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

[afan]

Good morning! I hope everyone is doing well! I have a lot to catch up on!

We're looking at the next few years of travel. Washington State, Oregon, Alaska, and Idaho are all left on our 50 states progress with the kids. I'm looking at getting the Alaska Airlines card so we can fly nonstop from St. Louis to Seattle. (We haven't figured out how we're doing Alaska yet.)

Is anyone willing to share the best strategy for Alaska Airlines? I have a business and could get a business card. I have a second player.
Second player is 3/24 (Also opened a new RV loan in that time.) I am 2/24. Second player was denied a Chase Business Unlimited on 5/25/2022 for too many recent account openings.

ETA: We are a family of 5. DH, myself, DD14, DS11, and DD6.

BofA wants a relationship to approve biz cards so if you already have one that's good. I would google or search r/churning if you don't because some get offered to do a secure something but I forget what it is.

Not sure what the offers are right now. Also don't know if you can pool miles within the same house. You may need to utilize the companion thing that comes with the card since you may not get enough miles for 4 or 5 anyway.

I think there's another way to book Alaska that, depending on what cards you have you could transfer miles so that might be a better option but I can't remember which program it is.

I know this is all about half helpful but as a p1 that lives in seattle I hoard my alaska miles and get a new biz card when the offer is good since those you can still churn so I get one every year or so. I also never have use for my companion cert.

Not sure if delta flies between stl and sea non stop but they are our other big airline that has several non stops. Could be worth checking but if you can get saver fare on alaska probably less miles.

 

[amcc]

Good morning! I hope everyone is doing well! I have a lot to catch up on!

We're looking at the next few years of travel. Washington State, Oregon, Alaska, and Idaho are all left on our 50 states progress with the kids. I'm looking at getting the Alaska Airlines card so we can fly nonstop from St. Louis to Seattle. (We haven't figured out how we're doing Alaska yet.)

Is anyone willing to share the best strategy for Alaska Airlines? I have a business and could get a business card. I have a second player.
Second player is 3/24 (Also opened a new RV loan in that time.) I am 2/24. Second player was denied a Chase Business Unlimited on 5/25/2022 for too many recent account openings.

ETA: We are a family of 5. DH, myself, DD14, DS11, and DD6.

BofA wants a relationship to approve biz cards so if you already have one that's good. I would google or search r/churning if you don't because some get offered to do a secure something but I forget what it is.

Not sure what the offers are right now. Also don't know if you can pool miles within the same house. You may need to utilize the companion thing that comes with the card since you may not get enough miles for 4 or 5 anyway.

I think there's another way to book Alaska that, depending on what cards you have you could transfer miles so that might be a better option but I can't remember which program it is.

I know this is all about half helpful but as a p1 that lives in seattle I hoard my alaska miles and get a new biz card when the offer is good since those you can still churn so I get one every year or so. I also never have use for my companion cert.

Not sure if delta flies between stl and sea non stop but they are our other big airline that has several non stops. Could be worth checking but if you can get saver fare on alaska probably less miles.

I've been looking for a flight on AA from Miami/Fort Lauderdale to LA and Alaska comes up as an option to use to redeem miles when I search on the AA portal. The Citi AA Platinum Select has one of their highest offers now (I believe) for 75,000 AA miles. The offer I received says it ends on 7/13. Maybe you can check on AA if they fly from STL to Seattle and if Alaska comes up as an option.

 

[djmeredith]

I keep my CSP so I can do point transfers to partners, Hyatt in particular. The CSP has the $50 hotel credit that if you can use it - I haven't yet, but it's on my radar, which would bring the annual fee down to under $50.

On further thought, if you are closing/pc'ing to app again for the cards, carry on! I'm still a year away from 48 months.

Thank you for your response! I did not know that you can only transfer to partners through the CSP and CSR. I will definitely have to keep one of the two, probably CSP for the lower fee since I have Priority Pass visits with my AmEx gold.

