pull the trigger?

Use a DISchurners link?

Good luck!

@Budzooka - I don't think you're a DISchurners member...are you interested in joining? We'd love if you'd support another DISer when you apply.

 

[kmc8826]

http://mommypoints.boardingarea.com...-delta-amex-bonus-increase-up-to-70000-miles/

Just as a follow up and more explanation to @SouthFayetteFan’s post on the Amex Delta cards. It depends on your situation of which card is worth it. Above post though explains better than I can right now; with the red eye flight and no sleep at all last night I probably shouldn’t be posting at all!

 

[afan]

Well, I'm much more in @afan 's camp today! I feel your short month, month end pain!

Stopped for dinner at my fav Mexican place so I don't have to cook and have leftovers for tomorrow. Give my csr some love too before I get my new amex in the mail ☺

 

[DisneyMandC]

I've had my eyes on a WDW F&W trip this year towards the end of the festival. I'm almost gonna be able to make it between credit cards and bank bonuses and a couple referrals as of right now so I'm feeling good about getting the ball rolling. I've an idea of what I'm looking at for airfare (freaking DL and their ever changing award charts- I'm onto your wily ways DL!... I hope...) so I go to double check the festival isn't ending early this year- and find out dates have not been released. All my other ducks are lining up- WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO ME DISNEY?!!
ETA: I just realized this has nothing to do with credit cards except that I wouldn't have a chance of being able to make this trip happen without them so I guess this is more an "i love credit cards and you guys" + need to vent post

I'm planning on doing the same thing! Mainly a Universal trip, but probably going to do one day at Disney. Already looking at hotels in Orlando even though I'm not planning on going until November!

 

[platamama]

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!

Sorry to hear about your mom, I hope her cancer is the treatable kind. And congrats on the promotion!

I think you can call British Airways to see about booking the AA ticket. Since you say it's 30K one way, I'm assuming it is a SAAver fare? BA Avios are supposed to be able to be used to book those, but it's not usually doable from their website. Is it on BA or AA metal (BA has the fuel charges, AA doesn't)? BA is a distance-based redemption system, so if the itinerary has layover(s), then you pay with Avios separately for each segment of the trip and that might make it cost more in points overall. It might be worth a call to BA to find out, and then maybe they can put it on hold for you so you can use the points you have, transferred over to book it.

In general, the ways to get 30K AAmiles directly:

1) Paid flights (LOL, as if)

2) The credit cards associated with them (Citi AAdvantage & Barclay Aviator) and transfers from SPG 1:1 (though if you transfer 20K, you get 25K AAmiles) - this will take at least a couple months for miles to post to your account, assuming you're starting from zero with those credit cards

3) AA Dining program and AAdvantageShopping - that would take a l-o-n-g time to accumulate that many points

4) Buy them direct, it is instant: 30K miles costs $885+taxes (AA often runs sales that include bonus miles, but don't seem to be having one right now)

That last one doesn't make too much sense if you have a Plan B that you like.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Delta Gold personal referrals are finally LIVE! Offers match current public offer, the bonus for referring is 10,000 delta miles.

ETA: I temper my excitement. I've been informed by a friendly person (how rare right?) on reddit they went live about 24 hours ago. How fast things change...

 

[wendow]

Thank you, thank you, thank you! I can't tell you how much I was not looking forward to spending the money, I was kind of dragging my feet because I didn't want to part with it lol. Your enthusiasm for me spending my money is contagious lol. I signed up earlier this week for Plastiq through DISchurner's using one of my all time favorite Dis buddy's link . I like the idea of applying for SPG Biz and Delta Plat Biz but I just applied for and received AMEX Plat (100k targeted offer) and for Discover it (have not received that card yet). It was instant approval for both so that gives me a little hope. Do I dare apply for either or both of those two cards so soon? Thanks again for the help and motivation!

I've read that Amex takes awhile to report so I think you are fine to apply for another card. You have too much spend not to!

Your statement that I bolded just makes my heart swell Love this group!

ETA: @Lain said almost two months for Amex to report. Plenty of time to get another one or two cards!

 

[wendow]

@ski_mom
So very sorry your mom has cancer, and I hope it's able to be treated.

 

[Budzooka]

@Budzooka - I don't think you're a DISchurners member...are you interested in joining? We'd love if you'd support another DISer when you apply.

I'm not a DISchurners member. I have a tough time just keeping up with this thread.....can't imagine another group to watch. But, I'm happy to support another DISer when I apply.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

I'm not a DISchurners member. I have a tough time just keeping up with this thread.....can't imagine another group to watch. But, I'm happy to support another DISer when I apply.

No worries - you don't have to "watch" that group. It's just the only way we can share links. It's not allowed here

 

[Budzooka]

No worries - you don't have to "watch" that group. It's just the only way we can share links. It's not allowed here

Ok. Go ahead and shoot me an invite and I'll join. You guys are so helpful, so I want to return the favor.

 

[ski_mom]

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.

AA hostage that books BA with AA and vice versa all the time chiming in here for you!

For AA direct transfer, SPG is the only option. Now, you could transfer Chase UR to Marriott and then transfer Marriott to SPG but you would need 75K UR to Marriott then the 75K Marriott to get 25K SPG which would give you 30K to AA. Have you looked at the OOP cost for the flight. It might be less in points to pay for it with UR in the travel portal. 30K is a saver award level for that flight so it should be bookable on BA. I tried looking for your 7:50 pm flight to see if I can help you sort it out but was unable to find it at the saver lever. If you connect through London, you will pay a LOT in taxes and fees with BA. You're looking at nearly $200 each way for economy tix. If you see the flight as a saver award on AA, you can call BA and give them the flight numbers and info and they can book it.

