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

[Crazed4DisneyinSC]

Discover released their 4th quarter 5% categories: Amazon and Target. We’ll probably max out on Amazon organically tbh… I’m ashamed to admit our spend on Amazon is ridiculous for a 2 person household, lol. I hope Freedom categories don’t copy suit here…

 

[Haley R]

@Haley R loved your trip report and pics also! Munich has been on our list for a long time, and we plan to go in 2025 for our next international trip. So glad to hear you guys loved it.

Are you going to stay in Munich or visit other areas too?

 

[Crazed4DisneyinSC]

Are you going to stay in Munich or visit other areas too?

Going to do several days in Munich, a day or two near Neuschwanstein, and a day or two in Salzburg, Austria as well. It may be part of a larger, longer trip where we incorporate Italy too, but we're not 100% sure yet. Still piecing it together.

 

[PharmDis]

I think that’s when the thread was started…I posted the question in the news and general discussion thread

How do you request access on Reddit?

 

[magickingdomprincess]

To preface my question, I want to say that I have no experience flying internationally, but wanted to see if this is a common occurrence. My mom and my step-dad and uncle were flying to Venice from Atlanta yesterday on Delta, on their way to a few days in Venice then a Greek Isles cruise. Apparently the flight was overbooked and they needed 7 people to take a bump, and they got up to $3,000 cash before they finally got enough people to volunteer. Is it common to overbook an international flight, and if so to offer that much? It seemed nuts to me! They didn't want to volunteer because they're with a tour group and didn't want to get separated, and I'm not sure when the next flight was, but wow, that could have practically paid for a whole other trip!

 

[punkin]

Has anyone considered

Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®​

for the 100k AA points and admirals club access? It's not a cheap AF. Unfortunately, I just blew through my spend on the CIP I got this month. I need another SUB!

And I have a trip to Italy next month with the whole family (on AA). This will let me get everyone in the club without paying a guest fee for my DD for the centurion lounge.

 

[Haley R]

Going to do several days in Munich, a day or two near Neuschwanstein, and a day or two in Salzburg, Austria as well. It may be part of a larger, longer trip where we incorporate Italy too, but we're not 100% sure yet. Still piecing it together.

We absolutely loved the Fussen area by the castle. It was really pretty. We talked about driving to Salzburg but decided against it since we were already driving a bunch

 

[Crazed4DisneyinSC]

We absolutely loved the Fussen area by the castle. It was really pretty. We talked about driving to Salzburg but decided against it since we were already driving a bunch

We hadn’t considered renting a car over there, since public transit seems to be pretty good, but it sounds like you guys did not have any troubles driving around. I may have to reconsider that part!

 

[Haley R]

We hadn’t considered renting a car over there, since public transit seems to be pretty good, but it sounds like you guys did not have any troubles driving around. I may have to reconsider that part!

At least for us, taking public transport would’ve taken twice as long and that wouldn’t have worked with a 3 year old. We loved having a car and drove almost daily. We took public transport two days in Munich and that was it for the entire trip. We didn’t feel like it was as easy and convenient compared to the trains in Japan. The driving there is almost exactly like it is here. They drive on the right side and follow most of the same rules. Dh loved the No speed zones on the autobahn lol. I think he got up to 185 kmph!

 

[wanderlust7]

We hadn’t considered renting a car over there, since public transit seems to be pretty good, but it sounds like you guys did not have any troubles driving around. I may have to reconsider that part!

If you end up taking long distance trains, you might want to pay a little extra to reserve a seat. I didn't research this part enough, we got very confused and sat in someone else's seats! At first we thought it was like Japan where the entire train car is unreserved seating. But nope, there are LED displays on the side of the seats that tell you what segment the seat is reserved for, as well as some other possibilities in German (like "possibly reserved"). If I had a redo, I'd pay the extra money just so we know exactly where we can sit!

 

[EACarlson]

Has anyone considered

Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®​

for the 100k AA points and admirals club access? It's not a cheap AF. Unfortunately, I just blew through my spend on the CIP I got this month. I need another SUB!

And I have a trip to Italy next month with the whole family (on AA). This will let me get everyone in the club without paying a guest fee for my DD for the centurion lounge.

I believe this card just had a huge overhaul a month or two ago, so make sure you're reading the correct things about the new card. IIRC, they nerfed the lounge access to only the cardholder and AUs, but now charge a large amount for each AU. Previous to the change it was free for up to 9 AUs and was a great value if you flew AA a decent amount.

 

[orangecuse]

Well, we got the worst case diagonosis for my dad I don't know that I have enough information yet to plan (trips to Naples, rescheduling planned vacations, etc.) And my homesick college freshman is taking the news really hard.

i am so sorry, your poor family!

 

[afan]

If I remember right, I think all the hotels we stayed at in Japan was like this. Must be a cultural thing.

Omg. Well at least I'll have my thin fleece from thr Hilton on so it'll be ok. That DLP gift with purchase as gotten a ton of vacation use.

