I love credit cards so much!

[amalone1013]

Arrggghhhhh. On a whim I checked SW flights for the weekend in January. I have DHs flights booked currently for 9054pts to MCO and 18777pts home. The return flight has dropped to 12610 - awesome! So I cancelled and rebooked him. Unfortunately his CC statements are going to close Jan 14th and 15th and the flights are the 10th and 13th, so his CP won't be active yet. So I also need to book myself. The return flight was booked on my account with my points, so the drop in points has left me with... 12447 points. 163pts short. After his work flight tomorrow he will have 9663pts (darn travel lady must have found WGA flights, because originally it should have taken him to 12006pts based on the flight options she sent) in his account, so I could book my flight to MCO (his is booked already on his account). Maybe I need to check out RR dining again...

 

[brownhaired_girl]

Sad morning I woke up to a text that my 99-year old grandma passed away yesterday. My mom was on her way to see her but didn’t make it in time. I feel so badly for my mom.

Sorry for your loss.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Anybody here watching this thread on r/churning: https://www.reddit.com/r/churning/comments/a73lf4/amex_bonus_denial_without_popup_datapoints/

There's also been a lot of discussion on this topic in various Daily Discussion threads too...

AMEX is crazy anymore...
- They have a popup that should tell you if you're not eligible for the bonus
- Sometimes that popup doesn't show up but they still deny people for the bonus
- Sometimes the popup will show up, people will put spend on their cards, the popup will go away, and they are still denied for the bonus
- Sometimes the popup will show up, people will put spend on their cards, the popup will go away, and they receive the bonus
- People aren't sure but it seems this isn't related to self-referring
- People have attempted to appeal to CFPB and it doesn't appear to have a positive result
- Some folks have chatted with AMEX and found out the bonus wasn't tied to their account before hitting the spend
- Others have chatted and been told the bonus details ONLY to be denied later anyways after hitting the spend

The results are VERY inconclusive. The only result you can conclude is that there's a new sheriff in town and that's the AMEX RAT. They will decide whether you get your bonus or not and they may or may not not inform you ahead of time that you will not get the bonus.

I'm not posting this to scare away folks from applying with AMEX. For newer folks who haven't "abused" AMEX yet...you're probably fine. I honestly am not sure I'm ever going to get another AMEX card unless this pattern changes though. I would be SOOOO angry if I spent $3k or $5k on a crappy card (i.e. something with 1x MR pts) and then get denied the bonus. I'm very interested to hear others' thoughts on this situation (especially those that have been following it)

EDIT: here's some additional discussion from today's DD: https://www.reddit.com/r/churning/comments/a6yvzk/daily_discussion_thread_december_17_2018/ebzsx3w/

I posted a version of my comment above on the r/churning DD thread just now to see what others are doing about this. If you’re interested in following (or joining) the discussion here: https://www.reddit.com/r/churning/comments/a7a4jy/daily_discussion_thread_december_18_2018/ec1sf48/

 

[Oscar Madison]

For those with PNC Bank Bonus experience..
I've received the bonus and can't find anything in the fine print about keeping the account open for a certain amount of time.
Safe to close?

 

[kidsfirsttrip]

For those with PNC Bank Bonus experience..
I've received the bonus and can't find anything in the fine print about keeping the account open for a certain amount of time.
Safe to close?

I downgraded my account you can do it online and will keep it open for 6 months just to be safe. The downgraded account is a $500 min

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

I haven't read through the Reddit DPs on the Amex bonuses yet, but I think I might be one of the ones affected. I had gotten the pop-up several times while trying to get the Hilton Biz. I put spend on all my Amex cards and then applied for the Rose Gold and was approved and no bonus. I met the spend about 5 days ago but no sign of my bonus yet...

I hope you get that bonus! This approach just isn’t ok to me...c’mon AMEX, be better than this

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Just saw this and wanted to say thank you. It’s nice to be appreciated. Believe me, I (and likely everyone else on this thread) appreciates you, everyone on this list and everyone who posts here. Every post is a learning opportunity for someone reading this thread. I’ve learned so much from everyone on this thread and that list, even though I’ve been at this game for a while. A fresh perspective with a different viewpoint can open up a whole new world of possibilities. My thanks to everyone who posts here!

Thanks Calypso! I always envision that if me and you were different people on Reddit we’d have to be mortal enemies and argue over different approaches. Don’t pay AFs...no AFs can provide wonderful benefits...Stay under 5/24...there’s so many other cards out there though...Fly SW domestically with a CP...Find a plane princess and see the world...and so on.

Instead we’re on here where we can provide people with alternate viewpoints to help them make the best decision for their situation. I think that might be what our thread is best at doing...helping people make the right decision for them! At times it seems that on r/churning, if you aren’t doing it “my” way then you’re doing it the “wrong” way and that’s just not true

 

[kidsfirsttrip]

Where do you see pending points?

I think it can only be done desktop. Go to “statements and activities” for a MR card. Scroll down you will see Membership rewards - click on Summary. Then there will be 2 tabs with “activity detail” showing. Click on “summary” and you will see “additional information” click on view details that is your pending MRs

 

[kidsfirsttrip]

I know what you mean. I've always gotten a terrible flu on the years I've gotten flu shots, so I haven't done it for several years. I would get the flu shot when I was at college in a very small, country town and we would always joke that they were probably just injecting us with creek water (I promise I'm not an anti-vaxxer lol). When my doctor gave me the prescription last night, she told me that even if I don't need the Tamiflu to "go get your g@# d!*% flu shot!" Direct quote. Maybe I'll go ahead and do it this year.

