I love credit cards so much! v2.0 (see first page for add'l details)

[DisneyMandC]

No it’s not.

So judgmental, @Lain!! Some of us need a lot of iced peppermint mochas!!

 

[LilSweetPeaPhoto]

Just cancelled my wife's Marriott card which was originally opened back in 2016. It was upgraded to the new Marriott card a year ago and it was just time to go. I could not justify the $95 AF - due to the PC, my free night posts on a different schedule than the AF so I had already gotten the free night in March and used it this summer. Why am I typing all of this - I dunno, haha. I guess it's just hard to say goodbye to an old card! In our first year of "heavy churning" we got 24 cards and only 6 of them remain open. Goodbye Marriott card - you did me good, friend! You did me good!

...I get oddly sentimental about my credit cards...

I said goodbye to my SPG Biz which I had since 2005! That was a hard one to leave. But the AF made it easy to do.

 

[DisneyMandC]

Just cancelled my wife's Marriott card which was originally opened back in 2016. It was upgraded to the new Marriott card a year ago and it was just time to go. I could not justify the $95 AF - due to the PC, my free night posts on a different schedule than the AF so I had already gotten the free night in March and used it this summer. Why am I typing all of this - I dunno, haha. I guess it's just hard to say goodbye to an old card! In our first year of "heavy churning" we got 24 cards and only 6 of them remain open. Goodbye Marriott card - you did me good, friend! You did me good!

...I get oddly sentimental about my credit cards...

Did you just not feel as though you could get value out of the FN anymore with AFs going up? Or is it the fact that your other FN doesn't line up with it? Just curious. We currently have 3 Marriott Biz cards between Chase and Amex, but I think they will probably be keepers for us even though the FNs don't line up perfectly. Though I suppose we could hold some over and make it work.

 

[tink1970]

For those that have done repositioning flights within Europe, what carriers have you used that didn’t charge a fortune for checked bags? Ryan Air is cheap but it’s showing $100 for checked bags.

I've flown Aer Lingus, too and find their checked bags fees (in advance) weren't outrageous. Also ditto AF as well-we flew AF/Czech Air/ KLM all on an AF generated ticket and the bag fee was with the AF ticket. So basically adding nothing to the conversation, lol.

I see the Dream got pushed out til tomorrow

Yeah, can we call @calypso726 Gilligan yet? Or have her buy our lottery tickets?

This will be me next March. We haven't cancelled a hotel card yet but I highly, highly doubt we can justify the $125 fee on the Bananaboy Biz. It was my first ever Biz card so a little sentimental. It was back in the day where AmEx were like gateway biz cards, hand them out like candy, get your feet wet, move on to the big boys Oh, such a far away land of... 2018

Oh, those were the days, my friend! Mine is likely on the chopping block in Feb, and much as I love my R-C I'm thinking about calling to see if I can PC it in Nov. Marriott's merger with SPG has just not been smooth enough to ensure my continued loyalty, tbh.

 

[hsmamato2]

I have been wondering this also. DM and I will be working toward CP later this year. We are flying to Fort Meyers Saturday for a week at the Hyatt Coconut Plantation timeshare in Bonita Springs. We went there last year and had an amazing, relaxing, vacation. We had no schedule and no expectations. I was planning to check for the 50,000 point availability when we are flying. We would wait and apply during our December HI trip.

enjoy! we had a relaxing visit to the area last February...

 

[jhoannam]

OK booking a delta vacation package for WDW tix. Double miles value expires 9/6. There is speculation you could secure the tickets and be refunded the rest of the package if you cancel within 24 hours, but we are not sure on this. In the meantime I think its safer to go the insurance route. Plus in order to get the double miles benefit you need to use miles and I was told those cannot be placed back in your account.

