Credit Card Thread - Now with a Beginner's Guide to free travel/FAQ

Discussion in 'The Mainboard' started by blind dog, Apr 10, 2015.

  1. ohhaithur

    ohhaithur e-Batman
    Donor

    How much world it be to transfer UR to United for biz?
     
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  2. BrickTamland

    BrickTamland You're not Ron...
    Donor
    Florida State Seminoles

    To answer this, I’d need to just look at points travel values on United? (1:1 UR to United points I assume?)
     
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  3. The_Baumer

    The_Baumer Go Mordecai!
    Donor

    Yeah. Look at all other transfer partners that fly to Greece as well. It’ll almost always be a better deal than the 1.5 redemption thru the portal.
     
  4. ohhaithur

    ohhaithur e-Batman
    Donor

    Correct. I find United is usually the best but explore them all
     
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  5. i am a bammer

    i am a bammer Ben Eblen>Jamychal Green
    Donor TMB OG
    Alabama Crimson TideSan Diego Padres

    Sitting on enough Hilton points to get 6 nights at pretty much any property they have. Thanks @ everyone in this thread. Anyone got any suggestions?
     
  6. ohhaithur

    ohhaithur e-Batman
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  7. Todd Bonzales

    Todd Bonzales Sex with old ladies for money aaaand bear traps.
    Donor
    Ohio State BuckeyesCleveland BrownsUSA RugbyTiger WoodsOhio BobcatsCleveland CavaliersCleveland IndiansOlympics

    You have that free weekend night reward, too. Attach that to your trip.
     
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  8. ohhaithur

    ohhaithur e-Batman
    Donor

    and a $250 resort credit. Which can be used twice if the deposit happens in one cardmember year and the stay happens in another cardmember year
     
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  9. i am a bammer

    i am a bammer Ben Eblen>Jamychal Green
    Donor TMB OG
    Alabama Crimson TideSan Diego Padres

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  10. i am a bammer

    i am a bammer Ben Eblen>Jamychal Green
    Donor TMB OG
    Alabama Crimson TideSan Diego Padres

    Plan to. Looking at close to 1.5 or 1.6 cpp at their better properties
     
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  11. ohhaithur

    ohhaithur e-Batman
    Donor

    Your gf is smart
     
  12. i am a bammer

    i am a bammer Ben Eblen>Jamychal Green
    Donor TMB OG
    Alabama Crimson TideSan Diego Padres

    Much moreso than I, yes.
     
  13. Todd Bonzales

    Todd Bonzales Sex with old ladies for money aaaand bear traps.
    Donor
    Ohio State BuckeyesCleveland BrownsUSA RugbyTiger WoodsOhio BobcatsCleveland CavaliersCleveland IndiansOlympics

    Explain this to me again because I am a moron.
     
  14. ohhaithur

    ohhaithur e-Batman
    Donor

    Thailand is great but a waste of points to me. I unequivocally recommend going but it's not a hotel country. Bangkok is too busy and the luxury hotels are too far away in chiang mai to be worth it. It's not where you'll burn points, you have a better idea for that
     
  15. ohhaithur

    ohhaithur e-Batman
    Donor

    If your cardmember year starts on February 1 and you book a hotel for March that requires a one night reservation holds in January, then the reservation hold of will count as your previous years resort credit and when you actually stay your stay will be on the next year's credit

    Not 100% and doesn't work with all codes and fares but worked for me
     
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  16. Houndster

    Houndster Well-Known Member
    Donor TMB OG

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  17. i am a bammer

    i am a bammer Ben Eblen>Jamychal Green
    Donor TMB OG
    Alabama Crimson TideSan Diego Padres

    Good advice. I'd rather just get the max value out of things and stay at some ultra-luxurious property and see if I can take advantage of the suite upgrade. Bummed you can do it at the Conrad Tokyo or else that would be a no-brainer to me.
     
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  18. Menelaus

    Menelaus The Red-Haired King
    Donor
    Alabama Crimson TideReal Madrid

    Been to Conrad in Tokyo and it’s amazing

    Bangkok St Regis is amazing and you can get standard room for like $250 a night, and if you have Gold SPG (thru a platinum Amex) almost guaranteed to get upgraded (I did).
     
