I love credit cards so much!

[amalone1013]

This seems like a silly question but idk if I’m doing something wrong. How do you book SW flights using UR? I went in the travel section and searched some flights, but I don’t see SW. I don’t have flights to book right now, but I’m just trying to figure it out for future dates.

You can either transfer them out to your southwest account, or call chase travel and they will book them for you. If chase books them you earn rr points on your ticket because it's like paying cash.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

If it makes you feel better at 70, my mom is still scared of some bridges that go over salt water because she's scared of octopuses thanks to 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea when she was young. She's ok on the ferry but I don't think she could do a cruise. She also avoids them at the aquarium, doesn't help the one at the Seattle Aquarium was an escape artist and could get out of his tank and cruise around the floor. I'm not sure he's still there though. And of course being the nice daughter I am I give her a hard time about this, especially lately with the home decor that has appeared the past few years. I never buy any of it but make sure to point it out when we're in the store

Now with the right earthquake, which probably could happen, Lake Michigan is big enough for a tsunami, but I won't give him that wild and crazy unlikely event. That book series doesn't seem age appropriate

We live in the suburbs and our suburb has literally never been hit by a tornado or had significant earthquake activity (not that those haven’t happened in Illinois) but he has anxiety about things like that. When he came home telling me about tsunamis from the book he read, I was not thrilled. I tried to point out that the books were about SURVIVING but he’s having none of it. So I try to point out the reality of things like that happening and leave out some details. We never watch the news. He’d probably never go to school if he heard about school shootings

 

[Lain]

she's scared of octopuses .... She also avoids them at the aquarium, doesn't help the one at the Seattle Aquarium was an escape artist and could get out of his tank and cruise around the floor. I'm not sure he's still there though.

Hank was last seen at the Marine Life Institute in Morro Bay, California.

P.S. Are septopuses any less scary?

 

[Livelovedance]

Do you mean through the UR site? If so, you have to call them to book SW. However, the UR points transfer 1:1 to SW. So you could transfer to SW and then book on their site.

You can either transfer them out to your southwest account, or call chase travel and they will book them for you. If chase books them you earn rr points on your ticket because it's like paying cash.

Ahh makes sense. So if I’m trying to book flights on the morning of a flight schedule release date, would it make more sense to transfer to SW points and then book myself? Is Chase Travel even open that early in the morning?

 

[afan]

Hank was last seen at the Marine Life Institute in Morro Bay, California.

I feel like I need to send you the button we had to wear during our summer naturalist volunteer shifts at the aquarium in high school that said 'Ask me, I know almost anything'. Some guy tried to stump me on a bball final four question but I was able to use the years to figure out which start NBA player he was talking about. Impressed him with that

 

[CyndiLouWho]

Hank was last seen at the Marine Life Institute in Morro Bay, California.

Omg @afan your Mom probably hated Finding Dory! I loved Hank. I wanted a coffee pot with Hank and Dory
http://www.yardinflatables.com/8-12-Hank-Holding-Dory-In-Coffee-Pot_p_2355.html

 

[wendow]

We live in the suburbs and our suburb has literally never been hit by a tornado or had significant earthquake activity (not that those haven’t happened in Illinois) but he has anxiety about things like that. When he came home telling me about tsunamis from the book he read, I was not thrilled. I tried to point out that the books were about SURVIVING but he’s having none of it. So I try to point out the reality of things like that happening and leave out some details. We never watch the news. He’d probably never go to school if he heard about school shootings

My 9yo ds is like this too. We are considering a move to FL or TX and he immediately brought up tornadoes and hurricanes, neither of which we have in CO. He's worried about when we go to DLR, there might be an earthquake. He evaluates each sport that he might play against all the ways in which he might get hurt. But, he is also hilarious and tells the best jokes and entertains me all day long. He takes tap, loves to entertain and says he wants to be the 'next Dick Van Dyke'. But yeah, definitely a worrier of natural disasters or bad things happening. I am very, very careful what I tell him. I never, ever share any news of shootings or anything else tragic.

 

[afan]

Omg @afan your Mom probably hated Finding Dory! I loved Hank. I wanted a coffee pot with Hank and Dory
http://www.yardinflatables.com/8-12-Hank-Holding-Dory-In-Coffee-Pot_p_2355.html

Neither of us has seen it. I don't think she was that interested in it and I haven't been either. I imagine when it's on Disney I'll get around to watching it. Dory kind of bugged me in the first movie so I'm not sure I want to see a whole movie about her. Now if it had been Crush I would have been all over it. She does see most Disney movies though but it's the classics that she'll watch when they are on Freeform and Frozen.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

This seems like a silly question but idk if I’m doing something wrong. How do you book SW flights using UR? I went in the travel section and searched some flights, but I don’t see SW. I don’t have flights to book right now, but I’m just trying to figure it out for future dates.

