I love credit cards so much! v5.0 - 2022 (see first page for add'l details)

[gottalovepluto]

I am new to this thread. I am just wondering what is everyone's favorite credit and why? We just got approved for the Chase Sapphire preferred card and waiting for that to arrive. We were considering the Capital One Venture and I am still on the fence about getting that one before their intro offer expires. We currently have Disney Chase and the disney dollars just don't cut it anymore. We are looking to travel to other places and other countries. Our children are grown and in college. We are DVC so we will still visit WDW but we are looking to expand our travel.

Thank you

Favorite credit cards are overrated. What matters around here are favorite credit card bonuses. Bonuses are where the money is at!

The Cap1 Venture X current offer is rare so I would apply for that in your case. I think everyone should apply for it honestly. $10k spend can seem like a lot but there is 6 months given to hit the spend (industry standard on offers is 3 months), authorized users get free Priority Pass and Cap1 Lounge access (literally unheard of, even Amex's obscenely priced cards don't offer free AUs with full Lounge privileges), the current annual fee pays for itself entirely ($300 travel credit and 10k points on your anniversary each year worth $100 toward travel charges) and the bonus is $1000-$395 annual fee + $300 travel credit = $905. (More if you can make use of the one time $200 vacation rental thing if that's still offered.) For beginners I specifically like that the points are easy to use ($.01/point when redeeming toward travel purchases- and those don't have to be made on the portal, any travel charge you put on the card would work).

The competitors to this premium card are the Sapphire Reserve ($550 af), Amex Plat ($695 af) and USB Altitude Reserve ($400 af but impossible to get approved for if not a us bank customer), all of which have their own bonuses but I don't think any are as good a bang for a beginner's buck as VentureX offer is.

Chase is a solid starter place and it gets a ton of love around here because it's good value and very easy. But every once in a while we get a shiny new object worth distracting ourselves with like VentureX

 

[LuckyMamaInDE]

But every once in a while we get a shiny new object worth distracting ourselves with like VentureX

I feel seen

 

[becauseimnew]

Called Barclays after I unfroze my credit, turns out they pulled my Experian but denied me because I had previously had that product (AA Aviator Business), but then he said that this was a different product so they could approve me for the new product. I was approved with a CL of $1K, LOL. I'm okay with that I'll earn 70K AA miles, which I desperately need to book our Japan flight this summer.

 

[hsmamato2]

He can "gift" his FNC to you, then the room can be in your name. I asked the Twitter Concierge about this recently and was told I needed to call for security reasons.

oh ok,so we should call someone? the hotel directly?

 

[hsmamato2]

chase offers.... I used one on Sunday.... the purchase just posted, I don't see any credit tho.... how long does it take?

 

[wanderlust7]

oh ok,so we should call someone? the hotel directly?

Hyatt (corporate), not the hotel. Your DH probably needs to call and he'll need your Hyatt member number.

 

[Sheree]

RE: DLP also heading there in August! Postponed from 2020.
i thought I read we still hve to convert our US cdc card to their electronic version at a pharmacy. I also think if your last shot was more than 270 days you need a booster.

I'd like to buy disney gift cards that can be used there to give the guests we're taking (from Hungary) so they don't use their own money. any ideas?

thanks for the response re paying taxes. I'll have to research the fees. with the amount we owe the fees will be high, not sure if it's worth it. this month I'm just buying gift cards to meet our ciu biz card msr.

probably get my p2 a venture x. I'm going to go for chase united biz. still waiting for god sub for csr to go back to one of those.
sheree

 

[CyndiLouWho]

We have been exclusively using the eMed proctored tests. It comes in a six pack and can be used for multiple travelers. It's $150+ shipping. I think you are 3 travelers, so that might be cost prohibitive. But, for others interested, what I do like about it is that you can do it from your hotel room or airbnb with a wifi connection. Test takes 15 and results are delivered to your email and app in 15 minutes. We've used it in Iceland and Mexico easily. They deliver rather quickly, some I am hoping to wait a bit to see if the testing requirement gets dropped.

For another trip in Mexico we did the on-site resort testing and that was fast and easy as well, but we had to schedule an appointment and work our day around that appointment, so I didn't really care for that.

https://www.emed.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQi...FIhCWyI4ccI17iDr8--RfiICClNihgXAaAqSAEALw_wcB
I filed a claim with my insurance company for the proctored tests, (they provide a prescription and billing info to submit to insurance) but I haven't heard anything yet.

TBH, the price for Optum is $70 for 2, but you're right I only need 3 tests. Qured seems the best option at $35 pp. Anyone use them?

 

[wanderlust7]

thanks for the response re paying taxes. I'll have to research the fees. with the amount we owe the fees will be high, not sure if it's worth it. this month I'm just buying gift cards to meet our ciu biz card msr.

For federal tax, it's not an all or nothing thing. I would just pay the exact amount of the MSR. There are 3 processors for federal tax and you can do 2 payments each. So you could do 6 cards if you wanted.

For property tax, it'll depend on the county. Ours doesn't allow split payment. That always comes into consideration for me - a MSR large enough for the property tax to not go over (or go over just a little bit). Plus a credit line large enough (problem with the Chase biz cards).

 

[FreeDiningFanatic]

RE: DLP also heading there in August! Postponed from 2020.
i thought I read we still hve to convert our US cdc card to their electronic version at a pharmacy. I also think if your last shot was more than 270 days you need a booster.

