I love credit cards so much!

[amalone1013]

So the nights and flights certs... do they expire after a year or so?

 

[miztressuz]

Definitely pm @Albort or @Lain to get you added to the DISchurners reddit group. That is where we keep the support links. But fyi, I'm pretty sure that @SouthFayetteFan does not have the CSR yet.

I believe you're correct. That must be killer watching everyone's double dip dance parties while patiently waiting all this time. Hopefully the vacays have been a distraction from watching the clock @SouthFayetteFan !

 

[gottalovepluto]

I applied and was approved for this last night. Did the 50K offer and hoping to match to the 70K. Setup my login during the approval process and tried to log in, but didn't work (why am I surprised, it's Citi...). Tried calling this am (1-800-950-5114; actually got someone in FL and not Bombay...) since I was worried I won't be able to get the match if the 70K offer expires this weekend (rumors) . Said I can't register until I get the physical card, so the registration process during approval was utterly useless...

AA miles are great but not free, Citi IT is the price we pay.

 

[speedyfishy]

So, I did try to search this before posting the question but the search thread function is not working for me lately...

I think I am ready to do the CSP/CSR double dip. But definitely nervous about that spend. I know somewhere there is a list of tips/tricks to hitting that spend but I can't find that info anywhere. So, any tips?

Definitely want to look at bank accounts that I can fund with a credit card. Do we have a good current list of those somewhere as well?

Also haven't exactly sold this to my dh yet. Between the high spend and annual fee, I need to make a strong case.

I just funded PNC and BMO with the CSR and CSP. For PNC you can open a checking and savings account and fund 2k each so that’s one card out of the way. BMO you can do a checking, savings, and money market for 1k each they need to be opened at the same time.

 

[wendow]

I believe you're correct. That must be killer watching everyone's double dip dance parties while patiently waiting all this time. Hopefully the vacays have been a distraction from watching the clock @SouthFayetteFan !

Right, I know he's anxious for his very own double-dip!

 

[speedyfishy]

Hi! I am new to this thread and to using credit cards for air miles. I have read through several pages and had several questions answered already, but wanted to ask a couple more (probably stupid) questions.

I plan to travel next summer, but I do not know which airline, so I am looking at non-airline cards like the Barclaycard Arrival and the Capital One Venture. I have not applied for any cards in at least the last couple years, so if I understand the "5/24" guidance, I can apply for two. Is that a good idea?

It would normally be tough to rack up enough charges in 3 months for both cards to get the mileage bonuses, but I was thinking I could use them for my mortgage and other bills that I currently pay direct. Is that a good idea?

Any other suggestions? Thanks!

5/24 is a chase rule limiting a person to five personal credit card approvals in the last 24 months. I would recommend starting with Chase cards and then you can get the other two that you mentioned. Chase has UR earning cards that can be used to book flights through their travel portal or you can transfer to some airlines.

The Chase Ink preferred would be a good option to start with if you want to use Plastiq to pay your mortgage. We have a thread on Reddit explaining the details. Plastiq earns 3x with the CIP negating the 2.5% fee.

If you aren’t comfortable with a business card just yet the CSR/CSP double dip is a great option to start out with too.

 

[speedyfishy]

Anyone know if Chase cruise and tours can book an ABD trip? They are wayyyyyyyy out of my budget, but maybe if I could stock pile URs I’d love to take one. I’m assuming since Chase just books through the Disney website it would be possible. I’d also love to use URs to book a Disneyland Paris package.

 

[wendow]

Called SW and asked about a retention offer for my Premier. He said my account has an offer for $50. I told him I needed to think about it. I want the whole $100 like others got Not sure if HUCA works here or if there really is only $50 on my account.

I can't decide if keeping it open makes sense. I was hoping to have my dh double-dip SW cards later this year to try for CP but if the bonuses don't increase, I'm not sure we will try.