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  19. Whammy Business

    Whammy Business Well-Known Member
    Donor

    Kinda stumbled into this, having opened two Chase accounts in the last few months. I assume if Southwest doesn't fly out of my city there’s not a ton of value in that card for me.
     
  20. ohhaithur

    ohhaithur e-Batman
    Donor

    Correct unless you're planning a trip for two to Hawaii in the next 25 months, then I can talk you through it
     
  21. Lip

    Lip Well-Known Member
    Donor
    Michigan State SpartansDetroit LionsGeorge Washington Colonials

    Is it time to apply for the Southwest double dip yet? Where’s your referral?
     
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  22. ohhaithur

    ohhaithur e-Batman
    Donor

    It is indeed but referrals typically are lower for southwest than the high. For a while you could only get 50,000 offers on the plane though. Business is 60k so the companion pass is in reach

    If you can't get the 50,000 offer, here's my referral

    https://www.referyourchasecard.com/m/224/6L5/FWF8/1538215028
     
  23. BellottiBold

    Donor
    Oregon Ducks

    UR points do transfer to United at 1:1...
    Of note is that Polaris typically runs in the neighborhood of 150k one way from US to Europe. (300k RT)
     
  24. LSU90

    LSU90 Well-Known Member

    So bit of a different situation here. Teaching a friend about credit and how to build credit etc. Her credit score is 670-680. Credit history is a buncha student loans and a best buy gift card she opened a few months ago (i know). She has no derogatory remarks, 100% on-time payments, and 2 hard inquiries. So basically what I am looking for is a solid starter card that she can use to build credit and get some modest rewards (also one she will be approved for). Looking at the cap one quicksilver or the amex blue cash everyday. Anyone that can help me here I would greatly appreciate it. I churn sooooo this is kind of out of my expertise.
     
  25. i am a bammer

    i am a bammer Ben Eblen>Jamychal Green
    Donor TMB OG
    Alabama Crimson TideSan Diego Padres

    I think people like the Uber card a lot.
     
  26. ohhaithur

    ohhaithur e-Batman
    Donor

    I like freedom so she can build a relationship with chase. Also can change it to CFU, CSP or CSR should she want after a year without another inquiry
     
  27. ryno23

    ryno23 Well-Known Member
    Donor

    Just signed up.
     
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  28. pratyk

    pratyk Arsenal FC, Rutgers Scarlet Knights
    Rutgers Scarlet KnightsArsenal

    Chase Freedom (either one of the cards - freedom has a 200$ bonus right now I think)
    Citi Doublecash
    Uber card
    Chase Slate
    Capital one Quicksilver
    Amex Blue Cash or Fidelity card or Discover but they’re not accepted everywhere.

    You may want to look at cards with 0 foreign transaction fee
     
  29. BP

    BP Bout to Regulate.
    Donor
    Atlanta BravesGeorgia BulldogsAtlanta Falcons

    Just got approved for the ink Preferred. I was wanting to use it today but the guy says they can't give it the info over the phone. Any work arounds or is that pretty standard?
     
  30. Baseballman86

    Baseballman86 Well-Known Member
    Alabama Crimson TideAtlanta BravesAtlanta Falcons

    I still like the Discover It Cashback match offer. I think she’d squeak by their requirements.
     
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  31. kentucky_dawg

    kentucky_dawg Fan of: Georgia
    Donor
    Georgia Bulldogs

    I think you can at the least have them expedite the card and it should get there in about 1-2 days.
     
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  32. pratyk

    pratyk Arsenal FC, Rutgers Scarlet Knights
    Rutgers Scarlet KnightsArsenal

    LOL .. TPG is such a sellout - he's doing a "travel and credit cards" awards with stuff sponsored by Chase, BoA and Hilton.
     
  33. Struggler

    Struggler Well-Known Member
    Donor
    Ohio State BuckeyesCincinnati RedsCincinnati Bengals

    Used points for airfare and hotel for my Fiesta Bowl trip. Thanks to all in this thread
     
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  34. hawkeyeOUTeast

    hawkeyeOUTeast Well-Known Member
    Donor
    Iowa HawkeyesChicago CubsCarolina PanthersKansas City ChiefsCarolina HurricanesPGABig Ten Conference

    I don’t have a hotel card yet, would this be the play?
     
