I love credit cards so much! v3.0 (see first page for add'l details)

[SouthFayetteFan]

AA removing MAX from service through June 3. OMAAT reports cancellations for this schedule change to be loaded into the AA system Jan 19 with an additional schedule change to be loaded in Feb.

In related news, there has been no movement on the Southwest front yet. The page that typically indicates things are in motion has not changed yet. Their last adjustment was through 4/13 so I'd expect the next window to cover parts of April and May.

 

[tink1970]

@LynnTH -my condolences on your loss

 

[CaliforniaGirl09]

Exact same, but in reverse. MCO is the one that DH will still consider, but even then it doesn't make him happy. I'm going to blame this on our getting older, not spoiled.

I'm right there, too. I'm in the process of rearranging our WDW flights for April's Star Wars race after a horribly uncomfortable/long flight yesterday. I did the half on Saturday and got restless leg on the scrunched southwest flights back. The stupid seat belt thing was on most of the flight (it wasn't bumpy at all) so it was hard to walk around without the FA coming on the intercom to tell people to sit down.

I decided that life is too short--companion pass or not--no more cross country Southwest flights to MCO unless they bring back the nonstops from the Bay Area (maybe). I'm cancelling the SWA flights and booking first on the return via Alaska. I think it will be united PE going out. Both are nonstop.

 

[DisneyMandC]

Can somebody help me math? I’ve earned $536 in URs in the 5% back categories on CIC. Max you can spend is $25k in the 5% back category. How much more can I spend on my card and earn 5% back?

sorry, hope that makes sense

 

[ten6mom]

Thanks to @SouthFayetteFan for helping me run through some options while I don't have a "big" MSR/SUB to work on- I ended up with the Amex BBP (I hope that's the right acronym). It was instantaneous and oh so easy... and then they send me this:



I would have "expanded" it a month ago if you'd just approved me for the darn Aspire!!! But, it all worked out in the end since I didn't have time for TDR this time around anyway. Hmmmm maybe for 2022!

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Thanks to @SouthFayetteFan for helping me run through some options while I don't have a "big" MSR/SUB to work on- I ended up with the Amex BBP (I hope that's the right acronym). It was instantaneous and oh so easy... and then they send me this:

View attachment 465111

I would have "expanded" it a month ago if you'd just approved me for the darn Aspire!!! But, it all worked out in the end since I didn't have time for TDR this time around anyway. Hmmmm maybe for 2022!

Congrats! This is definitely a nice card to add to the portfolio since you'll be able to earn 2x MRs on up to $50k purchases each year. It can be a nice card to span the gap between MSRs! I'd also look to PC your CIP to a CIC or CIU when it hits the 12 month mark as that would be another nice one to have!!

 

[ten6mom]

Congrats! This is definitely a nice card to add to the portfolio since you'll be able to earn 2x MRs on up to $50k purchases each year. It can be a nice card to span the gap between MSRs! I'd also look to PC your CIP to a CIC or CIU when it hits the 12 month mark as that would be another nice one to have!!

I'm gonna have to write that down. The anniversary of the CIP is May 30 or 31 so I don't want to forget that!

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

I'm gonna have to write that down. The anniversary of the CIP is May 30 or 31 so I don't want to forget that!

Don’t worry, They’ll charge you $95 to remind you hahaha!

 

[ten6mom]

Trying to determine which cards I need to make sure to take with me to Japan.

I used CIP to pay for the fees on my award tickets, so that needs to go with me.
I used the Amex Hilton Biz to earn the points for the 1 night I am spending at the Hilton Narita before we fly back home, so I imagine that needs to go with me, too.
I'll have the new Amex BBP in hand by then.

Between these three options, do you all think any one is better than the other for a daily spender while IN Japan, or should I wait and see whether I have anything more interesting by then? I haven't decided yet which card I will put my Japan Rail passes on and the plan right now is to earn more Chase URs for the hotel rooms... do I need to have the Chase card I earned the URs with, too?

 

[ten6mom]

Don’t worry, They’ll charge you $95 to remind you hahaha!

Added to the spreadsheet!

 

[havaneselover]

Can somebody help me math? I’ve earned $536 in URs in the 5% back categories on CIC. Max you can spend is $25k in the 5% back category. How much more can I spend on my card and earn 5% back?

sorry, hope that makes sense

You can spend another $14,280.

($1,250- $536)*20

 

[ten6mom]

Here is a question for @calypso726 or anyone else who might have noticed something similar.... @Haley R was telling me about how she had to get her husband's name spelling corrected on his ticket to Japan.

Obviously my passport has my name like this: FIRST MIDDLE LAST

When I set up my ANA mileage club account, it ran my first and middle names together like this: FIRSTMIDDLE LAST

After I got off the phone with Virgin and made the reservations, my reservation (on the ANA website) looks like this: FIRSTM LAST

Nothing is spelled wrong - it's just that they ran things together oddly.

My husband does NOT have an ANA account. His passport of course is FIRST MIDDLE LAST. His reservation is under FIRST LAST.

Anyone think or know whether this will be an issue?

