Marriott 70,000 Rewards Points-Unbelievable

Posted on October 24, 2011 by wpengine

UPDATE: It looks like this offer has expired. I’ve removed the link as it looks like it has gone back to the 50,000 offer. The Marriott Rewards® Premier Credit Card offer is still a great deal!!

Hold your horses for everyone who was considering the 50,000 Marriott Rewards points card. This one takes the cake.

This is the best Marriott card that I’ve ever seen. Make sure you take a picture of the landing screen to show that it was the offer for which you applied. You can take screenshots in the following way:

  • Mac: Hold Command, Shift, and 4 all at the same time.  It will give you a little cross that you use to select what you want to save.  It will save it as a jpg on the desktop.
  • Windows 7: Use the Snapshot tool to select and save the screen wherever you would like.

I would always make a habit of saving those landing pages to make sure that you can prove the offer for which you applied.  When you are fishing for the best offer you want to make sure you prove that your application was for the correct sign on bonus.

This offer is better than the previous offer for a few reasons…

  • An Additional 20,000 points from the previous offer, or an additional 40,000 Marriott Rewards Points from the normal offer.  I usually shoot for offers that get me 50,000 or more.  This one definitely meets the criteria.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.  This is great for people who like to travel overseas.  It can save you 3% from most cards.  A lot of cards have that fee, which can add up if you are spending a lot on your credit card.
  • Wavied annual fee.  This saves you $85.

Plus you still get:

  • 15 nights toward an elite qualification status.
  • One free night at a category 1-4 hotel
  • Unlimited earning potential
  • 5 Points per dollar spent at a Marriott
  • 2 Points per dollar spent at hotels, airfare, car rental, etc
  • 1 Point on everything else.

Chase keeps handing out the best offers all the time.  You can only apply for a new card every 30 days, and they are pretty limited on how often they will approve you.  If you haven’t had a Chase approval in the last little bit and you need a hotel card this is an OUTSTANDING offer.

Thanks to mr. Sun_AA for the tip.

Posted in Chase, Marriott Rewards | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Starwood Card = Trip to South America

Posted on October 20, 2011 by wpengine

I have a special affinity toward South America as I spent two years of my life in Paraguay.  I’ve been itching to get back, but it is difficult to get there.  The only airlines that fly in to the small airport are tiny companies that are based out of South America.  Because of the difficulty of arriving there it might be a few years before I make it back.

I wish that either American or LAN flew into Paraguay, but they don’t.  At one point they both flew into Paraguay, but have since canceled their services as the demand is rather low.

There are many other places that I’d love to go in South America.  My brother lived in Argentina for two years and he loved Buenos Aires. I’m not much for dancing, but I’d love to see the tango in action.  I’ve also dreamed about climbing the hills of Machu Picchu in the Andes.  Tierra del Fuego in the southernmost part of Argentina and Chile would be breathtaking.  I’m always looking for ways to get there.  This is one idea that you might not have considered.

One of the features of the Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express  is that you can transfer the points you earn from that program to participating airlines.  It just so happens that LAN has a great deal, a 2 fer 1.


This means that you get two miles per Starpoint converted.  Also keep in mind that you get a bonus when transferring from Starwood to the airline carriers when moving the points in blocks of 20,000.  The bonus is an additional 5,000 miles that you get for free.  If you combine the two of these deals, it means that transferring 25,000 miles actually equals 50,000 airline miles.  This gives you enough points to fly to the northern part of South America.

For all those people who would love to return to visit Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, Columbia, Venezuela, or Equador, then this is a great option.  This makes the Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express even more valuable as it would only require you to spend $20,000 to get you to Brazil for FREE.  If you did the same with the AAdvantage card it would require $60,000 in spending.  Talk about a great deal.

Making it to Argentina would still be tough as it would require an additional 15,000 Starpoints to be converted, but would be well worth it when considering the cost of flying to Ushuaia, Argentina.

Also, right now if you join the LANPass program you can get a free 1000 kilometers (miles) for joining the program. (Thanks TPG)

TPG also says that the website isn’t very useful and might require you to call them to book the award.  He also explains that the transfer of the points to LAN from the Starwood Program can take a lot of time, so plan accordingly.

