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

[havaneselover]

I'm trying to sort through spring break plans. DD is off the third week of March and ds is off the first week of April (and Good Friday is a holiday for my company). My mom is also going on a 9-day cruise in February and I really think that's too long for my dad to be on his own. Trying to figure out if I drive down in February with the dogs, fly down in March with dd (she'll be coming from ATL), then drive again in April with ds and the dogs. I have a lot of vacation time, but I still need to get things done at work. Then I've got my grad school classes (although I think I'm only taking one next quarter). This is tough but I'm definitely feeling like my kids need to spend time with their grandparents.

 

[GlamMistress]

Just been thinking of all my old Disboards friends from this thread during the holidays. Hope SW isn't causing too much chaos for you all. I've been shocked watching it all on TV!

We did our Vegas trip earlier in the month. Elara was excellent since I was working from the room all week. Good location too. Of course, my Freedom Unlimited got hacked in the shops connected to Elara so that was a hassle and a half. And Aerosmith canceled the rest of their residency because Steven Tyler was sick so I never got to see the show, either and that really sucked. All in all, I feel like I've been to Vegas enough times in my life at this point.

Yesterday, decided to list my Memorial Day reservation at Animal Kingdom on a rental site. Decided I would rather put the money we would use on WDW tix towards Greece stuff in October. Been poking around at flights for that makeup trip and the mileage costs are nuts right now.

 

[Psychodisney]

I am going to be a few thousand miles short for my SW companion pass for 2023. Can I purchase the difference in points I need prior to 12/31? Any other ideas are greatly appreciated !!!

I also see a couple on promos on my app. Wine and flowers.

 

[Crazed4DisneyinSC]

Finally picked up DHs new truck from Ford. We were going to pay cash, but they gave us 36 mos at 0 interest, so we did that instead. At least we’ll make more in interest by keeping some money in the bank over the course of those 3 years. They only allowed 3k to be put on a credit card, so of course we did that with DH’s new CSP that we’re working on MSR on. Now if only we can make the monthly payments with a credit card too, that would be great!!

 

[Psychodisney]

We were able to checkin for our SW flight tomorrow. Got a C boarding position at exactly 24 hours….crazy. Upgraded boarding with credits. Optimistic we’ll be headed home.

 

[wilckepedia]

I am going to be a few thousand miles short for my SW companion pass for 2023. Can I purchase the difference in points I need prior to 12/31? Any other ideas are greatly appreciated !!!

Handy chart direct from Southwest on qualifying vs non-qualifying activity here. If you're going with shopping or dining, I'd definitely spend today or tomorrow. I've gotten burned by the order being placed, but not being charged or transaction clearing until a few days later. Good luck!

Edited to add screenshots since the link is going wonky...

 

[punkin]

I'm trying to sort through spring break plans. DD is off the third week of March and ds is off the first week of April (and Good Friday is a holiday for my company). My mom is also going on a 9-day cruise in February and I really think that's too long for my dad to be on his own. Trying to figure out if I drive down in February with the dogs, fly down in March with dd (she'll be coming from ATL), then drive again in April with ds and the dogs. I have a lot of vacation time, but I still need to get things done at work. Then I've got my grad school classes (although I think I'm only taking one next quarter). This is tough but I'm definitely feeling like my kids need to spend time with their grandparents.

How far is the drive? 2 drives with the dogs...I would only do it if it was less than 4 or 5 hours each way.

 

[newski_mom]

I'm getting ready to book a cruise through NCL and hopefully use the AmEx offers on our cards that expire 12/31/22.

I called Costco travel to price stuff out and it sounds like they do not take AmEx as payment, so I guess there's no way to book through Costco and use the AmEx offers?

I confuse myself trying to combine the deals lol!

 

[becauseimnew]

I'm getting ready to book a cruise through NCL and hopefully use the AmEx offers on our cards that expire 12/31/22.

I called Costco travel to price stuff out and it sounds like they do not take AmEx as payment, so I guess there's no way to book through Costco and use the AmEx offers?

I confuse myself trying to combine the deals lol!

You can book directly with NCL then transfer the booking to Costco within 30 days.

 

[Arcades]

I am going to be a few thousand miles short for my SW companion pass for 2023. Can I purchase the difference in points I need prior to 12/31? Any other ideas are greatly appreciated !!!

If all else fails, you might consider earning your SW CP early in 2023 via a business credit card and a personal card sign up bonus (SUB) so that you get the CP extended until the end of 2024 automatically. I know you're already close to the CP, but if you fly SW a lot it may be more beneficial to get the extra year and some miles from the two SUBs. I'm not sure how fast the purchase/points would post if purchased today or tomorrow.

 

[newski_mom]

You can book directly with NCL then transfer the booking to Costco within 30 days.

Thanks! Is the main reason for doing that that you still get the Costco shopping card? If we paid $1,000 on each of 3 rooms to use our AmEx offers, I assume the shopping card would be reduced since we aren't paying as much through Costco? Would still be worth doing to get even a part of the shopping card, just wondered.

