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AutoPilot Saturday: News You Should Peruse

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AutoPilot Saturday: News You Should Peruse

A lot went on this week in the world of points and since I have nothing to say, I’ve moved up my day off from Sunday to Saturday. Here are great posts that taught me a little something that I did not know:

See you tomorrow.

taxi meter, boss
taxi meter, boss

 

Citi Prestige Card: Damn It Feels Good to Be A Churner

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Citi Prestige Card: Damn It Feels Good to Be A Churner

Damn it feels good to be a churner, sometimes. I’ve grown gun shy following my inexplicable rejection of the Barclays US Air Card which would’ve been my fourth. I swore off applying for cards during Lent and fought hard to ignore the affiliate links of my contemporaries no matter how great the offer.

Then I saw this post for the Citi Prestige on ThePointsGuy’s website (I want affiliate links too!) stating that for a limited time approved applicants receive 50k ThankYou Points after spending 3k in 3 months. I’ve always regarded Thank You Points as the third world version of Chase Ultimate Rewards and Amex Membership Rewards. Proof that MRs are a great currency came by way of flying the over-blogged Singapore Airlines Suite-Class. As for URs I’ve used them from flying business, for staying at Hyatt hotels, and for posting bail. Without question, it is the currency of choice for all ballers.

This brings me to ThankYou Points and Citi. As a marketing giant, Citi needs to use a different name for its awards program. Using ‘rewards’ in the title makes people feel special. Using ‘thank you’ makes me feel skeptical. Are you thanking me for paying the $450 annual fee or for capitulating to the 15.24% APR if I am dumb and end up in credit card debt?

Currently, I have the Citi Diamond Preferred card which was my first with Citi. This card changes names every week and has the worst rewards program. If anyone can make sense of Citi Easy Deals, let me know. For this reason, I have always been skeptical to hop on the ThankYou Points bandwagon.

So what changed? The benefits and the transfer partners as outlined below:

 Great Perks

  • $250 Air Travel Credit each year
    • $250 air travel credit goes great to offset the annual fee of $450. If you apply now you can use it this year and next year. That’s significant.
  • Earn 3x points on Air Travel and Hotels
    • This begins to rival Sapphire and Amex Gold/Platinum.
  • Earn 2x points on Dining at Restaurants and Entertainment
    • Entertainment? Interesting. Dining 2x is in line with Chase.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees
    • Someone tell Amex SPG this please.
  • Admirals Club & VIP lounges
    • So long Citi AA Executive Card
    • It is my understanding that you have to be flying AA to gain access to the lounge whereas with the Admirals Club membership with the Citi AA Exec access was unrestricted.

Useless for Me

  • Complimentary 4th Night for any hotel stay. #points
  • Global Entry: $100 credit for applying for Global Entry. Global Entry is definitely worth it but my experience has been a bit random.

The Sign Up Bonus

  • Earn 50,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after $3,000 in purchases made with your card in the first 3 months the account is open.
    • What are ThankYou Points!

On paper this looks like a great offer but only if 50,000 ThankYou Points, hereon called PYTs is worth its weight in gold. Putting it in finance terms, 50,000 USD is great, 50,000 Mongolia Tugrik, not so great.

What are PYTs worth? It depends on how you redeem them:

Option 1: Directly for travel on American Airlines: According to the ThePointsGuy this option is worth $800. He writes, “You can redeem them directly for travel on American Airlines at 1.6 cents apiece (or 1.33 cents apiece on other airlines).” Can we do better than $800?

Option 2: Transfer Partners: The reason that Chase and Amex have cornered the points market isn’t only because they use the word ‘reward’ in their program name. It is because they have amazing transfer partners. Citi had Easy Deal partners (see above.) Now that has changed. Here is the list of transfer partners that we should all commit to memory:

All redeem at a ratio of 1:1 except Hilton for 2:3.

  • Air France-KLM
  • Asia Miles
  • Etihad Airways Guest
  • EVA Air Infinity MileageLands
  • Garuda Indonesia GarudaMiles
  • Hilton HHonors
  • Malaysia Airlines Enrich
  • Qantas Frequent Flyer
  • Qatar Airways Privilege Club
  • Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
  • Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus
  • Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

I highlighted Etihad and Singapore because they have great aspirational yet attainable rewards. 94k KrisFlyer miles is all that is needed for a one way flight in suite-class from the US to Germany and onto Singapore. That’s a lot of suite-class and is worth a lot more than $800. I scratched out Hilton because the value of using the points for airlines far outweighs redeeming towards 50k room which run about $200-$400 a night.

