You can support TBB by clicking/forwarding any of our referral links and starting your online shopping at our NEW Amazon affiliate link . Or click on the Amazon Banner on the right ———>
Blogosphere action on Monday was very slow. Tuesday was on fire!
The blogosphere went into a frenzy about a new 100k credit card offer from Citibank. 100k AA miles for parting with $450 annual fee (maybe if you are not fast). This offer recently has gone from 60k to 75k to 100k! Are Citibank and Amex trying to make a go for dissatisfied Amex Plat cardholders? Of course! What makes it even sweeter and irresistible is the $200 statement credit which appears to be for any purchases! The minimum spend is $10k for three months. Oh, you get an AA Admirals Club lounge membership too! In these “Manufactured Spend” plentiful ways to earn miles “spending” $10k is really not a big deal. If I did not have over 1 million AA miles and clearly having a difficult time to burn (more on this further down) I would go for it. Plus, I need to pack for my trip to Orlando tomorrow morning! This post by Miles Abound (who had hinted about a 100k offer coming soon) contains a very helpful Q&A for this offer.( HT to The Points Guy (shocking!) and I am guessing it was a deliberate move by Citibank to be “discovered” there for increased traffic).
And later in the day we had another excellent offer by AMEX for its ( Business Card) Simply Cash card that awards you $250 statement credit after you “spend” $3k in the first three months. And the card offers an excellent cash back earning structure. How about all this for a no annual fee card!
- 5% Cash back at U.S. office supply stores and on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers
- 3% Cash back on the category of your choice from a list of select categoriesCategories available include: airfare purchased from airlines, hotel rooms purchased from hotels, car rentals purchased from select car rental companies, U.S. gas stations, U.S. restaurants, U.S. purchases for advertising in select media, and U.S. purchases for shipping
- 1% Cash back on other purchases
You see dear readers. The ways to earn miles and points and cold cash is growing exponentially in the past few years. Therefore, the continuing and deep devaluations. This just can not be sustainable and I think (hope I am wrong) that AA and US Air will say “screw it” and start from scratch and present to us a “new and improved” (read: burning is revenue based) instead of stepping towards it (like Delta and United are doing). So this leads me to this post by Travel Summary who wrote “Why and How I Travel in First and Business Class“. Best excuse I have seen. I was inspired to burn my United miles but I am too busy with this blog and everything else going on and I can not find time to do it. I can’t even come back from from freaking Maui on the recent award I booked with my gazillion AA miles! Ok, I need to settle myself down. Clearly, I need to make it a priority to burn and focus my earning activities to earn cash back to buy the tickets I want without all the roadblocks (and fees and crap in general) we have to go through to burn! Stop screwing around going out of my way to just earn more miles. My motto from now on is: Burn, baby, burn! We shall see 🙂
Please, if you have credit card debt you should be reading my blog only for my pictures and silliness as this credit card advice does NOT apply to you! Please bust your behind and pay off this debt ASAP.
Saverocity got some really cheap car rental rates using the, gasp, Kayak iPhone app. The rate differentials are tremendous…was this a tech glitz or something? Please comment on the site and here if you have anything to add. I like blog posts that contribute to readers getting smarter and offering something, well, new instead of the same old repetitive pathetic excuses of blog posts that are disguises for selling credit cards. Southwest Companion pass, Amex Platinum and Chase Ink cards anyone? 🙂
Great Case Study: Book a family trip to Whistler with miles and points by Miles Abound. Very educational value adding stuff. For non stop marketing crap please refer to the most awesome list on the internet, TBB’s “Blogs I Ignore” list!
Ok, this is advanced stuff by Miles, Points and Mai Tais on “Manufactured Spending: The 411 on Amex Gift Cards“. The comments in this post are great.
I enjoy the posts at PFDigest. They are concise with a focus on financial stuff and a good sense of humor. Most importantly, I learn something new. For example, in this post I learned that this Comenity bank issues 31 million cards. Say what? I was not even aware of this bank! Staying humbled every day!
Delta announced they will upgrade the Skyclub lounges. Instead of crappy hummus now you will get some crappy olives too (while supplies last).
Devaluation in Virgin Atlantic Flying Club loyalty program: “from 6 February 2014 the exchange miles to points rate is changing. Flying Club members will be able to exchange miles at the following rate: 2 Flying Club miles for 3 Hilton HHonors points.” Former exchange ratio was 1:2. Boo!
Well, this was pretty big news. Southwest is going international:
Beginning July 1, 2014, Southwest Airlines will operate daily, nonstop flights between:
- Atlanta and Aruba, and Montego Bay
- Baltimore/Washington and Aruba, Nassau, and (twice daily) Montego Bay
- Orlando and (Saturday only) Aruba, and Montego Bay
I won 500 SPG Starwood points in this Spin game. What can I say?
