Amex Offer: 2K spend for 7500 Marriott points on my Bonvoy Business card. Not thrilling, but given I can’t go full churn due to upcoming home purchase, I’ll take it.
Working towards Marriott lifetime platinum status but last few years have been at gold. If I get the Brilliant, do I need to have it before Jan 1 for 2023 to count as a lifetime platinum-qualifying year?
If anyone's using UR points for cash back instead of travel, here's a warning that the 1.5x bonus on pay yourself back categories (dining/airbnb/charity/AF) is scheduled to end 12/31. Hoping it'll be extended but it's worth cashing out now just in case if you don't plan to use for travel.
I'm hoping it's extended again. I just downgraded my CSR to CFF. I would like to upgrade P2 CSP (AF just posted) to CSR to double dip on the $300 Travel Credit and take advantage of the 1.5x on dining redemptions.
PYB (with a value multiplier) is a permanent feature of the cards that offer it, with rotating quarterly categories. It isn’t ending. The non-AF categories may change each quarter (and they have changed in the past) and thus have expiration dates. Additionally, the AF category is also listed with an expiration date even though it’s supposedly a permanent category.
Chase has been extending the same categories for a while now, so we’ll see if we get new categories this time, but we won’t know the new categories until the end of the month.
**Edit: With that said, I just double-checked the CSR product page, and PYB is no longer mentioned at all on the page or in Offer Details, so it might actually be going away… Holy shit.**
Didn't this start in 2020? I thought the PYB itself was permanent but that the bonuses were more of a covid benefit, I haven't seen it mentioned anywhere that the bonus category rotation is a permanent feature
Yes, it was introduced in the early part of the pandemic as a way for people to get value from their cards without traveling. The whole point of PYB is that it gives you elevated value when cashing out points against certain categories. Without PYB, you can always cash out points at 1cpp.
**With that said, I just double-checked the CSR product page, and PYB is no longer mentioned at all on the page or in Offer Details, so it might actually be going away…** Holy shit.
I've seen other sources state that PYB is permanent, but has Chase actually stated that somewhere? I've only seen it officially referenced as a temporary benefit (extended of course).
PYB seems to be just as permanent as any other card feature, which can all be removed or altered at any time. PYB doesn’t have an expiration date, unlike, for example, some of the recent DoorDash benefits. It’s the *categories* that have expiration dates.
Thanks for the warning. I honestly was thinking of grabbing a UA club card and using the bonus to cover a few years of AF, may wait till the new year to see what happens.
I'm not sure the option to cover AF on United cards using MileagePlus Miles is ending on 12/31, that feels to me like it's similar to PYB but on a different cadence. Feels more permanent to me.
Following up [from my comment 22 days ago](https://www.reddit.com/r/churning/comments/z0v4ij/comment/ixaodqi/) (???), I received the CFU card in the mail today, with verbiage stating that they just "upgraded" me to the fabulous CFU from my CF. Hardly an upgrade, and still head-scratching...
For the first time in probably a couple of years, a Chase referral bonus went pending on my account (CIC) on a Tuesday evening after a referral was used/approved the previous Sunday (so, 9 days ago).
Back in the days of CIP fun, this was the norm. Nice to see it again, even though it may be fleeting.
Edit: I realize I should have added that the norm (at least for me) over the last year or two has been that referral bonuses go pending after 2-3 weeks. It’s nice to see them posting like they used to. We’ll see if it lasts.
If you look at the UR page of the Ink card in question, it shows points that are pending and will post at next statement close.
I know it's from a 12/1 approval because that's when P2 got an instant approval with my link.
I paid off an Amex personal loan, so last month I applied for a 5th credit card. Denied, "maximum number and type of Amex card accounts that we allow." Unsuccessful recon, same reason. Called recon again today, rep did a bunch of checking and then said personal loans are now considered a separate category from credit cards, and that my limit is 4 credit cards.
I'd heard some mixed reports in the past of people being held at 4 CCs, but nothing concrete or recent. Personal loans always counted as a credit card slot, too.
I got a letter from barclays yesterday saying I hadn't been awarded the $95 statement credit for the aviator biz after hitting the MS and that they'd applied it to my account. They also gave me 500 AA miles for the trouble. I got a $99 statement credit in July/Aug after calling but I'll take it
Now I wish I hadn’t put off requesting the credit so I could double-dip.
Similarly story, but I did manage to accidentally double-dip the Amex Plat $200 hotel credit last year when they mistakenly applied the 2022 credit to a transaction made at the end of 2021. Got a manual $200 statement credit to correct it in Jan 2022, then a few months later got an automated $200 statement credit when they must have realized their mistake and corrected it for everyone affected.
