A lot of things reset to zero on January 1, and the new year begins. I checked my Marriott account and saw that 25 elite nights had posted from my premium American Express card, but the 15 elite nights from my Marriott small business Amex had not yet posted:
Now that the year has reset, so have a number of credit card benefits, and elite ‘tasks.’ Here’s what I went through first thing in the morning on New Years Day.
- Amex Platinum: I made a $50 purchase from Saks, buying something I’d put off for a couple of weeks that I was going to purchase anyway. I also made (2) $99 purchases from Southwest, it’s not supposed to reimburse ticket purchases but this has worked for me (and could stop working at any point). The Amex Platinum makes sense for me because I get full value out of the $200 airline reimbursement; $100 Saks credit ($50 in the first and second half of the year); $200 Uber credits; $240 Digital Entertainment credit; $189 CLEAR. That’s $929, so I am good with the annual fee, and I get Centurion and Delta lounge access and Hilton Gold, having registered for all of the benefits etc.
- Started making deferred payments: In addition to paying new monthly and quarterly charges, I’d put off some bills received in December to the start of January so that they would apply towards card-earning in 2023.
- Capital One Travel Credit: I time this with the start of the year, for easy memory. I spent $302 on an American Airlines ticket, purchased through their portal to qualify for the $300 credit.
- Hyatt choice benefits: Hyatt offers benefits every 10 nights including when you go above and beyond Globalist at 70, 80, 90, and 100 nights. You have 90 days to select your benefits, and I put those off until the start of the new calendar year. A confirmed suite selected in December 2022 would be valid through February 2024. A confirmed suite selected January 1, 2023 is valid through February 2025. This way I can book next year’s travel, confirmed in a suite, before requalifying for status and earning suite upgrades again.
What New Years Day errands have you accomplished so far?
Rewatch Up In The Air
Gary talking about Gary. Boring. Nobody cares. What drove you to take up a huge amount of paper, to post about Gary?
Sorry pal. What you did, possibly innocent enough, wreaks “ego”. Maybe if you would say a few paragraphs, about the reason you chose “you” as the centerpiece of the article, and what you believed, would be the result?
What you posted, is unique to you, nobody else. I am looking for a pony here, in the value of reading your points program, and how that will benefit, anyone, who reads your blog, who have their own, individual program, that has no relation to yours. ???
I must have missed it. It sailed 100′ above my head. Help me understand.
Thank you.
Robert cared enough to whine for several paragraphs. Help me understand
@Robert
The title was clear that it would be about Gary’s errands. Why’d you read it then?
What does Gary mean by “made (2) $99 purchases from Southwest”? AmEx Platinum reimbursed these purchases via the $200 annual airline credit?
Dennis, yes this does work. I just bought two $99 tickets as well. I’ll cancel them in two days and have $198 of Southwest credit that does not expire.
In contrast to a previous comment, I want to thank Gary for this post. It’s a great reminder of those tasks you may easily forget which help maximize the value of your credit cards.
Rob.
Gary’s errands,? Huh?
I read everything, then I ask myself, “why”? If Gary would say, he was going to discuss his love life, would that be okay, because he prefixed what the article was going to entail?
What you missed, was the “intent” of my comment. The “why”? Not to be confused with the “what”!
Robert, the meaning sailed 100′ over your head for a reason. For that same reason, you read the article. For the same reason, you spent the time you did writing your comment. Going forward, people will discount your comments because, by your own admission, you don’t understand the topic.
The “why” is to spur others to think about errands they ought to be doing. If you can’t figure it out, just don’t read the article or comment. How rude.
@robert
simply speaking, why don’t you just jump from a cliff and die?
you are a miserable human being that takes joy in making people around him miserable as well
I know your type
GFY
@ Robert says:
“Gary talking about Gary. Boring. Nobody cares.”
You are probably (sadly) right when you say that nobody actually cares about the author.
On the other had, readers may derive valuable knowledge by reading the content or may be encouraged to think about stuff that might otherwise pass them by.
“Maybe if you would say a few paragraphs, about the reason you chose “you” as the centerpiece of the article, and what you believed, would be the result?”
A gentle reminder, Robert, that there are many travel websites available in which the authors are simply recasting information and never seem to leave their home / office. There are those, for example, that profess to offer hotel reviews which are entirely cut and paste from other sources, so they can attempt to earn a buck from affiliate marketing with doing the base work.
Arguably, being able to write from personally lived experience can be a benefit – it validates the content and, generally, lends the website authority.
Gary also likes to provide his personal “opinion” on a range of topics – his website, his choice, arguably also his point of differentiation.
“I am looking for a pony here, in the value of reading your points program, and how that will benefit, anyone, who reads your blog, who have their own, individual program, that has no relation to yours. ???”
Alternatively, you could assume that readers of this blog are smart enough to extract the generic message implicit in the article – it’s another year and time to check points program offers, including those on credit cards, the latter such as Amex offer various cash backs, etc., which can be leveraged in the pursuit of loyalty miles and status.
“I must have missed it. It sailed 100′ above my head. Help me understand.”