 

[palhockeymomof2]

Can somebody help me math? I’ve earned $536 in URs in the 5% back categories on CIC. Max you can spend is $25k in the 5% back category. How much more can I spend on my card and earn 5% back?

sorry, hope that makes sense

The $536 would equal 53,600 URs.
Not sure how it’s shown but .....if it represents the entire 5% earned you’ve spent $10,720 so far so can spend another $14,280
If it represents only the additional 4% you have spent $13,400 and can spend another $11,600

 

[tink1970]

Trying to determine which cards I need to make sure to take with me to Japan.

I used CIP to pay for the fees on my award tickets, so that needs to go with me.
I used the Amex Hilton Biz to earn the points for the 1 night I am spending at the Hilton Narita before we fly back home, so I imagine that needs to go with me, too.
I'll have the new Amex BBP in hand by then.

Between these three options, do you all think any one is better than the other for a daily spender while IN Japan, or should I wait and see whether I have anything more interesting by then? I haven't decided yet which card I will put my Japan Rail passes on and the plan right now is to earn more Chase URs for the hotel rooms... do I need to have the Chase card I earned the URs with, too?

Amex is definitely not accepted everywhere overseas so I'd have whatever MC/Chase you feel is a good noncat spend card.

 

[GlamMistress]

Been a busy couple of weeks for me. FIL was put in hospice shortly before our Aruba trip on January 4th. Wasn’t sure if we would still go but DH was at peace with it. We got back the 10th and FIL passed away this morning. So we all got to spend more time with him even though he was not really there. But would squeeze your hand when talking to him. Glad we made it back before he passed.

On to lighter topics. Aruba trip was good. Had flights booked for 7 of us with AA reward flights. I knew my shutdown rate was low but you just didn’t know what could happen. Everything was fine. No issues at all. Stayed at the Marriott Renaissance and Marriott Stellaris with Marriott points. Liked both places very much. But boy Aruba is not cheap. Weather was great!!

So I had upgraded last April to the Amex Brilliant card and paid the $450 fee. I thought that the fee would not be due again until then but I just got hit with the annual fee again. Not sure if I should keep it. This year we have trips to Vegas/Disneyland and then an Alaskan Cruise and Caribbean Cruise. So not sure when I would get to take advantage of all the extras. Would love others input. Can I downgrade the card and the upgrade again if needed?

CSR annual fee was just paid in November so have a bit to think about that. But we normally book cruises with the points so will probably keep it. Unless they come up with a new SUB. DH may be eligible for that. Have to look at my spreadsheet but our internet has been down at work since yesterday afternoon. Cant get anything done. Everything is online!!

Really sorry for your loss.
Yes, you can generally downgrade and upgrade cards several times with no issues (at AF fee time).

 

[ten6mom]

Amex is definitely not accepted everywhere overseas so I'd have whatever MC/Chase you feel is a good noncat spend card.

Ah, good to know; thank you.

Does anyone else remember the old commercials (I think for Mastercard) where they would talk about the Olympic games and what card to use and then say, "...and they DON'T take American Express"??

 

[DisneyMandC]

You can spend another $14,280.

($1,250- $536)*20

The $536 would equal 53,600 URs.
Not sure how it’s shown but .....if it represents the entire 5% earned you’ve spent $10,720 so far so can spend another $14,280
If it represents only the additional 4% you have spent $13,400 and can spend another $11,600

Thank you so much! I’m literally the worst at figuring that kind of stuff out, it’s embarrassing lol

 

[Lain]

Trying to determine which cards I need to make sure to take with me to Japan.

I used CIP to pay for the fees on my award tickets, so that needs to go with me.
I used the Amex Hilton Biz to earn the points for the 1 night I am spending at the Hilton Narita before we fly back home, so I imagine that needs to go with me, too.
I'll have the new Amex BBP in hand by then.

Between these three options, do you all think any one is better than the other for a daily spender while IN Japan, or should I wait and see whether I have anything more interesting by then? I haven't decided yet which card I will put my Japan Rail passes on and the plan right now is to earn more Chase URs for the hotel rooms... do I need to have the Chase card I earned the URs with, too?

The CIP and Hilton Biz don’t have foreign transaction fees. The BBP does charge foreign transaction fees, so you’ll be paying close to 3% extra in fees for every swipe you make on the BBP when abroad. Keep in mind Amex is not as widely accepted internationally as Visa. That’s been my wife’s experience when traveling for work to Tokyo as well. Major hotels will take Amex, but local stores and restaurants may not.

You do not need to carry the card you used to book via the Chase portal. In my experience, what happens when you make a redemption on the Chase portal is, you redeem your points, Chase pays the travel agency, the travel agency pays the hotel with their own credit card (I’ve been told one of my hotel redemptions was paid on a MasterCard).

As for JR passes, they should code as travel so ideally you’d put them on a card that you’re working on the MSR and earns a bonus on travel.

 

[magickingdomprincess]

Ah, good to know; thank you.

Does anyone else remember the old commercials (I think for Mastercard) where they would talk about the Olympic games and what card to use and then say, "...and they DON'T take American Express"??

I do!

 

[becauseimnew]

In related news, there has been no movement on the Southwest front yet. The page that typically indicates things are in motion has not changed yet. Their last adjustment was through 4/13 so I'd expect the next window to cover parts of April and May.

I was just about to ask about this. Thanks for the update.