I love credit cards so much!

[gottalovepluto]

With UR rewards is it better to book through the site or transfer to hotel partners?

I run 2 things through my head:
1) If I might need a refund on it am I ok being stuck with that hotel's points?
2) How many URs on portal vs. transfer?
And definitely make sure the room is available to book on points for the night/s you want before transferring the points.

 

[babyready]

With UR rewards is it better to book through the site or transfer to hotel partners?

It really depends on the hotel. For Hyatt, I have always found that is better to transfer but that has not been true for other chains and sometimes it varies by location and if there is a sale on the room, etc.

 

[speedyfishy]

Only you know if it's worth it As a fellow tall person I love extra legroom and the more the better. Can you get any status with DL for putting that much spend on the DL card you have? If so is it something you see yourself every using? If you can't I'd go the MR route just because it kinda keeps your options open if you end up not wanting the DL miles for some reason.
...wait a minute- isn't Amex rather sensitive about MSing their MR cards? would it be safer to do it on the DL card? I really have no clue not being much into MS beyond bank accounts but the thought just popped into my head...
ETA: just realized no need for MQMs = not interested in status... Need. More. Coffee.

IDK if ill use the MQM's have a lot of Delta options out of my home airports so status could be useful. Thats a good point on MSing on MR earning cards. I may just be better off MSing on the Delta one.

 

[gottalovepluto]

OK, am seriously considering the Barclay Aviator now. I would love to start a stash of AA points. I have always focused on points for hotels and domestic flights but now with my sights on Japan in the next couple of years, I need to get started on something that I can use for international flights.

I have gotten 4 new cards in the past six months, though (CIP, SPG personal and just did the CSR/CSP double dip a couple of weeks ago). I think that Barclay may not like that.

DH has only gotten one card in the past six months (CIP) so he is probably a safer bet. Although, ideally it would be great for us both to get one. I guess try one for him and then if it goes well, try for myself?

I hate making knee jerk moves but I had been regretting not doing it before it expired since I was so focused on the double dip. It is basically buying 50,000 AA points for $95. With only one purchase, so it won't affect my meeting the MSR on the CSP/CSR. Seems like a good deal to me.

We had some unexpected medical bills to go on the CSP. Between that, organic spend and PNC accounts, we are flying through the MSR on those cards. Like way too quickly. Yikes.

I'd try for the Barclay AA Biz so it won't hit your 5/24 status and you can do something like the Arrival Plus when you have the ability to hit more MSR. 50k miles for $95 offer running on that card right now.

 

[familyman123]

I transferred an NCL. For NCL you have to email them the transfer request form with your Chase TA info, then NCL will change the booking. Mine was crazy quick, completed within a couple hours, but I think most are within a few days and I think the page said may take up to a week for that department to process it.

Depending on the ship, NCL is good with kids too. I've seen some reports where the kids loved it including the kids clubs and others where the "club" was just an open room they may have some activities in. So I'd do research for reviews of the particular ship you're looking at. I know for Bermuda that had an older ship and a newer ship going depending on the port you left (Boston or NYC). That said, we cruise DCL without kids. There's enough stuff to do for adults, including adults only venues, so the parents can get some quiet time in too. The one complaint for DCL is usually the pools, they can be small compared to all the kids that want in. They have an adults only pool though, if sitting on the deck is important. We've done both equally and pick one or the other depending on why we want to cruise that time. We've done both cruises you're looking at, actually. Tough choices

So this is all interesting. I have only called Chase UR travel agents a couple times and I speak to someone different each time. For transferring, did you call and say this is what I want to do, and then refer NCL to that particular agent? Can you just keep asking for the same agent each time if you are getting good results?

As far as DCL for my parents, my Dad likes classic Rat Pack style music, the talent shows, and meeting and talking to other people. With Disney, it sounds like the shows are all Disney derivatives, and he never has been interested in those intellectual properties as such. He is limited in mobility nowadays so he often stays on the ship rather than shore excursion so I would really like to make sure he likes the ship. My wife and I thought the Disney cruise looks like a blast, but we are Disney folks.

