How Many Credit Cards Do You Have?

[michigancat]

OK, got it worked out and I will be fine, considering I was kind of scrambling.

First off, United just let me cancel my ticket w/o a change fee. It's travel funds, but I'm sure I'll use them no problem.

Taking a redeye from SFO to IAD and then IAD to CUN on United for 17.5k (economy saver) each, get into CUN at 9am. Had to use a few Sapphire points but well worth it IMO.

On the return, had two main options:

12.5k AA points/ticket (which I had), leave at 1:00pm, get to SFO at 10pm
13.5k SW points/ticket (which required 22k Sapphire points) but leave CUN at 4:15pm and fly into Oakland at 11:30 instead.

I went w/ good ole southwest.

One question though - United hit me w/ a $50/ticket booking fee for award travel w/in 21 days. Because of the circumstances (weather) any chance I could get them to wave it? It's a separate reservation so I doubt it.

[steve dave]

I'm plat with Marriott, if I call Hyatt will they status match me to diamond?  Thinking of doing it to help upgrade chances in Kauai in a couple weeks.

Yes, for a trial period and then if you have a ton of stays they will let you keep it

[steve dave]

OK, got it worked out and I will be fine, considering I was kind of scrambling.

First off, United just let me cancel my ticket w/o a change fee. It's travel funds, but I'm sure I'll use them no problem.

Taking a redeye from SFO to IAD and then IAD to CUN on United for 17.5k (economy saver) each, get into CUN at 9am. Had to use a few Sapphire points but well worth it IMO.

On the return, had two main options:

12.5k AA points/ticket (which I had), leave at 1:00pm, get to SFO at 10pm
13.5k SW points/ticket (which required 22k Sapphire points) but leave CUN at 4:15pm and fly into Oakland at 11:30 instead.

I went w/ good ole southwest.

One question though - United hit me w/ a $50/ticket booking fee for award travel w/in 21 days. Because of the circumstances (weather) any chance I could get them to wave it? It's a separate reservation so I doubt it.

Maybe since the rebooking was connected to the other cancellation that they waived

[GoodForAnother]

I'm plat with Marriott, if I call Hyatt will they status match me to diamond?  Thinking of doing it to help upgrade chances in Kauai in a couple weeks.

Yes, for a trial period and then if you have a ton of stays they will let you keep it

I won't have any stays with them but I'll do it anyway 

[steve dave]

I'm plat with Marriott, if I call Hyatt will they status match me to diamond?  Thinking of doing it to help upgrade chances in Kauai in a couple weeks.

Yes, for a trial period and then if you have a ton of stays they will let you keep it

I won't have any stays with them but I'll do it anyway 

it's nice to have there (because of lounge and spa access)

[Dr Rick Daris]

haven't had an spg amex in over a year but got a $200 check from them the other day saying that it was compensation or something for not previously applying points spg points in a timely manner or something. am i being hacked?

[GoodForAnother]

I'm plat with Marriott, if I call Hyatt will they status match me to diamond?  Thinking of doing it to help upgrade chances in Kauai in a couple weeks.

Yes, for a trial period and then if you have a ton of stays they will let you keep it

I won't have any stays with them but I'll do it anyway 

it's nice to have there (because of lounge and spa access)

sweet, I'm about to call them and do that, ask them to change my wife's last name on our reservation and also inform them it's our honeymoon so they give us their free honeymoon stuff.  will report back with any adorable Hyatt phone rep quotes.

[GoodForAnother]

rep: hi this is sandy, how can I help you?
gfa: hi sandy, I have three things I need to talk to you about today
rep: three?  wow!

[steve dave]

haven't had an spg amex in over a year but got a $200 check from them the other day saying that it was compensation or something for not previously applying points spg points in a timely manner or something. am i being hacked?

I did as well. we discussed briefly ITT. it's legit. flyertalk confirmed. they had an audit and are sending checks to a bunch of delta and spg and other previous cardholders.

[steve dave]

I'm plat with Marriott, if I call Hyatt will they status match me to diamond?  Thinking of doing it to help upgrade chances in Kauai in a couple weeks.