Do you mean through the UR site? If so, you have to call them to book SW. However, the UR points transfer 1:1 to SW. So you could transfer to SW and then book on their site.

Ahh makes sense. So if I’m trying to book flights on the morning of a flight schedule release date, would it make more sense to transfer to SW points and then book myself? Is Chase Travel even open that early in the morning?

I am 100% team Transfer your URs and book using SW RR points! Booking on points with Southwest is AWESOME - you typically get >1.6 cpp which beats the 1.25 with CSP AND the 1.5 with CSR. (now that difference is slightly offset by being able to earn RR points on the flight).

Booking with RR points also gives you ultimate flexibility - if the price goes down you can rebook and save points!

 

[wendow]

Ahh makes sense. So if I’m trying to book flights on the morning of a flight schedule release date, would it make more sense to transfer to SW points and then book myself? Is Chase Travel even open that early in the morning?

I agree with @SouthFayetteFan. I'd transfer to SW and book that way. I've never done anything else so I'm not at all familiar with how it works through UR.

 

[Livelovedance]

you typically get >1.6 cpp which beats the 1.25 with CSP AND the 1.5 with CSR. (now that difference is slightly offset by being able to earn RR points on the flight).

Sounds great! Can you just explain what “>1.6 cpp” means? Lol sorry I’m still learning!

 

[kmc8826]

for those of you who have been to Hawaii, Maui, I'm looking at the Westin and the Sheraton, they both seem nice...any advice from those who've been to either?

Maybe you already have decided but just walking by and running around in the area earlier this month my thought was the Sheraton was older, seemed more worn down, but also quieter and more relaxed. Westin more active it is right next to Whaler’s Village and all the commotion there. I would probably just compare the rooms and reviews on trip advisor to get the current information.

I'd love to get some opinions on my best option for some Delta flights later this year. Planning to take my mom to NYC in December for the weekend. The flights I'm looking at online are $128 per person. Should I

1. pay oop with CSR/whatever I'm meeting an MSR on at the time?
2. burn some UR points that I'm saving for my Disney vacation (depending on timing, I may have already used up these UR points).
3. get something like Delta Amex (preferably business so as to not interfere with 5/24 maybe?? I don't have any Amex yet so someone tell me if I'm wrong).
4. Other.

TIA!

I would think about getting the one of the Delta business cards. If you are going to fly Delta (and you should if you can get flights that cheap) having the card will take care of any luggage fees. Cheap cost is usually cheap points on Delta which makes it easier for buying multiple tickets. (Which is how with the companion fare I manage to get 5 of us to MCO a couple times a year).

Also on Delta there are the flash sales...might be ending now but flights to Asia have been discounted this week to something like 50k miles.

I don't know if I ever saw a response when I asked this or maybe I missed it: adding my DH as an AU on my SPG will NOT count against his 5/24 status, right?

I don't want to burn a precious 5/24 spot.

If it is a business card it doesn’t count as an AU. It is like you are an employee. So no, not impacting 5/24 status.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

I agree with @SouthFayetteFan. I'd transfer to SW and book that way. I've never done anything else so I'm not at all familiar with how it works through UR.

@Livelovedance - here's a quick example assuming you have a CSR:

Southwest has a flight I'm looking at right now for $142.98:
1) you can book it with 8,619 points (and you owe the $5.60 tax).
2) I'm not 100% sure how URs work with SW but I'd assume that flight would cost 9,532 booked with URs and (I'm assuming that you then DON'T owe the $5.60). So you spent 913 extra points...which is worth $13.70...now you can earn RR on the flight which gets you 719 RR points. Those are worth about $11.60...

END RESULT: So somehow you net the $13.70 with the $11.60 and compare that to the $5.60 you spent and I guess you could argue that URs are actually SLIGHTLY better (i.e. by $3.50) BUT the flexibility you have booking with RRs is UNRIVALED in the frequent flyer program space in my opinion and that's why I'd give the advantage to using RRs.

Hopefully this helps - or maybe just made it more confusing haha!! It certainly confused me for a minute comparing the two. If you don't have a CSR there is NO WAY that booking with URs will beat transferring to SW RRs.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Sounds great! Can you just explain what “>1.6 cpp” means? Lol sorry I’m still learning!

It's cents per point. Basically 1 Southwest RR point is typically worth 1.6 cents. (i.e. 50,000 SW points is worth $800).