 

[havaneselover]

How far is the drive? 2 drives with the dogs...I would only do it if it was less than 4 or 5 hours each way.

900 miles. About the same as the drive I took with them to MI in October. If it’s just me, I’ll stop halfway. I just can’t leave the older one (she’s 16 and on blood pressure, thyroid, and arthritis meds and a prescription diet and I’m trying to keep weight on her) unless I really have to. Thankfully they travel well.

 

[newski_mom]

Question on Alaska Airlines - my extended family will be flying to Seattle in June for an Alaskan cruise and Alaska Air definitely has the best flight times, so we'd like to go that route if possible. DH and I basically always fly SW due to CP and good schedules out of St Louis, so this is new territory to me.

If we get a few of the Alaska Air credit cards, we would probably use the companion fare to book the second ticket for each group of two people - there will be 10 of us going in total.

My question is - is there a better way to fly Alaska? Are there any programs that transfer to Alaska or is there a connection that uses Alaska, but you book through somewhere else?

The flights we are looking at booking are 60,000 points each way or around $600 Round trip. So, the companion fare is still going to put us around $700 for each set of two flights. But, it looks like the credit card sign up wouldn't even get one round trip flight because you earn 50,000 points for signing up for the card.

We are going in late June, so I know our time is limited to get this all lined up, just trying to save my mom any money that I can since she wants to treat us all. The paying full price bothers me way more than it does her lol!

 

[sinnika]

Does anyone have the Thrifty Traveler Premium plan? Says it’s $149 and I want to know if you think it’s worth the money.

 

[afan]

Question on Alaska Airlines - my extended family will be flying to Seattle in June for an Alaskan cruise and Alaska Air definitely has the best flight times, so we'd like to go that route if possible. DH and I basically always fly SW due to CP and good schedules out of St Louis, so this is new territory to me.

If we get a few of the Alaska Air credit cards, we would probably use the companion fare to book the second ticket for each group of two people - there will be 10 of us going in total.

My question is - is there a better way to fly Alaska? Are there any programs that transfer to Alaska or is there a connection that uses Alaska, but you book through somewhere else?

The flights we are looking at booking are 60,000 points each way or around $600 Round trip. So, the companion fare is still going to put us around $700 for each set of two flights. But, it looks like the credit card sign up wouldn't even get one round trip flight because you earn 50,000 points for signing up for the card.

We are going in late June, so I know our time is limited to get this all lined up, just trying to save my mom any money that I can since she wants to treat us all. The paying full price bothers me way more than it does her lol!

If those flights are actually 60k one way you don't want to use miles, that's awful. I can do SEA to MCO between 20 and 40k one way depending on saver etc.

Are you looking at 1st class? Random june main is 30 and 1st is 60. Their first class isn't worth 60k either esp when you can fly main rt for that.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

It says select streaming services but I don't see what the 'select' ones are. Is there a list somewhere I am missing?

 

[hsmamato2]

We were able to checkin for our SW flight tomorrow. Got a C boarding position at exactly 24 hours….crazy. Upgraded boarding with credits. Optimistic we’ll be headed home.

not gonna lie- I have swa plans at end of January and this is kind of freaking me out. this has been a pretty bad year+ for them with the meltdowns.

 

[iujen94]

Does anyone have the Thrifty Traveler Premium plan? Says it’s $149 and I want to know if you think it’s worth the money.

I signed up about a month ago - they had a big push to sign up (I think for $99?) before the price went up (to $149, it looks like). It’s not worth it for me, for how we travel. I feel like it’s better if you can be spontaneous and/or super flexible, and we aren’t really either. I do like their content in general, though.

 

[afan]

Should we decide on someone to create the 2023 thread? Not that we wouldn't welcome @SouthFayetteFan to do it but he hasn't popped in even when we've tagged him. I imagine he's happily spending time with his family and occasionally thinking fondly of his time here. Also since the reddit threads haven't been refreshed in a long time.

@Albort are you the only one active that's also a mod there? Should/can we add more mods in case we need it.

 

[Albort]

Question on Alaska Airlines - my extended family will be flying to Seattle in June for an Alaskan cruise and Alaska Air definitely has the best flight times, so we'd like to go that route if possible. DH and I basically always fly SW due to CP and good schedules out of St Louis, so this is new territory to me.

If we get a few of the Alaska Air credit cards, we would probably use the companion fare to book the second ticket for each group of two people - there will be 10 of us going in total.

My question is - is there a better way to fly Alaska? Are there any programs that transfer to Alaska or is there a connection that uses Alaska, but you book through somewhere else?

The flights we are looking at booking are 60,000 points each way or around $600 Round trip. So, the companion fare is still going to put us around $700 for each set of two flights. But, it looks like the credit card sign up wouldn't even get one round trip flight because you earn 50,000 points for signing up for the card.

We are going in late June, so I know our time is limited to get this all lined up, just trying to save my mom any money that I can since she wants to treat us all. The paying full price bothers me way more than it does her lol!

Try BA. i booked some Hawaii flights with BA on AS.