I love credit cards so much! v6.0 - 2023 (see first page for add'l details)

[StephPlum]

Hi all! Long time no post...I see some new usernames in here as well as many familiar ones. I dropped out of churning when my husband got laid off and I had a baby in quick succession, and just needed some time away from thinking about MSRs and such. I think that was all a couple threads ago. I'm back now because I'm planning my first return trip to a Disney park in 4 1/2 years and I need some help figuring out redemption strategies!

My best friend and I plan to take my toddler to Disneyland for 3 nights in July. I have 49K UR points to play with. I have specific United flights I want to take, which would require 57,000 United miles (I currently have zero), or $550 cash. I have narrowed our options down to two hotels across the street from Disneyland - the Fairfield Marriott Anaheim, booked on points through the CSP portal, or a cash rate at the Anaheim Desert Inn.

What do you think is the better/wiser use of these two redemption options?

Option 1 - Use all my URs to book the nonrefundable Marriott through the portal + the $50 CSP hotel credit for a cash cost of $50. Pay cash for my and my son's nonrefundable flights. Total OOP expense: $600

Option 2 - Transfer all my URs to United and buy the last 8000 miles to book our flights on points - est. $260. Split the cash cost of the Anaheim Desert Inn room (free cancellation) with my friend - $348. Total OOP expense: est $608.

Option 1 gets us a slightly nicer hotel, is a 1.25 cpp redemption rate, and I'd like to treat my friend (and TBH I'm not sure if the $348 for the other hotel is in her budget - I need to talk with her about it, which is one reason I wanted to get some input on my options here). But I think Option 2 would be more flexible in case something, like a sick toddler, means we can't go at the last minute.

I never fly United so I'm not sure about all their policies regarding rewards redemptions. Hoping one of the brilliant minds here can chime in with some feedback!

I’ve been burned too much having to cancel trips that I always go with the refundable option these days (pandemic, broke my ankle in my yard, older parents getting sick, …). I value that more than the redemption value. But that’s me. What is important to you will help you decide. Maybe you could do nonrefundable but get travel insurance to cover you (additional cost).

Either way, I hope you have a great trip!

 

[calypso726]

I need a new dishwasher and it will help me meet my new MSR. I am going to buy a Bosch, but am debating between the 100 and 300 series. Also debating on where to buy it since I will need it installed. Considering Costco, Lowes and Best Buy. Anybody have any experience/advice to share about these choices?

We bought a Bosch back in 2017 and purchased it from Lowes through the AA shopping portal. I don't recall the series but it was recommended by consumer reports. We had no issues with delivery and installation from Lowes.

 

[StephPlum]

Yosemite datapoint - I've been checking the Chase portal for my dates in September for Yosemite Valley Lodge or Ahwahnee Lodge. They are now showing up BUT at 2x the cost I booked on the official Yosemite site AND they are non-refundable. Also when I check the official direct site, I don't see any availability. Maybe they are held for 3rd party reservations but seems odd. Anyway, I know some ask about NPS lodging on points.

I did get two lodges in Sequoia/Kings Canyon on the Chase portal for this same trip. Booked last year when they first became available. Those were the same cost as direct and refundable.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

Distance. We’re in the NW suburbs. Long Uber ride to MDW.

Yes that's an issue. Fortunately for us we're 15 miles from one, 20 from the other, so not a huge difference.

 

[hsmamato2]

Got nerfed by SW yesterday. I had made my holiday flights to ORD flying nonstop from RSW. Got notified on one flight of four that there had been a change. They are no longer flying nonstop to ORD. Not surprised as the ORD SW flights didn't seem to catch on. For us, we lose a lot of value out from the CP with this change as we don't like to fly to MDW when we need to rely on Uber or car rental.

Also noticed they opened the schedule through March 5.

Thanks for the headsup on the schedule!

 

[calypso726]

Got an upgrade offer for my old Amex Marriott that used to be SPG that I've had forever. Upgrade to the Brilliant - spend 6K in 6 months and get 85K points. $650 annual fee.

Amex also thanked me for putting spend on my old Brilliant that I downgraded to the same card as they want to upgrade. I put a large restaurant charge on it because they had given me a $20 credit that I needed to use up.

I'm conflicted because I'm fairly low on Marriott points. If I upgrade now my 85K free night wouldn't come until May which means I couldn't use it this fall near Disney. Wait - just realized I'm due for a FNC 'this' May, but the earned one is 35K, unless they give me an 85K one as part of my upgrade.

Still thinking...

According to my niece the Swan Reserve is nice and I wouldn't mind checking it out for a few nights in December.

I would absolutely take that since you've already had the Brilliant. If you're someone like me, it's difficult to earn BonBlah points when you don't want to transfer MRs or URs to get them. There's the AP level Sudoku of "if that" "then this" between cards to deal with. Some cards, I'm simply not going to cancel to be eligible for a different card for fear of craptastic timing and then what if I can't get it again right after I canceled like the Ritz or I simply am not going to burn a 5/24 slot for it.

