I love credit cards so much!

[SouthFayetteFan]

Anyone want to play hypothetical with me? I am still trying to figure out this marriott thing b/c I need SW points by 5/31. hahaha


Lets say I buy a cat 8 nights/flights + 120k SW points today. My expectation is that for my 360k marriott points I am getting 7 nights (6 nights worth of points since 5th night free) at a cat 8 property...lets just say Atlantis...plus 120k SW points. Lets say, however, that I haven't booked my Atlantis stay before August because I am unsure on what dates we will travel.

Then lets say marriott does the cancel outstanding certificates thing come August. So I have my airline points at 120k already. Great. Marriott issues me points in lieu of my certificate...keeping in mind that normally 120k SW points would normally cost 360k marriott points if transferring directly.

Here are some thoughts on things they could do:

1. Issue me 240k marriott points so I can still book my 7 nights at a cat 8 property as I expected with purchase...Customer is happy as they got what they paid for. Marriott is sad because they just gave out marriott points to airline points 1:1. BUT, is this really any different for them than issuing the certificate, in terms of their bottom line?

2. Send my a letter with some sort of nice spin about the changes and make my 7 night cert poof disappear because I technically got the 120k SW points that my 360k marriott points would normally buy me. Customer is livid and marriott saved themselves 7 free nights. (doesn't seem like a good PR move so unlikely).

3. Other ideas?


I sort of think #1 is quite possible because I don't see how that is any different from a financial standpoint for marriott and the customer stays happy. In my case extra happy b/c I'd rather have the points to use as I see fit than a 7 night cert.

No where it gets extra interesting for us to get the most bang for our buck is the cat 1-5 packages. Assuming they credit the customer for points in lieu of certs come august as in example 1... In that scenario would they:

1. Give outstanding cert holders just 45k points (covers 7 nights in cat 1)...customers angry they can't book the cat 5 they had expected. Marriott wins financially here.
2. Give outstanding cert holders 150k points (covers 7 nights cat 5)...customers happy because they get to book a cat 5 hotel for the normal cost of 150k pts for 7 nights and they got a 1:1 SW transfer....all as they expected.
3. They give some point amount in-between...angry customers can't book hotel they wanted.


Since I am a visual learner here is the potential math:

Cat 8 package today for 360k MR = 120 SW + 240k MR
Cat 1-5 package today for 270k MR = 120k SW + 45k MR (if pd out at cat 1 rate)
Cat 1-5 package today for 270k MR = 120 SW + 150k MR

So it seems like the cat 8 package is the way to go because of the unknown with the cat 1-5s. If they pay out at the cat 5 rate in Aug then it is a wash. If they paid out at the cat 1 rate in Aug then I lost 105k MR for the same amount of original purchase (270k MR).

Is anyone else planning to buy a package soon?
Did I do any math incorrectly here? I am new to starriott so just trying to figure this out before SW flights drop next week.

The 45k example is NOT based on 7 nights @ Cat 1...It's based on what you get back if you cancel right now. (The math you're doing on cat1 is just a coincedence). IF that math were to hold, on a Cat 8 you would get ONLY 135k Marriott points back. However, we've largely agreed here that the person who posted that portion of the rumor didn't know what they were talking about.

It is not an unkown at just Cat1-5...unfortunately it's an unknown AT ALL levels.

 

[schmass]

Have any other Amex credit cards in the past 90 days? If not you should be good. Charge cards don’t count.

Nope, prior to the SPG Biz, he got a CIP on 2/5/18 and nothing else this year.

 

[Lain]

so i was wondering for those who us plastiq and the cip, if it were to stop working for mortgages, what would be plan B? are there any good mc out there? does it make sense to get a mc?

Time to dip into Citi's ThankYou points program? Or Barclays' cards?

 

[disneymagicgirl]

The 45k example is NOT based on 7 nights @ Cat 1...It's based on what you get back if you cancel right now. (The math you're doing on cat1 is just a coincedence). IF that math were to hold, on a Cat 8 you would get ONLY 135k Marriott points back. However, we've largely agreed here that the person who posted that portion of the rumor didn't know what they were talking about.

