I love credit cards so much! v5.0 - 2022 (see first page for add'l details)

[ElizaDoesDisney]

Good news: Finally did my taxes which I've been avoiding since I knew I would owe.
Bad news: I did indeed owe the IRS serious money.
Good news: Knocked out my BBP MSR well ahead of schedule.
Bad news: Not sure what card to focus on next.

Cards in Last 24 Months

• 8/21 - Chase WoH
• 11/21 - AmEx Personal Vanilla
• 12/21 - Cap One Venture X
• 1/22 - Citi Bus AA
• 1/22 - AmEx BBP

Older Cards I Hold: CSR, AmEx Bus Plat, Amex Bonvoy Bus, Chase Bonvoy Premier

I just got back to CC/churning after being out of the game for several years. I have a reasonable stash of MR (400K) and UR (350K). My travel profile is multiple 4-7 day domestic trips annually (primarily to Vegas and Disney - I'm a creature of habit) plus 1-2 "big" vacations annually - this year an Alaska cruise and a long road trip. I'm hoping as the world opens up I'll be looking at some more international destinations, but nothing specific planned at this point. The only specific travel I have upcoming that isn't already fully booked is a month-long road trip in the fall - I'm going to need some more hotel nights - so I could use extra Hyatt and IHG points.

My spending is generally $2,500-$4,000 per month. Plus I'm now going to have to pay $4K each quarter in estimated taxes this year. Also comfortable doing MS up to around $5K per month if needed, but prefer to rely primarily on organic spend.

I'm leaning towards a CIC for the next card, but also considering the new Chase Bus IHG Premier. If anyone has any thoughts - I'd appreciate them.

 

[kmc8826]

You can do hotel and car with Delta Vacations. They have Disney hotels. Can also add theme park tickets, but I only see Universal now. They used to have Disney tickets. The miles redeem at 1 cent per point.

You can also Pay with Miles for flights at 1 cent per point. This would be like a cash ticket.

FWIW, my experience with Delta Vacations has been positive. Got in on the 2 cpp promo way back when (pre-pandemic) and have made many changes (booking to voucher to booking to voucher, etc lol). Have had to call them several times. Hold times aren't bad and have gotten what I needed done with no issues.

Delta Vacations recently has had zero wait times which has been nice. And they do have Disney tickets; you just have to talk to an agent as they aren’t on the site as an add on like Universal. Just an FYI for those with still remaining vouchers.

 

[havaneselover]

I never remember--if I make a purchase at Kroger today using CF, is there a chance I won't get bonus points for grocery because it may post 4/1?

And I made a FHR booking (one night at Ritz-Carlton Atlanta) nine days ago using my Amex Platinum and still haven't seen the $200 credit.

 

[palhockeymomof2]

I never remember--if I make a purchase at Kroger today using CF, is there a chance I won't get bonus points for grocery because it may post 4/1?

And I made a FHR booking (one night at Ritz-Carlton Atlanta) nine days ago using my Amex Platinum and still haven't seen the $200 credit.

In my experience you will since Chase goes by the transaction date

 

[Haley R]

Approved for a CIC!

 

[jenmsmith]

I‘m no South Fayette Fan, but a reminder that Southwest is supposed to drop their next block (covering until November 5) this morning.

 

[reliev]

Have you received anything yet? I haven't heard a word from Delta, and it's definitely more than 72 hours.

just got it going to call amex when i get a minute.

 

[ski_mom]

why is "DH" in quotes? lol
1) yes, just wait it out and see. i just did a CIC recently, waited about a day before it showed up in my account.
2) Citibank rules is currently unknown but as long you should be good to go if u PC your premier in 2017. Citi is 2 years. Citi is a bit hard to get into atm though, they like 0/6, there were a few scattered 1/6 and 2/6 but they were pretty rare approvals. good luck though

Thanks - I guess I put DH in quotes because he really didn't apply for it, lol

 

[reliev]

There was a 2.5x promo? I'd be happy with just 2x, but it's been so long since that promo (going on 3 years now?) and it hasn't come back.

yeah there was a 2.5 x promo ~5 years ago (im showing my age) last promo i got was 2x and that was right before this mess. (late 2019)

 

[reliev]

ok i know i said it many times in this thread probably 5 but WOW did anyone else see the HUGE Marriot devaluation? I'm 100% canceling my card when i get a break from work. Dynamic pricing is a joke i honestly think this is worse then sky pesos!

 

[palhockeymomof2]

Approved for a CIC!

Congrats

 

[Psychodisney]

Did anyone else get the Disney visa 5x points on grocery, gas and select Disney? Valid April-June up to $1500.

And I got fresh SW drink tickets!

 

[NewbieMom]

just got it going to call amex when i get a minute.

Thanks for the update! Still nothing for me...I think I'm a day behind you, so hopefully I get it by tomorrow.

 

[reliev]

Thanks for the update! Still nothing for me...I think I'm a day behind you, so hopefully I get it by tomorrow.

i got mine at 330 am for what its worth.

 

[DaveL]

I‘m no South Fayette Fan, but a reminder that Southwest is supposed to drop their next block (covering until November 5) this morning.

