I originally thought our last card application batch was an easy one with minimum spends.  As it turns out it was a long way from it and took some doing to get it all done.

INK BOLD $5K wasn’t too tough as I made a trip to my local Office Depot and got some Vanilla Reload cards for Katy.  I just pulled her current card (the Chase Freedom) and asked her to start using her new Amex Prepaid card.  That was of course after she finishes her $1000 minimum spend on the Fairmont card she just got.  I’m going to pick up some more reload cards for the remainder of my new INK Bold last $5K spend.  I’ve  replaced my Sapphire card in my wallet with my INK Bold to mix up the spend.  It can’t all be 5X at office supplies; that just wouldn’t be fair to Chase.

The Citi Hilton card and Bank of Hawaii card were covered with the profits from the sale of the Frugal Travel Guy Handbook.  Those two were  easy with my promised donation to the Wounded Warriors Project.  They gladly accepted my donation made with those two credit cards.

My two new Citi AA cards at $3000 each were covered by paying a deposit on the Chicago Seminars for 550 lunches and coffee breaks.  I also used Katy’s Virgin Atlantic card for that minimum spend of $2500.  There was a second 25,000 Thank You points bonus for spending $5K in the second six months of ownership of the Citi Preferred card.  That also is on deposit now with the Elk Grove Holiday Inn.  They now have a $15,000 deposit so you guys better show up. ONLY 31 SEATS LEFT as of last week for the largest party in FF land.

I put another $1000 in my Kiva account and loaned it out at 0% interest to help someone in need to cover my Fairmont card minimum spend.  BTW, a reader sent me a note he got from Kiva.  They are aware that some of us are withdrawing and redepositing funds and will be sending our withdrawals by check in the future with a significant time delay.  Heads up all.

And lastly the Hilton card by Amex for Katy $1500 minimum spend still faces me.  Have you ever wanted to get a bill from somebody so you could pay it?  Car insurance, real estate taxes, condo fees, Somebody send me a bill will ya?

After the spends are met the fun part begins, matching up the incoming points and miles, and this time I have a few account mergers to do and verify.  It was quite a haul for us.  It’s worth the effort, I have another bucket list trip in my sites.

Insider News

I have it from a reliable “inside source”, we can look for a new product in the portion of the frequent flyer game where I earn the majority of my miles.  It is to be announced in about two weeks.  I promised that is all I would say, but I think we will all be pleased.

British Airways 100K Offer Ends this Week

July 18th is the last day for the BA 100K offer. At least that is what we have been told. It could still be available on zombie links for a short time, but I can’t confirm that.  To recap, 50,000 points on first purchase, 25K more on $10K more in spend and 25K more on $10K more in spend after that. For us average guys it is a 50K offer on first purchase with a $95 first year fee NOT Waived.

I’m recommending it to my friends Average Joe and Claire as they want to get to Italy this coming spring and we may end up opening each of them an Iberia account and then transferring the BA Avios points to Iberia after the 90 days requirement to avoid the high BA fuel surcharges.  I hate for them to have to pay the $95 bucks each but still figure this is the best way to put a boatload of miles in their accounts to cover the majority of their travel expenses.  The saving grace is we can always transfer a few more miles into their accounts with either Amex Membership Rewards or Chase Ultimate Rewards.  And with the household account option with BA, we may combine them and just have one of them go on BA.  Too early to tell, but at 50K each, I want them in their accounts for another dream trip come true.

Wednesday is the Deadline Day July 18th

Deal of the Day

For today’s Deal of the Day American Airlines AAdvantage® has provided 2500 AAdvantage® miles for the best deals, fares, promotions, anything related to American Airlines, their oneworld partners or AAdvantage® partners.  Add it to the comments section of this post or this afternoon’s Deal of the Day post (with your first name, last initial, and home airport) to be eligible to win.