Author Topic: How Many Credit Cards Do You Have? (Read 1003394 times)

JavaCat · « **Reply #5250 on:** April 01, 2014, 09:40:58 PM »

Quote from: Mikeyis4dcats on March 20, 2014, 04:15:59 PM

Quote from: mocat on March 20, 2014, 04:00:52 PM
do you get to talk to a British person when you call BA?

yes, and it takes freaking for ever to get through.

That be the truth. Called tonight for the first time and it took probably 25 minutes before I got an agent (British girl!). Going to NYC in May. Flying out on Friday and returning on Tuesday. Tons of flights were showing on AA, but only 1 of the 4 segments showed up on BA's site. Called and was able to book all flights. Told me there would be a $25 booking fee per passenger and I asked to have it waived since the flights weren't showing up on their site. She put me on hold for like 5 seconds and said she could waive it so only have to pay the $20 taxes.

So yeah, to back up what's already been said...long time getting an agent, British person, phone booking fee waived, and flights showing on AA were available by calling. I love this thread so much. San Fran, Costa Rica, and NYC in the last year and a half due to credit cards with many more places on the horizon!

SpudCat · « **Reply #5251 on:** April 08, 2014, 04:45:50 PM »

Are we sure SD is okay after the AA devaluation today? Ouch, this one stings. No notice at all.

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steve dave · « **Reply #5252 on:** April 09, 2014, 08:51:50 AM »

Quote from: SpudCat on April 08, 2014, 04:45:50 PM

Are we sure SD is okay after the AA devaluation today? Ouch, this one stings. No notice at all.

changes were pretty meh for me. gateway city stopovers being taken away was kinda sucky. I never flew an explorer route though I guess I liked the idea of it and had kinda planned to give it a whirl in a few years. the new award chart is pretty meh unless they make the anytime low level award almost impossible to book and it essentially becomes just a raising of the higher level anytime award. either way, I usually book saver because I plan travel pretty far out so it's not huge. everyone on the blogs was butthurt because they didn't give them a lead up and just implemented the change. I didn't care about that because I wasn't planning to book any new travel in the next couple months.

WonderMeal · « **Reply #5253 on:** April 09, 2014, 10:03:03 PM »

Can someone (Steve Dave, RowdyBoyy, etc) give me a good explanation of Amex Membership Rewards?

Do you strictly use them to transfer to other hotel/airline programs, and are the conversion rates good?

And how do they compare to (obv) stud boss king Ultimate Rewards?

steve dave · « **Reply #5254 on:** April 10, 2014, 07:17:43 AM »

Quote from: WonderMeal on April 09, 2014, 10:03:03 PM

Can someone (Steve Dave, RowdyBoyy, etc) give me a good explanation of Amex Membership Rewards?

Do you strictly use them to transfer to other hotel/airline programs, and are the conversion rates good?

And how do they compare to (obv) stud boss king Ultimate Rewards?

they are just like UR points but have different transfer partners. the transfer partners are just considered to be worse than UR. United and Hyatt for UR are really good.

kitten_mittons · « **Reply #5255 on:** April 20, 2014, 05:51:21 PM »

So is the 70k marriott visa a good choice? Seems that way.

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Skipper44 · « **Reply #5256 on:** April 20, 2014, 05:58:17 PM »

Quote from: steve dave on March 20, 2014, 06:40:34 PM

Quote from: Rick RowdyBoyy Daris on March 20, 2014, 06:01:34 PM
ok now how honest to god nice is this kauai place? like, that nice? i have problems believing it.

It's nice, but being nice isn't what's great. For a family of four like some family's of four I know it may be the greatest home base for the most elite tropical vacation I could ever imagine. Like, I'm pretty much planning the next 10'ish years of my life to acquire the two children necessary to make this happen every year from then on. Amazing beach and hike right outside the resort, amazing regular and saltwater pools, cannot be crowded because of the setup, amazing locale, it checks every box except being close.

which Kauai resort is this?

steve dave · « **Reply #5257 on:** April 20, 2014, 06:12:35 PM »

Grand Hyatt Kauai

michigancat · « **Reply #5258 on:** April 23, 2014, 11:01:10 AM »

attn: @stevedave - so I didn't realize my hyatt card bonus nights were only valid for a year, so I'm scrambling to find 4 nights at a Hyatt, and I'd like them to be at a baller hyatt.

Your challenge:

4 nights at a baller hyatt (and only 4 days)
cheapest economy availability using Avios or United miles (I would be able to go to about anywhere w/ either of these)
Must be used before November 30

Right now Paris in October or November looks pretty good, but I may have a big work trip in October which kind of complicates things and I'm up for ideas that are maybe a little closer.

steve dave · « **Reply #5259 on:** April 23, 2014, 12:57:13 PM »

Quote from: michigancat on April 23, 2014, 11:01:10 AM

attn: @stevedave - so I didn't realize my hyatt card bonus nights were only valid for a year, so I'm scrambling to find 4 nights at a Hyatt, and I'd like them to be at a baller hyatt.

