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

[jujubiee4]

I am using United flight credits for 2 long haul flights in May (each one way). I got the credits when they burned me last year and bumped me out of Polaris at the gate. Took me 2 months to get them after being told they would be in my email the next morning. After that experience, I am actively expecting disappointment. A downgrade this year would be even more painful though because we are only booked in the Premier Plus cabin. This is one of those hoping for the best but planning for the worst scenarios. I used my CSP for the travel insurance and purchased travel insurance, so at least I have options if something goes terribly wrong.

Kind of disheartening to hear of yours and some other posts about United. We had great flights with
them to Canada over the Summer so I picked up their card. Now I think it was a bone headed move
because Im reading some not so flattering stories on the net. Have a long haul flight booked and just
got an email they moved the departure...not 30 min..not 1 hour..not 2 hours but 3 1/2 hours. Right now
booked premium and don't even want to think about bumped out of that.

What causes bumping? Is it an oversold flight? So it doesn't matter at all you paid for your upgrade?

 

[afan]

Ebags has some stuff on sale, just got a mother lode Jr travel backpack for 72 before taxes etc. Been looking for a new backpack and stumbled upon the sale.

 

[djmeredith]

I’ve done the 2 SW business cards since the bonus is higher on those than the personal cards

I should have done 2 biz cards also. Note to self for next time.

Kind of disheartening to hear of yours and some other posts about United. We had great flights with
them to Canada over the Summer so I picked up their card. Now I think it was a bone headed move
because Im reading some not so flattering stories on the net. Have a long haul flight booked and just
got an email they moved the departure...not 30 min..not 1 hour..not 2 hours but 3 1/2 hours. Right now
booked premium and don't even want to think about bumped out of that.

What causes bumping? Is it an oversold flight? So it doesn't matter at all you paid for your upgrade?

That time change is frustrating. Last year, they allowed us a one-time free "courtesy change" when they changed our flight by a few minutes. We could switch to any flight we wanted. I was able to switch from a flight with a layover to a much more expensive direct flt. So you might want to check to see if there is a different flight that works better for you and ask to swtich.

We booked Polaris on pts, which is why they said we got bumped. We aren't exactly sure why they bumped us. One or more flights before ours to London had been cancelled that day. I know they were accommodating a full crew that needed to deadhead over, but they usually don't put crew in premium cabins. I am assuming they were also accommodating some passengers who had paid for premium seats on those earlier flights.

I wouldn't beat yourself up over getting their card. No airline is perfect. Everyone tends to only talk about their negative experiences and not the good ones. For every bad United story we read there are probably a dozen good ones that we don't hear about.

 

[jujubiee4]

I should have done 2 biz cards also. Note to self for next time.

That time change is frustrating. Last year, they allowed us a one-time free "courtesy change" when they changed our flight by a few minutes. We could switch to any flight we wanted. I was able to switch from a flight with a layover to a much more expensive direct flt. So you might want to check to see if there is a different flight that works better for you and ask to swtich.

don't hear about.

I did get the email we can change our flight for free. I was confused because aren't flight changes free anyway? Or what they really mean is you can change for a more expensive flight...no extra charge?

 

[palhockeymomof2]

30 days apart?

Yes could of been a bit more but definitely 30

 

[havaneselover]

Just booked two nights at Hotel MiraCosta for May. Still have planned nothing for a variety of reasons but I really need this vacation/time with my children.

 

[Duckbug.Ducktales]

Just booked two nights at Hotel MiraCosta for May. Still have planned nothing for a variety of reasons but I really need this vacation/time with my children.

Very nice! Was the process difficult?

 

[djmeredith]

I did get the email we can change our flight for free. I was confused because aren't flight changes free anyway? Or what they really mean is you can change for a more expensive flight...no extra charge?

Correct, you can book any other flight, including a more expensive one, with no extra charge.

Just booked two nights at Hotel MiraCosta for May. Still have planned nothing for a variety of reasons but I really need this vacation/time with my children.

I was just playing around on the booking site again tonight. I've been practicing for my upcoming dates on the 26th. Which view did you get?

