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

[FreeDiningFanatic]

I missed this. Can we use Hawaiian for Alaska now? I have a bunch of Hawaiian miles from covid times that I will never be able to use but Alaskan does fly from here I think.

So they just merged today and the DOT is requiring they transfer 1:1. Speculation is that will be available within about a month. Alaska miles are super valuable; they have about 26-30 partner airlines, most of which you can book online. So you won't necessarily have to fly on Alaska or Hawaiian. Alaska's website is pretty friendly and doesn't require you to login to view mileage rates, so I would just play around a bit and do some searches.

 

[FreeDiningFanatic]

2) I'm able to bring up the 200k on the business gold but it's with 15k spend. I have heard there is one with a 10k spend which would be perfect. Anyone see that recently?

I was targeted by mail and email for 175k/$10k for biz gold. I accepted the mailed offer about a month ago, and just received the email offer the other day. Subject "Still interested in the premium benefits of the Business Gold Card?"

 

[FreeDiningFanatic]

It’s been a minute since I posted about my trip. It has been amazing, so much better than I could’ve imagined. If anyone is thinking of going to Bali, GO! I LOVE it here and can easily see myself coming back again and again. I wish it wasn’t so far away, but that means that I will have to come for longer I suppose.

Komaneka at Bisma was WONDERFUL and I can highly recommend it. Komaneka also has 2 locations on the main road, but the Bisma property is the newest and from what I understand, the nicest. The other 2 would probably nice, but without the views that you get over the rice terraces at Bisma. Service was AMAZING and prices were outrageously low — 5 pieces of laundry for $5.00 (my only cash cost at the property since all 5 nights were booked using points!).

Food in Ubud was incredibly inexpensive and SO SO good. Think delicious chicken satay with rice and dumplings as an appetizer for under $10.00! My most expensive meal was at a restaurant called the Sayan House, which is about 1.9 miles from the main town (one goes there for the views at sunset) and it was $25.00, which included a ginger and pork belly salad as an appetizer and 2 tacos as a main plus one fruity drink and a bottle of water. Extremely reasonable given the quality of food and setting.

The traffic in Ubud is crazy (and I say this living in the 3rd worst city in the world for traffic). I’d book a hotel / villa / guest house within walking distance of most things unless you want to sit in traffic for very, very, very long periods of time. Or rent a scooter. When I went to the Sayan House I took a GoJek scooter (Uber in Bali); the ride was 2 miles and it took 22 minutes, and that was with my driver going on the side of the road and down the middle of the road to pass cars. In a car it would have taken about 45 minutes.

In Ubud I took a cooking class which was excellent and also did a bike tour which was also excellent. I also used my driver (Made in Bali, who was highly recommended on FT) to take me to the Basakih Temple (the largest in Bali), waterfalls and an amazing swing location (swings in Bali are big business and you’ll find them in many, many places). I enjoyed daily massages (foot or head, neck and shoulders) and a manicure. Foot massages are around $5.00 for 30 minutes. I also visited the Sacred Monkey Forest, which was so much fun. I am already trying to think when I can come back again and how long I will stay.

After 5 blissful nights in Ubud (I was sad to leave), my driver brought me to Uluwatu. Along the way we stopped at Kato Lampo waterfalls (incredible) and the Bali Zoo (wish I had more time here). I’m now staying 6 nights at the Umana LXR (booked using HH points — 5th night free + 1 FNC). The villa is so big it seems like a waste of space for 1 person. The bed is luxurious, must be Frette linens (I *must* buy some at some point in my life) and plush pillows. I’m in a garden view villa (no upgrades available), but I have a view of the ocean. An excellent use of points, the only issue is there isn’t anywhere to go while here (except the Uluwatu Temple at sunset, which is apparently famous and therefore VERY busy, so I’ll have to take a GoJek scooter again!). The gym here is quite nice with modern equipment, though it was a sweltering 78 degrees, which makes having a good workout difficult for me, but I persevered and left looking like I just got out of the shower lol). Breakfast included for gold and diamond HH members, 25% off laundry and 15% off restaurants; I’ll use the $200.00 resort credit on my new Aspire (upgraded from the basic in July) to offset meals (last night dinner + a small bottle of water was $24.00).

A few pictures:

getting into the swing was scary (you have to climb up 4 steps of a staircase on wheels, which they pull away before they start pushing you, but once you start swinging you just hope for the best!)
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At the swing park — very scary climbing up and down the rickety ladder up to the ‘nest’, but the pictures were worth it lol
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Love the pics, especially the green dress in the nest. Keeper for sure! You are way more adventurous than I, zipping around in a scooter. Glad you are loving your trip.

 

[afan]

With the Hawaiian/Alaska merger today and the prospect of transferring 1:1, I apped for the Barclays personal Hawaiian Mastercard, with single purchase/70k/3 mos offer. Got in review. Checked status line and it said unable to extend a card, letter with reasons why will be sent. A denial???
Anyone have this happen with Barclays? Should I recon?

ETA: Called recon at 866-408-4064, and she explained I was erroneously denied for duplicate app. Asked me questions about income and length, then reviewed credit report, complimented on payment history and approved app. Glad I called and weird about the duplicate app. Last Barclays card was in 2023.

