I love credit cards so much! v6.0 - 2023 (see first page for add'l details)

[afan]

Soooo..... for all the people planning Japan for this year or next or so on are you paying cash
or using point/miles? If so which ones? Our 2020 trip was canceled so back to drawing board.
I am working on Amex platinum Sub and have some UR's (i rather keep those).

Anyone use Alaska miles to book? If I don't get this airfare brought down it will be sayonara Japan.

Mines all on points. I used AA to book JAL and left my stranded VS alone since ANA was going to be more difficult. Because I've now booked 3 times all the hotels are in points, either Hilton or hyatt. 8 nights Hilton and 8 hyatt.

I transferred UR to UA to book my two domestic flights in Japan on ANA since I'm going to Okinawa mid trip.

Everything else, including my rental car on Okinawa will be cash since it's tickets and a rail pass.

 

[jujubiee4]

Mines all on points. I used AA to book JAL and left my stranded VS alone since ANA was going to be more difficult. Because I've now booked 3 times all the hotels are in points, either Hilton or hyatt. 8 nights Hilton and 8 hyatt.

I transferred UR to UA to book my two domestic flights in Japan on ANA since I'm going to Okinawa mid trip.

Everything else, including my rental car on Okinawa will be cash since it's tickets and a rail pass.

When will you be going?

 

[elgerber]

Dh and I both have or have had, the X. I didn’t do anything special. Just applied and both had instant approval. We had Ventures in the past and he was currently holding a Venture One when he got approved. I had no current at the time I was approved on the release date of the X. I have a One now also.

 

[becauseimnew]

Soooo..... for all the people planning Japan for this year or next or so on are you paying cash
or using point/miles? If so which ones? Our 2020 trip was canceled so back to drawing board.
I am working on Amex platinum Sub and have some UR's (i rather keep those).

Anyone use Alaska miles to book? If I don't get this airfare brought down it will be sayonara Japan.

We are going this summer. Departure flights are on JAL via AA, 60K miles/person from our home airport to KIX.
All hotels, with the exception of Hilton Tokyo Bay for Disney, are booked through the Chase Portal.
Return flights HND to DFW are booked on JAL via BA for 92K each but I transferred MRs during a transfer bonus bringing down to 65K each.

 

[afan]

When will you be going?

I leave Aug 31.

 

[jujubiee4]

We are going this summer. Departure flights are on JAL via AA, 60K miles/person from our home airport to KIX.
All hotels, with the exception of Hilton Tokyo Bay for Disney, are booked through the Chase Portal.
Return flights HND to DFW are booked on JAL via BA for 92K each but I transferred MRs during a transfer bonus bringing down to 65K each.

Do you remember how much the surcharges were? I thought using BA for intl award flights had high
taxes/fees?

 

[jujubiee4]

I leave Aug 31.

Please report back how it went

 

[becauseimnew]

Do you remember how much the surcharges were? I thought using BA for intl award flights had high
taxes/fees?

$336pp

 

[calypso726]

Do you remember how much the surcharges were? I thought using BA for intl award flights had high
taxes/fees?

The BA crazy high taxes and fees are when you have to transit through London. Otherwise it’s moderate (depending on the airline being flown) and the downside is it’s distance based for the miles. For example MIA-DOH using BA Avios to fly on Qatar in business is 70k Avios and $103.50 in taxes and fees. A flight from LHR-DOH in business using BA Avios on Qatar is 43k Avios and $368.85 in taxes and fees.

 

[reliev]

I have the Away Bigger carry on and I use my ebags packing cubes I’ve owned for over 10 years! Those things compress so well with the mesh on top and those super strong zippers! I have done 2 international trips with the Away carry on only and personal bag. (Used to be the Away everywhere bag but just made the switch to the Afar backpack by Away.) My favorite sizes are the classic slims and the medium packing cubes. I also use the small cubes in my personal Away bag (26l backpack). I usually double stack the 2 mediums, and the 3 slims fit horizontally on their sides. I also use an Eagle creek packing folder (for dressier tops and dresses) to lay on top of the cubes before I compress it all down with the Away straps. On the other zippered side of the Away case, I have the ebags shoe holders and the ebags lie flat Toiletries bag, along with anything else that is not clothing. I do have one of the medium ebags compression cubes which I bring empty to pack additional new clothes or souvenirs. That one has a double zipper to extra compress stuff but I feel like the regular medium cubes work just as well.

do you think theres work well?

