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

[becauseimnew]

Dh found out the week of April 25 is going to be a busy work week so now we’re looking at either the week of April 19 or May 10. I don’t think anything is going on that week of April but the may week is Mother’s Day. Which one would you guys pick?

I’m trying to convince him to go for 4 nights instead of just 3. The checkout day we’ll go straight home so I don’t count that one. I was hoping to do check in day and another full day at the fort, one day at mk, and then another trying to do the skyliner and boardwalk. He doesn’t want to do MK at all

We arrived late on Mother's day in 2018 - didn't go to the park that day - and that week was awesome. Really the most fun of any of our trips. It rained all week, a lot, but it would clear the crowds. Wish we could go back that week.

 

[lsutigers03]

We went on Mother's Day years ago and it was pretty empty then, but who knows now. They handed out carnations that morning in MK which was nice, but they probably aren't doing that anymore. We used to go the first or second week of May years ago and loved it. I would vote for May since it is farther away from the spring breaks.

May will be when my wife and I bring our kids. We live in Louisiana and our kids get out of school in the third week of May. Since some other states go into June this should give us a good chance for lower than normal summer crowds and decent weather.

 

[Judique]

It is a good question - My best guess is, that you'll still be able to redeem against those transactions and that 1.5x will work. I'm not sure this is something that anybody has actually tested in practice though.

I'm closely following and taking notes on all this CSP/CSR, pc up/down, etc etc, for a strategy in November when my AF comes due.

So far I've left my UR's on each of my 3 UR cards: Chase Freedom, CIU that I turned into a CIC, and over half still remaining on my CSP.

The PYB is not actually useful to me at this time as my immediate use for UR's was to transfer some to my World of Hyatt account and book a few nights this summer. I figure I'll leave the remainder on the CSP until I need to send them to the Hyatt account, before I PC it to a Freedom in November 2021.

And, per your great tip, since I have an existing Freedom, I'll use that to PC back to a CSR when a need arises.

With that in mind, I'm also going to beef up the credit limit on the Freedom to the 10K? that a CSR requires, if I've got that number correct. I know terms will change as time passes, but hopefully the $300 double dip will continue to be an option.

 

[platamama]

In Maryland we have an option of Video toll. This is used by various rental agencies. I looked up Enterprise Rent a car as an example and copied this from their policy page:

The charge for TollPasstm Service under options 1 and 2 above is $3.95 per usage day, not to exceed $19.75 per rental period, plus the amount of each toll. There is no TollPasstm Service charge on rental days that you don’t use a toll road. The TollPasstm Service charge and the amount of each toll will be charged to the debit or credit card on file with your Rental Agreement and will appear separately from Rental Agreement charges on your credit or debit card statement. (See Additional Terms and Conditions below).

So, video toll on the Bay Bridge (4 and 1/2 miles long and scares me to death) is $6. eastbound and they only collect one way, so you would pay 3.95 plus $6 for the bridge crossing. Enterprise has options for installed transponders as well.

If you leave from College Park, UMD, the logical path would be to get on route 50 east and head for the bridge. No other tolls on this route. Not sure what other routes you may take that might also have tolls - I-95 between Philly and College Park has a number of tolls but some are northbound only and I haven't been 'into' Philly in quite a while.

This assumes a rental in Maryland, but since you are landing in Philly, you may want to check the options with whatever rental agency you would use there.

Anyway, what I would do is decide what rental agency you are going to use and check the rental for the toll policy.

PA is not doing anything to enforce the testing requirement. As far as tolls go, you pay less in PA if you have an ez pass transponder. I think it’s 30-35% off the regular toll cost. I would just check in to the minimum you have to load it with so you don’t waste money with left over. I know if you buy it here in pa you have to load it with $35 and when it dips below I think $10 it automatically charges $35 to your cc to replenish it. I think there’s a cash option but I’m not familiar with it.

ETA: The fee for purchasing the transponder in PA is $3

Thank you both for the responses!

I think I'll order a transponder, and just keep it for any future travel out in that part of the country.

 

[Judique]

So, adding on a thought: If I PC to a CSR from the Freedom, after app'ing and getting and downgrading the CSP 11/2020 -11/2021, what would my status be for applying again? I know I would have to wait 48 months, but would PC'ing back up mean that the clock would reset on the 48 months? At the moment it is 11/2024.

 

[Haley R]

If crowds are the primary motivation, on the surface, I'd say May vs. April. April could still be in some of that spring break time. By May, you're near the end of the school year and you could hit the pre-Memorial Day lull where people don't want to pull their kids from school that near to the end of the year.

We’ve decided we’re going Mother’s Day week. So getting there on Mother’s Day and staying for 4 nights. That’s the plan for right now

 

[Judique]

Thank you both for the responses!

I think I'll order a transponder, and just keep it for any future travel out in that part of the country.