Here goes:

1. Log into Deltavacations.com go to the box on the bottom and click on "advanced search"
2. To use the double miles benefit it must be a flight and hotel x2 nights
3. I booked a WDW hotel, I'm not sure if that's necessary but I would to be safe. You also want to book it for soon to secure tickets ASAP. I did >30 days but less than 60 because i didn't want to get into any funky cancellation issues
4. Depending on how many miles you want to use to the "throwaway" search for cheap flights. I looked at delta.com and did "flexible dates" to find my flights but I didn't look too hard
5. In the search box do the flight (I did ATL-MCO), arrival must be MCO to add tickets. I did my reservation for 4 people because I couldn't figure out how to add more than one ticket. You can do 7,8,9 and 10 day tix if you want to do one flyer only
6. Do the cheapest route you can find (unless you don't care about how many miles you are putting out) and 2 night at the value. Put in one person
7. There is a "show all hotel filters" option - you can click on Disney. I chose 2 nights at ASM.
8. Keep clicking the red "next" button box that appears on the side of the right side of the screen.
9. Pick your flights. Don't care about the times do the one that costs $0, hit the RED NEXT button after each time
10. The site can get a bit sluggish
11. After you get the flights you will be at the "extra options" page
12. Under activities choose the Disney tickets for the kind (base, hoppers or hopper plus), and days you want. You can only pick one at first (and only an adult ticket)
13. Go up to the RED NEXT button again and click it
14. You will then land on the "Traveler information page" - back out of this and add the remaining tickets you want - one by one back and forth (sooo slow)
15. Once you are satisified you will add the travelers information. Click next and there you will see the insurance options. Choose the cheaper one and below you will see where you can use miles.
16. Voila you have your package and tickets
17. Once your tickets come go back online and cancel the package. You will see it says a large amount non refundable (for tickets) and a voucher for the amount the rest of the trip was worth (and the miles you paid also count double towards this portion)

Thanks for the step by step!

 

[hsmamato2]

I've flown Aer Lingus, too and find their checked bags fees (in advance) weren't outrageous. Also ditto AF as well-we flew AF/Czech Air/ KLM all on an AF generated ticket and the bag fee was with the AF ticket. So basically adding nothing to the conversation, lol.



Yeah, can we call @calypso726 Gilligan yet? Or have her buy our lottery tickets?



Oh, those were the days, my friend! Mine is likely on the chopping block in Feb, and much as I love my R-C I'm thinking about calling to see if I can PC it in Nov. Marriott's merger with SPG has just not been smooth enough to ensure my continued loyalty, tbh.

I've been considering this for quite a while also- Already got rid of one Bonvoy card,have two more to go.... Will my already posted free nights stay avaailable even if we cancel the cards? I just don't think I have an easy use for a random 35k bonvoy night,and it doesn't make snes to me pay an AF on something I wouldn't otherwise want...or that I have to plan specially to use up....

 

[kidsfirsttrip]

Funny I’m planning to cancel my bonblah Amex biz this month. I’m waiting until my fn certificate to post, my understanding is my fee will be prorated since I live in MA. I think the certs are decent values although $125 is pushing it ($95 for this af for me, but will go up next year). For essentially $25 more I’ll keep the Brilliant and get more value from the 50k cert. in addition we have x2 Marriott personals, DH has a bonblah biz still so no lack of free nights so I’ll keep them until the fee goes up for DHs biz. I just wan to open a slot for another Amex credit card - I’m at 5 - BBP, bonblah brill, Bonblah biz, Hilton biz and Hilton surpass

 

[tink1970]

Will my already posted free nights stay avaailable even if we cancel the cards?

Yes, they will-once they're in the Marriott "bank" they're safe. Amex is savvier/more strategic since they hold the FN for 8-12 weeks (well after the AF is paid), unlike Chase where the FN is deposited immediately. This is why my Brilliant (SPG Lux) and R-C nights will post around the same time, despite the 3 month difference in AFs posting.

 

[LilSweetPeaPhoto]

I'm reading on FT right now about Amex reimbursements on airlines. Has anyone tried the new techniques?

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Did you just not feel as though you could get value out of the FN anymore with AFs going up? Or is it the fact that your other FN doesn't line up with it? Just curious. We currently have 3 Marriott Biz cards between Chase and Amex, but I think they will probably be keepers for us even though the FNs don't line up perfectly. Though I suppose we could hold some over and make it work.

