I love credit cards so much! v4.0 - 2021 (see first page for add'l details)

[Minnie368]

We are in the same situation living in central PA. DH sister moved to Hawaii in June and we’d like to see her this summer. We would be flying to Honolulu. Southwest flies direct (well with 2 stops) from Regan but there’s no direct flights back. So we have to book a flight to CA then another flight home the next day.
This is our current plan. Dulles to San Jose to Honolulu the next day.
Return-Honolulu to San Jose to Dulles the next day.
Still researching other options...

It's fairly easy to book through the Chase website using URs. It's a pain if you have to change/cancel though, it all has to be done through Chase. I don't use MRs so know nothing about them!

If you want to use your SW CP I would look into what has been posted about including an overnight stay somewhere on the west coast. We had to spend an overnight each way in Ft Lauderdale when flying PIT to Aruba on SW.

I wish we could just do nonstop to the west coast but from Pittsburgh we have at least one stop just to get to CA so we're looking at 3 legs each way, with an overnight stay. Ugh. Would love to make use of our CPs for this trip but will look into Chase with URs. Pittsburgh used to have better options/cities for nonstop flights but the last few years it seems like they've dropped a lot, even before covid.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

I totally didn't know that. Now I can wait and call when we get ready to use them.

I would consider contacting SW just to make sure someone didn't hack your accounts. Rewards accounts are hacked all the time, has even happened to a few on this thread.

 

[georgina]

I wish we could just do nonstop to the west coast but from Pittsburgh we have at least one stop just to get to CA so we're looking at 3 legs each way, with an overnight stay. Ugh. Would love to make use of our CPs for this trip but will look into Chase with URs. Pittsburgh used to have better options/cities for nonstop flights but the last few years it seems like they've dropped a lot, even before covid.

Yeah, it's sad. For a few years they had a non-stop to LAX, one DD was in college in CA so we used that even though it wasn't the closest airport to her school.

 

[becauseimnew]

Does anyone have a sense of how many biz cards Chase is allowing a person to hold now that they started issuing them again to SP?

DH and I both applied for Biz cards (with similar credit reports), I used the exact same info and he was denied within 24 hours, I was approved 7 days later. He had 3 biz cards open I only had 2.

 

[Disneyonmymind]

DH and I both applied for Biz cards (with similar credit reports), I used the exact same info and he was denied within 24 hours, I was approved 7 days later. He had 3 biz cards open I only had 2.

well that is a very informative DP. I have 2 so it sounds like it would be possible.

 

[happ]

Secondly, I have only read this updated thread. The question I am about to ask has probably been asked and answered many times. TIA to the person willing to respond! From reading the stickies on page 1, am I correct in thinking that it isn't possible to pay for a WDW onsite hotel with cc points?

Welcome! I don't know about cruising, but the general recommendation for cc points is usually to start with Chase UR earning cards. There are ways to book an onsite hotel with some cc points or use travel credits to pay for your stay.

 

[disneyfan150]

Welcome, I'm a teacher too And I play the credit card game to take my kids on trips (single mom, on top of it). I'm not one to help much, as I don't do cruises for points. Good Luck and welcome

Thank you! I am a single mom, too. Well, my kids are in college. I keep thinking DD 20 and DS 22 are going to leave the nest. But with Covid, classes are online and we are still together. I'll enjoy them while I can.

 

[GZanta77]

Just paying some estimated taxes and notice that pay1040 now charge 1.99% for credit cards - used to be 1.87%. Anyone know when the change happened - I meant to pay the taxes last week, but didn't get round to it - so I bet the increase was Jan1.

 

[havaneselover]

Just paying some estimated taxes and notice that pay1040 now charge 1.99% for credit cards - used to be 1.87%. Anyone know when the change happened - I meant to pay the taxes last week, but didn't get round to it - so I bet the increase was Jan1.

Ugh I have to make a $9500 payment next week.