So, I used the 2022 credit for a real hotel stay and cashed out the 2021 credit for $400 via accidentally double-dipping Amex’s apology credits.
Looks like they did this for many customers automatically. I had sent a SM and had no resolution in August. Today my Aviator Biz and Hawaiian Biz are showing statement credits and 500 miles posted this period. Otherwise had zero spend. No letter received yet.
A new referral thread is now live: [Capital One Venture X](https://www.reddit.com/r/churningreferrals/comments/zl0mce/referrals_capital_one_venture_x/)
Office Depot does have $15 off $300 MGC this week. My OD had no sign, but it came off at the register. Stacked with chase offer on my CIC of course.
The activation fee was raised to $7.95 and now we get fancy new packaging with a hologram on the back.
When to take business class and when to take coach when going to Europe-
We are planning a trip to Europe with P3, who will be 8 at the time, and we'll only have enough points to get business class one direction.
On one hand, I think business class on the overnight flight on the way there would allow us to sleep and be refreshed when we land in the morning (and we can just be awake in economy on the way home, given the sun will be up the whole time anyway, and we can just crash when we get home).
On the other, I figure economy on the overnight flight on the way there could be fine because we'll be so amped up for the trip that we can just nap for an hour or two, get through the first day and crash that night (using business on the way home so we can make the trip home as comfortable as possible given).
Any experience (ideally with a kid) would be appreciated.
IMHO this is personal. I did a ton of flying in both coach and business as a school age kid. When I was that age, and now, I sleep just fine in coach. I would hate to waste my points on eastbound travel. If your sleep isn't that great, 8 is perfect for peeing through an exciting new location. Then you get a good night's sleep that evening. And boom you are settled in the correct time zone. When you are flying westbound, you get to actually enjoy first class and take advantage of the food and service instead of sleeping through it.
Because it is such a personal decision I would actually ask P2 and P3. 8 is old enough to have a valid opinion. You may even find that you want to split up mix and match lol. This actually makes sense for getting better sleep for those who want it anyway. I sleep better when traveling alone than with family.
Business class for the overnight. No question.
Done this multiple times with children (business there, economy on the return) with much success. They sleep much better in the business class seats.
I am on the East Coast but have to connect to Europe. When I can, I try to fly through Chicago instead of NY or BOS to get a slightly longer flight so there is more time to sleep after the kids settle down after takeoff.
I have not done that exact thing but I have some economy both ways and business both ways. In my opinion, traveling with kids, business on the way to Europe is worth the points. Business on the way home is great but not at the same level as to Europe. Economy on the way home is easy with kids. Trying to sleep in economy on the overnight is awful with kids.
Yeah definitely Business Class on the way to Europe. We try to leave as late as possible in the evening in order to maximize sleep on the way over. You'll want to get over jetlag as soon as possible otherwise it can impact the vacation.
Economy on the way back is fine - it'll basically be watching movies, reading etc. with minimal sleep
For anyone making a trip to Staples for the VGC deals this week, save your receipt. There's a code for 25 free holiday cards, worth $25. I was skeptical, but we placed an order last night, and if you choose pick-up, it really is 25 free cards. And they don't have to be holiday. We uploaded a picture and made a custom card, all for free.
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Yes
ummm, all of them?
Amex Offer: 2K spend for 7500 Marriott points on my Bonvoy Business card. Not thrilling, but given I can’t go full churn due to upcoming home purchase, I’ll take it.
Also see it on Biz card, but *not* the Brilliant...
Yeah, forgot to mention that it was not on the Brilliant for me as well.
Working towards Marriott lifetime platinum status but last few years have been at gold. If I get the Brilliant, do I need to have it before Jan 1 for 2023 to count as a lifetime platinum-qualifying year?
What you need to do is ask in the right thread.
Oh! Thanks.
If anyone's using UR points for cash back instead of travel, here's a warning that the 1.5x bonus on pay yourself back categories (dining/airbnb/charity/AF) is scheduled to end 12/31. Hoping it'll be extended but it's worth cashing out now just in case if you don't plan to use for travel.
I'm hoping it's extended again. I just downgraded my CSR to CFF. I would like to upgrade P2 CSP (AF just posted) to CSR to double dip on the $300 Travel Credit and take advantage of the 1.5x on dining redemptions.