This just goes to show how the Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express is more valuable than just any old hotel card. It has options to redeem for miles with a bonus or stay in great hotels for free. I think it is worth getting for sure. My wife and I both have this card.

Posted in Credit Cards, Starwood Preferred Guest | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Chase Southwest 2 Free Flights is Back

Posted on October 18, 2011 by wpengine

The deals keep coming out by the bucketful.  I can’t believe my eyes.  This card is really worth a small credit inquiry.  Read about how a new credit card can affect your credit on one of our Doesn’t it Hurt My Credit. 

Today I learned about the Southwest Airlines® Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card, that they are reviving the 50,000 Rapid Rewards sign on bonus.  I’ve categorized some of the most important things to consider when getting a card below.  Remember that these things have a short lived offer, so don’t delay.

Bonus: 50,000 Southwest Rapid Rewards points upon your first purchase.

Extra Bonus: 3,000 Rapid Rewards Points each anniversary

Spending Requirement: None.  You only have to make one purchase to score the points.  This is a big bonus.  I hate meeting spending requirements.  This is probably due to my ridiculous spending requirement of $15,000.  I’ve had a lot of people who have helped me to get to this point, but I still have about $5,000 to go and I’m frustrated.  A simple first purchase bonus would be great right now.

Point Earning: You get 2 points per dollar spent on Southwest flights, and all of Southwest’s Rapid Rewards’ hotel and car rental partners.  You will also be getting 1 point per dollar spent on everything else.

Point Using:  Southwest has a different approach to this than the other big airliners in the USA.  The Rapid Rewards redemption is all based on how much the flight would cost were you to buy it, not a fixed amount for a flight within the USA.

I’ve taken a snapshot from their website that shows how the points can be used.  You want to choose the lowest fare possible to make sure that your points stretch as much as possible.  As much as possible you want to use a “Wanna Get Away” fare to make the points last as long as possible.

They tote that this card is worth over $800 by saying that a flight is roughly $200 each way, or a total of $400.  You have to take $400 X 60 as long as you are flying on a Wanna Get Away fare.  This equates to 24,000 points.  If they give you 50,000 as a bonus then it is worth two of those, which means that it is worth over $800 truly.  What a great deal!

Point Expiration: If you don’t earn or use points every 24 months they can expire.

Annual Fee: $69 and not waived the first year.

Foreign Transaction Fees: 3%=Ouch.  Use another card for your foreign transactions.

Card Type: Visa.  I think that this is advantageous as you can spend Visa almost anywhere. 

Card Issuer: Chase Bank.  Chase has been getting almost all of the new cards.  They have had the hottest offers and seem rather reasonable to deal with.  Starting to see a trend?

Other Stuff to Consider: Southwest does NOT charge change fees, and they don’t charge for your first, or your second checked bag.  I LOVE this about their flights.  I hate feeling like Delta, American, and United are just hosing me when I pay $50 for luggage.  Aargh!

Southwest is a great company.  They are very smart and have  a niche that they fulfill nicely.  I heard a story once about their company and how they were using a phrase “Plane Smart.”  Another company had disputably been using the phrase “Just Plane Smart,” before Southwest was using their phrase.  Instead of getting into a huge lawsuit the two CEO’s of the companies decided to solve it in a different way.

They met for an arm wrestling match between the two CEO’s and charged tickets for admission.  At the end they donated all proceeds to charity and both kept on using their phrases.  I was so impressed by both companies.

I’ve also read the book “Nuts,” which is the story of Southwest’s success.  I would recommend it to anyone.  It is a great read.

Posted in Chase, Southwest | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Chase Ink Bold Business 50,000

Posted on October 17, 2011 by wpengine

It seems like the companies are coming out in a bonanza style of cards that offer 50,000 points.  We have had cards that offered 75,000 in the past, which is pretty amazing, but 50,000 is still worth an application. The The New Ink BoldSM with Ultimate Rewards has recently released this sign on bonus of 50,000 points.

Name of Card:Chase Ink Bold (Business Card)

Bonus: 50,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards Points=$625 in Airfare

Extra Bonus: None

Spending Requirement: $5000 within the first six months.