It is not an unkown at just Cat1-5...unfortunately it's an unknown AT ALL levels.

I don't understand at all. not surprising. I just need SW points. I wasn't referencing the post. I was just trying to look at the math on what you get for what you spend today and what I think they could potentially do in August assuming they are issuing points, which is what it sounds like.

So if cat 8 hotels are 40k/night...x 6 nights (1 night free)...that is 240k points needed to book 7 nights there right? Thats how I was getting my numbers.

ETA: I got 45k for cat 1...7500x6 nights= 7 nights in cat 1
etc

 

[elgerber]

Blah, I got burned by the AMEX Hulu offer. I added a month of live TV in order to have enough charges to trigger my final $50 credit, and it's sat pending on my AMEX for 4 days so far, and the offer expired yesterday. Dangit, I would never have wanted to pay that. Oh well, it's the first offer I have been burned on, so I guess I shouldn't be too sad.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

I don't understand at all. not surprising. I just need SW points. I wasn't referencing the post. I was just trying to look at the math on what you get for what you spend today and what I think they could potentially do in August assuming they are issuing points, which is what it sounds like.

So if cat 8 hotels are 40k/night...x 6 nights (1 night free)...that is 240k points needed to book 7 nights there right? Thats how I was getting my numbers.

Marriott has a chart for what you get back if YOU cancel the hotel portion of a nights and flights package. Currently, if you cancel a Cat8 cert. I believe you ONLY get back 135k Marriott points (NOT 240k). This is in place to prevent people from "gaming" the nights and flights system to transfer air miles at 1:1. The SPG representative on FlyerTalk who has been discussing this has not confirmed that you will get the equivalent amount of points (i.e. 240k) but also has not confirmed the lesser amount so it is all completely up in the air right now as to what you'd get back at any level.

That said...there probably is the same amount of risk at all levels with the 7-night cert: Cat1-5, Cat 6, Cat 7, etc...no level is probably safer than any other as whatever formula they choose to apply would probably work the same at all levels.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

Marriott has a chart for what you get back if YOU cancel the hotel portion of a nights and flights package. Currently, if you cancel a Cat8 cert. I believe you ONLY get back 135k Marriott points (NOT 240k). This is in place to prevent people from "gaming" the nights and flights system to transfer air miles at 1:1. The SPG representative on FlyerTalk who has been discussing this has not confirmed that you will get the equivalent amount of points (i.e. 240k) but also has not confirmed the lesser amount so it is all completely up in the air right now as to what you'd get back at any level.

That said...there probably is the same amount of risk at all levels with the 7-night cert: Cat1-5, Cat 6, Cat 7, etc...no level is probably safer than any other as whatever formula they choose to apply would probably work the same at all levels.

Ooohhh, I see. When I was searching I didn't know you can cancel a cert at all so didn't know there was a chart for such thing. I wonder why they don't just make them non-cancelable in the first place.
I can't imagine they would rip off the customer expecting/purchased 7 nights in a cat 8 and give them 135k points and tell them to pound sand on their planned vacation. Canceling is totally different than outstanding certs in their merger in my opinion. Guess we will see. In the mean time, I am going to go for the cat 8/120k RR package and hope they make me whole on the 7 nights/cat 8 part.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Ooohhh, I see. When I was searching I didn't know you can cancel a cert at all so didn't know there was a chart for such thing. I wonder why they don't just make them non-cancelable in the first place.
I can't imagine they would rip off the customer expecting/purchased 7 nights in a cat 8 and give them 135k points and tell them to pound sand on their planned vacation. Canceling is totally different than outstanding certs in their merger in my opinion. Guess we will see. In the mean time, I am going to go for the cat 8/120k RR package and hope they make me whole on the 7 nights/cat 8 part.

Yeah - that was our whole discussion the other day about this. We all think and hope that people will be treated fairly. The 135k would be an utter slap in the face. 240k is the RIGHT number...I think some of us have a small (but warranted) concern that they could do something in between, which would suck.

If you're specifically doing it for the SW points though then go for it - the risk is (hopefully) minimal!

