I love credit cards so much! v6.0 - 2023 (see first page for add'l details)

[Zhoen]

do you have Meijer near you? they have $5 back in Mperks for every $50 in Gift cards - so same as the Costco deal, but you can use a card with grocery bonus.

I am on the east coast and it looks like they are not... really smart idea though!!!

 

[WaltsMartini]

Lots of updates - going to do three separate posts as they are all very different topics!

Need opinions - close or keep open SW Premier card? $69 annual fee is due 5/31. I have a current promo earning 5% on gas, restaurants, and groceries that ends 6/30. Would get 3k anniversary miles on 5/31. I do not use the early boarding credits as we fly with kids and do family boarding. Spend about $750/month on gas/groceries.

I will probably break even with the 5% earning through 6/30 - any thoughts/opinions? I cannot earn another sign-up bonus until August 2024, if keeping open will likely close this fall.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

Lots of updates - going to do three separate posts as they are all very different topics!

Need opinions - close or keep open SW Premier card? $69 annual fee is due 5/31. I have a current promo earning 5% on gas, restaurants, and groceries that ends 6/30. Would get 3k anniversary miles on 5/31. I do not use the early boarding credits as we fly with kids and do family boarding. Spend about $750/month on gas/groceries.

I will probably break even with the 5% earning through 6/30 - any thoughts/opinions? I cannot earn another sign-up bonus until August 2024, if keeping open will likely close this fall.

Keep the card open until the anniversary miles post. You can cancel after they post.
Personally I'd be using up the free EBCI as it's usually higher boarding than family.

 

[WaltsMartini]

Back from CA trip that would never have happened without this group. Was able to take my 7 and 5 year old to spend time with my half brother who I only reconnected with a few years ago, and they were able to meet their cousins for the first time. I know this group is mostly a fun hobby, but please know all the advice here helped make family connections happen

Now for the travel talk! Flew Southwest, BWI to Sacramento via San Diego on the way out, and then SFO to BWI via Denver on the way back. All flights paid for with points earned through Chase SW sign up bonus and referrals. We live about 90 miles from BWI so stayed in an airport hotel the night before departure using Bonvoy points.

San Diego airport is under construction and was a MESS, had to go back through security to get to connecting gate. Even though I have TSA PreCheck they still flagged my 7 year old son for additional screening. I loved when they asked him what electronic device he had and if there was anything sharp in his bag that could cut them

Rented car at Sacramento airport using Costco Travel, was $218 vs almost $400 booking thru Chase Portal. Bus from airport to rental car area was quick and easy. Sacramento airport is GREAT and would recommend it over SFO if you are going to Tahoe or Yosemite.

We headed to Fairfield, CA and stayed at a Fairfield Inn and Suites (ha!) for 2 nights using points earned through Bonvoy signup bonus. Spent time with my brother’s family and also visited the Jelly Belly Factory. A total bargain - $13 for me and two kids - and so fun.

Next, headed to San Francisco in the rental car to stay in an AirBnB for 3 nights with other family. Paid cash and split amongst family. Since we were with small kids did touristy stuff - Muir Woods, Pier 39, CA Academy of Sciences, Chinatown, and Exploratorium. All were excellent; Exploratorium participates in the ASTC Science Museum program. Since we have a membership to the Franklin Institute in Philly, our admission to the Exploratorium was free, as will be our trip to Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh later this summer (using remaining Bonvoy points for that). Would also recommend Chinatown for fun and cheap souvenirs!

Our AirBnB was in Outer Sunset near Golden Gate Park; unfortunately all excursions but one were on the other end of the city. A one way Uber\Lyft was $30 - next time will stay at a hotel near the piers with points.

Only other hiccup was rental car drop off - turns out in the city they are surrounded by a fence and you can’t drop off after hours. Lesson learned!

Such a great trip that I am now working on a strategy to get back to CA again next year. Thank you again to this group!

 

[WaltsMartini]

Final unrelated post: just got my first business card (yay!), CIU. Can someone tell me more about buying gift cards at office supply stores - I know this gets 5%, but interested to hear strategies and how others incorporate this into their regular spending. Thanks!