While I am familiar with the other airlines on the list, I am not familiar with their programs as of yet. I’m sure there are some sunny spots in their award charts that can be exploited. Having more partners is a good thing.

Where did you come from lady and ooh won’t you take me there?

Get more PYTs! Most of us have already applied for the Ink Bold more than once, converted the Chase Sapphire from Visa back to MC back to Visa to get the signing bonus a couple of times, spent $5000 on Starbucks cards during our Freedom bonuses, among other ways to replenish the coffers of our UR reserves. Similarly, we all know that Amex Platinum Mercedes edition and Amex Platinum are two different products though it’s been years of waiting for the 100k offer for each and neither has arrived. Regardless, the generous product offerings of Amex provide the opportunity to swim in a pool of MRs with little effort.

The same is true of PYTs. Go check your mail and you’ll notice that Citi is sending you offers for the Citi PYT Premier, the Preferred, and the Business card. Potentially that’s worth another 100k+ PYTs which gets you to Singapore and back in style. And since Citi, in my experience, is the best company for card approval and ease of churn, it makes this plan feasible.

Though I will still use Sapphire as my everyday card, this may change as I learn more about Citi’s transfer partners.

There you have it. Till next time, keep churnin’ my friends.

 

 

The Devaluation Walls Are Closing In!

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The Devaluation Walls Are Closing In!

Save the date:

April 15th Southwest will do who knows what to its redemption chart.

June 1st: Club Carlson will have a bouncer at the door allowing you in only for one night.

So the question becomes what to do before then and how to do it in the most efficient way?

The challenge is utilizing both SWA and CC at the same time internationally in a country that I have yet to frequent.

Step 1: Where Does SWA fly abroad within these parameters? 

Consulting the Trip Report: Southwest Companion Pass Round 3 (round 1 & round 2 are here), this is where I most want to go:

  • Dominican Republic
  • Montego Bay, Jamaica
  • Mexico City, Mexico
  • Belize City, Belize 

SWA isn’t servicing the Belize route yet so that rules out Belize City. I’ve been to Mexico too many times so Mexico City will have to wait.

Step 2: Where Is Club Carlson? 

Step 2.1: Where Is a Good Club Carlson? 

Short answer: not in many places and certainly none worth MS’ing (yes that’s a word) 10k in order to get one free night in the US. But let’s stay on task. Is there one in Jamaica?

Sort of.

Capture
Really, the new CC wants 44k for one night, not two, at the Radisson JFK Airport? Never mind that no one would stay two nights at an airport hotel but really? And if I keep the card with the annual fee, I have to spend 10k in a year to get one night at JFK Airport? Hello, Club Carlson, are you mad, are you mad, are you mad?

How about Dominican Republic? Nada.

With no options, this is when things get interesting. This is when the real points players thrive and when the pretenders pay.

Here are the burning questions that will keep me clicking and searching well into the night:

  • Do I combine SWA and CC and go somewhere I’ve already been? Has to be a ridiculous value.
  • Do I prioritize SWA and go to somewhere I’ve already been and speculatively book a property in a better location like Corsica with Club Carlson?
  • Do I use my SWA points to fly to Miami, stay a couple of days then use Avios to go to Club Carlson destinations with Radisson Barbados being the front-runner?

I don’t know, I don’t know, I don’t know. But I will figure it out before April 15th because that’s what I do.

 

 

US Bank LifeMiles Card on the Chopping Block?

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US Bank LifeMiles Card on the Chopping Block?

Is there a reason to visit usbank.com anymore? Club Carlson is dead to me and FlexPerks perished when NWA merged with Delta. With no daily spend I don’t compulsively check my US Bank accounts for activity. However, today I revamped my OCD Excel doc for tracking due dates, annual fees etc and moseyed over to the site where I forgot my favorite pet’s name. Upon logging in, I noticed a peculiar charge for $75.

Instinctively I reached for my phone to call US Bank and yell at them for double charging for Club Carlson. While listening to the audio tracks by DJ HoldTime, I realized that this was the annual fee for my Avianca LifeMiles card, a program that is both a diamond in the rough and a lump of coal.

When I applied last year, the offer was 40k miles which got me from Shanghai to Singapore in business and out of Mongolia for good in style. With a few RedBirds my plan was to keep the LifeMiles card to hit more sweet spots in their Star Alliance and Avianca/Taca offerings. At the same time, US Bank has been incredibly annoying with their sensitive fraud department regardless of the merchant. Add in Avianca’s wretched customer service and unstable points program and I find myself wondering if it’s worth keeping the card.