 

[*WDW*Groupie*]

Today was a travel day that I hope to never repeat. I was supposed to be heading traveling Toronto —> Chicago —> Haneda (ANA first class) —> Bangkok (ANA biz). My flight from Toronto to Chicago was 8am, and I thought that I’d get in ahead of the storm. How wrong I was. My flight was delayed until 11:10am and we had to disembark the plane after sitting for 2 hours. I was worried that I might miss my 4:25pm flight on ANA, so I called AC for options. The options the CSR gave me were horrible and all involved at least 1 overseas leg in economy, which was a hard no. I had to enlist dh to call his concierge (he’s super elite with AC so has access to this service; I’m a tier below and don’t). She was emphatic that there was no way she could get me on an ANA first class flight out of either JFK or Washington (not sure why not because both had open seats). She finally found a biz class seat on a flight from Toronto to Haneda leaving Toronto at 12:50pm, which I jumped at; with this flight I would still make my flight to Bangkok at 12:05am.

I found myself at the airport wondering if this trip was about the journey (I booked the seat in first almost a year ago) or the destination; I decided it was a combination of both. As bummed as I was, at least I am sitting in Tokyo waiting for my next flight with plenty of time. And I still have my flight home, which is Tokyo —> Chicago —> Toronto, which I wIll definitely be on (The leg from Tokyo to Chicago is in ANA first).

Of course I had to torture myself when we landed by checking to see if the ANA flight took off on time. It did not — it was delayed until 11:19pm. If I had taken my flight from Toronto to Chicago (which departed at 11:20am) I would’ve been sitting in Chicago for over 10 hours and then missed my connection to Bangkok, which in turn would have me missing an entire day in Bangkok.

The AC flight was uneventful — we took off on time and landed an hour early. I’m now sitting in the ANA first class lounge (I used my old boarding pass – worst case they would’ve sent me to the biz class lounge next door). I am legit the only person in the entire lounge and it’s a decent-size lounge. I ordered fresh sushi (SO good) and a ramen bowl (it’s small but packs substantial flavor). I have 5 hours here before boarding for my flight to Bangkok. Quite a day!

Since I barely slept on the AC flight I am hoping to get a few hours on the next flight. Somehow when the AC agent was re-ticketing my trip I lost the seat that I had booked (1A, no one in the middle section to my right), so I’m now in 5A.

 

[havaneselover]

Very nice! Was the process difficult?

No, it's pretty straight forward.

 

[havaneselover]

Correct, you can book any other flight, including a more expensive one, with no extra charge.

I was just playing around on the booking site again tonight. I've been practicing for my upcoming dates on the 26th. Which view did you get?

I just did a Venice side triple room.

 

[hsmamato2]

....

 

[CyndiLouWho]

Today was a travel day that I hope to never repeat. I was supposed to be heading traveling Toronto —> Chicago —> Haneda (ANA first class) —> Bangkok (ANA biz). My flight from Toronto to Chicago was 8am, and I thought that I’d get in ahead of the storm. How wrong I was. My flight was delayed until 11:10am and we had to disembark the plane after sitting for 2 hours. I was worried that I might miss my 4:25pm flight on ANA, so I called AC for options. The options the CSR gave me were horrible and all involved at least 1 overseas leg in economy, which was a hard no. I had to enlist dh to call his concierge (he’s super elite with AC so has access to this service; I’m a tier below and don’t). She was emphatic that there was no way she could get me on an ANA first class flight out of either JFK or Washington (not sure why not because both had open seats). She finally found a biz class seat on a flight from Toronto to Haneda leaving Toronto at 12:50pm, which I jumped at; with this flight I would still make my flight to Bangkok at 12:05am.

I found myself at the airport wondering if this trip was about the journey (I booked the seat in first almost a year ago) or the destination; I decided it was a combination of both. As bummed as I was, at least I am sitting in Tokyo waiting for my next flight with plenty of time. And I still have my flight home, which is Tokyo —> Chicago —> Toronto, which I wIll definitely be on (The leg from Tokyo to Chicago is in ANA first).

Of course I had to torture myself when we landed by checking to see if the ANA flight took off on time. It did not — it was delayed until 11:19pm. If I had taken my flight from Toronto to Chicago (which departed at 11:20am) I would’ve been sitting in Chicago for over 10 hours and then missed my connection to Bangkok, which in turn would have me missing an entire day in Bangkok.

The AC flight was uneventful — we took off on time and landed an hour early. I’m now sitting in the ANA first class lounge (I used my old boarding pass – worst case they would’ve sent me to the biz class lounge next door). I am legit the only person in the entire lounge and it’s a decent-size lounge. I ordered fresh sushi (SO good) and a ramen bowl (it’s small but packs substantial flavor). I have 5 hours here before boarding for my flight to Bangkok. Quite a day!