Based upon your previous posts, you don’t appear to value the benefits of loyalty programs from the position of a customer – other readers herein certainly do and have the capacity to extract the topics and specific information relevant to their personal loyalty strategies.
Be well.
Joseph, a biblical name?
You confuse why with whine. Obviously, you prove, you can’t distinguish the two. They do sound a little alike.
I just searched the definition of whine.
“What does whine mean in slang?
“If you say that someone is whining, you mean that they are complaining in an annoying way (to you) about something “unimportant”!
Errands – Unimportant -Why?
I must admit, it appears, you were right!
Platy.
I appreciate your intelligent approach to my “whining”.
Admittedly, I am not a blogger, and just happened upon this one. I don’t follow others.
Nor am I into loyalty programs, even though, I travel as extensively as most on this blog. Correct me if I am wrong, but it appears on the surface, to echo mostly criticism, about virtually every individual, who takes the time to post, their complaints and stories of horrible incidents, that were never or rarely, resolved to their satisfaction. That’s my definition of, “whine”
I am a “why”, kinda guy, and have realized, it serves, not only me, but fellow CEO’s, who seem to follow “why”, as a precursor, to “whine”, as I notice, repeatedly on this blog.
Cordially.
Robert-
“wreaks ego…”
Um, what’s that exactly supposed to mean? Don’t you mean “reeks”
Both a simpleton and a d-bag you are. Buzz off if you don’t like the blog posts. You didn’t exactly pay much for them
Dougy.
So infantile, calling names. Didn’t your momma, learn you anything?
You need to follow, Ms. Manners, boy.
@ Robert
“Admittedly, I am not a blogger, and just happened upon this one. I don’t follow others.”
My friend, FWIW, the commentary on this blog can be a little edgy (dare one opine somewhat rough and opinionated).
“I am a “why”, kinda guy, and have realized, it serves, not only me, but fellow CEO’s, who seem to follow “why”, as a precursor, to “whine”, as I notice, repeatedly on this blog.”
Absolutely, go with the “why”. People love to whine.
Only my opinion, but travel blogs have both inherent strengths and weaknesses (as you may be finding out!) – dare one suggest you would get more value out of blogs such as this, if you were engaged in loyalty programs as per other readers (respecting your choice not to engage in such).
Travel safe. Never hesitate to ask “why”.
Platy.
Well stated. It’s critical to understand the culture, on this blog. Bloggers, don’t want to hear, anything that makes sense. I get it.
Candidly, there is too much critical theory. If that keeps everyone happy, SOBEIT.
It reminds me, of a large ship on the ocean, with a gaping hole, rapidly taking on water. Everyone is bailing as quickly as possible, not wanting to, go down with the ship. But their efforts, are in vain. The amount of water intake, outweighs what is being discharged. Looks like a sinking ship!
I have tried to like the blog. However, I never read any optimism, that suggest anything accomplished.
Seriously, I have much better things to do, that are productive. I can feel my feet, touching the ocean floor. I’m a landlubber. I’ll leave y’all to enjoy yourselves.
Take care now. And tell those young boys, who call people names, to grow up, and “lern sum mannurs”!
Send them to: missmanners.com
Ciao
@ Robert
A gentle reminder that a blog (such as this) is run as a “business”, not a “public service”, so the blog owner is at liberty to run their site at their discretion, choose what they write, set the “tone” for the site, moderate the comments (or not), etc., etc.
Another point – those who actually post comments are not necessarily representative of the total readership. On another travel blog, when the blog owner announced great family news, literally 100s of readers left messages of good will.
Be sure to take good care and to travel safe.
Food for thought – if we were sitting together in bar having a drink and sharing travel stories and travel tips and learning from each other, I’m sure everyone here would have great time together…..;)
Donations – I plan on having a higher marginal tax rate in 2023. Tithing doesn’t have a hard fiscal year boundary like the IRS. I’m also going to buy stamps for 2023’s Christmas cards now before rates go up.
I also looked around on award programs for unannounced devaluations. Nothing yet.
Super exciting examples 😛
Joseph . . . as in DiMaggio . . . as in Yankee Clipper. Duh.
Duh. As in Joseph Stalin. Hahaha.
You couldn’t walk in Joltin’ Joes shoes.
From prior-year Amex crediting delays/issues with 1/1 especially where it falls on weekends, I am putting off these until second business day of the year.
Geez, @Robert, who pissed in your soup?
@Gary Leff – should we expect any more transfer bonuses joining Hawaiian to kick off the year? Looking specifically for Flying Blue.
Robert, Joe DiMaggio was my godmother’s brother. And, you’re right. Joe was a top-notch gentleman and I can only hope to live up to his standards. So, what was the intent of the “biblical name” comment . . . other than not so subtly trolling about the Jews?
Stefan, Flying Blue has a couple transfer bonuses each year. Hang tight.
@Stefan Krasowski – I have no inside info on when new transfer bonuses will happen
Gary, you mentioned a Capital One $300 AA credit. Which card is that?
@JH – $300 annual travel credit for bookings made through the Cap One portal with the Venture X card, I used it to buy an American Airlines flight.