I'm 2/24 as of this month and given it just requires a purchase and paying the af I'm almost positive I'm going to do it. Anyway to get more alaska miles is good for me. I just need to make sure I don't have a Hawaiian account, pretty sure I don't. Flew them for my hs grad trip with a friend to Maui but this was 2 email addresses ago and almost 30 years, ack. I don't imagine I would have bothered knowing I wouldn't go back any time soon.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

That’s fine as I will be renting while in a hotel (not after landing). I am guessing I could take Uber to the rental, pick up car and Uber back to hotel after dropping car off. Am I missing anything with this plan?

Should work fine.

 

[Duckbug.Ducktales]

I value AA miles very highly, the highest of all miles, including transferrable currencies. Like you, I think it's the sweetspot like you found to Japan that ruined me. But I've gotten great deals to Mexico and the Carribean as well, so all around great value with low fuel surcharges on many partner airlines.
I too pay cash for travel when the cpp isn't high enough, because I will always have some cash expenses so I pick and choose which will be cash and which points. If my travel expenses were completely paid by points, then free would be free, so I understand why that's the motto for some people.

Nice to read this, I might actually buy some AA miles this holiday season if they have a crazy good sale again.

 

[Crazed4DisneyinSC]

Love the pics, especially the green dress in the nest. Keeper for sure! You are way more adventurous than I, zipping around in a scooter. Glad you are loving your trip.

I agree, that green dress was the best idea to wear @*WDW*Groupie*! I mean, the pic in the swing, with the dress flowing behind. I'm sure I've seen that in a magazine somewhere, lol. Looks like an awesome trip. Your pics are amazing

 

[*WDW*Groupie*]

I agree, that green dress was the best idea to wear @*WDW*Groupie*! I mean, the pic in the swing, with the dress flowing behind. I'm sure I've seen that in a magazine somewhere, lol. Looks like an awesome trip. Your pics are amazing

I rented the dress from the swing place. It was absurdly expensive (clearly they have a captive market), but worth it….I think. It was cash only since their cc machine was down. I didn’t have enough IDR, but luckily I had US$ which they eagerly accepted. I’d say 95% of the ladies doing the swings (it was a very busy place) were renting the dresses. The cost of the swing and dress was US$45.00, which I thought was outrageous, but it’s probably not something I’d again.

 

[catsinawindow]

My husband applied for a Chase Southwest Premier Business card this evening. It was not an instant approval, but after just a few minutes he received a call from Chase to verify his application. They asked him a few questions confirming the application, including his business name. After a rather long hold, the representative said that the review would take a bit longer and he would receive an answer in 1-2 weeks. Any idea if this is likely to be approved or not? Also, while he was on the phone with Chase, he received an email requesting to submit proof of business ID number and business name. Should we still plan to submit this? Thanks!

 

[palhockeymomof2]

My husband applied for a Chase Southwest Premier Business card this evening. It was not an instant approval, but after just a few minutes he received a call from Chase to verify his application. They asked him a few questions confirming the application, including his business name. After a rather long hold, the representative said that the review would take a bit longer and he would receive an answer in 1-2 weeks. Any idea if this is likely to be approved or not? Also, while he was on the phone with Chase, he received an email requesting to submit proof of business ID number and business name. Should we still plan to submit this? Thanks!

Did he apply as a sole proprietor with just his name as the business name and SS number

 

[catsinawindow]

Did he apply as a sole proprietor with just his name as the business name and SS number

Yes

 

[djmeredith]

DP about the Orlando Conrad. They will charge you for the first night of your stay about a month before your res. I noticed this week that I had a charge in the amt of my 1 nt Oct reservation. I panicked thinking I accidentally booked it for the wrong date and "missed" my res. Nope, I called and they explained they charge the first night in advance. I had already cancelled the res before I realized I had been charged. They said it will come off in a few days since I cancelled. I have stayed at tons of Hilton properties over the past couple of years, including 2 other Conrads and this was a first.

 

[FreeDiningFanatic]

Maybe I am losing my mind, but I did a speculative transfer from MR to Hawaiian of a couple hundred thousand miles, in hopes of transferring 1:1 to Alaska later this month. This blog post really ratched up the FOMO for me. Hearing that BILT closed their transfer pathway with no notice citing the merger made me have extra FOMO. Points transferred for me immediately.

 

[Duckbug.Ducktales]

Maybe I am losing my mind, but I did a speculative transfer from MR to Hawaiian of a couple hundred thousand miles, in hopes of transferring 1:1 to Alaska later this month. This blog post really ratched up the FOMO for me. Hearing that BILT closed their transfer pathway with no notice citing the merger made me have extra FOMO. Points transferred for me immediately.

We are doing the same thing. I think Alaskan announced today that indeed points will transfer 1:1 from Hawaiian. Very timely for us as Alaskan has the best route to Vancouver from our airport, and we need to get there next September

ETA: DH and I can't agree on how much to transfer. I want to do more than we need for the one flight just to have a stash of Alaskan miles but he is wary, lol

 

[VGCgroupie]

Thoughts on the new Kohls Cap One card? I forgot they were doing this and I just got the card in the mail. Cant decide if I even shop at Kohls enough anymore to justify keeping it. Only a $600 limit.