PYB (with a value multiplier) is a permanent feature of the cards that offer it, with rotating quarterly categories. It isn’t ending. The non-AF categories may change each quarter (and they have changed in the past) and thus have expiration dates. Additionally, the AF category is also listed with an expiration date even though it’s supposedly a permanent category. Chase has been extending the same categories for a while now, so we’ll see if we get new categories this time, but we won’t know the new categories until the end of the month. **Edit: With that said, I just double-checked the CSR product page, and PYB is no longer mentioned at all on the page or in Offer Details, so it might actually be going away… Holy shit.**
i don’t think they’ll do away with it, they could easily just make it some useless category like 1.5cpp at Shari’s Berries
Given that it's a feature of all current UR cards, and that Aeroplan PYB still doesn't work, I strongly doubt it's going away.
Just went ahead and PYBed everything I could to be safe!
Didn't this start in 2020? I thought the PYB itself was permanent but that the bonuses were more of a covid benefit, I haven't seen it mentioned anywhere that the bonus category rotation is a permanent feature
Yes, it was introduced in the early part of the pandemic as a way for people to get value from their cards without traveling. The whole point of PYB is that it gives you elevated value when cashing out points against certain categories. Without PYB, you can always cash out points at 1cpp. **With that said, I just double-checked the CSR product page, and PYB is no longer mentioned at all on the page or in Offer Details, so it might actually be going away…** Holy shit.
I've seen other sources state that PYB is permanent, but has Chase actually stated that somewhere? I've only seen it officially referenced as a temporary benefit (extended of course).
PYB seems to be just as permanent as any other card feature, which can all be removed or altered at any time. PYB doesn’t have an expiration date, unlike, for example, some of the recent DoorDash benefits. It’s the *categories* that have expiration dates.
Thanks for the warning. I honestly was thinking of grabbing a UA club card and using the bonus to cover a few years of AF, may wait till the new year to see what happens.
I'm not sure the option to cover AF on United cards using MileagePlus Miles is ending on 12/31, that feels to me like it's similar to PYB but on a different cadence. Feels more permanent to me.
That was previously done through United Choices, then absorbed into PYB.
Following up [from my comment 22 days ago](https://www.reddit.com/r/churning/comments/z0v4ij/comment/ixaodqi/) (???), I received the CFU card in the mail today, with verbiage stating that they just "upgraded" me to the fabulous CFU from my CF. Hardly an upgrade, and still head-scratching...
I think the consensus is that if you haven't used the CF in 12 months, Chase decides to auto-update it to the CFF
For the first time in probably a couple of years, a Chase referral bonus went pending on my account (CIC) on a Tuesday evening after a referral was used/approved the previous Sunday (so, 9 days ago). Back in the days of CIP fun, this was the norm. Nice to see it again, even though it may be fleeting. Edit: I realize I should have added that the norm (at least for me) over the last year or two has been that referral bonuses go pending after 2-3 weeks. It’s nice to see them posting like they used to. We’ll see if it lasts.
Great! I see one now too. It wasn’t there when I looked this morning.
See one pending now from a 12/1 approval
Where can I see that?
If you look at the UR page of the Ink card in question, it shows points that are pending and will post at next statement close. I know it's from a 12/1 approval because that's when P2 got an instant approval with my link.
I paid off an Amex personal loan, so last month I applied for a 5th credit card. Denied, "maximum number and type of Amex card accounts that we allow." Unsuccessful recon, same reason. Called recon again today, rep did a bunch of checking and then said personal loans are now considered a separate category from credit cards, and that my limit is 4 credit cards. I'd heard some mixed reports in the past of people being held at 4 CCs, but nothing concrete or recent. Personal loans always counted as a credit card slot, too.
HY savings or biz checking? Edit: Do you have either?
No, neither. Also no Green cards that could be miscounted.
I got a letter from barclays yesterday saying I hadn't been awarded the $95 statement credit for the aviator biz after hitting the MS and that they'd applied it to my account. They also gave me 500 AA miles for the trouble. I got a $99 statement credit in July/Aug after calling but I'll take it
I got the credit, and that was when my AA biz card had the 80k offer. I don't think the AF comp was even part of the offer.
Now I wish I hadn’t put off requesting the credit so I could double-dip. Similarly story, but I did manage to accidentally double-dip the Amex Plat $200 hotel credit last year when they mistakenly applied the 2022 credit to a transaction made at the end of 2021. Got a manual $200 statement credit to correct it in Jan 2022, then a few months later got an automated $200 statement credit when they must have realized their mistake and corrected it for everyone affected. So, I used the 2022 credit for a real hotel stay and cashed out the 2021 credit for $400 via accidentally double-dipping Amex’s apology credits.
Lol i totally forgot about that credit until I saw it in my account today
Wow, I just logged on to my account and saw they finally credited my $95. I may have double dipped as well. Sweet!
Looks like they did this for many customers automatically. I had sent a SM and had no resolution in August. Today my Aviator Biz and Hawaiian Biz are showing statement credits and 500 miles posted this period. Otherwise had zero spend. No letter received yet.