In the not so distant future, I will make the call to US Bank hoping they waive the fee and give me a gazillion miles before I make any rash decisions.

Does anyone else have this card? Anyone keeping it or are we agreeing that US Bank is on the outs?

lifemiles
SQ Delicious Satay

National Beer Day & The IBA

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National Beer Day & The IBA

Today is National Beer Day which reminds me that I haven’t posted about the International Brew Awards in quite some time.

What is National Beer Day? According to Forbes, “National Beer Day falls on April 7 and commemorates the day that beer was once again allowed to be legally manufactured and sold following a long, dry Prohibition.”

To commemorate the day that liberty was reintroduced into the United States, I give you the nominees for Best National Beer de Mexico since I already had a post on Best Banquet/American Brew.

national beer day
Dos Equis
national beer day
Pacifico
national beer day
No other photos of Sol Lime & Salt
national beer day
Sol
national beer day
Corona
national beer day
Corona Light
national beer day
Tecate Light

 

The Unforeseen Danger of Travel

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The Unforeseen Danger of Travel

Today I read the tragic story of a family poisoned at an upscale resort in the U.S. Virgin Islands. This was the result of illegal pesticides used to kill bugs. The father has emerged from a coma but his two sons remain in critical condition.

There is inherent risk in traveling. Danger and precarious situations are the backdrop for many of my interesting travel stories. Pushing the envelope by visiting dodgy places off the beaten path allows me to escape the Prison of Posh. By doing so, I assume and understand the perils of my reckless behavior so if something was to happen to me, I would have no one to blame but myself.

But an event like above is one that can’t be anticipated and should never happen. How can a family go for a relaxing vacation for spring break and end up being airlifted to a hospital? In 2012 two girls died after staying in a hostel in Vietnam. This mystery remains unsolved though pesticide ingestion is suspected. Similar deaths have occurred in Chiang Mai and Koh Phi Phi.

I recall an unsanitary hostel I stayed at in Koh Phi Phi. I woke up the next day noticing that my forearm had ballooned as a result of an insect bite. After sending a pic to my dad and he concluding that it wasn’t life threatening, I decided that saving a few baht wasn’t worth the risk of staying at garbage places.

In the present case, the family was at an upscale resort in the US no less and today two boys are now fighting for their lives.

I wish there was a lesson to be learned from these horrific stories but ultimately no matter where we go, US or abroad, and no matter where we stay, upscale or hostel, we can do little to minimize the risk caused by the negligence of others.

The unforeseen perils in paradise.
The unforeseen perils in paradise.

 

 

 

 

 

AutoPilot Sunday: News You Should Peruse

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AutoPilot Sunday: News You Should Peruse

All week I talk about myself which is my favorite topic. Instead of recapping what I did all week each Sunday I’ll list a few posts from my constant perusal of too many blog sites. That way I give credit to those that have helped me become the master, savvy points traveler that I am while sparing you the reader and myself of the overkill of blogging about the same topic as everyone else.

Sound goods to me, what about you?

Here are a couple of posts I found useful this week:

1. MileValue: Emirates first class is bookable again. (see Sheikh’s own experience riding dirty on an A380.)

2. The Frequent Miler: The demise of Club Carlson. (see my great use of Club Carlson points.)

Next week I’ll do a better job of bookmarking so I can at least get 3 links.

Capture

 

The First Time I’ve Been Wrong

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The First Time I’ve Been Wrong

The first time I’ve been wrong this month was picking MSU and Kentucky to be in the finals in Indianapolis. Now I have no choice but to root for Wisconsin as they take on the evil empire of Duke.

Looking for a quick buck, designers came up with many unique mock ups that would’ve capitalized on a Kentucky victory. They ranged in their cleverness but I am partial to the following:

Capture 1 Capture

Club Carlson: Where Did You Go? 6 Great Pre-Deval Redemptions

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Club Carlson: Where Did You Go? 6 Great Pre-Deval Redemptions

You leave without a word, no message, no number
And now my head is pounding like rolling thunder
You left me with a heartache deep inside
Girl you should see me cry all night, and I wonder

Everybody says, what a shame, what is wrong
They don’t like the game we play
Heard you’re hanging round every night until dawn
I’m waiting for you night and day

Where do you go, my lovely
Where do you go
I wanna know, my lovely, I wanna know

Like a scene from Christmas Vacation where Sparky’s boss suspends Christmas bonuses (‘of all the cheap lousy ways to save a buck’), Club Carlson in one fell swoop has ruined its loyalty program for US Bank cardholders. Starting at the end of May, the free night when booking two nights with points is over. Now, it will cost 50k points per night to stay in the prison sized cells on the ‘business class’ floors at top Radisson Blu properties.