 

[gottalovepluto]

So this is a new one. I posted that I did the Flights and Hotel package a few days ago with Marriott. I asked for 120,000 Alaska miles and a Category 6 certificate (300,000 Marriott points). The agent screwed up and transferred the points to United! I gave her my Alaska number so I have no idea what happened. So instead of 120,000 Alaska miles I now have 132,000 United miles. I think the miles also made me a Premier Silver for United. I figured this all out because when I went to check into my flight for Maui I was given a complimentary upgrade of extra legroom and put on the auto upgrade for first class. I can't imagine the nightmare of trying to have this corrected. Anyone heard of this before? I'd much rather have the Alaska miles, but I can just imagine the long phone calls and the potential for more screw up. We fly United enough that I can use them, but United miles are so much easier to earn. Not sure what to do.

Oh my gosh. I see no way around this that doesn’t involve long times on the phone and even then I haven’t a clue where this will end up. Maybe it will slightly shorten if you start with “I purchased a package with Alaska points and just found out I was given United points, I need to speak to a manager immediately.”

I would definitely be on the phone with marriott for what it’s worth. I have no idea what you can expect but I would start with demanding my AS miles but you have to be willing to give them back their UA miles. I’d do it sooner rather than later if you are going to call because those phone lines are only going to get busier as more people decide on their travel packages before the deadline.

 

[StephPlum]

@SBWB48 i do think the 70k offer on Citi AA biz ends on July 21. I saw it on the page when "DH" applied late night. Instant approval! He was able to do the account sign up during submission and it actually worked for him.

Also good news, my Citi card came in the mail yesterday. I checked informed delivery and only saw a plan white envelope and assumed it hadn't come. I almost didn't open right away as I wasn't sure who it was from or what was in it.

I know I have a problem cause I was thinking I could fund 2 bank accts for me and 2 for DH and knock out MSR on the two cards. Plus I didn't realize I could pay mortgage on MC. Another easy way to meet MSR. But then I would need a new card before my Glacier trip. It is a little crazy when I stop to think about the number of new cards (6 for me; 3 DH) this year.

 

[amalone1013]

Also I was a slacker, aka i was busy and everytime i remembered to call for retention offers for my SW card they were in our lock box and I was at work...

So I just did it today. My statements closed the 14th and 15th so I had already paid them (I fell into the range of people where the posted before my points)... and a late fee because I thought they both closed the 15th... I'm ashamed!

But anyways, my AFs posted June 1st and I was offered $35 for the plus and $100 for the business card. So I paid $69 + $99 + $15 late fee. After credits it will be $48, so it's like getting 9k RR points for 0.5 cents each if I did the math right?

I think I'm going to share my Plus card link of FB a few times for the next year. Plus I'll be able to refer DH for his CP if that's the card we go with.

 

[jhoannam]

So the nights and flights certs... do they expire after a year or so?

Yes, but there were ways of expending the expiration date.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

Thanks. (I think I followed, but I’m still acronym-challenged on this thread.)

feel free to ask any questions. We are a friendly bunch.

 

[speedyfishy]

AFs posted June 1st and I was offered $35 for the plus and $100 for the business card. So I paid $69 + $99 + $15 late fee. After credits it will be $48, so it's like getting 9k RR points for 0.5 cents each if I did the math right?

Did you call and ask them to waive the fee? I actually forgot to pay a Amex card for the first time a few months ago (I think when I was in the Bahamas) I chatted with them asking to waive the fee and they did.

 

[wendow]

Yes, but there were ways of expending the expiration date.

I'm wondering if this will change at all. We'd definitely need to extend our cert but I'm worried that they will crack down on this after 8/1.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Does anyone know if I book a refundable hotel reservation on the Chase UR travel portal with cash, can Chase later convert the cash reservation to a point reservation ?

Never heard of someone trying that tbh. As long as it’s refundable (be very careful about that! I get confused on the their portal sometimes about that) I don’t think you have anything to lose.

 

[miztressuz]

Probably obvious, but i'm going to ask anyway to be sure I have this right. If you fund a bank account with a credit card, do you then just use the money from that bank account to pay off the credit card bill?