 

[platamama]

Just paying some estimated taxes and notice that pay1040 now charge 1.99% for credit cards - used to be 1.87%. Anyone know when the change happened - I meant to pay the taxes last week, but didn't get round to it - so I bet the increase was Jan1.

I paid the 1.87% fee on 12/30. I bet you're right about it happening Jan 1.

 

[3 DD love princesses]

New here! Thanks for the great thread! As a teacher, I have champagne tastes but a tap water budget. I am always on the lookout for a premium experience at a great price. My hobby is planning WDW trips. After reading this thread, my new hobby should be saving points for future travel.

We have a 2021 WDW summer trip planned. However, I am hoping to save for a 2022 vacation. It will hopefully be a cruise in the summer of 2022. Looking to cruise from a European departure port or just Miami if necessary. At the moment, I don't have more details as we are still throwing ideas around. We would probably cruise on Princess, Celebrity, RCL, or possibly MSC Yacht Club. Cruises are so iffy at the moment, I will save for a WDW trip as an alternative. I would be taking the cruise with my Mom and possibly college age DD and maybe even young adult DS. Mom would pay her portion of expenses.

-I can easily put $1400/mo. in expenses towards a SUB.
-As soon as I make a cc purchase, I transfer the money immediately.
I have no balance or interest payments. Presently, I use my bank cc for cash rewards. Each month I get my cash from the ATM machine and put it in my travel fund.
-I have used SW a great deal recently and fly out of Houston.
-I have only a few SW RR points left/redeemed for summer 2021 trip.
-I utilize HH.


My obvious question would be what is the best credit card for me?

Secondly, I have only read this updated thread. The question I am about to ask has probably been asked and answered many times. TIA to the person willing to respond! From reading the stickies on page 1, am I correct in thinking that it isn't possible to pay for a WDW onsite hotel with cc points?

Thank you for any help!

ETA: I have not opened any cc in the past 24 mo. at all.

Swa has a decent sign up bonus if you want more rr points. Also a UR card would be good to be able to transfer to rr if you didn’t need many.

 

[georgina]

I paid the 1.87% fee on 12/30. I bet you're right about it happening Jan 1.

Just curious, does any CC give extra rewards on tax payments? I always just use EFT from my bank account, but will have a large payment due in April so may open a new card for MSR.

 

[donnsuz]

I currently have a CSR in my name only. I'm not eligible for another Sapphire SUB until March. If my husband signed up for CSP would he be eligible for the SUB if he was an AU on the CSR previously? (He was taken off 12/2018)

 

[fofinia]

Are any of you familiar with Busch Gardens/Sea world? We were planning on going to Universal Studios over spring break and staying on property, but all the stories of them being filled to capacity early in the day gives me anxiety. The thought of planning a day and then not being able to get in is just too stressful. It would be our first trip there and I think we would be better off waiting a year.
So anywho, we are looking at renting a house with a pool and doing some more lowkey things. On Busch gardens website, they are offering discounted tickets of 50% off through tomorrow. I'm mostly wondering if this is a common sale or if we should go ahead and jump on the tickets? They don't seem to be refundable, which is another source of anxiety for me (ha, see a pattern here?) BUT paying $300 sounds way better than $600. Am I also correct in assuming one day each is plenty for Busch Gardens and sea world?

We just did a trip that included a SeaWorld day and a Busch Gardens day. This is what we did.. We bought one Gold Annual Pass to SeaWorld. One of the perks of this pass is 4 free guest tickets. We are a family of five. So We all got in on the one AP Its priced at $180 right now. And it comes with free parking and food discounts. But that's $36 per person for the five of us.

Then we did the same thing for Busch Gardens. I just bought the annual pass in one of my kids names and then used the 4 free tickets right away.

So I still have two annual passes in case we should want to go back to one of them again this year. And I'm told that they offer discounted tickets to passholders at different times through out the year.

