Longtime lurker on this thread, lots of good info. I have a chase IHG question. Does it seem difficult to use the rewards, or am I doing something wrong? When I go to book, most of the hotels say that rewards night are not available. And if I choose flexible dates, there are usually none available all year! We stay in a lot of Holiday Inns on road trips because they are everywhere, and many have a pullout bed for our 5th person. Seemed like this would be a good choice but I can hardly find any that take the rewards nights (in spite of the "no blackout dates on rewards" that is listed under benefits). I've found amex Hilton to be really easy to book, although I feel like they use a lot more points.
Oops sorry, @Alexle2007 is right. You can transfer UR points to RR points online by yourself. If you're booking travel through the Chase portal, SW will not show up as a flight option but you can call Chase and book with UR points. That's what I was thinking of. I think you might earn RR points on your flight then because it's like paying with cash, but I'm not 100% on that.
A few pieces of information are needed to give an effective answer here:DH will only carry one card...don't get me started.
So question is, he is currently carrying csp for everything. Should I pc it to csr? We already have precheck. We don't go to any airports that have lounges. He does travel weekly for work though, so I am thinking the 3x points on that would make it worthwhile. Does he need to wait a certain amount of time before he can upgrade it?
A few pieces of information are needed to give an effective answer here:
- how much travel/restaurant spend does he put on the card annually?
- how much regular spend does he put on the card annually?
- do you (not him) have a CSR currently?
- how do you redeem your URs (travel portal, cashback or transfer to partners)?
I would think the math in your case strongly favors the CSR!! The extra point on travel is big. The kicker is all your URs gain additional value thru the portal since you could transfer your points to him.He prob spends a total of $5-8k a month on his cc. It is all work and personal mixed so I don't know how much is travel. He is out 1-4 nights a week...hotel, food for those nights...Few thousand a month probably.
I have a csp.
I used them to book a 1 night stay at wdw last week but that is my only use so far. I foresee more booking thru the portal unless it is specifically better to transfer, such as a Hyatt room or something.
I would think the math in your case strongly favors the CSR!! The extra point on travel is big. The kicker is all your URs gain additional value thru the portal since you could transfer your points to him.
I believe you need to wait 1 year to do a product change unfortunately.I didn't even think about transferring! Nice!
So I am not sure how long he has had the csp...9 mths maybe? Can I upgrade it now or do I need to wait?
I didn't even think about transferring! Nice!
So I am not sure how long he has had the csp...9 mths maybe? Can I upgrade it now or do I need to wait?
I will sm them and see what they say. Hard to believe they'd want to turn down the extra fees, but if so we will do it at the 12mth mark.it needs to be converted to the regular sapphire before it can become a freedom. I'm not sure about upgrades though.
I have no evidence personally that you need to wait the 12 months. I pulled that info from some blogs. Good luck! Hopefully they'll take your money lol.I will sm them and see what they say. Hard to believe they'd want to turn down the extra fees, but if so we will do it at the 12mth mark.
Oh nice! So is it better to call UR and book SW flights since UR points have better value? Can you still do cancellations and changes for free like with SW direct?
She wants to UPgrade to CSR, not Freedom.it needs to be converted to the regular sapphire before it can become a freedom. I'm not sure about upgrades though.
I think it was more a comment where @Albort was saying people often are switching to a Freedom so there's more DPs on that vs upgrading.She wants to UPgrade to CSR, not Freedom.
Good info although it pains me to see a MMS post used, lol.This is a good overview to compare values: https://millionmilesecrets.com/2017/03/12/chase-points-southwest-flights/
I believe that if you book with UR points and then cancel/change, it's treated like a cash booking and you get the travel voucher that's good for one year from booking date.
I always move them to my SW RR account since I am continuously checking pricing and my flights have typically decreased. I’d rather have the points then a SW voucher since I always book with points. I just got 3000 pts back for Punta Cana at Christmas.Oh nice! So is it better to call UR and book SW flights since UR points have better value? Can you still do cancellations and changes for free like with SW direct?
I would second this opinion! The flexibility with using points is unmatched. AND I find Southwest RR points to be worth 1.62 cpp vs the 1.5 you get thru the portal.I always move them to my SW RR account since I am continuously checking pricing and my flights have typically decreased. I’d rather have the points then a SW voucher since I always book with points. I just got 3000 pts back for Punta Cana at Christmas.
Yeah, sorry. Reading on my phone and skipping words. FacepalmI think it was more a comment where @Albort was saying people often are switching to a Freedom so there's more DPs on that vs upgrading.