I love credit cards so much!

[calypso726]

This seems as good a place as any to ask this, since everyone here is very well-traveled or travel-educated!

Spirit Airlines just announced it is coming to my home airport. I am unfamiliar with them, but it sounds like from the comments on my local new's facebook post announcing the airline that it is very low cost, but can also be rife with delays and extra fees. Any thoughts from anyone here who has flown it? JetBlue currently has some direct flights to Orlando from our airport, but they are constantly changing and it seems like only maybe every second or third day actually offers the direct flight.

Even before travel hacking and getting spoiled by first class flights I'd avoid Spirit like the plague. I flew them several times and had one ok experience out of four. To put things in perspective, while I only pursue cabins up front, I still like Southwest and would fly them anytime with a smile if I couldn't get flights in first on another airline, same with Jet Blue. Spirit, not so much.

I have a question about American Airline credit card points. I see the current offer is 60K. Does AAAdvantage ever offer a better bonus?

I have been exclusively using Southwest points for flights for my college son to come home/get back to school because SW is so flexible. I can book months in advance without knowing his schedule and then switch flight so easily when we know his schedule.

However, AA flies out of a more convenient airport and I would like to have the option to cancel the SW flight and book AA if needed. I think my next credit card will be AA, but want to time it right if they are known to offer more points than the current 60K.


Also - from what I understand on the AA site, all domestic flights in the "saver's" category are either 7,500 or 12,500 points. Is that correct?
Thanks.

AA hostage here. Yes, that is correct. You really need to be on top of it for award availability and they have Benin releasing less saver awards than before. According to the CEO, that issue will be addressed soon and hopefully we will see more saver award space. That said, I've always managed to make AA work for us. I don't put spend on he cards either. We a̶b̶u̶s̶e̶ take Aadvantage (yes, I'm easily amused) of the shopping portal and its bonuses. If the card gives us a reasonable offer for spending then we will use it. If not, it sits in a drawer.

I have always managed to book saver awards and haven't resorted to ever booking an anytime award. The few times I couldn't get a saver award, I'd use AA gift cards purchased with the various Amex Plat cards, Citi Prestige etc. to pay for the flights, and recently used Amex MR to pay for a flight. My advice is to never wait on the RT flight opening up. Book the one way saver as soon as you see it. You can switch dates as long as departure airport and arrival airport are the same. Beware though, if you switch from an Anytime award to a saver award you'd need to pay $150 to redeposit the miles difference. A saver to anytime award change would be just the difference in miles but no fee.

I have also been looking at accumulating some more AA miles for some future international flights. Many here have said they are not always the best value but the flights work well for me.
Here is a link to their awards chart - aadvantage-program flight-award-chart
Here is a chart to check for current and recent offers - Current & Recent Credit Card Signup Bonuses

I am planning to get Barclays AAdvantage Aviator Red before their current offer expires on 11/30. It is for 60,000 after first purchase for $95 AF (see the this Doc of Credit link about a possible extra 500 miles). Then possibly follow it up with a Citi card for another 60,000.

I think all but one of my international flights have been booked on BA and using AA miles about half the time. Beware that if you fly BA with AA miles and connect through London, the taxes and fees are REALLY high.

 

[amalone1013]

@Lain Thanks! That is great info!

If Walmart wasn't so amazingly convenient for me, I'd have no problem paying their delivery fee. I did grocery delivery with King Soopers several times. I think their fee was $9.95 but the service was not good and I ended up having to call them and go back to the store too many times so I won't do theirs anymore.

I mean... really there's that Walmart at 136th and I25 and it's basically on my way home... so I could start stopping by to pickup. I might do that. But if I'm working a 12 hour day, I will happily pay the fee. King Soopers is 2 minutes from my house, but I haven't tried their service yet. Maybe if they release a bunch of those "this item free with clicklist order" coupons haha.

 

[Alexle2007]

Turned down for the Marriott card. I should be 4/24 when not counting an Amazon store card, but the rep wouldn't drop it. HUCA?

It doesn't hurt to try but I know they are counting my Banana Republic store card in my count which I think would be similar to the Amazon counting.

 

[mefordis]

@Lain is encouraging you to do the business card because that card will not report to your personal credit report and therefore, will not count against 5/24. If you can make the 5k spend, I'd do that one.

Yep. I agree. I can make the 5k spend as long as I have no other cards requiring a min spend. I wouldn't want to risk it so I"m holding off on my INK application until January.

 

[wendow]

I mean... really there's that Walmart at 136th and I25 and it's basically on my way home... so I could start stopping by to pickup. I might do that. But if I'm working a 12 hour day, I will happily pay the fee. King Soopers is 2 minutes from my house, but I haven't tried their service yet. Maybe if they release a bunch of those "this item free with clicklist order" coupons haha.

Is that the one that just had the shooting!?! The fee is so minimal that if I'd been working or it was out of my way much at all, I'd pay the fee. I can just literally walk to the Walmart from the school my girls attend two days a week. So I drop them off, check in on the app, and drive over. They come right out and load my groceries. It's crazy easy! I got hooked on it with that Amex offer

 

[thevalley]

Hi all. Can i please be added to the redditt group. my name is thevaley5. thank you.

