Travel Thread

[NTP66]

I totally forgot about the hold option for AA. Just put the tickets on hold, and will release them if I find something better between now and then, or confirm them if not.

[pens9192]

All this Hawaii talk reminds me of my only trip there which was a few years ago for work. I was there for a week and didn’t go in a pool and went on the beach for about 30 minutes. Sigh.

[Dickie Dunn]

Today is 331 days out for next year's trip, and I'm trying to book the departure using AA miles. When I was searching for the same exact flights for the previous week, the award redemption was a little better - 38.5k miles/person. My trip, right now, is 50.5k/person. Still not a bad redemption, but I'm wondering if it's worth waiting a little longer to save that extra 36k miles.

We got another round of airline credit card offers and I don't see how the miles game is worth it for anyone unless you're earning the miles through business travel and what not.

Example: Flight from Pittsburgh to Barcelona in May 2020 flying on Delta. After ticket, taxes, fees, and charges the cost per person is $1,173.63. If I open a Delta credit card and earn my 50,000 miles, the same flight using a cash and miles combo costs $331.93 per person plus 71,000 miles. Since the only miles I have came from opening the credit card, I need to purchase 22,000 SkyMiles for $770. Now my total cash into the flight is $1,101.93, a magical savings of $71.70, which only cost me 50,000 SkyMiles. I wish these dadhole would give their stupid miles a set dollar value instead and operate that way.

[NTP66]

Today is 331 days out for next year's trip, and I'm trying to book the departure using AA miles. When I was searching for the same exact flights for the previous week, the award redemption was a little better - 38.5k miles/person. My trip, right now, is 50.5k/person. Still not a bad redemption, but I'm wondering if it's worth waiting a little longer to save that extra 36k miles.

We got another round of airline credit card offers and I don't see how the miles game is worth it for anyone unless you're earning the miles through business travel and what not.

Example: Flight from Pittsburgh to Barcelona in May 2020 flying on Delta. After ticket, taxes, fees, and charges the cost per person is $1,173.63. If I open a Delta credit card and earn my 50,000 miles, the same flight using a cash and miles combo costs $331.93 per person plus 71,000 miles. Since the only miles I have came from opening the credit card, I need to purchase 22,000 SkyMiles for $770. Now my total cash into the flight is $1,101.93, a magical savings of $71.70, which only cost me 50,000 SkyMiles. I wish these dadhole would give their stupid miles a set dollar value instead and operate that way.

It's only worth it if you're churning cards with bonus offers, IMO. Each Citi AA card I open is an instant 63k-75k miles at a minimum, and I'm currently sitting at 1.2m AA miles. I would never buy miles, because it's never a good deal. You either go full miles or pay cash. Delta's one of the few carriers that actually allows you to pay for a ticket with both cash and miles, but looking at your example, that's a crazy amount of miles. If you run a search for the same flight using only miles, how many do you need?

[tifosi77]

As I start traveling more and more for my job, is it worth it to get an airline and/or hotel specific credit card? United is probably who I'd fly most with, so it would make sense to get their card, but how about hotels? Is it worth it?

I have the United credit card, and definitely recommend it if you think you'll be flying them the most. With the card comes a perk to have access to the lounge area once a year even if you are on an Economy or EconomyPlus ticket. Plus, if you travel internationally - particularly to Asia - they are part of Star Alliance, which has some really good partners (Singapore Airlines, ANA, Thai Airways, Lufthansa, etc)

Mrs Tif used to travel quite a lot for work, and still does so a decent bit, so she got a Marriott card. Between the frequency of stays and the use on the card, she/we are always upgraded.

It's pretty easy to really rack up miles if you use it for daily spending (provided you pay off all or mostly all of the balance every month). The only bill I don't pay with a loyalty program credit card is my car payment, because my lender will not allow it.

