I love credit cards so much!

[SouthFayetteFan]

Nick’s now calling his mistake an “anomaly.”

I'll start trying that with my wife when I do something stupid...It was just an anomaly hun...

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

I was mulling over this too. Say you rack up a lot of UR on a CF or CFU (real possibility considering 5x quarters and the current 3x deal on the CFU), but they’re “stuck” on those cards because Chase gets rid of transfers between cards (or in some variations of the rumor, transfers between no fee cards and fee cards). Can’t you just PC the CF/CFU to a CSR temporarily, make your redemption (or possibly pool points across fee cards), then downgrade or cancel at some point for a prorated refund of the AF?

This one of the reasons I think the rumor falls apart...How does Chase IT handle that one? AND if I want to upgrade to a CSR and WANT to pay you $450 annual fee are you going to stop me?

Another random thought I had was if somebody had points on a CIP, CSP, and CSR and was trying to book a trip - are they really only going to let you use points from one card? And if they'll let you "combine" them towards a trip then...how does the IT handle that. And IF they cross that hurdle would the CSR be 1.5, and CSP and CIP by 1.25?

Chase may be looking at this...but this isn't a simple change to their website. Their entire system would need to be updated and there are so many scenarios they'd need to button up. I may be wrong, but that's why I keep thinking this one is false. I hope I don't have to admit to being wrong but if I am, I'll eat my words

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Two quick questions:
First is about Starwood points--we have three cards, all of which are coming up for AF. Can I cancel all three, or are Starpoints tied to a cc and we should keep one open?

Second--what is the strategy for cancelling a Southwest card just after the AF posts, then calling in to see about erasing the fee while keeping the anniversary miles?

Just make sure the anniv points are in your SW account before you cancel. Then you get to keep them Depending on the timeline, some people will get the anniv points BEFORE the AF posts. Some will have to wait until the statement AFTER the AF posts. It all depends on your actual anniv date and your statement date. Definitely press for a fee waiver though You can HUCA many times before you actually cancel.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Just wanted to make a few notes on the Chase Rumor.
- one thing i find the rumor a bit much is by studyin Chase's pattern. One of the cards i would like to note is the Chase Ink Cash card. This card was originally earning a "Cash" back like value that could transfer to UR. After awhile, Chase decided to make it so u earn "UR" instead. The rumor is going the wrong direction.
- 2nd thing, i doubt Chase will pull any stupid stuff instantly. They will most def give us a warning. All the things that happen instantly seems to affected new customers. 1 Sapphire card rule and the 1 SW card rule were both instant. But chase removing price protection has a end date.
- pool somewhere else. We know that chase will allow us to product change any freedom card to a CSP card. Theres not stopping us from upgrading, then transfer, then just close account right? :]
- dont think too much, this is still a rumor, a rumor that was surveyed out to people... which im 99% sure people would say THIS IS A BAAAAD IDEA!

I like all of this @Albort...

 

[speedyfishy]

Well I burned almost all my UR booking the Disneyland hotel for six nights. Earn and burn, right? Pretty sure I’m going to cancel the Marriott and Sheraton that I currently also have booked. SO just really wants to stay at the Disneyland hotel. It sucks it will be a construction zone when we go, but we will be back. I need some UR’s so we can stay onsite again when Star Wars Land opens the extra magic hour benefit would be great.

Since I need to replenish our stash of URs I applied SO for the CIC. He got the 30 day notice. I’m nervous because he just got the CIP in February, but is only 2/24. He also only has three Chase cards in the last 13 months. If he gets approved I’ll feel less guilty about burning through my URs.

 

[pillow]

Good example of this: I have some friends that work at PNC who also follow the churning game a bit. They know about the whole CC funding to open new accounts thing and how people were abusing it and taxing their resources to open dummy accounts (and costing the bank money). The one guy is in a back office role that supports this function and reported it up the chain expecting to get credit for closing a loophole costing money. Instead the sales/marketing side whined and said this was a great tactic to bring in new accounts and they won...CC funding remains, lol!

Note to self: Do not buy PNC stock!

