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

[georgina]

I am confused on the rules. Since I currently have an Amex Business Marriott (the old SPG biz), I thought I had to close it first before I could apply for this Chase Marriott Boundless. Maybe not?

The rules I saw on DOC said you can't have applied for an Amex Biz Marriott in the last 90 days. It is darn confusing!

 

[Sheree]

thanks for the Marriott heads up. applied for P2, instant approval. he's now 5/24 til next month.
6k spend for me for my CIC and 5k for this. then maybe hilton biz to replenish those points.
I should use the FNC for Swan in Oct and rent my DVC points!

 

[DisneyDaysAhead]

Oh boy. Major learning curve here on the board. I keep trying to reply to someone and am getting a message that says my post looks like spam and to contact a mod, but idk how to even contact a mod. Lol I’m a mess.

 

[wendow]

I've been trying to chat to close an American Express card, I got someone who said they would transfer me, but then no one ever came back on. I've tried a few more times on different days and no one ever responds. Anyone ever have this happen?

Just be adamant with the first rep that you are not interested in keeping the card and do not want to be transferred. They are trying to send you to someone to talk you into keeping. If you are interested in a retention offer, you'll need to stay on and chat with them.

 

[FreeDiningFanatic]

Ha, I thought I was special! I got an email with this offer this morning. Really considering going for it, I was waiting for the 3 month mark to apply for this when it got pulled a few weeks ago, so I went for the AA Citi card instead. Not sure I can meet the MSR on both, but possibly. It would also put me at 5/25 till Oct, which might be ok if I can get DH to go for a new card in Sept to tide us over.

If I did go for this card, I think the comments previously were that the FNC's post pretty quickly, is that right? I was planning on booking a Nov stay at the Swan using points for SUBs that my mom and I will be getting at the end of this month, but if I did go for the 5 night offer, I think I could use those instead, and save the points for fall 2024, assuming I got the certs soon enough. It's making me nervous that we haven't booked yet.

My certs posted within days of meeting the spend (which may have also been statement closing). But, I would be nervous as well. If I were you I would book with the points you have coming in, potentially even single night bookings. Then when your certs come in, you can see if a room is available within the 50k (or 65k with 15k top off). If it is, you could book with cert and cancel the points booking. FYI, there is no way to switch your ressie from points to cert (I wish there was). And there is no guarantee if you cancel a room on points or cert that it will go back into inventory. So I would only attempt this in the order listed (essentially double book and cancel one). I learned all of the above the hard way, lol.

 

[FreeDiningFanatic]

Elevated Hilton offers that includes a free night on the no fee, Surpass, and biz. DoC link goes to all offers. Doesn't seem available via support.

Approved for the Surpass even though I've gotten pop-up on it before.

Thanks for the tip. Torn between the no fee and the Surpass, but could consider one of each, maybe.

For those who have multiple Aspires, is the Surpass the route to get upgrade offers to the Aspire? Anyone have the no fee and get an upgrade offer to the Aspire?

 

[amcc]

Thanks for the tip. Torn between the no fee and the Surpass, but could consider one of each, maybe.

For those who have multiple Aspires, is the Surpass the route to get upgrade offers to the Aspire? Anyone have the no fee and get an upgrade offer to the Aspire?

I've had the Surpass for several years, put spend on it, and have never gotten an upgrade offer to the Aspire. I'm thinking of going for the no fee one with this offer. Does anyone know if they will match the offer? My sister applied for the Surpass last week with no FN but I think she got 150k so maybe they don't consider this a better offer.

 

[Alexle2007]

For our cruise from Spain, do we need a tourist visa? Trying to read the Spain website in Spanish that I don’t is not helping.

 

[FreeDiningFanatic]

Free Hotel Availability Alert tools

If you are looking for award availability for specific dates at a specific property, just want to remind everyone that OpenHotelAlert is a free, easy alert tool. You do have to know what room type(s) is the standard room.

Also just recently used StayWithPoints for an alert. Free and you get one free alert (at a time, I think). Also worked like a charm.

These two tools really beat refreshing a calendar multiple times a day.

 

[havaneselover]

For our cruise from Spain, do we need a tourist visa? Trying to read the Spain website in Spanish that I don’t is not helping.

Last year we didn’t.

 

[wanderlust7]

Thanks for the tip. Torn between the no fee and the Surpass, but could consider one of each, maybe.

For those who have multiple Aspires, is the Surpass the route to get upgrade offers to the Aspire? Anyone have the no fee and get an upgrade offer to the Aspire?

I don't think I've seen any DPs of Surpass upgrade offers recently. They've all been from the no fee, either to a Surpass or Aspire. But who know what it'll look like in a year.

I did the Surpass because I figured bird in hand 130k points is better than 70k. Mulling getting the no fee too, but would need to cancel my BBP to free up a cc slot. Amex has the 1/5 and 2/90 rules for credit cards, so would need to wait 5 days and figure out when I roll out of the 90 days lol (did the Hilton biz recently, too bad I missed out on the FNC for that).

I've had the Surpass for several years, put spend on it, and have never gotten an upgrade offer to the Aspire. I'm thinking of going for the no fee one with this offer. Does anyone know if they will match the offer? My sister applied for the Surpass last week with no FN but I think she got 150k so maybe they don't consider this a better offer.