[NTP66]

c2i, are you putting the charges on your own cards and getting reimbursed? For airlines, I'd make sure that you were going to use United exclusively before getting one of their own branded cards. Same goes for the hotel chain. If you want flexibility, you can always look at one of the Chase-branded cards where you can convert your points.

[count2infinity]

c2i, are you putting the charges on your own cards and getting reimbursed? For airlines, I'd make sure that you were going to use United exclusively before getting one of their own branded cards. Same goes for the hotel chain. If you want flexibility, you can always look at one of the Chase-branded cards where you can convert your points.

That's the plan... put it on my own cards and then get reimbursed. United is almost a lock as it's the most versatile out of State College.

[NTP66]

c2i, are you putting the charges on your own cards and getting reimbursed? For airlines, I'd make sure that you were going to use United exclusively before getting one of their own branded cards. Same goes for the hotel chain. If you want flexibility, you can always look at one of the Chase-branded cards where you can convert your points.

That's the plan... put it on my own cards and then get reimbursed. United is almost a lock as it's the most versatile out of State College.

In that case, I defer to TPG: https://thepointsguy.com/guide/best-cre ... ng-united/. Note: Unless your company is crazy and will reimburse you the annual fee, ignore any of those $450+ AF cards.

[LITT]

I just use Hyatt because the one in St. Paul is architecturally interesting. It's built into an old post office building so the rooms have these really neat 20 foot ceilings. There has also been a Hyatt downtown near every office I've ever had to visit for work.

They have a couple of all-inclusive resorts in PR, Mexico, etc. If I keep piling up points I'll get a few days free at those eventually.

The Hyatt all inclusive in Jamaica is top notch

[Dickie Dunn]

Today is 331 days out for next year's trip, and I'm trying to book the departure using AA miles. When I was searching for the same exact flights for the previous week, the award redemption was a little better - 38.5k miles/person. My trip, right now, is 50.5k/person. Still not a bad redemption, but I'm wondering if it's worth waiting a little longer to save that extra 36k miles.

We got another round of airline credit card offers and I don't see how the miles game is worth it for anyone unless you're earning the miles through business travel and what not.

Example: Flight from Pittsburgh to Barcelona in May 2020 flying on Delta. After ticket, taxes, fees, and charges the cost per person is $1,173.63. If I open a Delta credit card and earn my 50,000 miles, the same flight using a cash and miles combo costs $331.93 per person plus 71,000 miles. Since the only miles I have came from opening the credit card, I need to purchase 22,000 SkyMiles for $770. Now my total cash into the flight is $1,101.93, a magical savings of $71.70, which only cost me 50,000 SkyMiles. I wish these dadhole would give their stupid miles a set dollar value instead and operate that way.

It's only worth it if you're churning cards with bonus offers, IMO. Each Citi AA card I open is an instant 63k-75k miles at a minimum, and I'm currently sitting at 1.2m AA miles. I would never buy miles, because it's never a good deal. You either go full miles or pay cash. Delta's one of the few carriers that actually allows you to pay for a ticket with both cash and miles, but looking at your example, that's a crazy amount of miles. If you run a search for the same flight using only miles, how many do you need?

Same itinerary with points only is 86,000 miles plus $51.93 in taxes, fees, and charges. Per Delta's price chart, 86,000 miles would cost $3,010, though the maximum mileage purchase per year is set at 60,000. The damn miles cost $0.035 to purchase but when you redeem them in this scenario they are worth roughly $0.015. The entire system is a scam.

I believe we've discussed this before, but when you churn cards are you opening the same Citi AA card each time?

[NTP66]

That is a horrible redemption from Delta. And yeah, I only churn the Citi AA Platinum cards. Though, nobody has received any mailers in 3+ months, so we're all worried that big changes are happening. I've got one more mailer that I can churn before it expires, but after that I don't know. If this is the end of the Citi churn, then I'll probably grab a Chase Double Cash card and see how long I can stretch out my AA miles.