 

[amalone1013]

Is that the one that just had the shooting!?! The fee is so minimal that if I'd been working or it was out of my way much at all, I'd pay the fee. I can just literally walk to the Walmart from the school my girls attend two days a week. So I drop them off, check in on the app, and drive over. They come right out and load my groceries. It's crazy easy! I got hooked on it with that Amex offer

That is great for location! The one with the shooting was at 94th and Grant, so just off I25. But the one at 136th still brings out some... odd birds... Walmart seems to have that effect. We were eating dinner near that other one when that happened, and were wondering why so many police cars were going by...

 

[Lain]

@mefordis, you said you wanted to earn United miles? https://thepointsguy.com/2017/11/meet-the-man-whos-earned-1-2-million-united-miles-by-renting-cars/

 

[Albort]

I apologize for being redundant with my questions, but I want to clarify WHEN I should apply for my next credit cards. I have met the minimum spend for my MileagePlus Explorer Chase Visa (opened Nov 1, I believe - that's my annual fee charge date anyway) and I am looking to spend a fair amount of money during the holidays. I have no credit card min spend in the works and I'm itching to reapply for the CIP card for an 80k bonus. I also want to open up an SPG Amex card so I can get 25k bonus points to use for our hotel in LA for our August trip.

I won't make a move until I have your blessing.

Thanks!

honestly, the next card should be dependent on what your going for. Dont be like me and collect with no idea what to do with it at the end... I have 2 SPG cards that ive been wanting to do some mattress runs with. They arent too great in LA imo... unless u have an actual plan. which hotel were u looking at for LA?

Hi all. Can i please be added to the redditt group. my name is thevaley5. thank you.

your username does not exist on reddit. :\

 

[wendow]

That is great for location! The one with the shooting was at 94th and Grant, so just off I25. But the one at 136th still brings out some... odd birds... Walmart seems to have that effect. We were eating dinner near that other one when that happened, and were wondering why so many police cars were going by...

Yeah, every time I actually step foot in Walmart, I wonder where all these shoppers came from cause you don't see that type of person anywhere else around Littleton lol. Another reason I love the grocery pick-up!

Yikes on that shooting! Scary times we live in

 

[Albort]

Yeah, every time I actually step foot in Walmart, I wonder where all these shoppers came from cause you don't see that type of person anywhere else around Littleton lol. Another reason I love the grocery pick-up!

Yikes on that shooting! Scary times we live in

theres been reports that walmart is raising online prices to get people into the stores... :\
I absolutely hate shopping at walmart. every time i go, ive always have to wait at least 20 mins to get to the register.

 

[wendow]

theres been reports that walmart is raising online prices to get people into the stores... :\
I absolutely hate shopping at walmart. every time i go, ive always have to wait at least 20 mins to get to the register.

My mom told me that she heard WM would be raising prices to get people in the store...which is confusing cause last I heard, they were going all out to compete with Amazon...

 

[Albort]

@kayteekt

this is some interesting stuff for you and anyone else regarding AU... --> https://www.reddit.com/r/churning/comments/7dbgnx/daily_question_thread_november_16_2017/dpx38t8/

 

[Albort]

My mom told me that she heard WM would be raising prices to get people in the store...which is confusing cause last I heard, they were going all out to compete with Amazon...

dont think it matters considered that walmart is the #1 most profitable company in the world haha.
i typically avoid walmart and shop at target but man, freedom card makes it so much harder to avoid walmart lol. so only thing i buy is online so i can make my 7x UR...

 

[platamama]

@kayteekt

this is some interesting stuff for you and anyone else regarding AU... --> https://www.reddit.com/r/churning/comments/7dbgnx/daily_question_thread_november_16_2017/dpx38t8/

I just checked on one of my Chase AU cards and concur that I see the same thing. Hmmm... Will test it to be sure, but I don't see why it wouldn't work.

 

[Albort]

I just checked on one of my Chase AU cards and concur that I see the same thing. Hmmm... Will test it to be sure, but I don't see why it wouldn't work.

makes me wonder if its a giant loophole no one has exploited haha. i will have to see if it matches my CSR AU. I know when my AU swiped, i thought it was a fraud cuz it showed up on my account...
VERY interesting indeed...

 

[thevalley]

So sorry albort. i cant type lol. my reditt name is thevalley5 thank you.

 

[Albort]

So sorry albort. i cant type lol. my reditt name is thevalley5 thank you.

done deal! :]

 

[Lain]

I just checked on one of my Chase AU cards and concur that I see the same thing. Hmmm... Will test it to be sure, but I don't see why it wouldn't work.

My Freedom AU card has the same number and cvv as my wife’s primary card. Same with our Barclay’s Hawaiian Airlines card. Only our names are different.

 

[AmyAnne]

My Freedom AU card has the same number and cvv as my wife’s primary card. Same with our Barclay’s Hawaiian Airlines card. Only our names are different.

I'm obviously missing something -- what is the benefit/loophole if the numbers are the same?