 

[FreeDiningFanatic]

I'm getting ready to pay fall tuition for both of my daughters & feel like I should be using it toward an MSR. I am currently at 5/24, but one of those is a SW Biz card (applied for based on occasional selling on Poshmark, FB Marketplace, etc). Next year I will hit the 4 year mark on my CSP, at which point I'd like to PC it to another Chase card and apply for the CSR (or possibly do a MDD for both cards if that still works), so I don't want to get another personal card right now. I'm thinking that the CIP may make the most sense for me right now - am I correct, or there something else I should be considering?

The 100,000 URS would be helpful to start replenishing my UR balance - just last week I transferred 120k URs from Chase and 120k MRs from AmEx to Air France for flights next spring. I feel like I got a pretty good deal - there are 4 of us flying JFK to Venice and then returning Athens to JFK, and I spent a total of 240,000 AirFrance miles (transferred 1 to 1 from URs and MRs), plus $1418 in taxes, for preferred economy seats.

If you are truly 5/24, you won't be approved for a Chase business card. But it sounds like you might be 4/24? It might be helpful if you list the cards you've opened in the last 24 months and their dates, and we can confirm your real x/24 status.

Assuming you are 4/24: As far as the CIP- I assume you've confirmed that the university will take Visa and you are aware if there is a processing fee? In my opinion, the fee is justifiable when you're getting a great SUB! The only other thing you might want to consider is if you can spread your tuition payments out a bit, say over 3-4 months? If so, I might recommend signing up for a CIU, which is 75k UR for $7500 MSR and then repeat by getting another Chase biz card in about 3 months. That would get you 150k UR vs the 100k on the same $15k spend. If you have a P2, you can support and earn more points, and you wouldn't have to wait 3 months to get the second biz card.

Congrats on your awards booking!

 

[wed100105]

I've been looking for a flight on AA from Miami/Fort Lauderdale to LA and Alaska comes up as an option to use to redeem miles when I search on the AA portal. The Citi AA Platinum Select has one of their highest offers now (I believe) for 75,000 AA miles. The offer I received says it ends on 7/13. Maybe you can check on AA if they fly from STL to Seattle and if Alaska comes up as an option.

Thanks for the info! Alaska Airlines has a great nonstop flight to Seattle. The price is really good right now for spring break. That’s what pushed me into looking at their credit card.

 

[wed100105]

BofA wants a relationship to approve biz cards so if you already have one that's good. I would google or search r/churning if you don't because some get offered to do a secure something but I forget what it is.

Not sure what the offers are right now. Also don't know if you can pool miles within the same house. You may need to utilize the companion thing that comes with the card since you may not get enough miles for 4 or 5 anyway.

I think there's another way to book Alaska that, depending on what cards you have you could transfer miles so that might be a better option but I can't remember which program it is.

I know this is all about half helpful but as a p1 that lives in seattle I hoard my alaska miles and get a new biz card when the offer is good since those you can still churn so I get one every year or so. I also never have use for my companion cert.

Not sure if delta flies between stl and sea non stop but they are our other big airline that has several non stops. Could be worth checking but if you can get saver fare on alaska probably less miles.

Thanks! I do have a BoA card. I’ll have to see if it’s still active!

 

[tink1970]

I'd appreciate any advice on booking a positioning flight. My home airport (St. Louis) generally requires stops in Chicago, Detroit, Atlanta. Some of those stops are short and some can be 10+ hours, plus the flights are more expensive. I'd rather book a cheap flight on Southwest to Boston or another east coast airport and then get on an international flight from there. Any thing I should consider or avoid?

I do positioning flights for almost all of my international travel-it's just easier and less stress (for me). Of course, I'm also retired and time isn't an issue.

I've started looking more and more for positioning flights out of airports that have hotels IN the airport (like BOS, MCO, DFW) v. ATL, just for convenience. DD lives an hour from BOS so we use that a lot and I've found that AF/KLM flights are cheaper out of BOS than ATL, usually (at least on points). IAD seems to be a big hub for United (but it would probably be easier for you to fly to ORD?) and MIA or PHL for AA flights. (*I could be wrong but I don't believe IAD has an in airport hotel-PHL does-a Marriott, MIA definitely does not). DTW could also be an option for DL/AF/KLM and their in-airport hotel is nice, as well.