  35. The_Baumer

    The_Baumer Go Mordecai!
    Donor

    The Hyatt card is a favorite amongst a lot of people here, myself included. It is limited by 5/24 now I believe so if you’re over, you should go with something else.

    https://www.referyourchasecard.com/m/205/6L5/FVXR/1552662143 Earn up to 60,000 Bonus Points with the World of Hyatt Credit Card. I can be rewarded too, learn more.
     
    #8485 The_Baumer, Dec 5, 2018
    Last edited: Dec 5, 2018
  36. colonel_forbin

    colonel_forbin Well-Known Member
    Donor

    My credit score is above 800, I'm 4/5 in the last two years (but two of those accounts were opened within the last 60 days (one of those being for a financed cell phone, the other being a new American Airlines card through Citi)). I have no American Express cards. What are my odds of getting approved for an SPG Lux?
     
  37. ohhaithur

    ohhaithur e-Batman
    Donor

    Medium to high. The phone doesn't really matter. Your score is good and your amex history is clear. I'd say likely assuming no bad marks

    Forgot my referral: tinyurl.com/ohhsspg
     
    #8487 ohhaithur, Dec 5, 2018
    Last edited: Dec 5, 2018
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  38. ohhaithur

    ohhaithur e-Batman
    Donor

    Depends. Does status matter to you? How often do you stay in hotels paid? Do you have an aspirational trips ahead of you?
     
  39. ohhaithur

    ohhaithur e-Batman
    Donor

    I wouldn't mind him being a sellout if he still gave good advice and just capitalized on it. Once he started lying to direct people to bigger referrals I was out
     
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  40. ohhaithur

    ohhaithur e-Batman
    Donor

    :beaver:

    I love when this thread has posts like this from posters who were originally new to the process. Congrats man, may you never be 0/24 again
     
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  41. tjosu

    tjosu This is kind of like the breakfast club, huh?
    Donor
    Oklahoma State CowboysHouston AstrosHouston TexansTiger Woods

    As far as credit card and advice goes, I agree with you. I do think the TPG site still has some interesting/valuable information but it has evolved into much more of a travel news conglomerate as opposed to how the site originally started as points focused.
     
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  42. Uncle Tupelo

    Uncle Tupelo Well-Known Member
    Donor
    Ohio State BuckeyesCincinnati RedsCleveland Browns

    I wasn't around when his site first started getting big, but his advice seems genuinely bad for the most part. (Inflated points valuations, referrals for offers that aren't even the best available, etc.). I get all my info from this thread, r/churning, and doctor of credit.
     
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  43. Houndster

    Houndster Well-Known Member
    Donor TMB OG

    Have any of you ever got a 1099 from one of these companies for the reward value?
     
  44. Uncle Tupelo

    Uncle Tupelo Well-Known Member
    Donor
    Ohio State BuckeyesCincinnati RedsCleveland Browns

    Credit card bonuses aren't taxable (IRS vies them as a discount, not income). Bank account bonus sometimes will send you one though.
     
  45. Jimmy the Saint

    Jimmy the Saint The future is a benevolent black hole
    Donor
    Penn State Nittany LionsGreen Bay PackersChelseaHartford WhalersPhoenix Rising

    If you get a bank account sign up bonus you'll get a 1099-INT.
     
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  46. ohhaithur

    ohhaithur e-Batman
    Donor

    he never was as clean as the doctor of credit but I bet now you see him push the SPG luxury card even more specifically because the points you get it signed up dropped to 75k and his referral likely went up
     
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  47. Houndster

    Houndster Well-Known Member
    Donor TMB OG

    This was my understanding. I got a note from American Express saying I could get a 1099 for my referral points, but I’m assuming that’s just to CYA and I won’t be actually getting one.
     
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  48. tjosu

    tjosu This is kind of like the breakfast club, huh?
    Donor
    Oklahoma State CowboysHouston AstrosHouston TexansTiger Woods

    Crossposting from random thoughts thread, he talks about debit and credit cards about the 43 minute mark. In short, he says debit cards are the worst financial item given to consumers and advocates for strictly credit card use

     
  49. Lyrtch

    Lyrtch My second favorite meat is hamburger
    Staff Donor

    doctor of credit needs to get a better website
     
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  50. ohhaithur

    ohhaithur e-Batman
    Donor

    And needs to cut out the "save $9 on lacroix"