 

[miztressuz]

Small victory! I finally got my life insurance online account setup and I can pay with a CC! Woohoo. That'll take out about half of a MSR this year
On the down side I finally found someone that doesn't take AmEx - it's a Liberty Mutual company FYI - so I'll have to remember that when I'm opening cards up next year. But that's future me's problem, present me is just happy to have a small relief on Visa MSR's
(and saving the mental break down of writing yet another check it's like nails on chalk board when I whip the checkbook out)

 

[thevalley]

Based on the responses here from @Lain and @thevalley I'm thinking I might apply DH for the Hilton Biz Amex today. He got the SPG Biz on 4/18 - is this going to be an issue, or should it be okay?

Looks like I'm a little late to the party lol. I agree with the other comments everything should be good to go. Hopefully you are able to get the account immediately. I had to wait 6 days. good luck, and if you have any other questions just ask. I should be on here for a little while. fingers crossed.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

Yeah - that was our whole discussion the other day about this. We all think and hope that people will be treated fairly. The 135k would be an utter slap in the face. 240k is the RIGHT number...I think some of us have a small (but warranted) concern that they could do something in between, which would suck.

If you're specifically doing it for the SW points though then go for it - the risk is (hopefully) minimal!

It has all become clear now that I know about the cancellation chart/points. Now I get where all the numbers on flyer talk were coming from.

 

[disneybirds]

For the Kroger shoppers ... there are 200 bonus fuel points when you buy a Disney gift card. Hoping it stacks with the 4x fuel points tomorrow.

I did get my $15 credit from Sams today. Bought another gift card using $30/$30/$82.98 walmart gift card. I had the Sams AmEx offer on 4 cards. Love saving money on Disney!

 

[jhoannam]

It has all become clear now that I know about the cancellation chart/points. Now I get where all the numbers on flyer talk were coming from.

I hope that part of those rumors are true, the depositing the points back to the account. I still plan on getting the Cat 8 and 132K UA miles. We have $2K MSR on DH's Marriott and we'll have all the Marriott points we need for the package.

My original plan was to do 3 Hawaii Islands, 5 days each, but if we get the 7 night certificate we need to adjust to 7, 4, 4 (not my preference).

I'm going to wait until Mid July to finalize my decision - hopefully the new award chart will be out by then.

 

[miztressuz]

Blah, I got burned by the AMEX Hulu offer. I added a month of live TV in order to have enough charges to trigger my final $50 credit, and it's sat pending on my AMEX for 4 days so far, and the offer expired yesterday. Dangit, I would never have wanted to pay that. Oh well, it's the first offer I have been burned on, so I guess I shouldn't be too sad.

Is it still pending on AmEx? I think if it posts with the actual date of the charge you're still good. Most of mine do that, pend for a few days but when it posts it's dated the day I initiated it and that should trigger it still. So I wouldn't lose hope yet.
Also, do you have a screenshot or something of your Hulu payment confirmation? If for some reason it doesn't trigger you might get a kind rep that credits it based on your charge date anyway.

 

[schmass]

Whoo hooo! DH was approved for the Hilton Biz card! Why do I get so nervous every time I submit a new app?!

 

[thevalley]

Whoo hooo! DH was approved for the Hilton Biz card! Why do I get so nervous every time I submit a new app?!

that's awesome!!!!! Congrats. there is definitely a rush lol.. I am not that computer savvy lol so I'm sure the dancing people will come from other comments. maybe one day I can figure it out.

 

[schmass]

that's awesome!!!!! Congrats. there is definitely a rush lol.. I am not that computer savvy lol so I'm sure the dancing people will come from other comments. maybe one day I can figure it out.

I got the number right away, but since it's only a temp. number until he gets the actual card, should I still put this in his Hilton account? Is that what prompts the gold status?

 

[3 DD love princesses]

So if you call chase recon do they approve or deny you while on the call?

 

[thevalley]

I take that back!!by George I think I figured it out!!!! wow

 

[thevalley]

I got the number right away, but since it's only a temp. number until he gets the actual card, should I still put this in his Hilton account? Is that what prompts the gold status?

I think once AmEx confirms you, they reach out to Hilton. some on here said it took as little as 2 hours and up to 24 hours later to show the gold status.