The Norwegian ship would be the Escape leaving from NYC September 1. The ship has the water park for the kids and what I think would be good entertainment for my Dad. So it seemed like a good mix between the kids and the elderly in my group.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Bonus on DoC for CA residents for State Bank of India CA that has $3k in credit card funding on Visa and Mastercard. The bonus of $150 is definitely harder than most to hit and you have to keep $2k in the account to keep it fee free but here it is for anyone interested, for some reason I missed this one last month: https://www.doctorofcredit.com/ca-only-state-bank-of-india-california-150-checking-bonus/

I applied today, instant approval, funded on CFU (did not trigger a fraud alert!). DPs suggest I'll be getting a call from them and they may inquire about the 30+ inquires on my Chex report but so far no one has been shutdown after their convos.... (those are individual accounts, M&T double hit me for quite awhile before I learned how to get around that back in the day!)

 

[babyready]

I'd try for the Barclay AA Biz so it won't hit your 5/24 status and you can do something like the Arrival Plus when you have the ability to hit more MSR. 50k miles for $95 offer running on that card right now.

Ack! I meant biz!

I think I have a little while before I can get another Arrival Plus (just hit a year in April and PC to the regular Arrival) but now I am realizing I don't really know Barclays rules on that. Is it two years?

 

[disneymagicgirl]

Checked my southwest flights today and return flights in december went down just over 1400 points a piece! Love Southwest!

Mine haven't changed in the several weeks I have been watching. Boo. Good for you though!!

.
Edit: We're still using YNAB 4, so I can't speak to if this works on the most current subscription version.

I am still with YNAB 4 as well. It seems to be glitchy lately though, which is concerning. Hope it hangs in there. I trialed nYNAB and didn't care for it.

 

[snugglebug]

I'm in the UR portal right now looking up a past trip and saw this notice, wanted to share

Important! Over the coming months, the Ultimate Rewards Travel site will be undergoing some renovations, and past trips will no longer be viewable on your My Trips page. If you wish to save a copy of your completed trip, click “View Itinerary” below to either email or print a copy.​

I booked a hotel on points, gave them my CC at check in and they charged the stay on my CC. I emailed a week ago and haven't heard back so I'm just going to contact Chase now so needed those trip details.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

Went on a GC run this morning after dropping DD2 at her first day of preschool. So much faster without the kids!!

Did staples AmEx/RMN combo. Added pack of erasers for 50cents and got the RMN pop up that the offer was redeemed while still standing at the register.

Did BB&B. Got email right away for that.

Did Best Buy swagbucks/amex. Hopefully that worked. Not sure how to know?? This was my first run. I will be making it a habit for the foreseeable future.

Did another Walgreens CF/RMN combo and got the popup by the time I got to my car.

Successful morning!

 

[disneymagicgirl]

I'm in the UR portal right now looking up a past trip and saw this notice, wanted to share

Important! Over the coming months, the Ultimate Rewards Travel site will be undergoing some renovations, and past trips will no longer be viewable on your My Trips page. If you wish to save a copy of your completed trip, click “View Itinerary” below to either email or print a copy.​

I booked a hotel on points, gave them my CC at check in and they charged the stay on my CC. I emailed a week ago and haven't heard back so I'm just going to contact Chase now so needed those trip details.

Something similar happened to me too. The room charge for my WDW room showed up on my portfolio and I was worried it would be a big mess to sort out. However, it reconciled itself in the end, just as our friends here told me it probably would. Did you check your cc to make sure it wasn't just a pending charge that fell off?

 

[babyready]

I'm in the UR portal right now looking up a past trip and saw this notice, wanted to share

Important! Over the coming months, the Ultimate Rewards Travel site will be undergoing some renovations, and past trips will no longer be viewable on your My Trips page. If you wish to save a copy of your completed trip, click “View Itinerary” below to either email or print a copy.​

I booked a hotel on points, gave them my CC at check in and they charged the stay on my CC. I emailed a week ago and haven't heard back so I'm just going to contact Chase now so needed those trip details.

Well, that's inconvenient!

I would go in and save a copy but I can't even login right now...it is just giving me a blank screen when I login. :/

 

[GusGus16]

Mine haven't changed in the several weeks I have been watching. Boo. Good for you though!!QUOTE]

I've been watching them maybe once a week since I booked, and they just kept going up, so happy I checked today! I should try and be more consistent with checking them because with southwest you just never know when they may go down. My RR account looks a bit better now. Been debating a long weekend to DW in January/Feb, but I don't have enough RR points to book which is what has kept me from booking something and I guess the other reason is because I don't have enough starwood points to cover the hotel stay (oh why does swan/dolphin have to be so many points)...just have to keep my eye on the main goal of DL in May!