 

[mmmears]

Final unrelated post: just got my first business card (yay!), CIU. Can someone tell me more about buying gift cards at office supply stores - I know this gets 5%, but interested to hear strategies and how others incorporate this into their regular spending. Thanks!

The CIC is 5x at office supply stores. The CIU is 1.5 points per dollar spend across the board. With the CIC, you can purchase gift cards (or fee free VGCs when there is a deal) and then use them for your normal spend.

 

[djmeredith]

Costco still has Southwest $500 GC for $449.99, it's just not as discounted as during the sale. But better than Raise.

I would make a point to have a small amount left to put on the CSP for travel insurance. Also, I prefer to book SW as one-ways. The price is the same and makes changes or price drops easier.

I also book SW one way for those reasons. I have flown SW almost exclusively for the past 20 years. I am taking Delta next week and it was more trouble cancelling and rebooking when the pts price dropped. They also took several days (maybe even a week) to credit my fees and SW usually credits immediately (maybe 1 biz day or so).

 

[linzjane88]

Random question: what churning related services do you use, if any? I am a cheapskate couponer at heart but I have finally crossed the line into 'I will pay for convenience'. For me I willingly pay for a points.me subscription and my awardwallet sub. I think I have more than gotten my monies worth out of them both. Any other good sites you guys use?

 

[palhockeymomof2]

Lots of updates - going to do three separate posts as they are all very different topics!

Need opinions - close or keep open SW Premier card? $69 annual fee is due 5/31. I have a current promo earning 5% on gas, restaurants, and groceries that ends 6/30. Would get 3k anniversary miles on 5/31. I do not use the early boarding credits as we fly with kids and do family boarding. Spend about $750/month on gas/groceries.

I will probably break even with the 5% earning through 6/30 - any thoughts/opinions? I cannot earn another sign-up bonus until August 2024, if keeping open will likely close this fall.

definitely don’t close before the anniversary miles post to your RR account. If you have any trips booked I’d use the 2 EBCIs since you get reimbursed and earn points on the purchase.

 

[Maryrachel713]

CSP for Bonus categories, non category spend, anything is better than the Marriot. One, I hate Bonvoy with a passion, but beyond that Bonvoy points are worth, maybe .5 cpp. SW is pretty consistent at 1.6 and I can get outsize value with UR points at Hyatt and occasionally United.

Thanks! LOL on Marriott--thats what his company uses so he's in too deep to switch it up now. He flies United typically--would that probably be a better one for those flights? And do you know if we get much out of the Amex Corporate? He has a platinum one through work (work expenses only) but I'm not fully understanding how those benefits work.

 

[djmeredith]

Rakuten is offering 20% at several stores including Lego, Zappos, and Vineyard Vines. At least one of the stores also has frequent offers on the Chase cards.

 

[miztressuz]

Lots of updates - going to do three separate posts as they are all very different topics!

Need opinions - close or keep open SW Premier card? $69 annual fee is due 5/31. I have a current promo earning 5% on gas, restaurants, and groceries that ends 6/30. Would get 3k anniversary miles on 5/31. I do not use the early boarding credits as we fly with kids and do family boarding. Spend about $750/month on gas/groceries.

I will probably break even with the 5% earning through 6/30 - any thoughts/opinions? I cannot earn another sign-up bonus until August 2024, if keeping open will likely close this fall.

Not that a lot of this matters for the question but your info is a little confusing based on what I know about Chase.

Chase posts the AF on the 1st of the month following the anniversary.Your SW anniversary points will post a couple days after the statement after your anniversary date closes. You have 30 days after the statement closes in which the AF posts to get it refunded, so you have time to cancel.

So hypothetical dates -
Approval date/anniversary date of 4/15
AF posts 5/1
Statement closes 5/15 with AF and anniversary points
Points received in SW account 5/16-5/18 give or take
Date to cancel for refund of AF 6/14

I believe the quarterly bonus categories max out at $1500. So based on your average spend in the categories you wouldn't need the full quarter to get the full reward. If you have the ability to front it, you could also buy gas or grocery GCs for your future spend before you cancel, if you still had room within the cap.

