I love credit cards so much! v5.0 - 2022 (see first page for add'l details)

[elgerber]

So that chase 5x offer on groceries and gas several people got. Do you think Costco
gas or Sams Club qualifies?

Gas yes, but Groceries no.

 

[StephPlum]

Do you like the Fairfield in twenty nine palms? I currently have it booked for 2 nights for a quick visit to Joshua tree during my Grand Canyon/ Disneyland trip in August.

Don’t need fancy, just clean and convenient. And it has a pool for the kiddos to burn some energy.

And yes I’m aware it will be surface of the sun hot in August lol.

We liked it. We were there 2 nights as well. Good location for visiting Joshua Tree. This was precovid (by a week) and breakfast was normal fare but sufficient for us.

 

[FreeDiningFanatic]

Thanks for the TR... what an amazing price on airfare.

Just looked at the ThatLou hunt, looks like fun specially if you include the Harry Potter hunt. but wow, that's pricey for a handbook. Maybe if I can find savings elsewhere, I might look into it.
Thanks for the pocket Wifi recommendation, we also hope to visit Japan (fingers crossed) in 2023 so purchasing a pocket Wifi might be smart.
Can't wait to read about your Italy trip.

I guess that is pricey at €22 per person. When I bought it (2019) my youngest was only 5 and it did really get him involved in a way he otherwise wouldn't have. Today he is in a selective art docent program (he's eight so that's probably an exaggeration, LOL) at school and said his favorite part of Paris was visiting the Louvre, so I guess it was a good investment!

When we were at the Louvre we saw that they have audio guides via Nintendo DS, which seemed really cool. I think your girls would be the perfect age for that, if I'm remembering correctly. The Nintendo DS are only €5 pp. That would be the way I would go if returning again.

 

[TheOneWithTheTriplets]

Gas yes, but Groceries no.

Agreed. We use both Costco and Sam's gas in our area and they code as such.

 

[afan]

How long has it been since you checked out? I checked out of a Hilton resort last Friday and the $250 resort credit only posted today. I've been paying attention and waiting for it to show up.

14th. But I also know credits from earlier in the month have been slow so I waited. When I saw people started getting their credits today I looked more and I imagine the category has more to do with it. Only 60 bucks but it's also part of the breakfast which I would have skipped without know I had resort credit to cover in addition to my breakfast credit. It wasn't worth what they covered with the breakfast credit nevermind the who amount. Ply I think my checkout day didn't credit nevermind I'd only used 1 of the 2 nights worth.

 

[jujubiee4]

Agreed. We use both Costco and Sam's gas in our area and they code as such.

Thank goodness! With current gas prices I literally plan my day and shopping with stores
close together. lol

 

[Albort]

Does Walmart and Target grocery pickup code as grocery/supermarket with AMEX or Chase? Does AMEX pull back points of you buy VGC from a supermarket?

Walmart Neighborhood stores and Walmart SuperCenters code as grocery stores on Visa and Master but not amex.
worth a test trial to see if it codes.

 

[havaneselover]

Tiny bonvoy dynamic pricing dp--I switched my hotel for visiting dd for Family Weekend in March. I have a 35k FNC I needed to use and booked a hotel at 30k points. After dynamic pricing it went to 21k. I found a nice new autograph hotel a mile for campus for 34k points (not sure what it was before dynamic pricing) so I switched. I couldn't use a 35k certificate on a 21k property. Even the Ritz-Carlton was only 47k points.

I also looked at the properties I booked in Europe for the summer. I booked London Edition for 60k points a night but it's not available for points. 700 GBP--yikes! I booked my hotel in Barcelona for $450 and used my Amex FHR $200 credit--that one is now 70k points which seems expensive.

 

[reliev]

Tiny bonvoy dynamic pricing dp--I switched my hotel for visiting dd for Family Weekend in March. I have a 35k FNC I needed to use and booked a hotel at 30k points. After dynamic pricing it went to 21k. I found a nice new autograph hotel a mile for campus for 34k points (not sure what it was before dynamic pricing) so I switched. I couldn't use a 35k certificate on a 21k property. Even the Ritz-Carlton was only 47k points.

