I love credit cards so much! v2.0 (see first page for add'l details)

[platamama]

Some churning non-successes (not ready to concede failure yet!):

DH's Citi Biz AA is still pending after 11 days. I think I messed up the application by not entering an email address. It was optional but apparently it's not really optional. Since he already has an open Citi Biz AA, I didn't want to use the same email as the one he has for that, and I couldn't remember which email the 1st CitiBiz is associated with.

I'm looking for a Biz MC to use on Plastiq for mortgage. I have two Citi Biz AAs right now, and already met the MSR on the newest one going through my 10K Plastiq promo account. So this AM I decided to try for the BoA Biz Cash Rewards with the $300/$3K sign up bonus... and it's in pending status. sigh BoA is supposed to let me know by mail what their decision is. That's going to feel like forever.

I can really only hit the 10K Plastiq promo if I use it to pay my mortgage and property taxes. I guess worst case scenario is I use one of my Citi Biz AA cards, but it would make me feel so much better if I were meeting an MSR with Plastiq, especially since I don't know if I'll actually get the 10K FFDs from my self-referred promo. Has anyone gotten those 10K FFDs for self-referrals? I did use a different name for the new Plastiq account.

 

[apollodi]

For the Southwest experts: should I pay for EBCI to guarantee that my kids don't end up with seats by themselves? My family of 4 (me, DH, DD5, and DD2) is flying Southwest from IND to MCO in a couple of weeks. My kids are young, so I want to make sure each kid has a parent sitting next to them. We are fine with being split up 2 and 2, and are fine with seats anywhere on the plane as long as we can find 2 sets of 2 together. 3 and 1 would also work fine. I will be checking in at the 24 hour mark, but in case I don't get group A, will family boarding get a parent next to each child? I have never flown Southwest with kids before.

 

[Limes96]

Being 3/24 I think Arrival+ is a great card/choice. I think you’ll be fine with the balance. Barclay is a hard pull but I want to say they pull from transunion so you should be ok to go for CIPpy2 in June! Also have you considered AMEX rose gold? That’s another great one to have in your arsenal maybe once the BOA drops off

Thank you, and I have definitely considered that Amex card too! Are they still making the rose gold cards? I was thinking it was just limited time. Hilton is another that’s on my radar. I have the biz card, but none of the personals. Will the Arrival miles work on direct reservations through Disney, or on deals from agencies full of magic? With my oldest 2 off to college this fall, I’m hoping to take dd on a couple of long weekend trips late fall/winter.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

For the Southwest experts: should I pay for EBCI to guarantee that my kids don't end up with seats by themselves? My family of 4 (me, DH, DD5, and DD2) is flying Southwest from IND to MCO in a couple of weeks. My kids are young, so I want to make sure each kid has a parent sitting next to them. We are fine with being split up 2 and 2, and are fine with seats anywhere on the plane as long as we can find 2 sets of 2 together. 3 and 1 would also work fine. I will be checking in at the 24 hour mark, but in case I don't get group A, will family boarding get a parent next to each child? I have never flown Southwest with kids before.

This would largely depend on whether there are a bunch of through passengers on your flight or not. Assuming you are boarding an empty (or mostly empty) plane, then family boarding will get you seats together. I'm also assuming you are on a non-stop flight. I say this from experience on dozens and dozens of SW flights with my family. If you care to share the actual flight date and times, we could try to determine that for you.

Since your flight is in a couple of weeks, I would absolutely NOT recommend purchasing EBCI at this point. If you had wanted EBCI, you would would have wanted to buy it immediately when you purchased your flight as the EBCI slots are assigned based on when you purchased it. The odds are good that so many people have bought it that you would end up in the B group boarding anyways (which means you'll be doing family boarding) and thus waste your money.

 

[Psychodisney]

For the Southwest experts: should I pay for EBCI to guarantee that my kids don't end up with seats by themselves? My family of 4 (me, DH, DD5, and DD2) is flying Southwest from IND to MCO in a couple of weeks. My kids are young, so I want to make sure each kid has a parent sitting next to them. We are fine with being split up 2 and 2, and are fine with seats anywhere on the plane as long as we can find 2 sets of 2 together. 3 and 1 would also work fine. I will be checking in at the 24 hour mark, but in case I don't get group A, will family boarding get a parent next to each child? I have never flown Southwest with kids before.

IMO, at just a couple of weeks out, I'd go with family boarding. No guarantee of A group unless you pay for A1-15. Family boarding is between A and B. If the flight is originating in IND, I think you'll have a good chance for 2 and 2 past the wings.

 

[Psychodisney]

This would largely depend on whether there are a bunch of through passengers on your flight or not. Assuming you are boarding an empty (or mostly empty) plane, then family boarding will get you seats together. I'm also assuming you are on a non-stop flight. I say this experience on dozens and dozens of SW flights with my family. If you care to share the actual flight date and times, we could try to determine that for you.

Since your flight is in a couple of weeks, I would absolutely NOT recommend purchasing EBCI at this point. If you had wanted EBCI, you would would have wanted to buy it immediately when you purchased your flight as the EBCI slots are assigned based on when you purchased it. The odds are good that so many people have bought it that you would end up in the B group boarding anyways (which means you'll be doing family boarding) and thus waste your money.

Great minds think alike. I'm honored to have had similar thoughts as the benevolent one!