If you keep it open, why not leave it open until the next anniversary? You paid the fee, may as well get the anniversary points for it. You'd still be cancelled with plenty of time before you're eligible for the next bonus.

(And just random points, Chase shouldn't have payment due dates or closing on the 31st. If you have one it's unusual. And based on your AF and anniversary bonus points you have the Plus card, not the Premier. )

But I'd check on the dates and see how that all meshes with the quarterly bonus, then decide when to cancel. You could also call for a retention offer. Sometimes they offer a statement credit to keep it open.

 

[becauseimnew]

Rakuten is offering 20% at several stores including Lego, Zappos, and Vineyard Vines. At least one of the stores also has frequent offers on the Chase cards.

and 15% at Dell for those still needing to use their Biz Plat credits.

 

[Zhoen]

Costco still has Southwest $500 GC for $449.99, it's just not as discounted as during the sale. But better than Raise.

Anyone know if Sam's Club does something similar? We don't have a Costco membership in the extended family, but do have one for Sam's.

I'm thinking it would be worth it for me to get the Costco membership for the SW GC deal, plus it might save me a few bucks (like, literally $15) on the rental car if I book through their portal, but Costco is a longer drive from here, so I thought I'd ask.

 

[pinkxray]

Dh and I both had CSR. I have multiple Chase URs. He has none left. I need to transfer URs to his SW acct to book a flight(a little short). Can I transfer points from my CSR or do I have to try to move my URs to his CSR, to move to his SW acct?

 

[hsmamato2]

I have never once calculated cpp. Free for me is good enough. But paying 21% more on the portal is ridiculous. I'd probably buy thru UCT then use PYB for whatever I have available.

I have never once calculated cpp. Free for me is good enough. But paying 21% more on the portal is ridiculous. I'd probably buy thru UCT then use PYB for whatever I have available.

Same...I was also wondering (since I don't calculate the cpp either) would it make sense to buy the tix thru the cheapest venue and the just use the statement credit back? vs. 21% markup I mean

 

[EACarlson]

Thanks! LOL on Marriott--thats what his company uses so he's in too deep to switch it up now. He flies United typically--would that probably be a better one for those flights? And do you know if we get much out of the Amex Corporate? He has a platinum one through work (work expenses only) but I'm not fully understanding how those benefits work.

It is my understanding that Corporate AMEX gives the named cardholder benefits for holding the card but not points or anything else tangible like they did 30-40 years ago. I guess I'm wrong, I see now that it is optional to either hold the MR for the company use or pass it through to the cardholder. Lots of other benefits to having the company pay the AF that can be found at https://www.americanexpress.com/us/...la-hsSO2vC4fLp59VCAaAh02EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds
I wouldn't go with a United card over a CSP unless you really need the checked bags free, are paying for the tickets yourself and being reimbursed or will use United Club access at least 12 times. The bonus categories other than United aren't any better than what you can get with a CSP.

 

[palhockeymomof2]

Dh and I both had CSR. I have multiple Chase URs. He has none left. I need to transfer URs to his SW acct to book a flight(a little short). Can I transfer points from my CSR or do I have to try to move my URs to his CSR, to move to his SW acct?

You’d have to transfer the URs to his CSR and then have him transfer to his RR account

 

[Judique]

Ha - I just got an offer to do a timeshare presentation at Marriott Pulse in NYC and pay $499 for 3 nights plus 10K points or a $50 Marriott gift card.

Anyone done this in NYC? Or stayed at the Pulse?

 

[lsutigers03]

I know some people here will PC between a CSR and Freedom, Freedom Flex, etc each year to get the $300 travel credit twice and pay the AF once. Would Chase have an issue if I did this between my Freedom and Freedom Flex annually? Would it be better to do it with P1 one year and then P2 the next?