Archive for the ‘United Airlines Credit Card’ Category

We’re getting the approvals on Katy’s three-card churn. The Bank of America Alaska Airlines card came through with a weak $5000 credit limit. Her lines of credit are usually larger than mine. Huh?

 An Elite Status Match Opportunity with SkyTeam???

Thanks, Bert. This could be big for plenty of readers. It appears that Flying Blue is doing a status match to its current program level in another program. My status with Skyteam is zero, so this could help me as well if somebody can get all the particulars about a Skyteam membership.

Readers: What bennies will we get if we gain an increased status with Flying Blue? What might my United Airlines 1K frequent flier miles be comped to with Flying Blue, and how will that help me when flying Delta Airlines domestically?

Here is the link. Thanks again, Bert!

Nomadic Matt’s New Book Is Out

Designed for the younger, more frugal traveler who is willing to couch-share, hop on backpacker buses, etc, this is a terrific starting guide for the young and adventurous. I enjoyed the read very much. At just under $20, I’m sure you will save more than that with your first read through. Here is the link.

Amex Chat from Several Weeks Ago

Here is the American Express Chat that Matt talked about, re: when a new application can be made and when to expect the new sign-up bonus from Amex. This is not the same Matt as the book author above, but a fellow frugal traveler helping us all out. Thanks, Matt!

We all have our own method. I’ll try to describe mine step by step as I try a phantom booking in Indianapolis, Indiana, the night of April 13, 2011. I chose Indy because I have never been there, haven’t done any prior research, and wanted to see how long the process would take (about 35 minutes). Hotel location will be determined by public transportation and cost. My phantom meeting is downtown the next morning, with an evening departure that night. I’ll describe my methodology as I go. And remember I am a three-star kinda guy.

First, I’m opening some browser windows:

• Indianapolis Airport Official WebsiteKayak
• Biddingfortravel.com
• Tripadvisor.com
• SPG.com
• Priority Club.com

Step One is the airport website and ground transportation. I hate renting a car in a strange city for one meeting downtown, and have found that I can get an Express Bus for $7 each way. This information not only helps me get downtown, but it also opens up airport hotels and their shuttle buses back to the airport to catch the Express Bus downtown. Airport hotels are quite often cheaper than downtown hotels. I have that covered. Now it’s time to check out some prices.

Off to Kayak, which shows me that the least expensive, well-known, three-star chain hotel downtown is the Sheraton at $129 per night. The airport search shows rates of $87, $90, $93, and $119 for hotels with shuttles. I now have retail prices so let’s find the deal.

Off to biddingfortravel.com where page one shows accepted bids of $48 and $49 for higher rated downtown hotels and $39 for a Radisson airport hotel. I may just stay downtown if it’s only $10 more, go the night I arrive, and be downtown already in the morning for my meeting.

More work to do. I’d better do a Tripadvsior search on those three hotels to see if any of them are lemons. Since I’m a month out, I have plenty of time to bid on Priceline in the range of accepted bids, but I’d better have a back-up plan. Off to PriorityClub.com.

I’m looking for Pointsbreaks hotels at 5000 points per night and “glory be” the Crowne Plaza airport is a Pointsbreak hotel for that night. My search may be over. I could also check Hilton Pointstretchers and the Marriott discounted awards as well, but I find that the Priorityclub Pointsbreak is usually the best deal in town. I can get Priority club points for .6 ( six/tenths) of a cents each (that’s another article), so my hotel cost is now down to $30. The airport has a 24-hour shuttle to and from the airport. Tripadvisor gives it a solid thumbs up. I think I’m done and happy.

So what if I hadn’t found the Pointsbreak hotel? I could have gone with the Expedia Best Price match guarantee to take $50 off the retail rate of another hotel. The lowest retail rate was $87 for an airport hotel, so I could have got in at $87-$50=$37. Or I could have bid in the high $30s to low $40s for a room downtown or at the airport on Priceline. And if those ideas hadn’t found results, I would have checked SPG.com for a cash-and-points or all-points redemption with Starwood. It’s tough to beat that Pointsbreak deal, though, when you can find it.

Do a blog search for the Expedia Best Price Guarantee (10/15/10 blog post) and Priceline/ biddingfortravel.com (10/27/07 blog post) to refresh yourself on these two methods of hotel savings.

That was fun! Try it yourself with an unfamiliar city and see how you do.

Platinum Card for the Delta Transfer Bonus, Elite Status, Lounge Access, $200 Incidental Credit and More. Read my February 6th blog post for details.

I’m wondering if anyone else got only 20K for the July 30K SPG new card bonus?

Katy’s account only had a 20,000 sign up bonus post and when I called them they told me that was the amount of the promotion. It was only the hottest SPG promo in years. We all knew it was 30K and many of you got 10K plus 30K on the business card.

I sent the secure message center a copy of their email to Katy dated 7/27 where it clearly states that if she cancels her old card, she would get the full 30K. I expect this to be an easy correction.

My account is still in doubt. I got a posting of 10K and 20K and believe that there is more to come as I did both personal and business cards. My next statement closing date is 9/18, so not long to wait.

Did anybody else get shorted?

Seems like the kids are fighting again and the hub cities are in play. Look for United flights and prices out of CVG, SLC and ATL and Delta flights our of SFO, IAD and maybe ORD.

Sub $200 roundtrips and Delta has already pulled thier fares so hurry.