[dodint]

I just use Hyatt because the one in St. Paul is architecturally interesting. It's built into an old post office building so the rooms have these really neat 20 foot ceilings. There has also been a Hyatt downtown near every office I've ever had to visit for work.

They have a couple of all-inclusive resorts in PR, Mexico, etc. If I keep piling up points I'll get a few days free at those eventually.

The Hyatt all inclusive in Jamaica is top notch

That's awesome to know. They only have like three in that region and they weren't in super great places so it's nice to know the ones they do have are well reviewed.

[LITT]

They have an adult only side that is a renovated ritz Carlton. Beautiful - can not wait to go back

[dodint]

Yeah, I was referring specifically to their childfree resorts.

[LITT]

The share the same property but on the adult side you would never know there are kids there. I think there are three adult only restaurants too

[dodint]

I better not or I'm going full Karen and demanding a refund.

[NTP66]

Now all I’m going to picture when I see you post is you with a Karen haircut, dyed blond and all.

[DigitalGypsy66]

Yeah, I was referring specifically to their childfree resorts.

Staying #OnBrand

(But I don't blame you. I have kids, and if we went away without them, I wouldn't want to see/hear/experience other people kids on vacation)

[shafnutz05]

There's just something wonderful about waking up the first morning after you arrive at the beach.

Forecast went from 80 to 30% chance of rain today. Lovely.

[Gaucho]

I sometimes wonder if you're a real person.

[count2infinity]

c2i, are you putting the charges on your own cards and getting reimbursed? For airlines, I'd make sure that you were going to use United exclusively before getting one of their own branded cards. Same goes for the hotel chain. If you want flexibility, you can always look at one of the Chase-branded cards where you can convert your points.

That's the plan... put it on my own cards and then get reimbursed. United is almost a lock as it's the most versatile out of State College.

In that case, I defer to TPG: https://thepointsguy.com/guide/best-cre ... ng-united/. Note: Unless your company is crazy and will reimburse you the annual fee, ignore any of those $450+ AF cards.

I'm the newest of newbies to credit cards. I've had one since I was in my early 20s and have never applied for another since. The Chase Sapphire Preferred card is $95 yearly, but it's offering 60,000 points if you spend so much in the first 3 months which won't be a problem. What exactly would I be able to do with 60,000 points?

[Dickie Dunn]

c2i, are you putting the charges on your own cards and getting reimbursed? For airlines, I'd make sure that you were going to use United exclusively before getting one of their own branded cards. Same goes for the hotel chain. If you want flexibility, you can always look at one of the Chase-branded cards where you can convert your points.

That's the plan... put it on my own cards and then get reimbursed. United is almost a lock as it's the most versatile out of State College.

In that case, I defer to TPG: https://thepointsguy.com/guide/best-cre ... ng-united/. Note: Unless your company is crazy and will reimburse you the annual fee, ignore any of those $450+ AF cards.

I'm the newest of newbies to credit cards. I've had one since I was in my early 20s and have never applied for another since. The Chase Sapphire Preferred card is $95 yearly, but it's offering 60,000 points if you spend so much in the first 3 months which won't be a problem. What exactly would I be able to do with 60,000 points?

60,000 points = $600. You can use it as a statement credit, purchase gift cards, stuff like that. If you use the Chase travel portal thing you can book flights, hotels, vacation packages, etc. and travel goes at a 1.25 rate so the 60,000 points is worth $750.

[NTP66]

What DD said. Chase’s travel portal is actually pretty decent. Back in the day, I used to use it for car rentals when I saw a good deal. You have to really look at what you expect to spend annually and how much travel you’ll be doing to decide whether a cash back card is the way to go or a points cards is. Being reimbursed for travel is a good way to both earn towards status as well as earn points at the same time for free.

[count2infinity]

many thanks.

[NTP66]

I'm handling all of the flights for my parents and MIL for next year's vacation, and it looks like my MIL is going to luck out. The best option for her flight is actually on a 777 from DFW. Same goes for her return. I'm actually kinda jealous.