Travel Credit Card Question

[clo]

Just now, RocketMan275 said:

I should have applied several months ago and used it for our final payment.  Still, we'll have the card in time for our cruise.  What with hotels, on board spending, etc., we'll make a big dent in the 50k.  A couple of months of routine spending will get  us there.

Yep.  Bob got his with routine bills and a couple of road trips.  I'm about halfway there.  BTW we each got one and will let one go after the first year.  Nothing really to gain.  I'll likely keep my Alaska as I have about 100k points on it and it has good partners.

[RocketMan275]

1 minute ago, clo said:

Yep.  Bob got his with routine bills and a couple of road trips.  I'm about halfway there.  BTW we each got one and will let one go after the first year.  Nothing really to gain.  I'll likely keep my Alaska as I have about 100k points on it and it has good partners.

Soon as I get the card, I'll start moving all our automatic spending from Quicksilver to Chase.  Give me something to do while I wait for our cruise in September.   Funny how I used to think it odd/funny to see people  using their credit cards to buy groceries.  Now, we almost always put things on the cards to get the cash back.  We never carry a balance.  I also want to see how the Chase travel portal works.  

I appreciate your comments about CSR. They helped convince me to get the card.

[clo]

Just now, RocketMan275 said:

Soon as I get the card, I'll start moving all our automatic spending from Quicksilver to Chase.  Give me something to do while I wait for our cruise in September.   Funny how I used to think it odd/funny to see people  using their credit cards to buy groceries.  Now, we almost always put things on the cards to get the cash back.  We never carry a balance.  I also want to see how the Chase travel portal works.  

I appreciate your comments about CSR. They helped convince me to get the card.

My pleasure.  And others helped me.  I read The Points Guy but they're so technical I just couldn't understand it.  And with 3x points for 'dining' I just charged a $12 lunch.  And drive-thru McD's.  (Was it someone here who suggested buy a gift card rather than paying each time.)  

 

BTW, we got our cards in one, possibly two, days.  Some type of expedited shipping (can't remember).  Oh, and you have to sign up for your Priority Pass card (but it can also be stored on your phone).

[RocketMan275]

8 minutes ago, clo said:

My pleasure.  And others helped me.  I read The Points Guy but they're so technical I just couldn't understand it.  And with 3x points for 'dining' I just charged a $12 lunch.  And drive-thru McD's.  (Was it someone here who suggested buy a gift card rather than paying each time.)  

 

BTW, we got our cards in one, possibly two, days.  Some type of expedited shipping (can't remember).  Oh, and you have to sign up for your Priority Pass card (but it can also be stored on your phone).

My online application was quickly approved yesterday.  I was able to log in to their site and some of the information was very outdated. Evidently, I had some kind of relationship with Chase back in the 90s and they still had my old address and phone number online.  I wasn't able to correct it my self so I called Chase.  They said it might take their computer a week or so to purge the old information.

 

While I was on the phone, I mentioned I would be travelling in a couple of weeks and hoped the card would be here by then.  Their representative said she could expedite the card and I should have it today or shortly thereafter.  I figure it will be Tuesday what with the holiday.  She also signed me up for the priority pass.  She said I might not get that card by our travel date.  She said just to show my CSR and gave me a direct line to call to verify my eligibility.  She did say something about storing it on my phone.  May have to call back once I get the card.

 

I've always used cash back cards so I'll have to figure out this points thing.  

Edited August 30, 2019 by RocketMan275

[clo]

15 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

I've always used cash back cards so I'll have to figure out this points thing.  

And we'd always used a Chase United card so we were up and running.

 

They also provide what seems to me to be pretty generous trip insurance.  I'd never gotten it previously but had an accident pre-trip in the spring and I'd have cancelled if I'd had it.

 

Oh, and we only use our Costco card to get in the door and then use the CSR for purchases.

[RocketMan275]

49 minutes ago, clo said:

And we'd always used a Chase United card so we were up and running.

 

They also provide what seems to me to be pretty generous trip insurance.  I'd never gotten it previously but had an accident pre-trip in the spring and I'd have cancelled if I'd had it.

 

Oh, and we only use our Costco card to get in the door and then use the CSR for purchases.

I've always used our Costco card for our travel.  The 3% cash back was difficult to beat.  When Citi decided to cancel their trip insurance, I began to seriously consider the CSR.  

How do you use the CSR at Costco?  I understand getting in the door.  You also have to show the membership card to the checker.  Do you then use the CSR for the actual charge?

[clo]

3 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

You also have to show the membership card to the checker.  Do you then use the CSR for the actual charge?

Yep.  We usually just put the two cards in that upside down thingamajigga that separate people's purchases.

[RocketMan275]

2 hours ago, clo said:

Yep.  We usually just put the two cards in that upside down thingamajigga that separate people's purchases.

Got it.

[FlyerTalker]

3 hours ago, RocketMan275 said:

She said just to show my CSR and gave me a direct line to call to verify my eligibility.  She did say something about storing it on my phone.  May have to call back once I get the card.

 

Priority Pass has a phone app.  You can create your online PP account and store a "digital card" on the phone.  Nice part is that once stored, you don't have to be online to access those credentials.