I am off to Orlando for a conference until Sunday. I am flying Air Tran (for the first and last time actually). Not sure I can keep up the same posting schedule but I will try. Son got his drivers license today, a very sobering event. I can’t believe it actually, time flies!
My Maui trip on AA miles is in disarray! It all started because partner Alaska Airlines canceled a flight. They rebooked me on earlier flights TWICE without informing me. I have spent hours on the phone with AA agents who can not accommodate on own AA (huh, no seats) flights so they keep requesting space from partner Alaska on other flights and Alaska keeps denying such requests. I am seriously thinking about canceling the whole damn trip. THIS is why I absolutely despise the process of burning miles, I just don’t have the patience for this crap! The flights are in early April, Spring Break time…I had everything expertly lined up perfect! Maybe it was not meant to be! Latest request I am waiting on leaves just one hour connection in Honolulu to get on an Alaska Airlines flight after arriving from an interisland Island Air flight. Connection should be enough time I hope…but if Island Air is delayed we can be totally screwed! The sad thing is I got the Island Air flights from Maui to Honolulu (with United miles) because I could not find seats on AA awards out of Maui. The absurdity of it all…Several trips to CBS and I could the buy the damn tickets out right! Thank you for listening to my rant, it does make me feel better!
I found this chart in this article. Ancillary Fees up the wazoo!
For the Love of Money. Great article at the New York Times. Clearly I am not addicted to money, just miles/points lol.
National Flags Made From Each Country’s Traditional Foods. Found at ThisMarvelous.
Funny pictures of “miserable men” at Instagram going shopping with their ladies. Clearly this has gone too far…that is where I cross the line!
And I leave you with this. Entertainment at its finest…I guess:
Check out my updated blog lists: Blogs I Love, Blogs I Like, Blogs I Ignore
Thank you for reading and supporting my blog!
Please pass my blog link to your friends and family if you think they will enjoy it too.
First again???
No doubt about it! I will email you how the Numero Unos do the secret handshake!
You can tell me in person when you fly down to Hawaii.
i need to call AA again about this…
First. TBB posted too early, Shaun.
TBB was born unpredictable. Motion denied! 🙂
This is not one Citi tried to seed online. It was from a flyer being handed out in Admirals Clubs as of yesterday:
aadvantage.miles.citicards.com is what they say on them
Which leads you to the same offer.
Someone posted that on TPG’s comment section before the 100k offer was posted, which alerted them.
You are probably right. I see conspiracies and grand plans behind these big banks 🙂
Thanks.
In response to the Kayak app, IME, car rental rates usually blow. But it’s great for very quick searches to see *trends* in rate changes, right before a trip. Occasionally I’ve seen a good rate through that, then found something even better on Costco/etc. The app is very good. The “My Trips” feature is incredible for organizing/tracking, 10x better than TripIt (even the Pro TripIt we get with Arrival cards).
I’m quite stunned by your AA experience. I’ve redeemed over 650K pts in the last five years for Hawaii tickets and haven’t had a single schedule change beyond an hour or so, and I think that was just a time change correction.
You keep on harping on about how much easier/better cash fares are, but let me ask you this….How would things be better if this was a cash ticket? You would probably have bought the same cheap OAK/SJC Alaska flights to Hawaii. That flight would still be cancelled, and you’d only have Alaska flights as an option. Mommy Points had that problem, they rerouted her through SEA or PDX. With AA miles you at least have the option of HA/AA/AS if any space opens up. I’m really surprised AA won’t open up space for you. Do you have a favor you can call in to Dan? Maybe he can make a call on your behalf.
You know, I do have the app. I think I played with it a long time ago and then never used it again. It is back on the radar now!
I had everything planned perfectly. AA partner Alaska Air flights from HNL to OAK leaving on Friday around 3 pm. I had done separate awards on Island Air w UA miles getting to HNL from OGG around 1 pm. Suddenly, Alaska cancels the flight and rebooks us (without consulting with us) on the same day at 8 pm! Which would mean one less night in Maui, messing up my Island Air flights and requiring an overnight in HNL. MY original plan was to do 6 to 7 nights in Maui. I barely managed 5 and now they phucked it up. I said this was not going to work. So they could not please me but only request space from Alaska on different flights later than originally planned. All denied. And I have to call in to find out the status of these “requests:. Then recently at my latest phone call I find out that my Friday 8 am flights seats were done away and we were rebooked AGAIN on the Thursday red eyes (connecting to Seattle I think). No phone call, no email no nothing this time. Again they would not put me in any flights because of “no space, we need to request space from partner”. Did so again and i have no doubt it will be denied again. I was told I can not even find me two sets of two seats on other flight and put them on hold because “it will mess up my current reservation”. I am not sure how true this is but this is getting beyond ridiculous. The AA twitter folks are useless. They can not do anything on awards involving partners. But they do like Lucky (yeah I tried that too!).
every time I call I am on hold for ever. Two phone calls I got the most unhelpful dude. Last time the gal was very nice but…NO RESULTS.