 

[tink89]

It really depends on the hotel. For Hyatt, I have always found that is better to transfer but that has not been true for other chains and sometimes it varies by location and if there is a sale on the room, etc.

Thanks. Yes i am looking at some hyatt hotels and it seems better to pay on hyatt site with points than UR. I also have not done this before with UR so i am unsure if i am calculating correctly.

There is a hotel on Hyatt for 15,000 points per night or 7,500 points + $100
On the UR site it says 29000 per night.

Is it correct that UR t Hyatt transfer 1:1 so it would be better to transfer and pay 30,000 hyatt points for two nights than 30,000 UR per on night.

Or am I missing something?

 

[gottalovepluto]

Thanks. Yes i am looking at some hyatt hotels and it seems better to pay on hyatt site with points than UR. I also have not done this before with UR so i am unsure if i am calculating correctly.

There is a hotel on Hyatt for 15,000 points per night or 7,500 points + $100
On the UR site it says 29000 per night.

Is it correct that UR t Hyatt transfer 1:1 so it would be better to transfer and pay 30,000 hyatt points for two nights than 30,000 UR per on night.

Or am I missing something?

Not missing anything. Hyatt has a SWEET program.

 

[hsmamato2]

weird question.... Dh approved for SPG Biz amex.... I got a card today in the mail with my name above his....would this be the AU card? when I try to confirm reciept of card it won't allow me to use my login for it. I don't want an alt. login to remember,should I just wait till we get his to set it up?I've done the biz cards before, but not with an Au attached.

 

[tink89]

Not missing anything. Hyatt has a SWEET program.

Yes I am noticing that. I have only stayed at a few hyatt's so I was not very aware of their program.

 

[hsmamato2]

t

I split my stuff in YNAB also. I ended up putting a generic Travel category and that is where extra money from bank bonuses and other savings, etc go (like ebay sales). I apply generic fees to it too, like gift card fees or Plastiq fees. I also fund $100 a month into it from my budget. And then I also track all movement in and out in an excel doc, because when I use fuel points at the gas station I move the savings to this category, so it gets confusing.

Then I create a separate category for each trip. When I make a purchase from that trip, I categorize it as that and then if I need cash to cover it I move it from the generic Travel category. It's complicated but it's what works for me and makes me feel better. Then I know we're not going overboard on travel spending or chasing deals, but I can always look back a specific trip cost/item since it's split out.

Here's a snapshot:

View attachment 344407

The only cash I truly budget into these categories is the $100 a month into Travel fund, and the $450 into the cruise funds (mainly because I'm an overplanner and those numbers are based on using minimal points - should end up with a lot left over there!). The other categories all get paid out of the Travel fund. Sept and Nov only have cash in them because I've been changing things around a bit with flights/hotels. The budgeted amounts for annual fees and labor day are from me moving that cash out of the travel fund - that's also why that fund says -$83 were budgeted

his is YNAB? i didn't realize it was good for keeping track of stuff like this....

 

[vanjust14]

Checked my southwest flights today and return flights in december went down just over 1400 points a piece! Love Southwest!

I love Southwest! My December flights booked the day they were released have gone from $166 each way to $112 and $133! I can't remember what the points amounts were but I love seeing them go back to my account every time it goes lower!

 

[Natgridenergy]

So this is all interesting. I have only called Chase UR travel agents a couple times and I speak to someone different each time. For transferring, did you call and say this is what I want to do, and then refer NCL to that particular agent? Can you just keep asking for the same agent each time if you are getting good results?

As far as DCL for my parents, my Dad likes classic Rat Pack style music, the talent shows, and meeting and talking to other people. With Disney, it sounds like the shows are all Disney derivatives, and he never has been interested in those intellectual properties as such. He is limited in mobility nowadays so he often stays on the ship rather than shore excursion so I would really like to make sure he likes the ship. My wife and I thought the Disney cruise looks like a blast, but we are Disney folks.

The Norwegian ship would be the Escape leaving from NYC September 1. The ship has the water park for the kids and what I think would be good entertainment for my Dad. So it seemed like a good mix between the kids and the elderly in my group.

I have a direct email for Melissa with Chase Cruise and Tours. Its actually Connexions Loyalty Travel that Chase uses (for now). I just completed a transfer to her and don't have to "pay" with my URs until March 2019. Feel free to DM me for her contact information.