We had the same problem in Germany. Only 1/3 of our hotels had an AC that could actually cool the space and all of them had thick comforters with no sheet. I woke up hot a lot

That sucks. Thankfully the a.c. cooled the room but the blanket held the heat in. Too hit with it too cold without. They are going to take the comforter out of the duvet and just leave the cover so it should be good.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

I'll write up a review after my stays for the hotel thread, but what craziness is this. I know a lot of people don't like top sheets but omg just a comforter is too hot and no other blankets. I brought one but it's in my big suitcase. Turned the a.c. down to 66 from 69 and it still didn't help. Didn't get anywhere near the sleep I should have/needed. Will stop by the fd after breakfast and ask for them to bring something.

Happy with most everything else but I sleep hot.

If I remember right, I think all the hotels we stayed at in Japan was like this. Must be a cultural thing.

Last 2 hotels we stayed at were like that...in New Orleans and Wisconsin. Seems it's becoming a standard. I hate it.

 

[Haley R]

Omg. Well at least I'll have my thin fleece from thr Hilton on so it'll be ok. That DLP gift with purchase as gotten a ton of vacation use.



That sucks. Thankfully the a.c. cooled the room but the blanket held the heat in. Too hit with it too cold without. They are going to take the comforter out of the duvet and just leave the cover so it should be good.

It was much warmer than the average when we were there so I’m sure it’s not normally a problem. It was 90 some days. The Füssen hotel had huge, thick quilts in the closet but no sheets

 

[afan]

It was much warmer than the average when we were there so I’m sure it’s not normally a problem. It was 90 some days. The Füssen hotel had huge, thick quilts in the closet but no sheets

I am fully a top sheet person at home and elsewhere. I'm not washing my bedspread or comforter weekly cause I don't use a top sheet. I just don't get the trend

 

[Duckbug.Ducktales]

I usually do a price breakdown for trips, but when traveling with so many people, I'm not sure it's helpful, so instead, I thought I'd do my top tips for planning a trip to Iceland:

1. Just order a digital guidebook from Iceland with a View. She's done all the research for you- what to wear, what to pack, highlights in each area, plus maps. Watch her content on youtube as well, it's great! This will save you hours and hours and hours of planning.
2. Book your lodging well in advance (like 10-12 months), especially if going in the peak summer months. When possible, book flexible cancellation, because you're sort of putting a puzzle together. T
3. Aim for the summer months, like June-August, especially if you aren't a fan of cooler temps. You'll get a ton of daytime hours (even the midnight sun if you go in early summer), warm temps (50s and 60s- perfect for being active) and it's easy to self drive in the summer months. The colors are amazing in the summer!
4. Unless you're going for just a few days (IcelandAir has a free stopover!), don't stay only in Reyjkavik. Get out and explore the rest of Iceland on your own.
5. Iceland is known for being expensive. It is. The same lodging we stayed in in 2021 had a 100% price increase in 2023! But, outside of airfare, lodging, car rental/gas, you can do and see a lot for very few fees. While food is expensive like any island, if you choose to cook your meals, it can be very reasonable.
6. Consider staying in cabins, cottages, guesthouses, etc. As points enthusiasts, we are sort of conditioned to stay in hotels, but you'll be really limited if only staying in hotels.
7. We've done amazing tours and experiences, like a zodiak tour of the glacier lagoon, hiked a glacier to an ice cave and visited the Blue Lagoon. A lot of these you can book on credit card portals. But, you really don't have to pay big fees to have an amazing experience. Maybe pick just one "tour" you have to do and self explore otherwise.
8. If your only opportunity is to visit the Blue Lagoon to or from the airport, I recommend skipping it. It can be a great experience, but the locker rooms can be very, very chaotic, and after an overnight flight, jet lag and time change, you might be low on patience. Your spa-like, $100pp experience might not be worth the pricetag when your flesh is touching someone else's in a crowded locker room. We wish we had just stuck with our spa at the hotel in Reyjkavik (free with status!)
9. Embrace gas station food! It's not unusual for a "restaurant" to be in a gas station or connected to one. Or get an icelandic hot dog or a bowl of soup. It's the icelandic way!
10. Move locations every two days or so. We aren't fast paced travelers, but unless you want to drive a ton, you'll need to move along every couple of days. But don't forget to slow down and just enjoy the beauty of it all.

We spent last Christmas in Iceland. Was one of the most amazing trips we've done. Next we want to see it in summer, thanks for all these tips as the experience really is very different depending on the season. Going to plan it for summer 2025.

 

[palhockeymomof2]

I am fully a top sheet person at home and elsewhere. I'm not washing my bedspread or comforter weekly cause I don't use a top sheet. I just don't get the trend

Agree…I always use one…

 

[FreeDiningFanatic]

We spent last Christmas in Iceland. Was one of the most amazing trips we've done. Next we want to see it in summer, thanks for all these tips as the experience really is very different depending on the season. Going to plan it for summer 2025.

Ooh, I'd love to hear more. How was full on winter in Iceland? What kind of activities did you do?

I'd love to see the northern lights (I only once saw them unexpectedly, from the cockpit as a crew member, and I don't think I even knew what they were at the time). I do think it would be nice to just get cozy in a cabin and cook, hot tub, etc.

 

[afan]

@Haley R you guys are going to want to try and avoid the stroller if you can. Seems like every elevator I see there's a line with strollers.