How Many Credit Cards Do You Have?

[steve dave]

Here are some options to Bangkok (same date as above and again, from ORD, as you will have to find an AA flight from MCI to ORD and have them lump it in your itinerary when you call to book)

Outbound
Chicago - Bangkok - Saturday 2 March 2013
Search up to 7 days earlierSearch up to 7 days later
Depart
Arrive
Flight Operating Airline
Class of travel
 
 
10:15 2 Mar
ORD
14:30 3 Mar
NRT
Japan Airlines
JL0009
Economy
    

Only 4 reward flight seat(s) left in this class
18:05 3 Mar
NRT
22:40 3 Mar
BKK
Japan Airlines
JL0707
Economy
Only 4 reward flight seat(s) left in this class
1 flight connection, total journey time: 23 hours 25 minutes.


Inbound
Bangkok - Chicago - Monday 11 March 2013
Search up to 7 days earlierSearch up to 7 days later
Depart
Arrive
Flight Operating Airline
Class of travel
 
 
08:05 11 Mar
BKK
16:15 11 Mar
NRT
Japan Airlines
JL0708
Economy
    

Only 4 reward flight seat(s) left in this class
18:45 11 Mar
NRT
16:35 11 Mar
ORD
American Airlines
AA0154
Economy
Only 7 reward flight seat(s) left in this class
1 flight connection, total journey time: 20 hours 30 minutes.
23:00 11 Mar
BKK
06:55 12 Mar
HND
Japan Airlines
JL0034
Economy
    

Only 4 reward flight seat(s) left in this class
11:00 12 Mar
NRT
08:45 12 Mar
ORD
Japan Airlines
JL0010
Economy
Only 4 reward flight seat(s) left in this class
The cost of travel between airports is not included in your fare.
1 flight connection, total journey time: 21 hours 45 minutes.
23:00 11 Mar
BKK
07:10 12 Mar
NRT
Japan Airlines
JL0718
Economy
    

Only 4 reward flight seat(s) left in this class
11:00 12 Mar
NRT
08:45 12 Mar
ORD
Japan Airlines
JL0010
Economy
Only 4 reward flight seat(s) left in this class
1 flight connection, total journey time: 21 hours 45 minutes.
08:25 11 Mar
BKK
12:10 11 Mar
HKG
Cathay Pacific Airways
CX0700
Economy
    

Only 5 reward flight seat(s) left in this class
13:00 11 Mar
HKG
15:20 11 Mar
PVG
Dragonair
KA0874
Economy
Only 5 reward flight seat(s) left in this class
18:00 11 Mar
PVG
18:30 11 Mar
ORD
American Airlines
AA0288
Economy
Only 7 reward flight seat(s) left in this class
2 flight connection, total journey time: 22 hours 05 minutes.

There were more options outbound the next day and you can play with different weekends to get the flights and time you want.  On this particular day there wasn't Cathay availability outbound but they were available the next day and probably various other saturdays in your timeframe.  that's probably about as close as you are going to get via One World airlines.  But you should be able to hop a Thai Airlines flight for pretty cheap from there.  Unfortunately Thai is a Star Alliance partner so you can't add it to the end of this itenerary.  If you have US Air or United miles you could use them on the Thai Airlines flight but it will probably be reasonably priced.   Bangkok air is the other carrier that flys there.  here's the carriers and where they service from:

Bangkok Airways   Bangkok-Suvarnabhumi, Chiang Mai, Hong Kong, Krabi, Kuala Lumpur, Pattaya-U-Tapao, Phuket, Singapore
Firefly   Kuala Lumpur-Subang, Penang [begins 11 August 2012]
Silk Air   Singapore
Thai Airways International   Bangkok-Suvarnabhumi

[kim carnes]

I feel like a Fake Sugar Dick (WARNING, NOT THE REAL SUGAR DICK!) here, but how do you see how many AA points a flight cost on the british airways website?  the only thing i can get to work is avios points.

[steve dave]

They all cost the same for each zone (using AA miles, avios are different).

[Dr Rick Daris]

I feel like a respect here, but how do you see how many AA points a flight cost on the british airways website?  the only thing i can get to work is avios points.

using aa points to fly on ba costs the same amount of aa points as it would to fly on aa. does that answer your question?

[kim carnes]

The link for the 100k virgin Atlantic card is dead.   

[steve dave]

Yeah, I don't think I've ever seen a live 100k virgin link

[sys]

Is there a reason you chose kuala lampur as the end destination?

http://observers.france24.com/content/20101207-johnson-johnson-seminary-malaysia-hitler-nazi-costume

[kim carnes]

They all cost the same for each zone (using AA miles, avios are different).

The flights from ORD to Bangkok were 70k as well?  When I was booking earlier it said 100k Avios

[Trim]

Is there a reason you chose kuala lampur as the end destination?

http://observers.france24.com/content/20101207-johnson-johnson-seminary-malaysia-hitler-nazi-costume

[steve dave]

They all cost the same for each zone (using AA miles, avios are different).

The flights from ORD to Bangkok were 70k as well?  When I was booking earlier it said 100k Avios

Yeah, you are going to have to ignore the avios figure. They aren't the same and cant be used in combination with the AA award booking. Avios are calculated on mileage flown and AA are based on zones (in this instance US to Asia II). Google AA partner awards and you can see their award chart.