Amex doesn't match, unfortunately.

 

[FreeDiningFanatic]

I don't think I've seen any DPs of Surpass upgrade offers recently. They've all been from the no fee, either to a Surpass or Aspire. But who know what it'll look like in a year.

I did the Surpass because I figured bird in hand 130k points is better than 70k. Mulling getting the no fee too, but would need to cancel my BBP to free up a cc slot. Amex has the 1/5 and 2/90 rules for credit cards, so would need to wait 5 days and figure out when I roll out of the 90 days lol (did the Hilton biz recently, too bad I missed out on the FNC for that).

Thanks- this is just the info I needed. I would blow through the no fee MSR and then be like, what now? But a FNC on a no fee is hard to pass up. Sort of tempted to try for the biz (had two years ago, closed 1 yr ago), because I saw a few dps. But I don't like rejection. Also want to wait a few days to see if these will become available by support.

BBP is a such a keeper card. But if you did the no fee as well soon, at least your FNC would be available at nearly the same time.

 

[KPK02090]

When did you chat? I think business retention is only open during regular business hours (Eastern time?).

I've had chat be glitchy before, though not recently.

I’ve tried Mon, Tues and Wed of this week all during business hours. And I can’t get a response of any kind. I might have to call. Ugh!

Just be adamant with the first rep that you are not interested in keeping the card and do not want to be transferred. They are trying to send you to someone to talk you into keeping. If you are interested in a retention offer, you'll need to stay on and chat with them.

Thanks for the tip. It’s my mother’s card, and she is definitely not interested in a retention offer.

 

[wanderlust7]

Sort of tempted to try for the biz (had two years ago, closed 1 yr ago), because I saw a few dps. But I don't like rejection.

You'll get a pop-up, not a denial, so no harm in trying!

 

[IFlossU]

DW has an AMEX personal gold that we will likely cancel this month. Can she apply for the business gold? I tried but I’m in AMEX jail. We have tuition payments in June and I’m trying to get a large bonus that I normally couldn’t make. The other option would be the CIP if she can’t get the business gold.

She can apply for the Biz Gold anytime

 

[becauseimnew]

Sort of tempted to try for the biz (had two years ago, closed 1 yr ago), because I saw a few dps. But I don't like rejection

I've seen the recent DPS too so I'm going to try, had the card 5 years ago, but I just got the Citi card + still have $7K of the Amex Plat MSR, so I'm going to wait as long as possible before applying.

 

[pinkxray]

DD18 has been looking into getting a credit. She is horrible with money. I really think she is going to be someone who uses it too much and can’t pay it off. All these high interest rates on cards are scary. 18-20%. As much as I drill it into her head to only charge in emergencies or do charge something you need to pay it off in full.

We are members of Navy Fed. Dh was in the military. I think I remember she can open an acct? Can she have a navy fed credit card? There rates also seemed better. Are they hard to get? She has no credit really. Has been an authorized user on my Disney Visa for over a year or so.

Any other good options for a first card?

 

[miztressuz]

I've had the Surpass for several years, put spend on it, and have never gotten an upgrade offer to the Aspire. I'm thinking of going for the no fee one with this offer. Does anyone know if they will match the offer? My sister applied for the Surpass last week with no FN but I think she got 150k so maybe they don't consider this a better offer.

AmEx doesn't do matches. On occasion, if they're generous, they may give some courtesy points as a consolation. But I haven't been seeing many DPs of that lately. Since her points offer is higher not sure what they'd do as a courtesy for missing a FNC.

Thanks- this is just the info I needed. I would blow through the no fee MSR and then be like, what now? But a FNC on a no fee is hard to pass up. Sort of tempted to try for the biz (had two years ago, closed 1 yr ago), because I saw a few dps. But I don't like rejection. Also want to wait a few days to see if these will become available by support.

BBP is a such a keeper card. But if you did the no fee as well soon, at least your FNC would be available at nearly the same time.

BBP is great but you can always apply for a new one when slots free up. Just have to remember to always have one MR earning card to keep the points alive.

And the eligibility for the bonus is all driven by the pop up now. If you don't get a pop up, you get the bonus. So LL is a little more loosely written and matches the behavior we've been seeing for a couple years now. Definitely give the Biz a try and see what pops up!

 

[amcc]

A Royal Caribbean offer just popped up on Amex - 20k MR when you spend $1,000. The NCL one never showed up this time (my and my AUs had used it the previous 2x) although I still haven't paid for any extras on my Aug cruise in the hope that there is a second drop of them.

 

[Communicore1991]

DD18 has been looking into getting a credit. She is horrible with money. I really think she is going to be someone who uses it too much and can’t pay it off. All these high interest rates on cards are scary. 18-20%. As much as I drill it into her head to only charge in emergencies or do charge something you need to pay it off in full.
We are members of Navy Fed. Dh was in the military. I think I remember she can open an acct? Can she have a navy fed credit card? There rates also seemed better. Are they hard to get? She has no credit really. Has been an authorized user on my Disney Visa for over a year or so.

Any other good options for a first card?

Since she's so bad with credit and it sounds like she's going to burn a hole in the card the second she gets it, maybe she should start off with a debit card? It sounds like she needs to learn more about proper money management before you or her think about getting her a credit card. Ruining her credit at such an early age is going to be a recipe for disaster for years down the road.