If you do want a free night at Radisson Blu then break out the RedBird because it is going to cost you 10k in MS per card for the annual bonus. Whether I keep or cancel these cards is still being debated by my accounting department, but I don’t think I’d waste 20k in MS (one for personal, one for business) and deal with the fraud department when I can be focusing on other programs.

I don’t get the logic behind this devaluation: There aren’t a lot of desirable Club Carlson hotels worth staying at throughout the world and there isn’t an overabundance of US Bank cardholders who enjoy this benefit. (US Bank frowns upon churning and is stingy with approvals.)

Rather than focus on the negative, I’ve put together a scrapbook of the good times shared with Club Carlson at some of their best properties worldwide. We had a good time while it lasted.

1. Radisson Blu Hotel Waterfront, Cape Town (January 2014)

Club Carlson Devaluation
Cape Town

2. Radisson Blu Bosphorus Hotel Istanbul (March 2013)

club carlson devaluation
Bosphorus

3. Radisson Blu Strand Hotel, Stockholm (July 2014)

club carlson devaluation
Gustave H

4. Radisson Blu Elizabete Hotel, Riga (July 2014)

club carlson devaluation
Riga!

5. Radisson on Flagstaff Gardens Melbourne (December 2013)

club carlson devaluation
Rooftop hot tub

6. Radisson Martinique on Broadway (September 2013)

Club carlson devaluation
Martinique

What two other aspirational properties cities should I visit before the Club Carlson devaluation goes into effect?

A Wedding in Scottsdale: Saying “I Do” to Points

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A Wedding in Scottsdale: Saying “I Do” to Points

This is the Trip Report, The Southwest Companion Pass: Round 3, which focuses on burning SWA RapidReward points after their confusing devaluation.

Heres’s the intro: Southwest Devaluation: Gotta Get Away

You want to see the real world of male modeling? The one they don’t show you in magazines or the Travel Channel? Well, look no further than this post as I show you another points heist for pennies on the dollar. If you’re like I am and exhausted about posts of flying suite class on an A380 via Singapore Airlines then you will find this trip overview refreshing.

Weddings are a celebration, a festive time for all those invited to attend. That is true once you are at the wedding. But up to that point, going to a wedding is a drain on finances and vacation days that could otherwise be spent going somewhere you want to go. For example, there is no way that I’d use my points or cash to fly to Michigan to attend another boring Arabic wedding. Sorry mom, I don’t care who is getting married. They should pick a more deserving location to pledge their vows.

Lucky for the bride and groom of the wedding in April, I will be in attendance because they chose my old home, Scottsdale, Arizona as the site of their nuptials. Unlucky for me, flights out of witness protection to Arizona are $400+ per person and hotels are pretty high too as it is still peak season in AZ. Spending a small fortune to go back to a place I once lived for a few days is out of the question. My sincerest apologies to the happy couple for my crass statement.

So what’s a man to do?

If you guessed use points then you still would be wrong. Shut Up And Book! may be TPOL’s philosophy for not hoarding points but I wouldn’t go about indiscriminately wasting them either. (I’m on my way to being disinvited though I doubt they read my blog for if they did I would be involved in their honeymoon planning.) To get to Arizona, I dug deep like when I made a visa run from Mongolia and found an incomparable deal further cementing my legacy as the greatest points booker that ever did it.

Without further boast, I give you my pennies on the dollar points heist for a white wedding.

  • Spokane, Washington to Phoenix, AZ: 17k points $5.60 each way using SWA Companion Pass
  • 2 nights Hyatt Old Town Scottsdale: $55 +4000 points/night. Rooms are $200+
  • 1 night W Scottsdale: 12k points +Platinum Suite Upgrade. Standard room is $500+and that doesn’t factor in suite.
  • 1 night Aloft Phoenix Airport: 4k points. Rooms are $120.

Out of pocket I pay $120. 

The poor cubicle worker/points doubter pays $400 flight + $1000 hotels and is probably going stag.

Any questions?

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It’s a nice day to churn again.

 <==Back to Southwest Devaluation: Gotta Get Away – Onto Road Trip Burger Montana==>

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