Point Earning: 1 point per dollar spent.  This is pretty standard, but nothing to write home about.  You can get 2 points per dollar spent on airfare if it is booked thought the Chase Ultimate Rewards website. 

Point Using: These are points that can be used under Chase’s ultimate rewards plan.

Point Expiration: The points don’t expire, but you have to use them before you cancel the card.  So make sure you  plan on using them within the first or second year.

Annual Fee: $95 and it is waived the first year.

Foreign Transaction Fees: 3%=Ouch.  Use another card for your foreign transactions.

Card Type: The Ink Bold is a Visa.  I think that this is advantageous as you can spend Visa almost anywhere.  My Amex isn’t accepted everywhere, but the Visa virtually is.

Card Issuer: Chase Bank.  Chase has been getting almost all of the new cards.  They have had the hottest offers and seem rather reasonable to deal with.

Summary:  A $5000 spending requirement is a little high as a personal card, but in this case being a business card it seems reachable. I really like the flexibility of the Chase Ultimate Rewards points and how they can be redeemed with so many companies like United, Southwest, Amtrak, Hyatt, and many more. Overall this is far and away the best option for a business credit card available today.

 

Award Wallet

Keeping track of your points can be a hassle.  Don’t let it be that way.  Use AwardWallet to access your accounts and see when points are expiring and how many you have.  You can use my AwardWallet link to score free premium service for the first six months free

Posted in Chase, Credit Cards | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

My Super Cheap Trip to Roatan

Posted on October 15, 2011 by Brad Christensen

If you’ve already been following our blog, you’ll remember that I was just bragging about booking an open-jaw flight into Honduras that I booked for $25 and 35,000 Delta Skymiles.

I went to link up with a friend and to do some scuba diving.  As is becoming customary, a nasty autumn snowstorm sent me skipping to the airport.  I’ll admit that it wasn’t the greatest flight arrangement, but it did enable me to watch the first half of the Boise State game on the in-seat TV en route to Atlanta.  At the risk of exposing my cheapness-insanity, I’ll confess that I slept in the ATL airport.  If I was with anyone else, I would have ponied up for a room, but it was already late and it just made sense.  Plus, I was comforted by the stories I read on www.sleepinginairports.net. A stolen borrowed blankie from my first flight and my backpack for a pillow, along with an over-the-counter sleeping pill helped me pass the night in relative comfort.

My flight into Tegucigalpa was among the most interesting I’ve ever been on.  TGU has a short runway that is in a “bowl” in the mountains, and it’s surrounded by residential areas.  From what I understand, only very experienced pilots can land there, and as we came in for landing, I understood why.  We basically corkscrewed in and were banking slightly right up until we hit the tarmac.  All the while, I could almost see into the surrounding housing… the wind from the jet seemed to help with the drying process of clothes out on the lines (as if the hot Honduras sun wasn’t enough).  I met up with my friend there and took a short domestic flight out to the island.

The next day we started our $40 dives with a charismatic former Canadian firefighter for our divemaster.  He took us to a divesite called “Hole in the Wall,” where we essentially did some underwater rock-climbing.  In the warmest ocean water I’ve ever been in, we swam through underwater canyons and caverns in the reef… poking in on the variety of colorful marine life, and marveling at the sight of peering up through 110 feet of clear, blue water.

That afternoon we took a water taxi to check out West Bay, where they hold a weekly hermit crab race that has all the makings of a horse race, including the gambling, but with the added benefit of supporting local charities.  A beachside BBQ, an amazing sunset, and a UFC fight on satellite TV completed our night.

 

Two more dives the next day took us through more underwater scenery.  We found a sleeping sea-turtle, some monstrous lobsters, and colorful sponges galore.  On the second dive, we came across a few lionfish – a non-native species of fish with poisonous spines and no natural predators that they fear will overtake the Caribbean.  The policy is “shoot-on-sight,” and the were actually holding a lionfish derby that day, but our divemaster had his spear stolen the night before and we were weaponless.

That night we partook in the fruits of the lionfish derby – a lionfish cook-off held by five local restaurants.  For 100 honduran lempiras ($5), we had an array of fish tacos, blackened fish, ceviche, fish cakes, and coconut-dipped fish balls.  I’m not much of a seafood fan, but every single item was beyond delicious.  After we’d filled up our bellies, we passed up the local dance scene to watch the Detroit Lions in a bar with some fellow fantasy footballers.