 

[djmeredith]

Does anyone have suggestions for compression packing cubes? It may be a unicorn, but I’m looking for cubes where they have a size that will fit side by side in my Away Bigger Carry-On (so I can create two “stacks”, if that makes sense??) I ordered the LeanTravel ones from Amazon, and I like them in theory, but their sizes are so weird that they actually make packing less efficient.

I have 2 of the Bagail sets from Amazon and love them. They are 2 different sets, so I have at least 1 of every size. I chose the ones with the see through panel so I could tell what was in each one. I LOVE them. These cubes have changed my packing life. At least one of the sizes should work for your side by side stack plan, but you will want to check the dimensions to be sure.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

I have a question for anyone who's been to Andaz Papagayo recently.
@platamama @GZanta77 I can't recall who else.
Anyone remember if there are laundry facilities there? I'm not sure we can do carry on only without doing laundry.

 

[Psychodisney]

My DD is trying to transfer URs to United. The website says she has to call. Anybody run into this?

 

[afan]

My DD is trying to transfer URs to United. The website says she has to call. Anybody run into this?

I did it a few months ago for the first time and didn't have any issues. Does her name match on both? Maybe there's something weird going on.

 

[Psychodisney]

I did it a few months ago for the first time and didn't have any issues. Does her name match on both? Maybe there's something weird going on.

She created her United account first. Yes, same name. Then she signed in and transferred some points from her CF to CSR. Then tried to transfer to United.

 

[wanderlust7]

Soooo..... for all the people planning Japan for this year or next or so on are you paying cash
or using point/miles? If so which ones? Our 2020 trip was canceled so back to drawing board.
I am working on Amex platinum Sub and have some UR's (i rather keep those).

Anyone use Alaska miles to book? If I don't get this airfare brought down it will be sayonara Japan.

We were just there over winter break. Also JAL through AA (4 in biz).

Hotels were a big mix this time. Hilton Tokyo Bay was a cash rate because I needed to change the dates and the points had gone up. But I was able to use the Aspire credit on 2 cards. Andaz Tokyo was Hyatt points. Conrad Osaka was plat hotel credits plus an FNC.

 

[mmmears]

It's been 10 years since we went to Paris, so I'd love to hear from anyone here who has toured Versailles more recently. Any suggestions?

Last time we just took the metro from Paris, walked to the palace, and toured on our own. We didn't go to the Petite Trianon or the Hamlet, so thinking we may go back and add those into our day.

Any advice, DPs, or reviews would be much appreciated.

 

[jujubiee4]

We were just there over winter break. Also JAL through AA (4 in biz).

Hotels were a big mix this time. Hilton Tokyo Bay was a cash rate because I needed to change the dates and the points had gone up. But I was able to use the Aspire credit on 2 cards. Andaz Tokyo was Hyatt points. Conrad Osaka was plat hotel credits plus an FNC.

Thank you so much for your info!

 

[mmmears]

Does anyone have suggestions for compression packing cubes? It may be a unicorn, but I’m looking for cubes where they have a size that will fit side by side in my Away Bigger Carry-On (so I can create two “stacks”, if that makes sense??) I ordered the LeanTravel ones from Amazon, and I like them in theory, but their sizes are so weird that they actually make packing less efficient.

I started using Eagle Creek ones back when they were the only ones making them, and I've stuck with that brand. The newer ones made of parachute material are actually my favorites. The are floppy compared to the canvas ones, but they take up less space and since I travel with only a carry-on every little bit of space counts. They make great compression cubes with that fabric, so I've continued to add onto my original sets.

 

[sinnika]

do you think theres work well?

I’m not sure I understand the question. I’ve only tried ebags packing cubes. Have used them for years and have washed them multiple times. They are super light and store well inside a large packing cube which I never use.