Yes, for a trial period and then if you have a ton of stays they will let you keep it

I won't have any stays with them but I'll do it anyway 

it's nice to have there (because of lounge and spa access)

sweet, I'm about to call them and do that, ask them to change my wife's last name on our reservation and also inform them it's our honeymoon so they give us their free honeymoon stuff.  will report back with any adorable Hyatt phone rep quotes.

their call center is in omaha. omaha is like the silicon valley of united states call centers because the accent here is considered to be the most neutral in the states. fun actual fact for non-omaha'ans.

[GoodForAnother]

was just about to comment that their fax number is 402.  apparently my wife's last name isn't worth worrying about, but they are matching me to diamond and noted that it's our honeymoon so we get some champagne or w/e.  think I will do the same thing with starwood for the night at the st regis.

[GoodForAnother]

nm starwood evidently doesn't give you the status until you complete the challenge.  what a bunch of dicks.

[steve dave]

was just about to comment that their fax number is 402.  apparently my wife's last name isn't worth worrying about, but they are matching me to diamond and noted that it's our honeymoon so we get some champagne or w/e.  think I will do the same thing with starwood for the night at the st regis.

as a diamond you get to choose some stuff at check in as well. we got a cheese and snack tray and a bucket of hawaiin beers delivered to the room and then got a free covered lounge rental at the pool.

[GoodForAnother]

was just about to comment that their fax number is 402.  apparently my wife's last name isn't worth worrying about, but they are matching me to diamond and noted that it's our honeymoon so we get some champagne or w/e.  think I will do the same thing with starwood for the night at the st regis.

as a diamond you get to choose some stuff at check in as well. we got a cheese and snack tray and a bucket of hawaiin beers delivered to the room and then got a free covered lounge rental at the pool.

I like all of that

[CNS]

IHG offering 60k pts in a CC offer.  Spend $1000 in three months.  I mean, sounds super easy, but is 60k of IHG points even worth much?  Also, one night free stay per year.

[steve dave]

IHG offering 60k pts in a CC offer.  Spend $1000 in three months.  I mean, sounds super easy, but is 60k of IHG points even worth much?  Also, one night free stay per year.

that's about standard. they are worth probably more than Hilton and about equal to marriott points. pretty meh. easy to get top tier status though (but it's pretty meh as well). I think they usually have a 70k offer floating around.

[GoodForAnother]

IHG had some pretty cheap redemptions last I looked but it was a couple years ago

[Dr Rick Daris]

pretty sure there is always an 80 ihg offer that's always out there. maybe google it if you want an ihg card.

also, two hundred dollars is a pretty good amount of money for whatever amex didn't do quite right but i'll def take it.

[michigancat]

I had a lovely conversation w/ both the United and Hyatt reps. The United rep told me that I could use the funds from my cancellation to go to Asia, Paris, or wherever. Then he tried to sell me on visiting Normandy beach when I went to Paris.

The Hyatt lady flat out told me that Hyatt all-inclusives don't require a deposit, so next time I should just book a bunch of dates and cancel the ones I don't want like you can on a regular hotel. Not sure if every all-inclusive has this policy but it seemed funny that the Hyatt rep was encouraging this practice.

[michigancat]

Also, I'm going to hate the new United dollar-based mileage earning. I have enough miles for silver in 2014 but not enough dollars (and probably won't). My last trip earned me 17122 miles on a $920 ticket, which ain't gonna happen next year.

[steve dave]

yeah, hyatt phone reps are absolutely BITB. you maybe got re-routed to a hyatt rep with that United call. united people are usually awful and require a lot of hand holding. maybe they just improved their call center recently.

[Tobias]

sounds like i need to go out to that mailbox thing and see if i won some money

[sys]

IHG offering 60k pts in a CC offer.  Spend $1000 in three months.  I mean, sounds super easy, but is 60k of IHG points even worth much?  Also, one night free stay per year.

i think you can find 90k if you look.  you used to could, anyways.

[sys]

80k, i guess.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/chase-ultimate-rewards/1282804-80k-points-no-fee-1st-yr-ihg-rewards-priority-club-visa-mc.html

[sys]

the 80k btw is worth at least $400.  possibly more like $600 if you redeem well.