I love credit cards so much!

[Lain]

I called and couldn't understand a word the guy was saying because of his accent. He was also talking extremely fast. I was looking on United's website and it was showing availability for an award flight with ANA. He said he was getting a response from ANA that there were no available flights for the dates I gave him. I'm honestly really confused and I really couldn't understand what he was saying so that didn't make it any easier. He mentioned something about expertflyer, but again I really couldn't understand him.

You're checking award availability on United, but want to transfer UR points to VS to book ANA award space, right?

OMAAT just posted about his MR>VS>ANA redemption yesterday here: https://onemileatatime.com/my-amazing-ana-first-class-award-redemption/

Unfortunately, there's no transfer bonus from UR>VS, but the article should be helpful with the booking process.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

I found out how to transfer them to Virgin, but I'm just a little nervous and I'm not sure how many points to transfer. The flights would cost 180,000 without taxes and fees. We have 201,000. How many should we transfer?

On United's site it says $91.42 in taxes and fees.

I would pay fees and taxes with CSR for the travel insurance.

 

[Calfan]

Nope I don't have enough to get them on United. It would cost 300,000 miles through United and only 180,000 through Virgin (if I'm understanding this correctly). I'm probably just going to have to have Dh call when he gets home.

Definitely hope you can make this work! I'll be needing Japan flights for a 2020 trip and *really* want Business or First, so will be trying a similar booking. If all else fails and if Coach Saver awards are available on United for those flights, you can book those and then try to upgrade when/if you accrue more UR. That's what I did for our flights from SFO to JNB for next summer. I had enough UR, but I couldn't find any Business awards (Saver or not) on a route that was acceptable in terms of stops and elapsed time, so I ended up booking a Coach Saver on a good route. Then I just kept checking to see if Business Saver awards would pop up on that route or a similar one. This is a 50/50 at best strategy, but I got lucky and was able to move our flights to a Business Saver route a couple of weeks ago. I did have to pay a $300 total change fee since I switched flights/routes completely, but it was very worth it for me to do that. You do have to be willing to actually fly in Coach, though, if you can't find the upgrades later...

 

[Haley R]

You're checking award availability on United, but want to transfer UR points to VS to book ANA award space, right?

OMAAT just posted about his MR>VS>ANA redemption yesterday here: https://onemileatatime.com/my-amazing-ana-first-class-award-redemption/

Unfortunately, there's no transfer bonus from UR>VS, but the article should be helpful with the booking process.

I'm not gonna lie, that sounds exactly like what I did. I'm not sure why the guy was seeing different availability than me.

 

[Haley R]

I would pay fees and taxes with CSR for the travel insurance.

I'll have to wait until DH is home then because he has our CSR.

 

[Haley R]

Definitely hope you can make this work! I'll be needing Japan flights for a 2020 trip and *really* want Business or First, so will be trying a similar booking. If all else fails and if Coach Saver awards are available on United for those flights, you can book those and then try to upgrade when/if you accrue more UR. That's what I did for our flights from SFO to JNB for next summer. I had enough UR, but I couldn't find any Business awards (Saver or not) on a route that was acceptable in terms of stops and elapsed time, so I ended up booking a Coach Saver on a good route. Then I just kept checking to see if Business Saver awards would pop up on that route or a similar one. This is a 50/50 at best strategy, but I got lucky and was able to move our flights to a Business Saver route a couple of weeks ago. I did have to pay a $300 total change fee since I switched flights/routes completely, but it was very worth it for me to do that. You do have to be willing to actually fly in Coach, though, if you can't find the upgrades later...

I think I'm just going to wait for DH to get home. If the flights are gone by then that's fine. I am extremely stressed about this right now and I feel so sick that I just don't even want to deal with it anymore.

 

[Haley R]

When I look on ANA's website it shows those same flights, but on their site it says "Waitlisted". No idea what that means.

 

[GZanta77]

When I look on ANA's website it shows those same flights, but on their site it says "Waitlisted". No idea what that means.

Sorry to say, but I don't think that's a good sign. Implies reward seats are gone, but more 'might' open up in the future, but no guarantee.

Hope you can find a solution.

 

[Lain]

When I look on ANA's website it shows those same flights, but on their site it says "Waitlisted". No idea what that means.

Ah, apparently that's a common problem with searching ANA availability, and I'm just glad you caught it before transferring any points. From what I've read, waitlisted literally puts you on a waitlist for an award seat, which you may or may not get. The chances of someone canceling their award ticket, and you moving up the list enough to get that seat is apparently not good.

