I love credit cards so much! v4.0 - 2021 (see first page for add'l details)

[gottalovepluto]

My FIL's AF on his Delta Amex just hit. Given his medical situation, he's barely using it but he's got 500k points on his Delta account which his sons want to use, I'd like to keep it if possible, but not for $250. Has anyone had luck calling in for a retention offer? Or is there a card we can downgrade to?

You can downgrade to any other Delta card, remember no bonus points for him on that card in the future if you pick a card he hasn't had before to downgrade to. If he can't really fly right now the only card that makes sense is the no annual fee delta card, doing this would keep his ability to purchase any flight using miles while not forcing him to pay an annual fee and the bonus is total crap so you'd never have him sign up for that card anyway.

 

[Hoosier John]

The problem with that is you may already have been automatically signed up for the plan if you got your gold card in the last year and a half. They were offering MR's for people who had not signed up who had the card before the plan came out. Mine was auto enrolled when I got it. That didn't mean you had to use it, just that it was already listed as a possible benefit on your card. If I understood correctly at the time, I could have unenrolled and tried to wait for it to be offered or something like that.

If I remember correctly, when I went to enroll, I got a popup that said 'you are already enrolled'.

You nailed it! The Gold card is less than a year old, and apparently I was automatically enrolled. Thanks!

 

[palhockeymomof2]

Can I change the SW companion via Twitter?

I’ve changed mine online

 

[havaneselover]

Give up their row 1 seat for a nauseous passenger? Unfortunately I've been sick of my fair share of planes and that was never a suggestion they threw at me or that I've heard regarding anyone else either. In a car sure, but it's not like you can look straight ahead in a plane and see where the road is going.

It was before we even took off. My thought was during a global pandemic I’d rather not be sitting near someone feeling nauseous.

 

[afan]

Flight attendant asked the people in row one if they would give up their seat for a nauseous passenger. Um, gross. Please no. No one would and the flight attendant was irritated.

Hard pass. How do I know the person actually has that issue. Also buy early boarding or whatever. To me that's no different than the couple that bought basic econ and aren't seated together expecting me to move to the back so they can sit together. Nope, I picked my seat, even on SW, and you can't have it. You want a specific seat or to sit together then pay for it. I buy main cabin for this reason.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

Thank you! I need to look into this since we just moved over to T-Mobile service.

Don't forget you get Netflix free too with T-Mobile

 

[gottalovepluto]

It was before we even took off. My thought was during a global pandemic I’d rather not be sitting near someone feeling nauseous.

OMG WHAT? I’d be reporting that to the airline. Absolutely ridiculous- both the FA asking a passenger in row 1 to move before the plane even took off and the airline flying someone they knew was possibly sick are ridiculous.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

OMG WHAT? I’d be reporting that to the airline. Absolutely ridiculous- both the FA asking a passenger in row 1 to move before the plane even took off and the airline flying someone they knew was possibly sick are ridiculous.

Right? Clearly not airsick since not even flying. But aren't they supposed to be screening for illness? They could have COVID or worse.

 

[punkin]

If you have access to his online account, you can use chat to check for a retention offer or even downgrade to a no fee card. Even if he cancels the delta card, he will still keep the miles.

I do have access. How can I check for a retention offer online?

 

[elgerber]

You can downgrade to any other Delta card, remember no bonus points for him on that card in the future if you pick a card he hasn't had before to downgrade to. If he can't really fly right now the only card that makes sense is the no annual fee delta card, doing this would keep his ability to purchase any flight using miles while not forcing him to pay an annual fee and the bonus is total crap so you'd never have him sign up for that card anyway.

Delta miles never expire. Why not just cancel the card?

 

[StephPlum]

Still working on plans for Glacier NP in July/Aug.

They are requiring reservations to travel GTTSR. I do have 3 nights in the park in hotels that will have GTTSR reservations attached. So I am guaranteed to be able to enter and travel the road. But might have to change some of my plans if I can't get a reservation for the day I want to travel to Many Glacier. Lots of road work and delays expected. I am excited but not as much as I would have thought. I think I need to reset my expectations that this won't be a perfect trip.

Rental cars are now very expensive. I have at least one back up booked. I did just check and I was able to save $8 today by rebooking. I was actually surprise to see availability and a slight reduction in the cost today.

Hotels: I know most do not find benefit on their Amex Bonvoy Biz with $125 fee. But I got a great deal in Whitefish - regular price in July $354, 30K points. Using my FNC for one night and points for a second. I just checked and the hotel says sold out for my nights. Does it even make sense to try to use my suite awards for being Platinum? I assume if they are sold out, nothing to upgrade me to.
For my in park hotels, going to finally use my CapOne Venture miles that were targeted for this use in 2020. That will cover $760 of the $878 bill.
For nights after and before the flight, used URs to book hotels.