So, here I am just two months away and I am down to such a short time in Maui that makes no sense to go. And I will eat my 20k miles and (that was stupid) I will likely lose my two paid reservations in a nice Hampton Inn at OAK (used Arrival points).
This has been the award trip from hell for sure! And I am using Southwest points to get to/from West Coast and leaving out of HNL because I just could not get freaking AA award seats.
If this was a cash ticket they would better put me in the flights I can buy tickets in! YOu know I can BUY tickets in the AA website for the flights I am “requesting space” on for crying out loud. If Chris Elliott reads this he would be laughing lol.
Hate to say this because so many are endorsing the “be your own elite” concept. This type of thing is where I really do think that being Executive Platinum does make a difference. You have a shorter wait for an agent, more award availability, and no fees to rebook close in, among other things. I can give you many examples where it has made a big difference changing an award, among them a situation where I had to change my daughter’s flight home from Chile not once, but twice within days of the flight, and it all got handled in a snap with no fees and no hassle. Time will tell if it will be worth on the “new” American, but just that one situation alone made my status worth it to me.
Yes of course. But the key becomes at what cost you get to Exec Plat. If you can justify the cost for the benefits you get, sure. I do not as I don’t do much business travel any more.
I am very afraid the new American will be something that will not be liked, call it the “Parker Syndrome” 😉
That is completely ridiculous, but IME with Alaska they’re pretty inflexible with schedule changes.
You can’t find anything on AA that will work? Nothing thru LAX?
No. It is four of us. I even offered to split us up in two!
Just read the one hour connection from Island Air to Alaska. Island Air’s minimum connection time in HNL is 75 minutes. That’s gonna be tight. Are you checking bags?
No bags. I do not have high hopes Alaska Air will say yes to the “space request” by AA. If they say yes I can worry about the Island Air flights later.
For the love of money is a fascinating article. There truly are people who are wealth addicts. At some point, you have to realize that you will never be the richest person in the world and stop chasing the money. You need to enjoy what you have before your time is up.
You have a lot of time dude, have fun in Europe!
I applied for the 100K offer and had to call to finalize the app (very simple call and instantly approved). I asked the rep to verify the offer, which she did. I asked about the statement credit and she claimed that it was for AA purchases only. Often call center people are wrong (about virtually everything), but this one might be true. It will be easy to test.
Good to know, thanks a lot for the comment. I hope schools in AA stay open otherwise my wife is going to be really upset as I am in Orlando.
Don’t go to Hawaii. Just stay and vacation in the marvelous Bay Area. Bring your own water, please.
As people at FT noted, Southwest isn’t going international. It’s assuming responsibility for international flights Air Tran was already flying. I think. I could be wrong.
That final GIF is Liverpool-Aston Villa. You’ll never walk alone, but go over the barrier and you’re on your own.
Stay away from the Bay Area! We are overrun with traffic and out of water. Brown hills in the middle of winter – first time I’ve seen that in the 42 years I’ve lived here (thru at least 4 major droughts). 17% of average snowpack in the Sierra. And we still haven’t instituted mandatory rationing. Crazy!!
It was the Villa player that went over the barrier… I’m surprised the guy didn’t try to steal his boots lol! Full version at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52DizMrxfU0
But is that Toronto Mayor Rob Ford taking the picture?
Lol…it did not hit me until your comment…you are right, the dude looks just like him!
@ harvson3:You know, at this point I am thinking about doing just that. Knocking off the Fairmont Kea Lani and Andaz Maui free nights was a nice goal…I need to clear it up soon. Being left hanging is something I do not have the luxury to afford these days with tax season facing me!
Yea, it is Air Tran which I flew today. It is pretty much Southwest with assigned seating.
I still laugh about that gif!
@ Paul: I definitely prefer Maui.
@ Miles Abound: Thanks. And thanks for going in with the Jackson Hewitt card. Looks like the knocked Marathon Man faster than a bullet train!
Knocked or “knocked”? Don’t believe everything you read on the internet. I have already done more than MM claims on JHP and not shutdown. I love MM and all but I smell a rat on that one
I get it, thanks.
Despite your troubles with booking the Hawaii trip, and my vow to stick to cashback and select hotel cards, I decided to apply for the 100,000 offer anyway. Just seemed too good to pass up. Approved after a “call for immediate decision” message by a nice lady in SD.