 

[Haley R]

Ah, apparently that's a common problem with searching ANA availability, and I'm just glad you caught it before transferring any points. From what I've read, waitlisted literally puts you on a waitlist for an award seat, which you may or may not get. The chances of someone canceling their award ticket, and you moving up the list enough to get that seat is apparently not good.

So should I be using ana’s Website instead of United? I’m so confused and thought I had this all figured out and now have no idea what to do.

 

[Lain]

So should I be using ana’s Website instead of United? I’m so confused and thought I had this all figured out and now have no idea what to do.

https://thepointsguy.com/guide/sear...4B0FceCzvujr6OTcctjfhT#ana-all-nippon-airways

 

[Albort]

So should I be using ana’s Website instead of United? I’m so confused and thought I had this all figured out and now have no idea what to do.

whats your dates and route?

 

[disneybirds]

Just checked. $100 credit + 125K for $3k spend ($95 AF) with a dummy booking on the Hilton site.

I just signed up for this Hilton biz offer with a dummy booking. For some reason, I put my maiden name of the card and it was still approved within an hour. Not sure why I did that since we have been married 24 years!

Thanks for the great info on Hilton pooling. Our Hilton points are really low and we tend to stay there the most since DH is diamond. Now to decide how to handle DH's card. He has had the no fee one since 2011 so I don't really want to cancel. Will probably just wait for an upgrade offer or until we cancel one of his other Amex cards, then sign up for the biz card.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

All this talk of flights on ANA (which I don't even know what ANA is, LOL!), United, Virgin even has me stressed. And then you guys start throwing out terms like saver awards and ExpertFlyer and other stuff...

I'll just stick with my old pal Southwest and my domestic travel LOL! I consider myself to be EXPERT level on many things churning. I will full out admit that I have no clue how to fly with anybody other than Southwest...and no desire to learn

 

[MrPTato]

Met the $5k on the Lux...have the bonus points posted a few days after the purchase(s) post?

 

[Haley R]

whats your dates and route?

We are extremely flexible. I’m literally looking for any two week span (14-17 days) in May after golden week which ends May 7. We are going out of Chicago and don’t care which Tokyo airport we land in.

 

[Calfan]

All this talk of flights on ANA (which I don't even know what ANA is, LOL!), United, Virgin even has me stressed. And then you guys start throwing out terms like saver awards and ExpertFlyer and other stuff...

I'll just stick with my old pal Southwest and my domestic travel LOL! I consider myself to be EXPERT level on many things churning. I will full out admit that I have no clue how to fly with anybody other than Southwest...and no desire to learn

Too funny! (And good for you sticking with what works.) Just so you aren't left totally in the dark, ANA stands for All Nippon Airways.... And in case you decide to venture into international travel, lots of us can repay the favors you've given us through your churning advice

 

[Albort]

We are extremely flexible. I’m literally looking for any two week span (14-17 days) in May after golden week which ends May 7. We are going out of Chicago and don’t care which Tokyo airport we land in.

I'll have a friend look into expert flyers tonight.

edit: if u have preferred dates, it would help isolate the time frame

 

[tink1970]

I am extremely stressed about this right now and I feel so sick that I just don't even want to deal with it anymore.

I hope you feel better!

All this talk of flights on ANA (which I don't even know what ANA is, LOL!), United, Virgin even has me stressed. And then you guys start throwing out terms like saver awards and ExpertFlyer and other stuff...

I'll just stick with my old pal Southwest and my domestic travel LOL! I consider myself to be EXPERT level on many things churning. I will full out admit that I have no clue how to fly with anybody other than Southwest...and no desire to learn

You sound like me (well not the SW part ). I'm totally comfortable with Delta and am so proud of myself for branching out to *Alliance members this summer. Who knows maybe someday I'll get crazy and redeem for BA

Met the $5k on the Lux

Congrats! That's exciting!


My friend DID end up using my Delta Amex referral link and that was the hardest 10,000 skymiles I've ever earned. Still, whoo hoo! I forget, since that's valued at $100, can I count that as "consulting income?"

 

[pillow]

And I'm in denial about Florence. It does look like it's coming in slower and further south so I think we'll be good. I am stocking up on diet pepsi and chocolate as a precaution though.

Ha - priorities!

My son asked if he could bring some friends home from college with him tomorrow since the school is closing, and of course I said that was fine. Not sure how many 21 year old boys I will have in the house. I sure do hope we keep power. Also thinking I need to go back to the grocery store . . .