Total for hotels looks like a cost of $2,600 and my OOP will be $118+$125(AF) =$243.

I really hope this trip happens!

Question buried in there in case you want to skip my trip ramblings: If the Marriott hotel is sold out, does it even make sense to try to use my suite awards for being Platinum? I assume if they are sold out, nothing to upgrade me to.

 

[punkin]

Delta miles never expire. Why not just cancel the card?

Is that true? I know my FIL seems to think he gets some benefit from the card. He's confused so he may be wrong.

 

[atxbound]

Is that true? I know my FIL seems to think he gets some benefit from the card. He's confused so he may be wrong.

Free checked bag, earlier access boarding group and pay with miles are the benefits.

 

[elgerber]

Free checked bag, earlier access boarding group and pay with miles are the benefits.

Yes those are benefits. But you don’t get those with the free card.

 

[punkin]

Yes those are benefits. But you don’t get those with the free card.

I might just cancel

 

[GlamMistress]

Only the Amex Green has a general travel spending category, I guessing it wouldn't count. Or are you thinking of the TSA pre credit that many cards come with?

Not credit. I was specifically thinking of the Green. I suppose you are right in that it wouldn't count as "travel" per se.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Yes those are benefits. But you don’t get those with the free card.

You can still pay with miles with the free card.

 

[WVMomof3]

Still working on plans for Glacier NP in July/Aug.

They are requiring reservations to travel GTTSR. I do have 3 nights in the park in hotels that will have GTTSR reservations attached. So I am guaranteed to be able to enter and travel the road. But might have to change some of my plans if I can't get a reservation for the day I want to travel to Many Glacier. Lots of road work and delays expected. I am excited but not as much as I would have thought. I think I need to reset my expectations that this won't be a perfect trip.

Rental cars are now very expensive. I have at least one back up booked. I did just check and I was able to save $8 today by rebooking. I was actually surprise to see availability and a slight reduction in the cost today.

Hotels: I know most do not find benefit on their Amex Bonvoy Biz with $125 fee. But I got a great deal in Whitefish - regular price in July $354, 30K points. Using my FNC for one night and points for a second. I just checked and the hotel says sold out for my nights. Does it even make sense to try to use my suite awards for being Platinum? I assume if they are sold out, nothing to upgrade me to.
For my in park hotels, going to finally use my CapOne Venture miles that were targeted for this use in 2020. That will cover $760 of the $878 bill.
For nights after and before the flight, used URs to book hotels.

Total for hotels looks like a cost of $2,600 and my OOP will be $118+$125(AF) =$243.

I really hope this trip happens!

Question buried in there in case you want to skip my trip ramblings: If the Marriott hotel is sold out, does it even make sense to try to use my suite awards for being Platinum? I assume if they are sold out, nothing to upgrade me to.

I haven't successfully used mine yet, but I have some applied to our next trip. I was of the understanding that if the request could not be accommodated then I would just get those suite night awards back. So if that is the case, then it couldn't hurt to try. But I guess I am not 100% on that. I think when I applied mine it said it would let me know within 5 days of my reservation if my request was filled.

 

[Alexle2007]

Don't forget you get Netflix free too with T-Mobile

Yeah, DH has another account. We already get Netflix with our Xfinity service so that wasn’t really a perk we needed.

 

[Alexle2007]

Still working on plans for Glacier NP in July/Aug.

They are requiring reservations to travel GTTSR. I do have 3 nights in the park in hotels that will have GTTSR reservations attached. So I am guaranteed to be able to enter and travel the road. But might have to change some of my plans if I can't get a reservation for the day I want to travel to Many Glacier. Lots of road work and delays expected. I am excited but not as much as I would have thought. I think I need to reset my expectations that this won't be a perfect trip.

Rental cars are now very expensive. I have at least one back up booked. I did just check and I was able to save $8 today by rebooking. I was actually surprise to see availability and a slight reduction in the cost today.

Hotels: I know most do not find benefit on their Amex Bonvoy Biz with $125 fee. But I got a great deal in Whitefish - regular price in July $354, 30K points. Using my FNC for one night and points for a second. I just checked and the hotel says sold out for my nights. Does it even make sense to try to use my suite awards for being Platinum? I assume if they are sold out, nothing to upgrade me to.
For my in park hotels, going to finally use my CapOne Venture miles that were targeted for this use in 2020. That will cover $760 of the $878 bill.
For nights after and before the flight, used URs to book hotels.

Total for hotels looks like a cost of $2,600 and my OOP will be $118+$125(AF) =$243.

I really hope this trip happens!

Question buried in there in case you want to skip my trip ramblings: If the Marriott hotel is sold out, does it even make sense to try to use my suite awards for being Platinum? I assume if they are sold out, nothing to upgrade me to.

I used a couple of suite nights in HI. If the request doesn’t come through you will get the nights returned so you don’t have anything to lose by trying.