I had downgraded my Brilliant to what would be the old SPG card and then a few months later got an offer to upgrade to the Bevy ($5k in 6 months for 75k) which I had never held. But for me to get a Bevy I would have had to cancel my Ritz card and that wasn't happening. So I did it. I was in between Inks anyhow.

Plus until very recently most of the offers where for FN certs. This wouldn't work for me on the particular trip I am trying to travel hack. The property I am looking at will likely be 150k/night so even an 85k FN cert topped off wont cover it. I will need about 600-750K points. Points are way more valuable to me in this case than the FN certs. So even with this offer, the BonBlah business cards we got last year, we still needed a ton more points to pull off this next travel hack. For the first time ever we got a P3 and P4 involved.

We have stayed at the Swan Reserve several times using the FN certs and it is absolutely lovely. 100% will stay there again.

 

[calypso726]

Advice on PC to ritz card from a Marriott bold? For P2, who travels for business maybe monthly (used to be more so may increase) and usually stays at Marriott properties. I’ve seen reviews that recommend it but am worried about redeeming incidental credits/getting enough value to make it worth it. He is lifetime gold so status doesn’t matter. If not that, any other recs? Is the Marriott card even worth having?

I have had success banking my airline incidental credit for the Ritz to UTB. I do $100 3x. You do have to call in and have them manually adjust the credit. If they ask what it is for I usually say I think it may have been for baggage fees.

 

[Judique]

There's the AP level Sudoku of "if that" "then this" between cards to deal with. Some cards, I'm simply not going to cancel to be eligible for a different card for fear of craptastic timing and then what if I can't get it again right after I canceled like the Ritz or I simply am not going to burn a 5/24 slot for it.

Same here. I canceled the Chase personal Marriott BB a couple of years ago during an annual fee sweep. Regret it.

Swan Reserve is 80K when I want to go, and over $600 per night. I guess that the best practice for me would be to blow the FNC on a one night stay and bank the points for future plumping up of my 35K's. Up to 15K at a time was/is depleting my stash and earning a lot of points is not the game plan. Not giving up UR's or even MR's for Marriott points.

I had decided to skip the offer but I think it's to my benefit to take it. Don't want to allot 6K for spend but I do have some heavy spend coming shortly.

Thanks for weighing in.

Edit: checked my email and I have until 5/24. My fnc is due around 5/6. Probably need to jump now to 'Maybe' get an 85k upfront.

 

[calypso726]

I am so going to miss having a Hyatt Globalist concierge come next year. I will say it has absolutely come in handy for trips this year. Having them call hotels in Europe that would not show any standard suites available on points day by day as availability opened was wonderful. I needed bookings for 3 people and of course all standard rooms were for 2. But they were able to call the hotels directly and get them to release suite space and let me apply my SUAs to each of them for my reservations this summer. Otherwise, I would have needed to book 2 standard rooms each time.

This week, they came through for me again. We had 2 nights booked using Hilton points at the Conrad Midtown in NYC this summer. This is a pre stay positioning trip for a flight to Athens. Then I got wind of the news that the Conrad midtown will be leaving Hilton in early June. Our stay is late June. I decided not to risk a sudden announcement of not honoring points bookings. So I started looking for another property. None of the available Hiltons appealed to me as I am trying to make this a super memorable trip for our niece's graduation.

I decided to look at Hyatt we have stayed at the Park Hyatt and the Andaz. Then I saw the Chatwal which had never been on my radar. I tried booking for 3 but there was nothing open on points for 3 adults. So I went ahead and booked for 2 and checked to see if there were any standard suites open where I could use a SUA. Nope, not even for 2 people. I booked a standard room for 2 and then called Hyatt Concierge and explained the situation and asked if by any chance they could call the hotel and see if we could secure a points booking for 3 in a suite applying my SUA or asking if they could bring in a roller bed like the PH does. I mean what's the worst they could say, no, and I'd be no better or worse off than I was. The concierge was able to apply an SUA and adjust the guest count to 3 on her end without needing to call. We are now in a one bedroom suite! I've stayed at the Conrad midtown before and it was fine, I liked the PH better. I am super excited about staying at the Chatwal now!

 

[calypso726]

Same here. I canceled the Chase personal Marriott BB a couple of years ago during an annual fee sweep. Regret it.

Swan Reserve is 80K when I want to go, and over $600 per night. I guess that the best practice for me would be to blow the FNC on a one night stay and bank the points for future plumping up of my 35K's. Up to 15K at a time was/is depleting my stash and earning a lot of points is not the game plan. Not giving up UR's or even MR's for Marriott points.

I had decided to skip the offer but I think it's to my benefit to take it. Don't want to allot 6K for spend but I do have some heavy spend coming shortly.

Thanks for weighing in.

I hear ya. This hobby is very situationship heavy and I've banged my head virtually multiple times because I have had to pass on something that did not quite fit into the puzzle pieces I needed at the moment. This year I am juggling planning for 5 different trips. 4 of these for within the next 18 months and one that is about 3-5 years out. I try to stay focused on what I need and I feel like Dug from Up as these offers spring up out of the blue ... SQUIRREL!