France has suspended the vaccine health pass, effective March 14, see here. In order to get the health pass, you previously had to have it converted at a pharmacy in France into a QR code. That is being suspended on March 14.

France has been quirky because there are entry (border) requirements and then a separate health pass which gains you access to restaurants, museums, etc.

Idk the status of requirements for boosters because we already qualify.

 

[first*toright]

TBH, the price for Optum is $70 for 2, but you're right I only need 3 tests. Qured seems the best option at $35 pp. Anyone use them?

I did Optum - there are 4 of us, and got us 2 tests each, just to be safe. Dragged my feet in hopes that the testing mandate would go away, but finally caved and ordered the tests. We travel next week, so I haven't actually been through the process yet.

 

[becauseimnew]

Repositioning flight question... we have to reposition to ORD for our flight to Paris. Departure time 4:30PM on a Saturday. What time should we arrive in Chicago from our home airport? Our trip is in November. Should we fly in on Friday night?

 

[CyndiLouWho]

I did Optum - there are 4 of us, and got us 2 tests each, just to be safe. Dragged my feet in hopes that the testing mandate would go away, but finally caved and ordered the tests. We travel next week, so I haven't actually been through the process yet.

See I'm so torn on this. We leave in 18 days so I have a bit of time. Do I just get 2 tests each "just in case" or 4 total which is one extra, or just go with 3 and have to find a local test if something goes wrong. Ugh. Such silly dilemmas

 

[CyndiLouWho]

Repositioning flight question... we have to reposition to ORD for our flight to Paris. Departure time 4:30PM on a Saturday. What time should we arrive in Chicago from our home airport? Our trip is in November. Should we fly in on Friday night?

Friday night would probably be easiest. There's an airport Hilton which would make it super easy. If arriving Saturday I would give at least 2-3 hours. ORD in not known for timeliness, add in possible winter storms. But I'm a cautious person and overplan everything. See previous post.

 

[AndreaDM]

chase offers.... I used one on Sunday.... the purchase just posted, I don't see any credit tho.... how long does it take?

Chase offers can take up to a week to credit. There have been a few that I was sure weren't going to post but they eventually did.

 

[FreeDiningFanatic]

Repositioning flight question... we have to reposition to ORD for our flight to Paris. Departure time 4:30PM on a Saturday. What time should we arrive in Chicago from our home airport? Our trip is in November. Should we fly in on Friday night?

Adding that lounges in Terminal 5, the international terminal, are either terrible or non-existent. Arrival time is so much about your comfort level, but assuming your flights go as planned, it's probably best to allow yourselves 2.5-3 hours before your next flight. TSA can be terrible at ORD and pre-check is hit or miss at Terminal 5. You also have to transit from your domestic terminal to Terminal 5, which is often by bus, as I think ORD has been under construction for like 100 years.
Also, really depends on what COVID requirments are around by then and how much paperwork the agent will need (if any) to check prior to flight.

 

[FreeDiningFanatic]

See I'm so torn on this. We leave in 18 days so I have a bit of time. Do I just get 2 tests each "just in case" or 4 total which is one extra, or just go with 3 and have to find a local test if something goes wrong. Ugh. Such silly dilemmas

In the handful of times we've tested (we've purchased 12-18 tests), I only ran into a problem once, and they were having difficulty scanning the barcode. They did get it to work. Other things I've heard about are things like empty dropper fluid, which can then be utilized from another (like DH's dropper he's already used) kit. Where you would get into trouble is if a kit was completely missing a component.

Having done it so many times, I would feel safe with just one extra kit OR an exact number of kits. It seems COVID tests are fairly plentiful, so if you had to get one test done, it doesn't seem to be the worst thing.

The eMed kits are kind of bulky bc you have to keep them in their original packaging, and so I wouldn't want to have to pack 2 per person, personally.

 

[FreeDiningFanatic]

So I seem to be in a pickle and could use some "what card to get advice." At the end of the year and beginning of this year, it seemed I was crushed with MSRs and retention offers. I almost didn't make one, and had to move some AirBNB payments forward just to make MSR. Well now I am in the position where I need a new card again! It just seems my timing is way off.

- biz card
- MR or UR earning
- No foreign transaction fees (because much of the spend will be internationally for some upcoming trips)
- minimal AF ($95 at most)
- need to app by 3/14

I've talked myself out of the Venture X, but may talk myself back in because of the longer spend, and because I'm hitting the wall with the above requirements. I also am considering the BBP because I am probably going to downgrade a biz plat to that and I haven't had that bonus yet, but that doesn't help me with foreign transaction fees.

 

[afan]

I can't remember. Can I take a guest into the DL lounge with my vanilla plat? I know I can centurion but I like the DL lounge better here. Found out one pf my coworkers is also flying DL Thurs and our flights leave 10 min apart so it'd be nice to hang out.

Will try centurion if it's not full and it's the only option.

 

[Albort]

I can't remember. Can I take a guest into the DL lounge with my vanilla plat? I know I can centurion but I like the DL lounge better here. Found out one pf my coworkers is also flying DL Thurs and our flights leave 10 min apart so it'd be nice to hang out.

Will try centurion if it's not full and it's the only option.

DL lounges, only card holders allowed. otherwise i think its $40?
alternatively, u can add them as your AUs, get a card and get them in that way.