As for one day being enough? For us it was. We got to ride everything at Busch Gardens except for one ride that someone wanted to ride. One coaster had a 75 minute wait. And because all the posted wait times had been less than posted, my family waited about 90 minutes for that one. The one ride that the queue was longer than posted. At SeaWorld we missed one show that I would've liked to see but that had more to do with my travel party than the park being crowded. I didn't think either park was crowded at all. This was the week before Xmas.

BTW we made park reservations for both parks and never had to show them or scan them. One time we were asked if we had made them.

 

[Brandilla]

We just did a trip that included a SeaWorld day and a Busch Gardens day. This is what we did.. We bought one Gold Annual Pass to SeaWorld. One of the perks of this pass is 4 free guest tickets. We are a family of five. So We all got in on the one AP Its priced at $180 right now. And it comes with free parking and food discounts. But that's $36 per person for the five of us.

Then we did the same thing for Busch Gardens. I just bought the annual pass in one of my kids names and then used the 4 free tickets right away.

So I still have two annual passes in case we should want to go back to one of them again this year. And I'm told that they offer discounted tickets to passholders at different times through out the year.

As for one day being enough? For us it was. We got to ride everything at Busch Gardens except for one ride that someone wanted to ride. One coaster had a 75 minute wait. And because all the posted wait times had been less than posted, my family waited about 90 minutes for that one. The one ride that the queue was longer than posted. At SeaWorld we missed one show that I would've liked to see but that had more to do with my travel party than the park being crowded. I didn't think either park was crowded at all. This was the week before Xmas.

BTW we made park reservations for both parks and never had to show them or scan them. One time we were asked if we had made them.

That's a great tip about the AP's! I will definitely check those out! And thanks for all of the advice!

 

[palhockeymomof2]

I hold 2. Maybe people can give some numbers?

I’ve had 4 at one time ..hopefully others can help too

 

[palhockeymomof2]

I currently have a CSR in my name only. I'm not eligible for another Sapphire SUB until March. If my husband signed up for CSP would he be eligible for the SUB if he was an AU on the CSR previously? (He was taken off 12/2018)

Your DH can get the SUB on the CSP

 

[Haley R]

We finally got our wdw AP refund checks today in the mail! We requested a refund last May. I had given up after emailing back and forth with them and had accepted we wouldn’t be seeing a refund at all so this was a nice surprise! Dh and I each got $251

 

[palhockeymomof2]

We finally got our wdw AP refund checks today in the mail! We requested a refund last May. I had given up after emailing back and forth with them and had accepted we wouldn’t be seeing a refund at all so this was a nice surprise! Dh and I each got $251

Wow that’s great

 

[alryan]

We just did a trip that included a SeaWorld day and a Busch Gardens day. This is what we did.. We bought one Gold Annual Pass to SeaWorld. One of the perks of this pass is 4 free guest tickets. We are a family of five. So We all got in on the one AP Its priced at $180 right now. And it comes with free parking and food discounts. But that's $36 per person for the five of us.

Then we did the same thing for Busch Gardens. I just bought the annual pass in one of my kids names and then used the 4 free tickets right away.

So I still have two annual passes in case we should want to go back to one of them again this year. And I'm told that they offer discounted tickets to passholders at different times through out the year.

As for one day being enough? For us it was. We got to ride everything at Busch Gardens except for one ride that someone wanted to ride. One coaster had a 75 minute wait. And because all the posted wait times had been less than posted, my family waited about 90 minutes for that one. The one ride that the queue was longer than posted. At SeaWorld we missed one show that I would've liked to see but that had more to do with my travel party than the park being crowded. I didn't think either park was crowded at all. This was the week before Xmas.

BTW we made park reservations for both parks and never had to show them or scan them. One time we were asked if we had made them.

That is great information about the free tickets with the Gold Annual Passes. I also have a family of 5 and my boys have been asking to go back to SeaWorld. I can't believe I've never heard anyone talk about that perk. If you just want to go for a day you can't beat $36 per person and free parking. Thanks!