**I mention in airport hotels because I fly to the positioning airport the day before my international flight but if I were doing an all in one day trip just in case something went wrong, it's nice to have a room/bed/shower within walking distance.

Which int'l positioning flight depends on where you're going and with whom you're flying. Also, if you check bags, obviously you need to account for baggage arrival time. BOS international terminal is E (usually) so if you fly Southwest, you'll have to get on a bus or walk from terminal B, where Southwest is said to use (I don't know, I'm all Delta/AF/KLM in BOS).

This is a pretty good article:

https://upgradedpoints.com/travel/airports/boston-logan-international-bos-airport/

Hope this helps!

 

[wanderlust7]

Good morning! I hope everyone is doing well! I have a lot to catch up on!

We're looking at the next few years of travel. Washington State, Oregon, Alaska, and Idaho are all left on our 50 states progress with the kids. I'm looking at getting the Alaska Airlines card so we can fly nonstop from St. Louis to Seattle. (We haven't figured out how we're doing Alaska yet.)

Is anyone willing to share the best strategy for Alaska Airlines? I have a business and could get a business card. I have a second player.
Second player is 3/24 (Also opened a new RV loan in that time.) I am 2/24. Second player was denied a Chase Business Unlimited on 5/25/2022 for too many recent account openings.

ETA: We are a family of 5. DH, myself, DD14, DS11, and DD6.

You can book Alaska Air flights with both AA and Avios, but it needs to be the saver rate, which can be hard to find.

Availability will be better direct with Alaska, but the issue is accumulating enough miles. The SUBs are not that high and the only transfer partner is Marriott at 3 to 1. Maybe the companion fare will work well for you. If you and P2 both got a card, you could pay cash for 2 tickets, companion fare for 2 tickets, then miles for the 5th.

 

[Shannon G]

If you are truly 5/24, you won't be approved for a Chase business card. But it sounds like you might be 4/24? It might be helpful if you list the cards you've opened in the last 24 months and their dates, and we can confirm your real x/24 status.

Assuming you are 4/24: As far as the CIP- I assume you've confirmed that the university will take Visa and you are aware if there is a processing fee? In my opinion, the fee is justifiable when you're getting a great SUB! The only other thing you might want to consider is if you can spread your tuition payments out a bit, say over 3-4 months? If so, I might recommend signing up for a CIU, which is 75k UR for $7500 MSR and then repeat by getting another Chase biz card in about 3 months. That would get you 150k UR vs the 100k on the same $15k spend. If you have a P2, you can support and earn more points, and you wouldn't have to wait 3 months to get the second biz card.

Congrats on your awards booking

I went back & doubled checked and I am actually 5/24 (I thought one of the 5 was my SW Biz card, which I think Chase would not count, but I was wrong). So, I think that leaves a non-Chase biz card as my only option - any good suggestions? I'd rather not have something with a high AF, as I already have an AmEx Platinum with a high AF.

 

[*WDW*Groupie*]

I've been looking for a flight on AA from Miami/Fort Lauderdale to LA and Alaska comes up as an option to use to redeem miles when I search on the AA portal. The Citi AA Platinum Select has one of their highest offers now (I believe) for 75,000 AA miles. The offer I received says it ends on 7/13. Maybe you can check on AA if they fly from STL to Seattle and if Alaska comes up as an option.

Do you know what the rule is for having had this card before? I had the Citi AA biz in 2019 (closed July, 19, 2022).

 

[FreeDiningFanatic]

I went back & doubled checked and I am actually 5/24 (I thought one of the 5 was my SW Biz card, which I think Chase would not count, but I was wrong). So, I think that leaves a non-Chase biz card as my only option - any good suggestions? I'd rather not have something with a high AF, as I already have an AmEx Platinum with a high AF.