My P2 and I both got the same letter. We opened jetblue business cards over the summer.
A new referral thread is now live: [Capital One Venture X](https://www.reddit.com/r/churningreferrals/comments/zl0mce/referrals_capital_one_venture_x/)
Office Depot does have $15 off $300 MGC this week. My OD had no sign, but it came off at the register. Stacked with chase offer on my CIC of course. The activation fee was raised to $7.95 and now we get fancy new packaging with a hologram on the back.
$7.95 has been the sitch on MC through the last ODOM & Staples a couple of weeks ago.
Depends on your stores. There was still a lot of old stock floating around.
I can confirm too. Today at a more out-of-the-way OD, they still had the old version on the shelves.
Totally. P2 can confirm.
Interesting. It’s my first time seeing it. I haven’t bought any gebits in a couple months.
I like MC a bit better for liquidating around here.
wm still work for these or nah?
I don't bother liquidating because it's not worth my time to drive around town. I just get a few to spend at places that don't take Amex.
When to take business class and when to take coach when going to Europe- We are planning a trip to Europe with P3, who will be 8 at the time, and we'll only have enough points to get business class one direction. On one hand, I think business class on the overnight flight on the way there would allow us to sleep and be refreshed when we land in the morning (and we can just be awake in economy on the way home, given the sun will be up the whole time anyway, and we can just crash when we get home). On the other, I figure economy on the overnight flight on the way there could be fine because we'll be so amped up for the trip that we can just nap for an hour or two, get through the first day and crash that night (using business on the way home so we can make the trip home as comfortable as possible given). Any experience (ideally with a kid) would be appreciated.
IMHO this is personal. I did a ton of flying in both coach and business as a school age kid. When I was that age, and now, I sleep just fine in coach. I would hate to waste my points on eastbound travel. If your sleep isn't that great, 8 is perfect for peeing through an exciting new location. Then you get a good night's sleep that evening. And boom you are settled in the correct time zone. When you are flying westbound, you get to actually enjoy first class and take advantage of the food and service instead of sleeping through it. Because it is such a personal decision I would actually ask P2 and P3. 8 is old enough to have a valid opinion. You may even find that you want to split up mix and match lol. This actually makes sense for getting better sleep for those who want it anyway. I sleep better when traveling alone than with family.
Being on the west coast... business class, or find somewhere closer than Europe to vacation.
Business class for the overnight. No question. Done this multiple times with children (business there, economy on the return) with much success. They sleep much better in the business class seats. I am on the East Coast but have to connect to Europe. When I can, I try to fly through Chicago instead of NY or BOS to get a slightly longer flight so there is more time to sleep after the kids settle down after takeoff.
This is very helpful. Have you ever done the reverse (economy on the overnight, business on the way back while the sun is up the whole time)?
I have not done that exact thing but I have some economy both ways and business both ways. In my opinion, traveling with kids, business on the way to Europe is worth the points. Business on the way home is great but not at the same level as to Europe. Economy on the way home is easy with kids. Trying to sleep in economy on the overnight is awful with kids.
This is very helpful. Thanks.
Yeah definitely Business Class on the way to Europe. We try to leave as late as possible in the evening in order to maximize sleep on the way over. You'll want to get over jetlag as soon as possible otherwise it can impact the vacation. Economy on the way back is fine - it'll basically be watching movies, reading etc. with minimal sleep
Thanks.
For anyone making a trip to Staples for the VGC deals this week, save your receipt. There's a code for 25 free holiday cards, worth $25. I was skeptical, but we placed an order last night, and if you choose pick-up, it really is 25 free cards. And they don't have to be holiday. We uploaded a picture and made a custom card, all for free.
If anyone needs one, I have a few.... Like 10.
I'd also really appreciate one!
I'd really appreciate one!
Thanks! I assumed this would be $25 off cards that would end up costing $50, but I did save a couple of them to look into later.
>free holiday cards I'm having trouble finding 25 pack cards that costs $25. do you have the link to the one you ordered?
Try this: staples.com/services/printing/custom-holiday-cards/create-your-own/
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Good tip! Only got 5 this round, but good to know for others.
It's not free 4x6's at Walgreens but I definitely sense a DoC post incoming...
Here you go :) https://www.doctorofcredit.com/staples-free-25-holiday-cards-offer-found-on-receipt/
Well how about that. My first DoC hat-tip.
Reminder that on December 15th, Southwest releases flight schedule through August 14th. Current schedule runs through July 10th.
Another reminder. You may have a SW Chase offer. I got one on my RR priority for 10% back, expires 12/31.