I'm hoping I avoid it from DH. I've been washing my hands a lot. I've had my annual bronchitis/asthma-related cough lately, so my logic is that since I've had that for the last two weeks, I can't get the flu too. That's how science works, right?

Haha! I’m far from anti vax but the flu shot usually misses the right strain anyways. Though both my kiddos got Flu A despite the shot but had very mild cases so maybe the shot helped. I’m required to get it for work but used to skip it before they made us all get them. And you know when your immune system is knocked down that’s the perfect time to pick up something else, right? But don’t get it while your still sick!!

 

[Natgridenergy]

The personal AA code I got does prefill out application with my address so I’m not comfortable sharing at this time. If anyone wants these tho really just make up names and they will come. I did like 5 fake accounts.

What do you put for the email address on the fake accounts?

 

[Haley R]

I know what you mean. I've always gotten a terrible flu on the years I've gotten flu shots, so I haven't done it for several years. I would get the flu shot when I was at college in a very small, country town and we would always joke that they were probably just injecting us with creek water (I promise I'm not an anti-vaxxer lol). When my doctor gave me the prescription last night, she told me that even if I don't need the Tamiflu to "go get your g@# d!*% flu shot!" Direct quote. Maybe I'll go ahead and do it this year.

I'm hoping I avoid it from DH. I've been washing my hands a lot. I've had my annual bronchitis/asthma-related cough lately, so my logic is that since I've had that for the last two weeks, I can't get the flu too. That's how science works, right?

I couldn't tell you the last time I got a flu shot.

 

[platamama]

@havaneselover So sorry to hear the sad news. Wishing your family fortitude and peace during this tough time.

 

[DisneyMandC]

Haha! I’m far from anti vax but the flu shot usually misses the right strain anyways. Though both my kiddos got Flu A despite the shot but had very mild cases so maybe the shot helped. I’m required to get it for work but used to skip it before they made us all get them. And you know when your immune system is knocked down that’s the perfect time to pick up something else, right? But don’t get it while your still sick!!

My friend told me that maybe every time I cough, it just blows away the flu germs from DH I'm really not "sick" anymore, and I never actually felt bad, but anytime I get the slightest chest cold it ends up hanging around for weeks because of my asthma. I start coughing some, then can't stop coughing, then have an asthma attack... repeat It doesn't help that Virginia can't make up its mind about the weather. 14 inches of snow last week and it will be 61 degrees this Friday...

 

[Natgridenergy]

@SouthFayetteFan Does the grAAvy train count against your 5/24 if you get multiple personals with the mailers?

 

[SBWB48]

For those with PNC Bank Bonus experience..
I've received the bonus and can't find anything in the fine print about keeping the account open for a certain amount of time.
Safe to close?

I downgraded my account you can do it online and will keep it open for 6 months just to be safe. The downgraded account is a $500 min

I did the same. Downgraded online via the slider once the bonus posted and going to cancel after 6-months. Read somewhere I thought where 6-months was the minimum, but some have said they've closed it sooner with no penalty. YMMV.

@havaneselover So sorry for your lost

 

[schmass]

Did you check your pending points? Mine are pending today from a closing of 12/14 (just basic points havent hit MSR yet)

Yep, checked there and didn't see them.

I hope you get that bonus! This approach just isn’t ok to me...c’mon AMEX, be better than this

Thanks, I hope so too! At least when I was getting the pop-up I knew to cancel the application!

My Rose Gold also hasn't been coding some restaurants at 4X MR either.

 

[speedyfishy]

What do you put for the email address on the fake accounts?

I made fake email addresses too. But if you have a gmail you can do + and whatever numbers and it will be a new email for AA but go to ur gmail.

@SouthFayetteFan Does the grAAvy train count against your 5/24 if you get multiple personals with the mailers?

All personal cards will count against 5/24

 

[platamama]

Yep, checked there and didn't see them.



Thanks, I hope so too! At least when I was getting the pop-up I knew to cancel the application!

My Rose Gold also hasn't been coding some restaurants at 4X MR either.

Oh, boy, I really hope you end up getting your points. Is this your 1st MR earning card? I think those take longer to post.

FM did a post about the missing 4x on Amex Gold - it has to do with whether the restaurant uses Square or Toast readers to process the payment (your transaction with start with SQ or TST in front of the restaurant name). I started a chat with Amex about this issue and was told it would be fixed (~1 wk ago) but I haven't seen any extra points credited yet.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

@SouthFayetteFan Does the grAAvy train count against your 5/24 if you get multiple personals with the mailers?

Oh yeah. Unfortunately it’s a good way to wreck your 5/24 permanently.

 

[striker1064]

I couldn't tell you the last time I got a flu shot.

I used to never get the flu shot because... I dunno honestly. It doesn't take long, it's free, it doesn't make me feel bad, I just never got it. However...

One year I had major surgery in late October, leaving me weakened for months afterword. I caught the swine flu (remember that?) in January while I was still barely getting around.

Now I get the flu shot.

I posted a version of my comment above on the r/churning DD thread just now to see what others are doing about this. If you’re interested in following (or joining) the discussion here: https://www.reddit.com/r/churning/comments/a7a4jy/daily_discussion_thread_december_18_2018/ec1sf48/

Been following the discussion from that thread. I know you're really frustrated with Amex right now, but I think Pizzy (despite the fact he can be kind of a jerk) has a point - take everything while you can, and don't let this keep you from Amex as a whole. I recall you mentioned before there's really nothing left you want from Amex, but still. If there's a card you want and the popup doesn't appear, go for it.