United has 30K save award flights flight and their taxes and fees are around $30. UR transfers to United instantly.

Sorry to hear about your mom, I hope her cancer is the treatable kind. And congrats on the promotion!

I think you can call British Airways to see about booking the AA ticket. Since you say it's 30K one way, I'm assuming it is a SAAver fare? BA Avios are supposed to be able to be used to book those, but it's not usually doable from their website. Is it on BA or AA metal (BA has the fuel charges, AA doesn't)? BA is a distance-based redemption system, so if the itinerary has layover(s), then you pay with Avios separately for each segment of the trip and that might make it cost more in points overall. It might be worth a call to BA to find out, and then maybe they can put it on hold for you so you can use the points you have, transferred over to book it.

In general, the ways to get 30K AAmiles directly:

1) Paid flights (LOL, as if)

2) The credit cards associated with them (Citi AAdvantage & Barclay Aviator) and transfers from SPG 1:1 (though if you transfer 20K, you get 25K AAmiles) - this will take at least a couple months for miles to post to your account, assuming you're starting from zero with those credit cards

3) AA Dining program and AAdvantageShopping - that would take a l-o-n-g time to accumulate that many points

4) Buy them direct, it is instant: 30K miles costs $885+taxes (AA often runs sales that include bonus miles, but don't seem to be having one right now)

That last one doesn't make too much sense if you have a Plan B that you like.

@ski_mom
So very sorry your mom has cancer, and I hope it's able to be treated.

Thank you all so much!!

we've decided to just transfer UA points to United for an easy booking - they actually have a flight with very similar times, so it will work great too!

The one thing I noticed with the flight is it has short 45 minute layover in Chicago and says we have to change terminals. I guess since they are setting the flight up, that will be enough time to get on our connecting flight? It does make me a little nervous, but I guess we won't have to get our luggage, etc, we'll just have to get ourselves to the new terminal.

I guess the best way to do it is just to have each of up transfer our own UA points to United from our respective Chase accounts and book separately through United's website? Is there any advantage to booking under just one of our names? Sorry - I've never booked international flights before and just don't want to mess it up!

Thanks for all the help!

PS - my mom is doing great with her cancer treatment - she's done with her chemo and is going to be starting 6 weeks of radiation shortly. Luckily she's got a lot of friends willing to drive with her each day to help share the load since they will be short treatments each day.

 

[wendow]

Oh my goodness!!!!! I just hit the MSR on my BGR two days ago and the bonus 75 MR posted today!?!?! What? Is that normal?

 

[wendow]

Also if you have no idea what MRs are worth I would advise understanding that too before you consider the first 4 cards here.

I feel like this is aimed at me as I now own 80k MR that I have no idea what I am going to do with except keeping adding more

 

[jhoannam]

Thank you all so much!!

we've decided to just transfer UA points to United for an easy booking - they actually have a flight with very similar times, so it will work great too!

The one thing I noticed with the flight is it has short 45 minute layover in Chicago and says we have to change terminals. I guess since they are setting the flight up, that will be enough time to get on our connecting flight? It does make me a little nervous, but I guess we won't have to get our luggage, etc, we'll just have to get ourselves to the new terminal.

I guess the best way to do it is just to have each of up transfer our own UA points to United from our respective Chase accounts and book separately through United's website? Is there any advantage to booking under just one of our names? Sorry - I've never booked international flights before and just don't want to mess it up!

Thanks for all the help!

PS - my mom is doing great with her cancer treatment - she's done with her chemo and is going to be starting 6 weeks of radiation shortly. Luckily she's got a lot of friends willing to drive with her each day to help share the load since they will be short treatments each day.

It’s always best to be on the same reservation, you can transfer all the points you need to one account and book them together. I don’t know if you plan on traveling to any other part of Europe, but if you are look into the Excursionist perk with UA before you book.

Good luck and safe travels.

 

[jhoannam]

Oh my goodness!!!!! I just hit the MSR on my BGR two days ago and the bonus 75 MR posted today!?!?! What? Is that normal?

I had the same experience, the only reason I knew I hit the MSR was because my points posted before the 3 months.

 

[jhoannam]

I feel like this is aimed at me as I now own 80k MR that I have no idea what I am going to do with except keeping adding more

I’m in the same boat! I guess use them for those last minute trips we like to take?

 

[jhoannam]

Travel question, if our flight lands at 12:30AM on May 14th, do I book a room at the Hyatt for May 13th and sleep until 7AM? Or will Disney let us check in at 2AM for our May 14th reservation?

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Oh my goodness!!!!! I just hit the MSR on my BGR two days ago and the bonus 75 MR posted today!?!?! What? Is that normal?

On your first MR earning card the bonus can take a couple of statements. On each one thereafter it posts SUPER quick... So yep perfectly normal (assuming this wasn't your first MR card)...

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

I feel like this is aimed at me as I now own 80k MR that I have no idea what I am going to do with except keeping adding more

They really are much harder to understand than URs...I know a bunch of people on Reddit who have jumped on the 100k Plat offer because they heard it was good and then they're like...OK WHAT NOW??? haha.