And its open...

@SouthFayetteFan

We are currently accepting air reservations through November 5, 2022.
On June 16, 2022 we will open our schedule for sale through January 4, 2023.
This date is subject to change! Please check back frequently.

 

[Judique]

ok i know i said it many times in this thread probably 5 but WOW did anyone else see the HUGE Marriot devaluation? I'm 100% canceling my card when i get a break from work. Dynamic pricing is a joke i honestly think this is worse then sky pesos!

I looked at 2 aspects that affect me. Getting side of the road reservations at Fairfield Inn, Residence Inn, etc on the I 95 corridor during my driving trips to Hilton Head, Lake Buena Vista or points south of Washington, DC.

Since I usually use my 35K fnc's on these stops - prices range from 130 to over 200 with taxes, I didn't see much change yet in either basic points or the use of my fnc. I get the 35k fnc for 125 or less factoring in the annual fee and offers. So, I'm still getting at least a half price room. In my play book I had loads of room for devaluation as I was already using overkill. Again, different strokes.

Then jumping over to the rooms in Ocean City, Maryland on the beach. Those had been taken out of the running long ago. I was hoping that the points would hover where adding 15K would help. It's possible on some nights. It's also still possible to do a 50K on a very few nights. Talking high season here and once winter rolls in, rates drop to as low as $60 to $80 for rooms that go for $500 to $700 in late June, July and August - when you would want to sun on the beach in Maryland.

I have 3 of the 50K fnc's to use by June 30. It wouldn't have mattered if I'd booked them last week. Things in my world stayed pretty static. I was able to use 3 of the 35K in January and March and also had to use the IHG 40K from my $49 card as it had a Feb expiry.

I'll still keep my 35K cards and will play 50K by ear. To break even on that one I need a $150 minimum value. That's easily possible still. Or I could product change to a 35K card. We will see how I feel when summer is over and the annual fee comes due.

And, this will probably not happen but, I've been contemplating joining DD at Disney in April after her cruise. I've got BLT booked for her and she wants me to come. If I came I would arrive and do a couple of park days in advance as they are not doing any parks at the moment. Or I could do check in day at the parks, but would stay the night before at a Marriott. That's a way for me to use a total of 3 FNC's. Some of those nights are in the $300 to $400 range. So, I think there is still value but it's all relative to what's on your plate.

Our friend @*WDW*Groupie* just showed us an amazing budget getaway - still possible with fnc's.

Sometimes you've got to keep your mind open and not let the cash number influence you, other than whether it's cheaper sometimes to just use cash instead of points. And if you've already got the FNC, breaking even or slightly better is okay, better than throwing out more cash. The experience or the means to an end is what should matter.

 

[afan]

Did anyone else get the Disney visa 5x points on grocery, gas and select Disney? Valid April-June up to $1500.

And I got fresh SW drink tickets!

I have a current grocery/Amazon one on that card which is what pulls up. Will have to try and remember to look again Fri but I don't expect to get anything on it.

I did get this though -
Earn 5,000 World of Hyatt Bonus Points when you spend $3,000 or more on purchases with your World of Hyatt Credit Card from April 1 - June 30, 2022.1

Was planning to put my non category spend on here anyway. I need a new card but am not ready yet cause I don't know what I want. Needs to be an amex biz if I get something before July. Will eventually need a card to hold my mr but not sure I'm ready to do that and anything else has a higher af than I want right now.

 

[reliev]

Thanks for the update! Still nothing for me...I think I'm a day behind you, so hopefully I get it by tomorrow.

just found out from the rep my claim may be declined for not putting all charges on Amex platinum.. im trying anyway

 

[reliev]

I looked at 2 aspects that affect me. Getting side of the road reservations at Fairfield Inn, Residence Inn, etc on the I 95 corridor during my driving trips to Hilton Head, Lake Buena Vista or points south of Washington, DC.

Since I usually use my 35K fnc's on these stops - prices range from 130 to over 200 with taxes, I didn't see much change yet in either basic points or the use of my fnc. I get the 35k fnc for 125 or less factoring in the annual fee and offers. So, I'm still getting at least a half price room. In my play book I had loads of room for devaluation as I was already using overkill. Again, different strokes.

Then jumping over to the rooms in Ocean City, Maryland on the beach. Those had been taken out of the running long ago. I was hoping that the points would hover where adding 15K would help. It's possible on some nights. It's also still possible to do a 50K on a very few nights. Talking high season here and once winter rolls in, rates drop to as low as $60 to $80 for rooms that go for $500 to $700 in late June, July and August - when you would want to sun on the beach in Maryland.

I have 3 of the 50K fnc's to use by June 30. It wouldn't have mattered if I'd booked them last week. Things in my world stayed pretty static. I was able to use 3 of the 35K in January and March and also had to use the IHG 40K from my $49 card as it had a Feb expiry.

I'll still keep my 35K cards and will play 50K by ear. To break even on that one I need a $150 minimum value. That's easily possible still. Or I could product change to a 35K card. We will see how I feel when summer is over and the annual fee comes due.