Not sure if you do rental cars in Florida or not, but they have some EZ Pass as well as Sun Pass now.

 

[Judique]

And, we've turned into one big sheet of ice masquerading as snow. It's a mess.

Crunched across my deck to put a bag of trash out. First we had snow last night and then the sleet actually melted down the snow pack and turned it into snow ice. I have to at some point get dressed (coat) and bring my cans to the street in the event the trash and recycling crews show up tomorrow.

By noonish tomorrow the temp will be above freezing and the meltdown will start. Up into the 50ties next week. It's the weather rollercoaster.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

So, adding on a thought: If I PC to a CSR from the Freedom, after app'ing and getting and downgrading the CSP 11/2020 -11/2021, what would my status be for applying again? I know I would have to wait 48 months, but would PC'ing back up mean that the clock would reset on the 48 months? At the moment it is 11/2024.

PCing Chase cards will not affect your future bonus eligibility as it relates to 24 month or 48 months across any of their cards.

 

[Haley R]

We arrived late on Mother's day in 2018 - didn't go to the park that day - and that week was awesome. Really the most fun of any of our trips. It rained all week, a lot, but it would clear the crowds. Wish we could go back that week.

Well shoot I hope it doesn’t rain a lot lol. You never know with Florida but we plan to do all outside things. Not sure how fun it’ll be in the rain with a baby

 

[Judique]

PCing Chase cards will not affect your future bonus eligibility as it relates to 24 month or 48 months across any of their cards.

Thanks! That's what I wanted to hear!

 

[becauseimnew]

DH just received $70 retention offer on his SW Priority card.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

DH just received $70 retention offer on his SW Priority card.

Was your anniversary on this card recent? Also wondering if you called before or after the annual fee had posted? I have an upcoming anniv. date on my SW Priority card with AF posting 3/1. Just trying to figure out when I want to make the call

 

[becauseimnew]

Was your anniversary on this card recent? Also wondering if you called before or after the annual fee had posted? I have an upcoming anniv. date on my SW Priority card with AF posting 3/1. Just trying to figure out when I want to make the call

Fee posted 2/1, payment due date 2/28

 

[Judique]

We’ve decided we’re going Mother’s Day week. So getting there on Mother’s Day and staying for 4 nights. That’s the plan for right now

I had a really nice week in early/mid May in the last 5 years or so. Temps were 75 to 80 and just delightful! I don't remember which year but maybe 2016.

It's nice that you've made a decision.

 

[IFlossU]

If I PC my CSP to a CSR will I lose my available PYB transactions? I have about $2000 of charges I can apply UR to and I’d like to do it after PC to get the 1.5x but will I still be able to redeem it on those transactions or will I be starting from scratch?

It is a good question - My best guess is, that you'll still be able to redeem against those transactions and that 1.5x will work. I'm not sure this is something that anybody has actually tested in practice though.

I just checked a past statement to confirm. I made 2 grocery purchases on August 28th with DH’s CSP. DH PC’d this card to a CSR on September 1st. I redeemed both grocery purchases with PYB on September 12th for 1.5x. So yes, in my experience all the purchases remained available for PYB after the PC.

 

[staceychev]

Thank you both for the responses!

I think I'll order a transponder, and just keep it for any future travel out in that part of the country.

There are a lot of places that EZ Pass works! We have a NJ one (because that's where we live) but it works anywhere EZ Pass is accepted - see the list here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E-ZPass#List_of_roadways,_bridges,_tunnels,_and_airports

 

[IFlossU]

DH just received $70 retention offer on his SW Priority card.

Was your anniversary on this card recent? Also wondering if you called before or after the annual fee had posted? I have an upcoming anniv. date on my SW Priority card with AF posting 3/1. Just trying to figure out when I want to make the call

I gotta figure out what to do about our SW cards. DH holds the Priority, AF hits March 1, and I have a Plus. Both cards are 9 years old so obviously time to churn. We have no use for a CP until 22/23, possibly even 23/24. I feel like I should do something with these cards in the meantime. SW is our main/preferred airline. Maybe just a simple churn for a new SUB next time a decent one happens. Trying not to over complicate it, but @SouthFayetteFan always throwing out those SW application strategies gets me thinking

 

[Judique]

Thank you both for the responses!

I think I'll order a transponder, and just keep it for any future travel out in that part of the country.

With your own transponder the bridge costs $4.

I forgot to mention the tunnels in Baltimore on your way south. Those cost both ways and are $4 each way.

And, you are going to get to that Hyatt resort before me! I've been planning to use my 15K certs there and never got around to it last fall. I have until the end of 2021, so it will be this year. The resort is very close to the Blackwater Refuge - my reason for visiting as it is a stopover on the waterfowl migration routes.

 

[georgina]

Interesting on the SW Priority retention. Was planning to cancel DH's when his fee hits 3/1. Would be worth keeping for a $70 credit.