EDIT: here it is

http://www.aa.com/i18n/disclaimers/aadvantageAllPartnerChart.jsp

[steve dave]

day 85 of Hyatt diamond status you guys.  was supposed to be 60.  my first guess that it would disapear on the first of the month came and went.  new guess is that I get a 30 day buffer at the end of the 60 so it will go in 5 days.  what a wild, wild ride. 

[steve dave]

They all cost the same for each zone (using AA miles, avios are different).

The flights from ORD to Bangkok were 70k as well?  When I was booking earlier it said 100k Avios

Yeah, you are going to have to ignore the avios figure. They aren't the same and cant be used in combination with the AA award booking. Avios are calculated on mileage flown and AA are based on zones (in this instance US to Asia II). Google AA partner awards and you can see their award chart.

EDIT: here it is

http://www.aa.com/i18n/disclaimers/aadvantageAllPartnerChart.jsp

you can also get a stopover in your US gateway city.  so, if you want to spend a day or two in chicago (or LA or whichever US city you leave the country out of) on your way to Asia you can do that with no additional points cost.  Star Alliance is easier to get Stopovers and Open Jaws all over the itenerary.  One World flights only allow them out of the US gateway city.  don't know if you would even be interested but thought I'd add that.

[Dr Rick Daris]

day 85 of Hyatt diamond status you guys.  was supposed to be 60.  my first guess that it would disapear on the first of the month came and went.  new guess is that I get a 30 day buffer at the end of the 60 so it will go in 5 days.  what a wild, wild ride.

come on. just hold on for one more month! you can do it!

[The Whale]

So I have to stay in a Holiday Inn for 4 days this month for work travel.  Went over to flyertalk and saw they have a crapload of promo codes, and it looks like a lot of them would stack.

How do you guys pick which ones to use to avoid getting mushed on redemption?

Use all of them. Most will stack. Don't really understand the question though.

Signed up for all of them -- if all take, I'll wind up with 20k+ points for a 4 day stay.

Didn't want to get into a situation where they freak out and close the account for using "fake" codes.

Wound up breaking it up into 3 nights in one Holiday Inn, 1 night in another.

Grand total w/ promos:  23,000 IHG points, Gold Elite status, and a $50 rebate.

 

[steve dave]

nice haul T-Dub 

[steve dave]

Mr. Dave's Wild Diamond Ride continues.  Stop this train I want to get off?  No thank you, I'll stay on if it's all the same to you.  On top of upcoming Chicago stays at Hyatt I've got 4 nights in NYC at the Hyatt on 48th and Lex in March.  Apparently yearly diamond status expires in April if you qualify.  So, that would be nice to have. 

[Dr Rick Daris]

so apparently if you had the chase BA card previously but it was a visa signature (it probably was) there is a new chase BA card that is not signature that you can apply for that will eventually get you 100k. you need to read through the comments to figure out how and where to apply, etc.


http://millionmilesecrets.com/2012/04/05/british-airways-100000-mile-card-is-back/#comment-336056

[Dr Rick Daris]

so apparently if you had the chase BA card previously but it was a visa signature (it probably was) there is a new chase BA card that is not signature that you can apply for that will eventually get you 100k. you need to read through the comments to figure out how and where to apply, etc.


http://millionmilesecrets.com/2012/04/05/british-airways-100000-mile-card-is-back/#comment-336056

specificially June 4th comment from emily

[raquetcat]

I had my first foray with the reconsideration line today, I was very nervous beforehand, wrote a script of what to say and everything, then I called them and gave them my reference number and the lady was all

"you never should have been declined, it must have been a glitch in the system, how much credit do you want? is $10,000 ok to start out with or do you want more?"

Made me :ksugrad:

[Dr Rick Daris]

I had my first foray with the reconsideration line today, I was very nervous beforehand, wrote a script of what to say and everything, then I called them and gave them my reference number and the lady was all

"you never should have been declined, it must have been a glitch in the system, how much credit do you want? is $10,000 ok to start out with or do you want more?"

Made me :ksugrad:

yeah, i used to get a little worked up over it but don't anymore. they aren't like going to interogate you or anything and if you are just nice then you're already probably ahead of 75% of the people that they have to talk to on a daily basis.

[steve dave]

protip:  when calling these places it may help to remind yourself that the person you are talking to is either a college student, dumbass or Indian.  you aren't talking to the president of the bank. 

[slobber]

protip:  when calling these places it may help to remind yourself that the person you are talking to is either a college student, dumbass or Indian.  you aren't talking to the president of the bank.

That is good stuff right there. I think you should have added /or. I have certainly talked to more than one customer service rep that was all three.

[GoodForAnother]

any time you call any sort of customer service line, you will get incredible service if you just treat the person on the other end of the phone like a human being

this really applies to most interactions with service reps, over the phone, in person, etc

[Trim]

http://www.kansascity.com/2012/07/10/3699659/80-million-hyatt-hotel-project.html

[steve dave]

http://www.kansascity.com/2012/07/10/3699659/80-million-hyatt-hotel-project.html

nice