RECENT POSTS
  • United Airlines Planes at Gates
    Credit Cards

    Revamped Chase United Explorer Card Benefits

    Chase has added some new features and benefits to its MileagePlus Explorer Card while removing some others. The card also has a new name: the Chase United Explorer Card. Read on for a review of all the changes. Chase United Explorer Card 40,000 bonus miles after you spend $2,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. 5,000 bonus miles after you add the first authorized user in the first 3 months $100 statement credit after your first purchase $0 intro annual fee for the first year, after that $95 New Benefits 2x Miles at restaurants and hotels $100 Global Entry or $85 TSA Pre✓ Application Fee Credit…

  • Credit Cards

    New 50k Bonus Offer for United MileagePlus Club Card

    For a limited time, Chase and United are offering a 50,000 mile welcome bonus for the MileagePlus Club card. This premium card has a $450 annual fee (not waived the first year) but comes with a United Club airport lounge membership (normally $550/year). Keep in mind, this card is subject to Chase’s 5/24 approval rule. The public application link can be found here. I’ve seen various welcome offers for this card in the past: $100 bonus after first purchase, waived first year annual fee, and bonus MileagePlus miles. This is simply the latest bonus flavor. If you’re a frequent flyer thinking about a United Club membership and covet MileagePlus miles,…

  • Credit Cards,  Travel Rewards

    Transfer Points and Status Match Between Marriott and Starwood

    Marriott has completed its acquisition of Starwood Hotels & Resorts, giving the combined company 30 hotel brands and over 5700 properties worldwide. Effective immediately, you can now match your highest level status and transfer points in either direction between the programs. The 3:1 ratio for transferring points is fair: 3 Marriott/Ritz Carlton Rewards points = 1 Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) point. The only limitations are a minimum of 1000 points and a maximum of all the points in your account. If you have a Marriott or Ritz Carlton account and an SPG account, you can link them together here. If you are not already a member of one or both of the programs,…

  • Miles and Points,  Offers

    How to get 1300 AAdvantage Miles for $1

    UPDATE: This offer appears to be dead. As of now, the $1 for 12 weeks offer from WSJ is still alive, however the shopping portals have pulled the Wall Street Journal from their sites. From now through February 19, 2016, the Wall Street Journal is running a President’s Day sale. You can sign up for a 12-week print or online subscription for only $1. That’s a great deal by itself, but when you make your online purchase through a shopping portal, it gets even sweeter! The WSJ offer has some fine print… Introductory pricing is only available to households or customers at a business address who have not been subscribers…

  • Basics,  Credit Cards

    My Latest Credit Card Retention Call

    It’s been a year since I was approved for my Chase United MileagePlus Explorer credit card. At the time, my account was targeted for 50,000 MileagePlus Miles after spending $3,000 in addition to the usual no annual fee for the first year. I was able to take advantage of that offer AND get a $50 statement credit for applying while booking a flight on United’s website. I never did complete the flight booking, I just wanted the $50 credit! This morning, I noticed that the $95 annual fee charge for the card appeared in my account, so it may be time to cancel. It’s not uncommon for credit card issuers…

  • Credit Cards,  Travel Rewards

    Credit Card Travel Benefits: Worth More Than You Think!

    Learning how to leverage your good credit score to obtain multi-benefit credit cards can be daunting, but when it comes to travel, this is where your hard work can really pay off.  First-class family travel for free? Yes, it IS possible…here’s my recent example: Last month, my wife, my teenage daughter, and I took a trip to Phoenix for a few days of sun and fun in the desert–at almost NO COST. We also included a day trip to Sedona and the Grand Canyon, both places that we had never been to before. The flights and hotel were paid for using points. This kept the cash outlay for the trip limited to…