I also looked at the properties I booked in Europe for the summer. I booked London Edition for 60k points a night but it's not available for points. 700 GBP--yikes! I booked my hotel in Barcelona for $450 and used my Amex FHR $200 credit--that one is now 70k points which seems expensive.

the thing is about dynamic pricing right now is it only affects 5-10% of properties when it hits 100% (next year) is what I feared, and I love my Amex fhr credit too this I still feel is very useful. I still am dreaming of a premium Hyatt card. hate to quote Barbra Streisand but someday somewhere somehow.. it will happen right

 

[havaneselover]

the thing is about dynamic pricing right now is it only affects 5-10% of properties when it hits 100% (next year) is what I feared, and I love my Amex fhr credit too this I still feel is very useful. I still am dreaming of a premium Hyatt card. hate to quote Barbra Streisand but someday somewhere somehow.. it will happen right

Interesting. The prices in atl were pretty much all very different from last week.

 

[Babars_Wife]

New Card Recommendation?

P1
7/2020 BoA personal (1/24)
1/2021 BIz
5/2021 Biz
10/2021 SW biz
12/2021 SW biz
3/2022 Chase United Explorer (2/24)
3/2022 AMEX Gold AU to P2's Amex Plat.
(goal, Chase biz when can do)

P2
5/2020 CSR (1/24)
10/2020 IHG biz
12/2020 Amex per. plat (2/24)
3/2021 Biz
7/2021 Biz
11/2021 Venture X (3/24)
1/2022 SW personal (4/24)
2/2022 SW biz.
(goal, April: Chase United)

I'm interested in currencies used for flights to Europe at the moment. Last year's average monthly spend towards MSR was $4,400. We have a big $4,000 expenditure coming up in May, plus we'll probably owe $3,000 in taxes (boohoo) I could pay with CC (woohoo)

 

[becauseimnew]

New Card Recommendation?

P1
7/2020 BoA personal (1/24)
1/2021 BIz
5/2021 Biz
10/2021 SW biz
12/2021 SW biz
3/2022 Chase United Explorer (2/24)
3/2022 AMEX Gold AU to P2's Amex Plat.
(goal, Chase biz when can do)

P2
5/2020 CSR (1/24)
10/2020 IHG biz
12/2020 Amex per. plat (2/24)
3/2021 Biz
7/2021 Biz
11/2021 Venture X (3/24)
1/2022 SW personal (4/24)
2/2022 SW biz.
(goal, April: Chase United)

I'm interested in currencies used for flights to Europe at the moment. Last year's average monthly spend towards MSR was $4,400. We have a big $4,000 expenditure coming up in May, plus we'll probably owe $3,000 in taxes (boohoo) I could pay with CC (woohoo)

I would probably go with the Amex Biz Plat if you can get the 150K MRs, we'll be using a big chunk of our MRs for international flights. Or if you can use AA for the Europe flights, you could each go with a Barclay Aviator Biz, 70K AA miles MSR is only $1K. Maybe you can do 2 Barclay Aviators and Amex Plat.

 

[FreeDiningFanatic]

New Card Recommendation?

P1
7/2020 BoA personal (1/24)
1/2021 BIz
5/2021 Biz
10/2021 SW biz
12/2021 SW biz
3/2022 Chase United Explorer (2/24)
3/2022 AMEX Gold AU to P2's Amex Plat.
(goal, Chase biz when can do)

P2
5/2020 CSR (1/24)
10/2020 IHG biz
12/2020 Amex per. plat (2/24)
3/2021 Biz
7/2021 Biz
11/2021 Venture X (3/24)
1/2022 SW personal (4/24)
2/2022 SW biz.
(goal, April: Chase United)

I'm interested in currencies used for flights to Europe at the moment. Last year's average monthly spend towards MSR was $4,400. We have a big $4,000 expenditure coming up in May, plus we'll probably owe $3,000 in taxes (boohoo) I could pay with CC (woohoo)

Amex's +5points on restaurants might be of interest here via supporting P2 to P1.

https://frequentmiler.com/new-amex-referral-bonus-5-points-at-restaurants-for-3-months/
But I think it's a solid plan to go for Chase biz cards

 

[reliev]

Interesting. The prices in atl were pretty much all very different from last week.

from what ive read on one mile he said its a small % now they are implementing peak/off peak buckets dynamic pricing has only affected aspirational and beach properties for the most part. Im not sure where he gets the information from but i gave up on the points guy it just always feels like a commerical.