 

[wendow]

For the Southwest experts: should I pay for EBCI to guarantee that my kids don't end up with seats by themselves? My family of 4 (me, DH, DD5, and DD2) is flying Southwest from IND to MCO in a couple of weeks. My kids are young, so I want to make sure each kid has a parent sitting next to them. We are fine with being split up 2 and 2, and are fine with seats anywhere on the plane as long as we can find 2 sets of 2 together. 3 and 1 would also work fine. I will be checking in at the 24 hour mark, but in case I don't get group A, will family boarding get a parent next to each child? I have never flown Southwest with kids before.

We have boarded family boarding for years and just moved into the regular cattle call in last couple years. We’ve never not gotten all 6 of us together when boarding with families. You should be ok.

 

[Lain]

Should I be concerned? I met my MSR on 3/29 and still have not received my SUB on my Chase Freedom card.

Have you checked recently? There were numerous recent reports of Chase SUBs being delayed much longer than a week (going on 2, 3 weeks) after meeting MSR, but most delayed bonuses seem to have gone pending and caught up to the usual timeframes as of last week.

If your SUB still has not gone pending, make absolutely sure you’ve met the MSR by adding up your posted charges, and subtract out any credits (since you’re asking about a Freedom, there’s no AF to worry about). If you’ve met MSR, just give it more time. Officially, Chase will tell you it could take 6-8 weeks (or something like that) after you meet MSR for the SUB to go pending anyway, so that’s not much help.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Great minds think alike. I'm honored to have had similar thoughts as the benevolent one!

 

[wendow]

Thank you, and I have definitely considered that Amex card too! Are they still making the rose gold cards? I was thinking it was just limited time. Hilton is another that’s on my radar. I have the biz card, but none of the personals. Will the Arrival miles work on direct reservations through Disney, or on deals from agencies full of magic? With my oldest 2 off to college this fall, I’m hoping to take dd on a couple of long weekend trips late fall/winter.

The magic agency codes as travel as does UCT for arrival+. Disney direct will not but then any charges to the resort once you are there will code as travel. In your case, I’d definitely go for the arrival+.

 

[Lain]

Greg (aka Frequent Miler) should’ve gone big, like @wendow!

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Greg (aka Frequent Miler) should’ve gone big, like @wendow!

Hmmmm...the cynical part of me says he was thinking this:

• My target audience is mostly churners
• Most churners have a CIP card they could refer from
• I write the article calling CIU a starter card since they can't refer from that card
• Instead of using their own CIP link for their child, they use my CIU affiliate link...muahahaha!!

 

[Lain]

Hmmmm...the cynical part of me says he was thinking this:

• My target audience is mostly churners
• Most churners have a CIP card they could refer from
• I write the article calling CIU a starter card since they can't refer from that card
• Instead of using their own CIP link for their child, they use my CIU affiliate link...muahahaha!!

I also wonder if Greg really “truthfully” forgot that Chase has an automated status line that he wasn’t calling every hour, or if an Ink card showing up unexpectedly made for a better story.

And a $20k MSR on the Amex Biz Plat? I guess he used an affiliate link (his?) and didn’t bother calling in for a better offer.

P.S. I generally like Frequent Miler. I’ve learned a lot from the site and they’re usually less shilly than other bloggers. But there’s a lot in this piece that makes me think Greg should know better, so what’s his agenda?

 

[vanjust14]

Edit: Nothing to see here

 

[Humbug30X]

Have you checked recently? There were numerous recent reports of Chase SUBs being delayed much longer than a week (going on 2, 3 weeks) after meeting MSR, but most delayed bonuses seem to have gone pending and caught up to the usual timeframes as of last week.

If your SUB still has not gone pending, make absolutely sure you’ve met the MSR by adding up your posted charges, and subtract out any credits (since you’re asking about a Freedom, there’s no AF to worry about). If you’ve met MSR, just give it more time. Officially, Chase will tell you it could take 6-8 weeks (or something like that) after you meet MSR for the SUB to go pending anyway, so that’s not much help.

Ok, I see what I did wrong. I wasn't expecting it to be points. I went back to my email where I was offered the $150 SUB and it states it will be in points. I now see the points are pending. Sorry for the confusion.

 

[elgerber]

I know it's been posted recently, but I am clearly not hitting the right search terms to find it. Ds is ready to go for part 2 of his CP, does someone have the current link for the 50k mile in flight offer for the SW Visa?

 

[wendow]

Greg (aka Frequent Miler) should’ve gone big, like @wendow!

I'm already making plans for her CIP#2 When you go big, only thing to do after is go bigger!

 

[Sarah_B]

I think I know the answer but figured I’d check here. I have southwest travel credit expiring June 1. Is there any way to extend or save this? I know you can ask for a voucher after expiration at the cost of $100 - wasn’t sure if that’s my only option.

Posting from spring break Florida west palm beach. Flights paid for with companion pass and points earned from the sign up bonus(es)

 

[wendow]

Anyone having problems buying an AA GC with your citi cards? Dh's personal card (not temp #) won't go through. Keeps erroring saying I entered his card number wrong and after 3 tries, says need to call. I tried my temp number last night to buy a GC with my new biz card and I get the same exact error and then says I need to call.

 

[DisneyMandC]

Just went to Staples to pick up the fee free $200 MCGC. I almost didn’t do this offer, but then I realized the chase offer was actually on my Hyatt card, which I’m still working on MSR on. That plus the Dosh deal, plus SB is back to paying out for Best Buy AND it’s currently at 4% convinced me to go ahead and do it. Interestingly, I was checked out by a manager who asked to see my ID to match it to my credit card. No problem this time since I was using my card, but I’ve used DH’s Delta amex several times recently. Haven’t ever been asked for that before, not sure if it was because it was a manager or what.