Your challenge:

4 nights at a baller hyatt (and only 4 days)
cheapest economy availability using Avios or United miles (I would be able to go to about anywhere w/ either of these)
Must be used before November 30

Right now Paris in October or November looks pretty good, but I may have a big work trip in October which kind of complicates things and I'm up for ideas that are maybe a little closer.

avios to Maui and staying at the Andaz Maui would be a pretty elite 4 days given your direct flights and the eliteness of the hotel. and, yeah, anywhere in europe would be great but it just doesn't seem worth it to spend two complete days flying there from the west coast to just stay 4 nights.

steve dave · « **Reply #5260 on:** April 23, 2014, 01:02:12 PM »

Park Hyatt Sydney? Fly from OAK via HNL for only 37.5k Avios each way?

http://boardingarea.com/pointsmilesandmartinis/2012/10/martinis-down-underpark-hyatt-sydney-part-i/

michigancat · « **Reply #5261 on:** April 23, 2014, 01:07:54 PM »

Quote from: steve dave on April 23, 2014, 12:57:13 PM

Quote from: michigancat on April 23, 2014, 11:01:10 AM
attn: @stevedave - so I didn't realize my hyatt card bonus nights were only valid for a year, so I'm scrambling to find 4 nights at a Hyatt, and I'd like them to be at a baller hyatt.

Your challenge:

4 nights at a baller hyatt (and only 4 days)
cheapest economy availability using Avios or United miles (I would be able to go to about anywhere w/ either of these)
Must be used before November 30

Right now Paris in October or November looks pretty good, but I may have a big work trip in October which kind of complicates things and I'm up for ideas that are maybe a little closer.

avios to Maui and staying at the Andaz Maui would be a pretty elite 4 days given your direct flights and the eliteness of the hotel. and, yeah, anywhere in europe would be great but it just doesn't seem worth it to spend two complete days flying there from the west coast to just stay 4 nights.

avios availability to Hawaii b/w now and November 30 is pretty sparse. We also considered the Cabo (ha!) all-inclusive because 3 hour flight and low out of pocket cost if no mileage availability.

steve dave · « **Reply #5262 on:** April 23, 2014, 01:10:09 PM »

oh yeah, forgot they bought those all inclusives. do they take the free nights? that would be a great deal if so.

michigancat · « **Reply #5263 on:** April 23, 2014, 01:23:53 PM »

Quote from: steve dave on April 23, 2014, 01:10:09 PM

oh yeah, forgot they bought those all inclusives. do they take the free nights? that would be a great deal if so.

Yes!

http://boardingarea.com/mommypoints/2013/11/07/can-you-use-your-free-hyatt-credit-card-nights-at-all-inclusive-properties/#sthash.soDgAy7L.dpbs

If I did Sydney, I'd take the direct from SFO. 80k miles RT isn't bad, but it would be even more of a stretch time wise.

michigancat · « **Reply #5264 on:** April 23, 2014, 01:30:34 PM »

Actually, I can't find any availability. eff.

Trim · « **Reply #5265 on:** April 23, 2014, 02:04:54 PM »

Go to a slightly less baller hyatt and just look at the ballerness differential as the tradeoff for being able to spend more time there and less points/money getting there.

michigancat · « **Reply #5266 on:** April 23, 2014, 02:06:40 PM »

Quote from: Trim on April 23, 2014, 02:04:54 PM

Go to a slightly less baller hyatt and just look at the ballerness differential as the tradeoff for being able to spend more time there and less points/money getting there.

Well, the 4 night thing is more driven by my vacation days than anything. I'd consider New York in the states, but that's about it.

Trim · « **Reply #5267 on:** April 23, 2014, 02:16:18 PM »

I know, but like RP would say, I'll never begrudge 4 free and full days and nights in new york.

steve dave · « **Reply #5268 on:** April 23, 2014, 02:43:39 PM »

Quote from: michigancat on April 23, 2014, 02:06:40 PM

Quote from: Trim on April 23, 2014, 02:04:54 PM
Go to a slightly less baller hyatt and just look at the ballerness differential as the tradeoff for being able to spend more time there and less points/money getting there.

Well, the 4 night thing is more driven by my vacation days than anything. I'd consider New York in the states, but that's about it.

using them at the new Park Hyatt in NYC would be an incredible use of 4 free nights

michigancat · « **Reply #5269 on:** April 23, 2014, 02:48:58 PM »

yeah, the only downside is there's a definite NYC trip about a year from now and we've both done NYC.

Trim · « **Reply #5270 on:** April 23, 2014, 02:49:30 PM »

I see what you're saying now. I mean be able to spend more time at the destination and less time traveling within the 4 days you have.

michigancat · « **Reply #5271 on:** April 23, 2014, 03:20:47 PM »

Quote from: Trim on April 23, 2014, 02:49:30 PM

I see what you're saying now. I mean be able to spend more time at the destination and less time traveling within the 4 days you have.

yeah I think Cabo is probably best for that.

Tokyo also would be a bad option. It's an 11 hour direct to SFO, which isn't THAT much longer than a flight with connections to NYC.

steve dave · « **Reply #5272 on:** April 23, 2014, 03:47:59 PM »

Tokyo Park Hyatt is supposedly elite AF. Filmed lost in translation there! One of the 10'ish movies I've seen in the last decade!

420seriouscat69 · « **Reply #5273 on:** April 23, 2014, 03:51:26 PM »

I obtained over 12,000 points over the last 3 months using my card to pay bills off and turning around and paying my card off as soon as I got paid. Trip to marco will be on southwest.

mocat · « **Reply #5274 on:** April 23, 2014, 03:55:43 PM »

nice job fan_MAN