1 Ultimate Reward point is worth 1.5 cents when redeemed for travel.

 

[Livelovedance]

@Livelovedance - here's a quick example assuming you have a CSR:

Southwest has a flight I'm looking at right now for $142.98:
1) you can book it with 8,619 points (and you owe the $5.60 tax).
2) I'm not 100% sure how URs work with SW but I'd assume that flight would cost 9,532 booked with URs and (I'm assuming that you then DON'T owe the $5.60). So you spent 913 extra points...which is worth $13.70...now you can earn RR on the flight which gets you 719 RR points. Those are worth about $11.60...

END RESULT: So somehow you net the $13.70 with the $11.60 and compare that to the $5.60 you spent and I guess you could argue that URs are actually SLIGHTLY better (i.e. by $3.50) BUT the flexibility you have booking with RRs is UNRIVALED in the frequent flyer program space in my opinion and that's why I'd give the advantage to using RRs.

Hopefully this helps - or maybe just made it more confusing haha!! It certainly confused me for a minute comparing the too. If you don't have a CSR there is NO WAY that booking with URs will beat transferring to SW RRs.

Lol it was a little confusing, but you sold me on transfering to SW RRs! Thank you!

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Lol it was a little confusing, but you sold me on transfering to SW RRs! Thank you!

To summarize the benefits of booking with SW RR points:
1) You can cancel, get your $5.60 back and all your points back up to 10 minutes before the flight takes off
2) You can change at anytime with no penalty (if you change instead of cancelling and rebooking your $5.60 can become "non-refundable")
3) You can rebook your flight if the price (points needed) goes down and get the points difference refunded
4) Because of all this flexibility you can book with confidence IMMEDIATELY when flights come out taking all the risk away of prices going up but still able to take advantage if prices go down

If I missed anything I'm sure somebody else will chime in!

 

[kmc8826]

Called tonight when finally got a minute in a crazy busy day and APPROVED for CIP. Took @Lain’s constant advice and got a replacement card on its way (she said 3 to 5 business days). Probably smallest credit line ever of $5000 but I will take it. I guess if I want any more Chase cards I better think about closing or reducing credit lines presumptively. Thanks everyone for the support yesterday. Seriously it was so funny after the call yesterday morning...I just wanted to get on here and post about it. So thanks.

Told my husband about getting the CIP. Apparently he has a purchase of about $800 he wants to make: “between that and Costco we will have that $5000 knocked out in no time.” I don’t think he wants to admit it but I have a sneaking suspicion he is getting into this credit card churner game.

Such a rush to be approved for CIP that if I had time I might have jumped on and applied for SPG Biz. The $7000 minimum spend still scares me though. And I saw something on Doctor of Credit today that Amex Biz are now wanting 4 digit listed for annual revenue?!? That also is a little worrisome especially for RAT. I guess I am just paranoid about them reviewing charges.

 

[Hofmanns4]

I tried searching this thread and it came up with no results. If I am an Auth User on my husbands Chase SW cards, can I still apply and earn the bonus? It has been over 2 years since my husband got these cards.

Thanks for the help!

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

I tried searching this thread and it came up with no results. If I am an Auth User on my husbands Chase SW cards, can I still apply and earn the bonus? It has been over 2 years since my husband got these cards.

Thanks for the help!

Yes - being an authorized user does not prevent you from earning a bonus. Are his cards still open? Are you planning on having him refer you so you can earn some extra points out of it?

 

[disneymagicgirl]

doing a happy dance b/c this trip next December seems to be falling into place! So far I've booked flights from LAX-OGG on points(avios) a rental car when we get there thru UR portal, A night at Crowne Plaza LAX on points between flying out there and going to HI (IHG) a solid plan for either Sheraton or Westin on points (spg,as soon as I get the final amount) and as soon as my anniversary nights for IHG(x2) come due I have 2 more free nights at Crowne plaza on our way back to east coast(to relax and adjust) also got either JB or SWA points for flights to/from east-west coast(waiting for booking to open).... this seems too ridiculously cheap! (and WAAAAY easier than planning a trip to WDW!)

I don't know how you do it. I am on the verge of giving up. Hawaii is super complicated to me. Or at least figuring out the flights is.

Yep, my kids really want to go for Aulani. If we do end up going to Hawaii, I'll be picking the brains here for how to make Aulani happen for a fam of 6 for even just two nights.

I've been looking. It is on the UR portal. Also, go to David's rental request site and use the chart to see how many points you'd need to rent to compare.

I tried searching this thread and it came up with no results. If I am an Auth User on my husbands Chase SW cards, can I still apply and earn the bonus? It has been over 2 years since my husband got these cards.

Thanks for the help!

Yes you can apply. Also, he could cancel and reapply. You could potentially get 2 companion passes. We had 2 last year and it was awesome!