 

[havaneselover]

from what ive read on one mile he said its a small % now they are implementing peak/off peak buckets dynamic pricing has only affected aspirational and beach properties for the most part. Im not sure where he gets the information from but i gave up on the points guy it just always feels like a commerical.

So weird. The property I had booked definitely wasn’t aspirational! It was element midtown atl and was 30k before dynamic pricing and is now 21k. But for that weekend almost all properties in the city went down with the change so I’m not really sure that makes sense. Who knows?

 

[Babars_Wife]

I would probably go with the Amex Biz Plat if you can get the 150K MRs, we'll be using a big chunk of our MRs for international flights. Or if you can use AA for the Europe flights, you could each go with a Barclay Aviator Biz, 70K AA miles MSR is only $1K. Maybe you can do 2 Barclay Aviators and Amex Plat.

*insert me rage crying* Both AA accounts are locked after the AA shutdown fiasco - not shut down, but not usable. No matter how many times we call them.

I did get that 150 for $15k spend popping up today. I'll look at it more carefully thank you!

 

[reliev]

So weird. The property I had booked definitely wasn’t aspirational! It was element midtown atl and was 30k before dynamic pricing and is now 21k. But for that weekend almost all properties in the city went down with the change so I’m not really sure that makes sense. Who knows?

my guess is off peak

I found out where he got it from flyer talk to quote him I was way off lol, I do know the 2 properties i book all the time were near the beach property.

the good news from this is its possible to even get a lower point redemption with this model although it seems like its going to be much harder, i also realize that my use case isn't the same as anyone elses.

To quote him

• With this system, award redemption rates will more closely align with the cash cost of a stay, and occupancy will also be factored in
• For stays in 2022, roughly 97% of hotels will continue to be priced between the current minimum and maximum number of points required
• For stays in 2022 at approximately 200 hotels (3% of the portfolio), the maximum points redemption rates will be higher than they currently are
• For stays in 2023 and beyond, there will no longer be a minimum or maximum number of points required at a particular hotel

 

[FreeDiningFanatic]

Mini Amex rant:
- It's been 9 weeks since I started a dispute about support points not posting correctly and still no resolution or ability to know status. Agent is requesting update as he sees the status as closed and to check back in 5 business days.
- Autopay randomly stops working. Again one of our accounts showed as past due ($3.55). What good is auto-pay if I can't rely on it?
- Zilch for retention offers on biz plat. I will likely need to PC or close in the next two weeks.

 

[*WDW*Groupie*]

For those who book hotels via Chase Rewards a word of caution. As previously mentioned I booked 1 night at the Sir Albert in Amsterdam on my CSP (to get the $50 hotel credit). I added the option of breakfast for an additional $41. But when I was at the hotel they were adamant that breakfast was not included in the rate. I made the mistake of doubting myself. Checked yesterday and I indeed paid for breakfast. Called URs and after 1h24m (speaking to a supervisor) on the phone they said there was nothing that they could do, so they gave me 4,000 points.

Also noticed that the carge somehow went through on my CFU (even though I booked on my CSP). Chase URs said that I had to call Chase member secrvices as there was nothing they could do (even though they could clearly see that the booking was made with my CSP). I called Chase this morning; CSR said there was nothing they could do and they would have to transfer me to UR. Since I knew that UR couldn't do anything I asked for a manager. The manager struggled to figure out how to fix the issue, but could not find a solution. She ended up giving me 5,000 URs and I still have the hotel credit on my CSP. I don't consider this a win since I spent over 2 hours on the phone to try to resolve the issues. The manager yesterday thought it might have something to do with the fact that on my profile (in the UR portal) the CFU is set as the 'default' card (I do not recall ever setting up a default card). I immediately deleted this; I still have no idea how a booking made on my CSP ended up being charged on my CFU, nor did Chase UR or Chase member services.

 

[ski_mom]

I was going through our monthly charges on mint.com and DH got a credit on his AmEx Plat card for $150. It says BOY VOYAGE DORAL as the description for the credit. We were near Doral Florida in March, but we stayed in a Hyatt. I tried googling and it brings up Marriotts in Doral Florida, but we definitely didn't stay there and I hadn't prepaid anything that I know of.

Anyway, just wondered if anyone has a clue what the credit might be for??