I normally avoid minimum spends like this one but with two big expenses hitting in Feb, it shouldn’t be too much of a reach. Out here in CVS-less land, the bigger spends are a bit more problematic. Perhaps it is a sign from the CC or MS gods that I need to finally start doing some of the things I have done fine without since starting in this game 14 months ago.
Hope you sort out the Maui trip. I do think that booking it using cashback would have given you more flexibility. When I had a schedule change nightmare on an award ticket, it would have been much easier to rebook had it been a cash ticket because cash seats were available on flights where award seats were not. But since I typically book just 1 or 2 seats, and don’t have to travel on spring break, I have high hopes for the 100,000 miles. Might switching islands make it work better? I prefer Kauai over Maui anyday.
@TWA44 “I need to finally start doing some of the things I have done fine without since starting in this game 14 months ago.”
It’s time for your MMS interview!!!
They are very particular of not changing the departure point even though I picked the departure point (HNL) because I could not find any award seats out of Maui.
Yes, having 4 seats during Spring Break to/from Maui is definitely part of the problem here 🙂
AA also just does not want to step up and take ownership to make a travel blogger (tried this angle too…gently) happy. They think they can make more money and/or do not want to pay more money to partners.
I thought StickyWicket’s comment was funny 🙂
Me too!
I apologize I have not been able to catch up to TBB comments at all so far today. Just got to Orlando and my hotel in the Four Points by Sheraton Studio City. May not be the best looking property from the outside but for 13k SPG points for 4 nights is a steal. Fantastic service and nice upgrade to a studio room in the top floor. Gotta go, free beer and BBQ by the pool bar!
After that off to the conference hotel for more free food and stuff. I will try to get to the comments late tonight.
If a super mistake fare breaks out please tweet me, thanks!
Ingy weighed in on his weekly column at FTG with an interesting and relevant report on his conversation with a risk management guy with a major bank. A really good data point, with the bank guy noting that we hobbiests are priced into the model.
It was noted here that that particular post was good and brought to memory the good old days
If you thought the travel challenges were mailed-in in the past (you thought correctly):
Remove Chicago
Insert Phoenix
There…. I just finished making all the changes from last weeks Travel Challenge to this weeks
One day, we’ll be telling new travel hackers that we remember the days of the mint coins, OD Vanilla Reloads, and Howie having some pride when “blogging”
They’ll look at us vets with wide-eyed disbelief
I can see myself telling my grandkids one day “once upon a time there was a blog that was educational, personal and fun to read but …” 🙂
BTW thanks TBB for the double call out! Appreciate it. At this rate I’ll be on your Blogs I Love list in no time 🙂
To make it to the Love list you first need to make it to the Like list.
Just fyi.
Unless you want to buy a banner ad #hintforothers lol
Out of curiosity I looked up the Admirals Club membership that comes with that 100K card. Whereas holders of the UA Club Card get into almost all Star Alliance lounges, having an Admirals Club membership doesn’t get you into a large number of oneworld clubs. That’s a warm, steaming pile of donkey poo. (Also, LH lounge at IAD >> all UA, US, and AA regular clubs when flying domestically.)
I don’t mean to imply the card is a bad deal. If we weren’t moving soon, I’d jump on it in a heartbeat. Anyone on the fence shouldn’t be, unless you live in an area with a dearth of MS opportunities. Personally, I’m almost there; driving 60 minutes r/t to a cooperative Wal-mart location is a big hassle and waste.
My thoughts exactly and a reason why I won’t be jumping on this.
There are MS opportunities *everywhere* if you just dig a little deeper
Agreed. I’m not suggesting I’m out of opportunities. I also go slow with converting “plastic to paper” in small amounts. Lurking in the FT MS forum is educational. Liquidating $10K, however, would be time-consuming, and for me time’s more valuable than airline miles at the moment.
I did not go for it either. Got way too much on my plate and too many miles I can’t even burn…There will be more opportunities like this I think. I am sensing the bank competition is heating up a little lately…
If you run into Mitt in the lobby, tell him Ramsey said to stop acting like a sore loser. Also, tell him I don’t believe him when he said he doesn’t remember holding down/assaulting a gay student and forcibly cutting off his hair, while they were in Prep School.
His speech was just a real downer. He had charts telling us how the country will be in the year 2035. Yeah, aha right on. Talk about a track record predicting weeners 🙂
At one point he talked about his father who was president of a car company and former MIchigan governor. “My daddy taught me a life lesson” or something like that…I forgot what it was 🙂
Very smooth talker, slick hair. He belongs at Bain, not in the White House.