I am really most familiar with American Express and Chase business products. Unfortunately, Amex tends to have larger AF but also really great SUBs. The Amex Biz Plat has a 150k offer, and if you spend in $5k increments, that means your SUB and minimum spend will get you at least 173k points, which is worth $2500, in my book. I tested some links on DISchurners, and the 150k offer does pull up in incognito mode.

Maybe others have some suggestions of some biz cards with hefty spends but smaller AFs?

 

[Crazed4DisneyinSC]

Previews for Daily Getaways deals (that start next week 7/18) are live: https://dailygetaways.ustravel.org/Home/Index/2022-07-18
Nothing that I'm jumping up and down for, however.

 

[calypso726]

I'd appreciate any advice on booking a positioning flight. My home airport (St. Louis) generally requires stops in Chicago, Detroit, Atlanta. Some of those stops are short and some can be 10+ hours, plus the flights are more expensive. I'd rather book a cheap flight on Southwest to Boston or another east coast airport and then get on an international flight from there. Any thing I should consider or avoid?

When searching for a positioning flight, I start with the international route for the airline I will be flying. I need to know the route that the airlines flies first. From there I base it on one of two factors. Which airports are a hub for the airline I am flying internationally since there should be more options out of a hub and then which airplane type flies out of a given airport and route. I would want to fly in a lie flat seat vs angle flat and will check which carriers have the seat type I want. Hope this helps

 

[Haley R]

Previews for Daily Getaways deals (that start next week 7/18) are live: https://dailygetaways.ustravel.org/Home/Index/2022-07-18
Nothing that I'm jumping up and down for, however.

I was hoping they’d maybe have seaworld

 

[FreeDiningFanatic]

I am really most familiar with American Express and Chase business products. Unfortunately, Amex tends to have larger AF but also really great SUBs. The Amex Biz Plat has a 150k offer, and if you spend in $5k increments, that means your SUB and minimum spend will get you at least 173k points, which is worth $2500, in my book. I tested some links on DISchurners, and the 150k offer does pull up in incognito mode.

Maybe others have some suggestions of some biz cards with hefty spends but smaller AFs?

@Shannon G If you go an Amex route, ensure the university accepts Amex first.

 

[djmeredith]

Thanks @reliev. That kind of confirms my gut instinct. I’m just kicking myself that I didn’t book the Park Hyatt or Hotel Louvre at a great rate when I had the chance months ago. Oh well, we will not be in the room much anyway..

Quoting myself to update my Paris hotel saga. I’ve been checking the Hyatt points booking availability frequently since last week, and today the Park Hyatt Place Vendome had availability for all 3 nts on points. 40k one nt and 45k the other two. I had to use up my UR stash and buy some points, but to me it was a good redemption. I’ve always dreamed of staying in an aspirational property in Paris and I know it will not disappoint me.

 

[Crazed4DisneyinSC]

I was hoping they’d maybe have seaworld

I kind of thought they would, as they have in the past. We got a really good deal a few years back on there... around $60 for 2 tickets to Seaworld or Busch Gardens. We used them at BG in Tampa since we'd never been.

 

[reliev]

just a protip/rant.
I accidentally bought a shelf that was the wrong part number for a refrigerator. Long story long they ghosted me after they sent the wrong part. I just tried to dispute it with chase they told me it would have to take up to 45 days for a resolution if only I bought it on any Amex they would have credited me back for it and not gone through this long drawn-out investigation.

 

[Haley R]

I kind of thought they would, as they have in the past. We got a really good deal a few years back on there... around $60 for 2 tickets to Seaworld or Busch Gardens. We used them at BG in Tampa since we'd never been.

We did that deal also. We haven’t taken ds before so I was hoping for one

 

[wanderlust7]

I went back & doubled checked and I am actually 5/24 (I thought one of the 5 was my SW Biz card, which I think Chase would not count, but I was wrong). So, I think that leaves a non-Chase biz card as my only option - any good suggestions? I'd rather not have something with a high AF, as I already have an AmEx Platinum with a high AF.

If the school takes Amex, there is a targeted BBP offer, 75k for $15k spend. Earns 2x, no AF. Link Also a similar BBC offer, $750 for $15k spend.