 

[DisneyMandC]

Chase may be looking at this...but this isn't a simple change to their website. Their entire system would need to be updated and there are so many scenarios they'd need to button up. I may be wrong, but that's why I keep thinking this one is false. I hope I don't have to admit to being wrong but if I am, I'll eat my words

At the very least, it will take a while to implement it and I don't think we'll have a surprise overnight change to the system.

 

[castoral]

I can see cash availability thru May 27, 2019 but no awards. Awards availability for previous weekend. Looking in Vancouver. Hopefully I just need to keep checking

(When I look at your dates in NOLA, I see awards for the weekend before and after available so they may have blocked St Pats day )

Yeah, that's an odd one too. It def shows cash value but no points. I'd suggest calling but when I did they just looked up exactly what I did online.

And I STILL am not seeing any availability for Jan 1st, 2018 on for NOLA. All the other Hyatts show availability but no Hyatt Place Convention Center. I searched day by day from Jan 1st - end of Mar and now one day is available for points or cash. I *could* make another Hyatt work, but the fact its right across the street from the cruise port and right next to the Fulton Garage where we're parking, it made it soooo easy.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

At the very least, it will take a while to implement it and I don't think we'll have a surprise overnight change to the system.

Yup, I definitely agree with that too - and if they do announce a change then the r/churning loophole train will come shortly behind. When the 1 Sapphire rule came out they quickly worked through that. @Albort already has a working theory on PCing to make your points worth more. I'd guess people will try all kinds of theories on how to potentially work around a negative change and if it's possible we should find out about it. It will be interesting to see how it plays out but for now I'm just transferring all my URs to my CIP (and then my CSR once I have one) and continuing to operate as if nothing is changing.

 

[wendow]

I believe either @amalone1013 or @wendow just posted that it is not really closing, as told by waitstaff there.

@1st*toright @wendow was told by waitstaff they aren't closing a couple weeks ago. We are flying to Vegas tomorrow and plan to use it then. I haven't heard anything else really, I search it through Google News periodically.

Yes, we just used the Denver lounge both on departure and arrival last week. The server told us that the smoking lounge next door closed and word got out that Timberline was closing. He said it is not. It was PACKED with people both times we visited and had to wait 5-10 mins each time. Food was excellent both times.

 

[Lain]

Another random thought I had was if somebody had points on a CIP, CSP, and CSR and was trying to book a trip - are they really only going to let you use points from one card? And if they'll let you "combine" them towards a trip then...how does the IT handle that. And IF they cross that hurdle would the CSR be 1.5, and CSP and CIP by 1.25?

I was kind of thinking along those lines, too. Ok, if I can’t pool my points together onto one card, can I call up UR cruises and tours and book through them to apply points from different cards (e.g., my CSR and CIP)? And if they tell me no, what do you mean I can’t use my points for travel? If they’re going to enforce the no transferring up and keep the CIP points at 1.25x and CSR points at 1.5x, I think I might be ok with that, but to not be able to use all my points on a single redemption would really piss me off.

But agreed that these changes would shatter the current, mostly seamless, UR ecosystem and probably require a major recoding of their IT.

 

[Albort]

Yes, we just used the Denver lounge both on departure and arrival last week. The server told us that the smoking lounge next door closed and word got out that Timberline was closing. He said it is not. It was PACKED with people both times we visited and had to wait 5-10 mins each time. Food was excellent both times.

i originally thought the rumor was that they were closing down to expand.

 

[Lain]

At the very least, it will take a while to implement it and I don't think we'll have a surprise overnight change to the system.

Or... Chase could’ve already been working on this change for the last 10 months!

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

I was kind of thinking along those lines, too. Ok, if I can’t pool my points together onto one card, can I call up UR cruises and tours and book through them to apply points from different cards (e.g., my CSR and CIP)? And if they tell me no, what do you mean I can’t use my points for travel? If they’re going to enforce the no transferring up and keep the CIP points at 1.25x and CSR points at 1.5x, I think I might be ok with that, but to not be able to use all my points on a single redemption would really piss me off.

But agreed that these changes would shatter the current, mostly seamless, UR ecosystem and probably require a major recoding of their IT.