 

The app also lets you search, by airport, for the various lounges where you can use PP.  Be sure to check with Chase as to what the guest rules are for YOUR card -- PP has numerous variants, so you want to be sure what is applicable for you.

[RocketMan275]

Just now, FlyerTalker said:

 

Priority Pass has a phone app.  You can create your online PP account and store a "digital card" on the phone.  Nice part is that once stored, you don't have to be online to access those credentials.

 

The app also lets you search, by airport, for the various lounges where you can use PP.  Be sure to check with Chase as to what the guest rules are for YOUR card -- PP has numerous variants, so you want to be sure what is applicable for you.

Thanks for the info.  I will check into that.

[clo]

1 hour ago, FlyerTalker said:

 

Priority Pass has a phone app.  You can create your online PP account and store a "digital card" on the phone.  Nice part is that once stored, you don't have to be online to access those credentials.

 

The app also lets you search, by airport, for the various lounges where you can use PP.  Be sure to check with Chase as to what the guest rules are for YOUR card -- PP has numerous variants, so you want to be sure what is applicable for you.

Correct me if I'm wrong but from what I've read, PP doesn't guarantee you entrance to any lounge.  It can (is?) dependent on 'traffic.'  But, hey, it's better than no chance.  

PS: I once talked our way into the Turkish Airlines lounge in Istanbul.  Our UA status - can't remember the details now - didn't entitle us to anything but I begged, told them I'd hear (correctly) that it was the best lounge anywhere.  And it was wonderful 🙂  Being sweet and nice can help 🙂

 

[FlyerTalker]

True.....PP is capacity controlled.  But then, so are all other lounge access cards, including the airline's own membership.  Centurion lounges have been having capacity issues, so there are often waits to enter.  PP is regularly denied at the Alaska Lounges in SEA and LAX, even though they are officially part of the program.  And there are reports that Admiral's Clubs, United Clubs and Sky Clubs have all restricted access at times of excessive demand.

 

About the only guaranteed access is if you have an international business/first class ticket and you are using the airline's own lounge.  And Centurion card holders always get access to the Amex lounges.

[clo]

6 minutes ago, FlyerTalker said:

True.....PP is capacity controlled.  But then, so are all other lounge access cards, including the airline's own membership.  Centurion lounges have been having capacity issues, so there are often waits to enter.  PP is regularly denied at the Alaska Lounges in SEA and LAX, even though they are officially part of the program.  And there are reports that Admiral's Clubs, United Clubs and Sky Clubs have all restricted access at times of excessive demand.

 

About the only guaranteed access is if you have an international business/first class ticket and you are using the airline's own lounge.  And Centurion card holders always get access to the Amex lounges.

Thanks, as always, for fleshing out this info.  We haven't even used PP yet 🙂  But I didn't want anyone to think it was a slam dunk. At all.  Re "guaranteed access" after selling a second home a year ago we treated ourselves to business class on the upper deck of the 747 from Seattle to Frankfurt.  The Frankfurt lounge had - and go ahead and laugh -the best scrambled eggs I've ever had in my life )  I kept going back for yet another 'tiny' scoop.

[RocketMan275]

15 hours ago, FlyerTalker said:

And Centurion card holders always get access to the Amex lounges.

I remember when AMEX first offered the Centurion Card.  It wasn't all that exclusive then.  Basically, it allowed you to carry a balance with interest of course.  I cancelled my Centurion Card because I never carried a balance.  Perhaps I should have kept it.

[clo]

Just saw on The Point Guy that there are more restaurants that give you food on the Priority Pass card.  So if you're waiting to fly to your cruise, here ya go:

https://thepointsguy.com/news/priority-pass-adds-new-restaurant-us/?utm_term=Editorial&utm_content=FBC8606C-C9AA-11E9-A0D8-55EB923C408C&utm_campaign=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&fbclid=IwAR0SX_mUewwdNKoy9RCpesOmnegmzAUov31uLi-mzJHTZi-RL_D_9Wc1xY0

 

To those in the know, would that mean we could have a meal in one of the restaurants and also use the lounge?  We'll have a long layover in Houston and that would be nice.

 

[FlyerTalker]

1 hour ago, clo said:

Just saw on The Point Guy that there are more restaurants that give you food on the Priority Pass card.  So if you're waiting to fly to your cruise, here ya go:

https://thepointsguy.com/news/priority-pass-adds-new-restaurant-us/?utm_term=Editorial&utm_content=FBC8606C-C9AA-11E9-A0D8-55EB923C408C&utm_campaign=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&fbclid=IwAR0SX_mUewwdNKoy9RCpesOmnegmzAUov31uLi-mzJHTZi-RL_D_9Wc1xY0

 

To those in the know, would that mean we could have a meal in one of the restaurants and also use the lounge?  We'll have a long layover in Houston and that would be nice.

 

 

That restaurant benefit is not available if you get your PP through Amex.  Currently still through Chase, but that may change.  Or stay the same.

 

That's why I suggested that you find out exactly what YOUR form of PP covers, including restaurants and guest limits.