And, this will probably not happen but, I've been contemplating joining DD at Disney in April after her cruise. I've got BLT booked for her and she wants me to come. If I came I would arrive and do a couple of park days in advance as they are not doing any parks at the moment. Or I could do check in day at the parks, but would stay the night before at a Marriott. That's a way for me to use a total of 3 FNC's. Some of those nights are in the $300 to $400 range. So, I think there is still value but it's all relative to what's on your plate.

Our friend @*WDW*Groupie* just showed us an amazing budget getaway - still possible with fnc's.

Sometimes you've got to keep your mind open and not let the cash number influence you, other than whether it's cheaper sometimes to just use cash instead of points. And if you've already got the FNC, breaking even or slightly better is okay, better than throwing out more cash. The experience or the means to an end is what should matter.

the problem is the hotels i was getting for 50k are now 80-100k..

 

[FreeDiningFanatic]

Paris 2022 Trip Report

Travel party of 7: Myself and husband, 44, our younger kids, 8 and 12, known as “the lils,” our older kids, 24 and 21 and our daughter’s boyfriend, 20.

Flew out of ORD. Used Preflight Airport parking, as recommended here. Very efficient- shuttled to Terminal 5 in about 10 mins. ORD is a wasteland- almost no lounge access. We were flying Biz class to Paris on Air France, and the Air France Lounge is permanently closed. Only option was Swissport, so we passed. But security was super fast. The con was we had much way too much time on our hands at ORD.

Air France Biz class service was exceptional. Our flight attendant even wrote down a list of recommendations for our time in Paris, what wine to buy, etc.

Taxi from airport (make sure to get in taxi line, not the scammers offering taxi rides near the taxi line) to City Locker to park our luggage, then on to brunch at Kitchen, a super fresh vegetarian cafe.

We stayed at this AirBNB in the II Arrondisement, just a street away from Rue Montorgueil. This is a pedestrian street full of cafes, bakeries, fish markets, butchers and produce stores. Every morning we popped out and got fresh produce and bakery.

We did all the typical touristy stuff- Eiffel Tower to the summit at night, the Louvre, viewed the exterior of Norte Dame, the Arc de Triumph, Center Pompidou, and a private macaron baking class at Galleries Lafayette. We repurposed ThatMuse scavenger hunts from a previous trip- the Louvre and Harry Potter ThatRue (new to us). That made touring so much more interesting for my kiddos. We spent a morning in Montmartre, which was such a lovely part of Paris. We started at Le Consulat cafe and made our way through picturesque Montmartre to a Harry Potter mural the kids wanted to see. As recommended by Jay Swanson (YouTube expert on Paris), we made sure to visit from the back of Sacre Coeur. Beautiful pics without the hoards of visitors. We checked out the artists square, ate some lunch from an inexpensive Boulangerie and got in lots of pics.














Because of our large group, we traveled a lot by foot, Uber, or taxi (airport) and only used the Metro on occasion. FYI, I purchased Uber gcs in advance and loaded them. Upon arriving, there were no wallet funds in our account, so I’m not sure if they aren’t available in Europe? This has worked for us in Mexico.

Charles de Gaulle was a disaster for our return. Took 2 hours to clear bag drop, border control and security. Then almost 45 mins to board our plane. We flew economy on the way home. I think that combination (Biz class to Europe, economy to US) might make sense for our family, to optimize point usage and fuel surcharges. We scored such a great deal on our Biz class flights (35k MRs each one way) during a transfer bonus to Flying Blue, while AirFrance was also having a fare promo.

Misc:
⁃ Bought a pocket WiFi device from TravelWifi for $99. From there you just buy data plans for your trips. Worked well and cost effective- I’d recommend.
⁃ Used Abbott’s eMed COVID tests for US return testing requirement, as we have throughout the pandemic. Easy and convenient. I’ll try for partial reimbursement from insurance.
⁃ Jay Swanson’s YouTube videos are so, so helpful for Paris. I think he has books and a guide for purchase, as well. I’d often hear my kids say “remember Jay said…”
⁃ We’d previously bought a kids crumpled map of Paris. This time my kids really used it a lot and it helped involve them in the different areas of Paris and sites to see. It even got competitive and there were map quizzes.

Takeaway: We visited Paris four years ago, but did a split visit of DLP, Paris and London. This time Paris just seemed SO much busier- at least in the streets and cafes. Perhaps because they lifted most mask and COVID restrictions just a week prior? The street and cafes were packed. We also had beautiful weather (mid 60s) for March, so perhaps that brought everyone out. Last time we stayed in a much quieter area and that may have influenced our perception. We expected to eat at cafes often, but given how crowded everything was and our group size, and the constant cigarette smoking, we actually ended up eating in our AirBNB most often. We had lots of fun family time, but I don't see our party returning to Paris anytime in the near future.




We have a trip to Italy (Tuscany and Rome) in June, which I am sort of regretting after our Parisian experience. The summer crowds, combined with scorching heat and pent-up COVID travelers doesn’t sound like a great trip. But it is a graduation trip for my son and on my Mom’s bucket list, so I don’t feel I can back out now. I'm going to go into it with a really positive attitude and I'm sure we'll create some amazing memories, which is what is most important.