Since I barely slept on the AC flight I am hoping to get a few hours on the next flight. Somehow when the AC agent was re-ticketing my trip I lost the seat that I had booked (1A, no one in the middle section to my right), so I’m now in 5A.

View attachment 825378View attachment 825379

Glad to see you got there, so far. Skipping Chicago was the best call. Weather here is terrible, all weekend looks bad. Yesterday the hospital I work at lost power for 3 hours. Have fun in Bangkok!

 

[djmeredith]

I just did a Venice side triple room.

I was looking at Venice side rooms last night. Those seem to be easier to get than the Porto Paradiso side.

Japan Disney veterans, I would love your opinions based on your experience. I'm having decision paralysis on which hotel/room to book and I have to book on the 26th. We will arrive around noon and are staying at Toy Story our first night. I then want to move to one of the Deluxe hotels for 2 nts. I will splurge for the Harbor View at Mira Costa if I can book it, but that does not seem likely. So I am making my back up plan. I'm leaning towards staying at DLH if I can't get Harbor View because I like the overall theming of the hotel better. I love the look of the Beauty and the Beast room, but those do not have park view. I also think it would be really cool to have the Grand Park View. I'm also thinking maybe the Venice side at Mira Costa would be good since it is in the park (even though I don't love the overall theming). What would you do: DLH Beauty and the Beast, DLH Grand Park View, or Venice Side?

 

[hsmamato2]

Glad to see you got there, so far. Skipping Chicago was the best call. Weather here is terrible, all weekend looks bad. Yesterday the hospital I work at lost power for 3 hours. Have fun in Bangkok!

Chicago layovers.....

 

[CyndiLouWho]

We only have Internet, no cable, so no cable box to drop off. We have our own modem and router so don't need any equipment. So even easier, one of us disconnects online and soon after the other calls to start service. The annoying part is that we may be without Internet for a couple of hours but it's worth the $180 yearly savings!

Our friends also can't be bothered...

Honestly even flying from Chicago isn’t great. Lots of choices, lots of delays. I mean I love having access to loads of direct flights and 2 airports to choose from but weather delays especially can be epic.

 

[Duckbug.Ducktales]

Honestly even flying from Chicago isn’t great. Lots of choices, lots of delays. I mean I love having access to loads of direct flights and 2 airports to choose from but weather delays especially can be epic.

I think you meant to reply to @hsmamato2 ?

 

[mmmears]

DH has an Amex Biz Plat - the wireless $10 credit somehow stopped posting for the last few months. Is there some trick to get it to work? He is legitimately using the card to pay for our AT&T wireless (but it's bundled with our cellular so perhaps that's the issue?)

I learned how to get it to work a while back on this thread, so I'm hoping someone here can help me with this.

Thanks!

 

[mmmears]

Chicago layovers.....

The no lounge thing really makes flying from ORD less than fun. DD was in LA this week and she and her colleagues all decided to fly back to Chicago a day early because they wanted to get in before the storm.




Speaking of lounges, DH has been traveling for work lately and noted that (when flying SW) the lounge in Vegas is far from the gates (and you'd have to go through security twice if you want to go there) but the Escape lounge in Reno is easily accessible and nice even though it's small. Just in case anyone is heading out there.

 

[wanderlust7]

I was looking at Venice side rooms last night. Those seem to be easier to get than the Porto Paradiso side.

Japan Disney veterans, I would love your opinions based on your experience. I'm having decision paralysis on which hotel/room to book and I have to book on the 26th. We will arrive around noon and are staying at Toy Story our first night. I then want to move to one of the Deluxe hotels for 2 nts. I will splurge for the Harbor View at Mira Costa if I can book it, but that does not seem likely. So I am making my back up plan. I'm leaning towards staying at DLH if I can't get Harbor View because I like the overall theming of the hotel better. I love the look of the Beauty and the Beast room, but those do not have park view. I also think it would be really cool to have the Grand Park View. I'm also thinking maybe the Venice side at Mira Costa would be good since it is in the park (even though I don't love the overall theming). What would you do: DLH Beauty and the Beast, DLH Grand Park View, or Venice Side?

We've stayed at MiraCosta in a Venice room and DLH in a standard room. I loved the Venice view. So cool to look out into an empty park. I have pictures of both in an old trip report here. It's in Day 10 and 11.

The Beauty and the Beast room looks beautiful. I'd be tempted to try that one, but only because we've already done the Venice view.

Is your flight arriving at noon or do you anticipate getting to TDR around then? I think the Disney hotels are strict about the 3 pm check-in time.