It probably would've been cancelled long ago if not for a couple of random things...
1) In 2017 - I did the reduce your CL to $500 trick that used to work with Chase and they never charged the AF (that was a fun trick back when it used to work!!)
2) in 2018 - I was going to cancel but then did the upgrade for some extra points

So this year it finally met it's end. I just don't need free night certs. Despite using 200k+ Marriott points this year on a couple of trips I still have 1.2MM laying around. It just didn't make financial sense to incur the $95 when I can just use the points. Since we're at 0/24 and 2/24, if I want more free nights, I could just open a Hyatt or a Marriott card (not that either are even on my radar at this point again due to the high pts balance I have).

EDIT: It seems I'm not alone in cancelling this card. Wow - lots of others too! Maybe if people everywhere cancel their card, we'll see an increased sign-up bonus to try to increase their cardholders, HAHA!!

 

[kidsfirsttrip]

Picked up DH the Amex gold delta biz. Now that I’m the new Delta fangirl I figured why not! We are flying them next month so the free bag will come in handy too! Used the dummy booking for 75k instead of a cross referral (was at a paltry 30k). And even better news no pop up! So those in pop up hell might want to try their luck with delta cards!

 

[elgerber]

Picked up DH the Amex gold delta biz. Now that I’m the new Delta fangirl I figured why not! We are flying them next month so the free bag will come in handy too! Used the dummy booking for 75k instead of a cross referral (was at a paltry 30k). And even better news no pop up! So those in pop up hell might want to try their luck with delta cards!

HA tried Delta Plat Biz right after pers gold for DH, both got pop-ups

 

[Lain]

No, the free night continues to post on your original anniversary. I got my free night on 3/15. I did my upgrade in May and my AF charged on 9/1 last year. Then this year I got my free night again on 3/15 and my AF posted on 9/1.

I’ve been thinking about what to do with my Chase Bonvoy Boundless (converted from Marriott Premier Plus).

My anniversary is on 8/8, the $95 AF posted 9/1. I’ll pay the $95 to keep the card sockdrawered another year, then I’m thinking of PCing it to a Ritz-Carlton on or around 8/2/20, which should entitle me to a 50k FN certificate on 8/8/20 and again in 2021, and a double dip of the $300 airline credit on one $450 AF (?).

The point of upgrading to the Ritz-Carlton is to get another 50k FN to pair with the one from the Amex Brilliant and maybe make a weekend of it.

I’ll need to see how badly peak pricing nerfs Cat 6 hotels at 50k/night where and when we’re able to travel, and whether there are some deals to be had at off peak Cat 7 hotels for 50k/night.

If I’m under 5/24 around September or October 2020, I’d consider applying for the Boundless again if I can get around the eligibility restrictions.

 

[Limes96]

I feel like I’m all alone. I’m the only one just now getting my first Marriott biz card. Everybody else is canceling theirs. Oh well, I suppose some day I’ll cancel mine too.

 

[LuckyMamaInDE]

Let me know what you buy and how you like it.

I will!

Has anyone purchased a new washer and/or dryer recently? Any recommendations or anti-recommendations?

We're replacing 13yo dead Kenmore dryer and 13yo rusting Frigidaire (?) front-loading washer. I think I want to stick with a front loader, as I am short and reaching all the way down into a top loader can be tricky

 

[LuckyMamaInDE]

I feel like I’m all alone. I’m the only one just now getting my first Marriott biz card. Everybody else is canceling theirs. Oh well, I suppose some day I’ll cancel mine too.

No Marriott cards in this house yet!

 

[kidsfirsttrip]

HA tried Delta Plat Biz right after pers gold for DH, both got pop-ups

Did you link from the delta site?

 

[elgerber]

Did you link from the delta site?

not this last time

 

[striker1064]

I'm reading on FT right now about Amex reimbursements on airlines. Has anyone tried the new techniques?

Do you mean the SW thing? I saw DPs up to just over $100. I bought a ticket around $140 (legitimately needed a ticket and wasn't for credit) just to see if it worked, and it didn't.

I have seen several DPs of under $100 working though.