And I bet there are non-churners who have both an Ink Preferred and a CSR... A legit business owner that likes to travel is a good example. Do they want to upset good clients that probably are using the cards as they intended...no way I'll admit though, I am OVERLY optimistic on this stuff, it's just in my DNA, haha!

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Or... Chase could’ve already been working on this change for the last 10 months!

Don't you burst our bubble @Lain...LOL!

 

[wendow]

It has something to do with certain international flights coming in that are not screened to TSA's liking. They put up those walls to keep the 'clean' from 'dirty' people while the reroute them through security.

I spent much time looking into this because I really wanted to try the lounge at MCO but my husband would hate me forever if we had to go through security a second time. Basically anything that requires any extra contact with agents at MCO is a no go. LOL. But really, they are awful there. I literally heard one agent yell at a guy "Hey numnuts!" because he wasn't paying attention and let a gap go in front of him in the line. MCO makes precheck worth every penny.

Yes, the int'l thing is the problem there. My dh had to travel to Orlando for work and while going to MCO, he went to the wrong gates. When he took the train back, they made him go back through security because they told him he had mixed with people arriving int'l.

MCO TSA is the worst I've ever, ever seen. We've had multiple bad experiences and like your dh, I will not go through TSA twice there. It's just not worth it to me. When we came through this past Sept (on the day the airport was closing for Irma), it took well over an hour and they were just randomly pulling people from way back in the line and putting them ahead of those of us who had been waiting for 45 mins. They would just open a line and let a huge group go ahead. So disorganized. It was nuts. My oldest was using a wheelchair on that trip and it took 15-20 mins for anyone to 'check' the chair. Meanwhile we were about to miss our flight. Every time I asked if her chair could get looked at, they will give me the stink eye and pull another stroller ahead of us.

 

[wendow]

i originally thought the rumor was that they were closing down to expand.

The smoking lounge next door is sitting vacant. They could probably take over the space pretty easily. Server just said they are not closing. Maybe @amalone1013 can 'fish' for more info when she is there

 

[1st*toright]

Well I burned almost all my UR booking the Disneyland hotel for six nights. Earn and burn, right? Pretty sure I’m going to cancel the Marriott and Sheraton that I currently also have booked. SO just really wants to stay at the Disneyland hotel. It sucks it will be a construction zone when we go, but we will be back. I need some UR’s so we can stay onsite again when Star Wars Land opens the extra magic hour benefit would be great.

Since I need to replenish our stash of URs I applied SO for the CIC. He got the 30 day notice. I’m nervous because he just got the CIP in February, but is only 2/24. He also only has three Chase cards in the last 13 months. If he gets approved I’ll feel less guilty about burning through my URs.

This is what points are for! To do the travel you want to do for cheap/free. Compromise when you have to, but otherwise burn the points and enjoy the trip!

 

[brownhaired_girl]

Yup, I definitely agree with that too - and if they do announce a change then the r/churning loophole train will come shortly behind. When the 1 Sapphire rule came out they quickly worked through that. @Albort already has a working theory on PCing to make your points worth more. I'd guess people will try all kinds of theories on how to potentially work around a negative change and if it's possible we should find out about it. It will be interesting to see how it plays out but for now I'm just transferring all my URs to my CIP (and then my CSR once I have one) and continuing to operate as if nothing is changing.

I think I would have gotten worried about the change the other night when I first read it. But, my somewhat limited experience has been, when companies change rules smart people find a way to work around the new rules and still come out in fairly good shape. We have some VERY creative churners.

 

[DisneyMandC]

Yup, I definitely agree with that too - and if they do announce a change then the r/churning loophole train will come shortly behind. When the 1 Sapphire rule came out they quickly worked through that. @Albort already has a working theory on PCing to make your points worth more. I'd guess people will try all kinds of theories on how to potentially work around a negative change and if it's possible we should find out about it. It will be interesting to see how it plays out but for now I'm just transferring all my URs to my CIP (and then my CSR once I have one) and continuing to operate as if nothing is changing.

I did go ahead and transfer my URs from my CF to my CSP last night, just because I actually didn't know that was a thing everyone did! I haven't had a big need for URs lately so I've just been letting them accumulate on each card.

Or... Chase could’ve already been working on this change for the last 10 months!

Hey, no Negative Nancys in here!