You can, but as mentioned already I'd probably obscure it by transferring it to your normal account, or at least a different account, to pay the bill. Check what the minimum requirements are to keep it fee free and just make sure you have enough cash to cover that. If you fund it with 2k and need $500 min balance to avoid fees, you can move that 1.5k back but still have to come up with the additional 500 for the bill.

We did it for a few accounts we planned to take advantage of for bank bonuses anyway, so we had all the cash needed to meet the requirements and just added the CC step to get points too. So instead of going from point a to point c directly, we added a point b (the credit card) in the middle there.

Credit card companies can eat weird if you pay from multiple bank accounts. It’s recommened to transfer the money you don’t need to leave in the account (so you don’t pay fees for closing early, etc.) over to you normal bank and pay your credit card from there. Not all credit cards work for bank account funding so research the credit card and your specific bank looking for recent data points before trying it.

I thought the bust out/shutdown weirdness was from partial payments from multiple bank accounts? Like you have a $500 balance and you pay $150 from bank a and $350 from bank b, or using them to cycle your limits and so on so forth. I would agree it's easier to spot if you funded PNC and then next month paid with a new linked PNC account to the same card. But I didn't think linking multiple accounts did it, guess I'll have to look into it.

I'm guessing though part of it is established patterns. If you have a pattern of paying from certain accounts and it hasn't affected their business you're probably ok. If all of a sudden you're racking up large charges and switching accounts every month to pay them, that sounds risky and probably puts eyes on the account.

 

[Albort]

Hi! I am new to this thread and to using credit cards for air miles. I have read through several pages and had several questions answered already, but wanted to ask a couple more (probably stupid) questions.

I plan to travel next summer, but I do not know which airline, so I am looking at non-airline cards like the Barclaycard Arrival and the Capital One Venture. I have not applied for any cards in at least the last couple years, so if I understand the "5/24" guidance, I can apply for two. Is that a good idea?

It would normally be tough to rack up enough charges in 3 months for both cards to get the mileage bonuses, but I was thinking I could use them for my mortgage and other bills that I currently pay direct. Is that a good idea?

Any other suggestions? Thanks!

Welcome to the thread! Usually those non-airline cards can only be redeemed at $.01 per point. most of the say... chase cards can do the same as well. You should go for chase cards first as they are the easiest to earn with a few cards that earn the same points.
You can get a general idea on where u want to go based on what airline by going to awardhacker.com. this site will list basically what is the cheapest way to where u want to go on what airline. Once you kinda figure out what airline to go for, u start looking at the card choices. Hope that helps!

So, I did try to search this before posting the question but the search thread function is not working for me lately...

I think I am ready to do the CSP/CSR double dip. But definitely nervous about that spend. I know somewhere there is a list of tips/tricks to hitting that spend but I can't find that info anywhere. So, any tips?

Definitely want to look at bank accounts that I can fund with a credit card. Do we have a good current list of those somewhere as well?

Also haven't exactly sold this to my dh yet. Between the high spend and annual fee, I need to make a strong case.

i think @speedyfishy already answered your question, PNC and BMO both allow quite a bit of credit card funding. u can also have multiple accounts... its pretty simple to meet MSR with them.

Probably obvious, but i'm going to ask anyway to be sure I have this right. If you fund a bank account with a credit card, do you then just use the money from that bank account to pay off the credit card bill?

in theory yes. but its isnt really recommended. If the banks see do that, they "Might" shut u down. that might add to your chex system score which may cause u to have a hard time opening more bank accounts.
best to leave in bank for 2-3 months(recommended), then transfer to your bank that you do payments from.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

Never heard of someone trying that tbh. As long as it’s refundable (be very careful about that! I get confused on the their portal sometimes about that) I don’t think you have anything to lose.

I am intrigued by this as well. Let us know if it works out. Seems like a great idea in theory.

 

[gottalovepluto]

For those who open bank accounts online, how do you prove your identity? Do you have to scan drivers license, SS cards, etc?

You never know. After your app some banks make you do extra verification, some don’t. They will notify you via follow up if they need docs. So far I’ve been asked to submit: driver’s license, social security card, utility bills by snail mail or the banks portal. You just don’t know, and I’m definitely in the credit/banking system.