Stay tuned for the continuation of this post… I’ll tell you about diving with sharks and the Honduras vs. Jamaica soccer game.

In the meantime, here’s how you can start to put together some FF miles by applying for credit cards.

Posted in Delta, Fun Travel Stories | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

No More 75,000 AAdvantage

Posted on October 11, 2011 by wpengine

I got word yesterday that the AAdvantage 75,000 has officially expired. I hope that many of you were able to pick up a quick 75,000, 150,000, or if you were really wanderlusting 225,000. It was a great offer and many more great offers will come in the future. We just need to be patient.

Check out our Frequent Flier Miles Credit Card page to watch for new cards that come out. Now that you all have so many airline miles you need to start a stash of hotel points. The new Marriott card looks really appealing, and I always love the Starwood Preferred Guest card.

Anyone want to tell us a story of how they used their AAdvantage miles as a eulogy for the great offer?

Right now they have lowered the spending requirement on the Starwood Preferred Guest card. Get it now and earn up to 25,000 as a bonus!

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Marriott 50,000 Chase Card

Posted on October 10, 2011 by wpengine

I’ve heard a lot about this new Marriott Rewards® Premier Credit Card promotion that will allow you to get 50,000 Marriott Rewards Points. Let’s analyze the deal….

Bonus: 50,000 Marriott Points is definitely going to be worth one small hit on your credit score.  This offer is normally only 30,000, so it is much higher than normal. You can sign up for Marriott Rewards, or they will sign you up automatically.

Extra Bonus: You also get one free night at a category 1-4 hotel at each anniversary on the house.  This alone makes it worth keeping the card.

Spending Requirement: None.  You only have to make one purchase to score the points.  This is a big bonus.  I hate meeting spending requirements.  This is probably due to my ridiculous spending requirement of $15,000.  I’ve had a lot of people who have helped me to get to this point, but I still have about $5,000 to go and I’m frustrated.  A simple first purchase bonus would be great right now.

Point Earning: You will be getting 5 Marriott Points per dollar spent at Marriott locations.   2 Marriott points will be awarded per dollar spent on dining, car rentals, and airlines.  1 Marriott point per dollar will be awarded for all other purchases.

Keep in mind that there is no annual limit to the amount of points that can be earned on the Marriott Rewards Premier Credit Card.  This is a big plus for big spenders.  It just so happens that I’m not a big spender as my business doesn’t require me to spend much.

Point Using:  This is always important. How can you use the points that you get.  I’ve included the schedule to show how the points can be used.  You can see that staying in a category 2 hotel would yield five nights in a hotel.  If you consider the free night that they give you then the application is worth six total nights at the hotel.

They yield less as you stay in higher category hotels, but I can see over $600 in value with this one application.  I know that I would have stayed in some Marriott hotels in North Carolina had I have had some points with them, but I didn’t at the time.

You can look up the hotels in each category by searching on their Hotels By Reward Category.  Obviously there are going to be fewer options in the first category, but hopefully you can find some that would work for you and your family.

It seems to me like they don’t have too many options for foreign options in the lower category, but it has a ton of options inside the United States.  For foreign hotel options I much prefer the Starwood Preferred Guest option.

Point Expiration: If you don’t earn or use points every 24 months they can expire.

Annual Fee: $65 and not wavied the first year.

Foreign Transaction Fees: 3%=Ouch.  Use another card for your foreign transactions.

Card Type: Visa.  I think that this is advantageous as you can spend Visa almost anywhere.  My Amex isn’t accepted everywhere, but the Visa virtually is.

Card Issuer: Chase Bank.  Chase has been getting almost all of the new cards.  They have had the hottest offers and seem rather reasonable to deal with.  I’ve never actually had a Chase card, but I’m really interested in this one.

Award Wallet

Keeping track of your points can be a hassle.  Don’t let it be that way.  Use AwardWallet to access your accounts and see when points are expiring and how many you have.  You can use my AwardWallet link to score free premium service for the first six months free.

 

Posted in Chase, Credit Cards, Marriott Rewards | Tagged , , | 4 Comments