If you have an Android phone or a compatible tablet such as Google Nexus 7, you can use the Google Wallet App with a virtual prepaid card that can be funded with any credit card. I do not know whether Citbank would consider this a cash advance, they often consider lots of things cash advances, so absent evidence to the contrary I would avoid using Citibank cards for this. The cool thing about this, and why it’s a great very limited time opportunity is that the Google prepaid card is being discontinued and balances remaining on your card can be returned to you by check. You have to reload the card by September 17, and the card will hold up to $8000. But there appears to be a limit of $500 per day and $2000…
Getting a Hyatt Visa With a $75 Statement Credit is Back
The Hyatt Visa comes with two free nights at any Hyatt in the world as a signup bonus, Platinum Gold Passport members get suite upgrade certificates also, and Diamond Gold Passport members get their two free nights in suites. Those are good offers for the card, and I find the card worth keeping despite the $75 annual fee because of the annual free night good at any hotel up to category four (such as the Hyatt 48 Lex in New York). Unfortunately, the card doesn’t offer a first year fee waiver. Back in April I did find an offer of a $75 statement credit which covered the fee, but that link was since pulled. Today in the comments to my post on best credit card signup bonuses, Murphy wrote: Just an FYI for anyone wanting…
The Federal Government Isn’t Shutting Down Your Small Airport on January 2
It’s time to go all Snopes ‘n stuff on a bad rumor going around small towns over the past 5 weeks: that 106 small airports will be forced to close by federal budget cuts that will go into effect in January. Now, it’s correct that on January 2nd there’s significant federal budget cuts scheduled to take place. No one really thinks this will happen, since almost no lawmaker wants it to happen, but they haven’t yet figured out a way around it. As a result of the Budget Control Act of 2011 signed back in August, unless Congress and the President agree on an alternative there’s supposed to be an automatic cut of $1 trillion in spending over ten years, split equally between defense and non-defense activities (so about $50 billion in non-defense spending in…
75% Aeroplan Point Bonus on Air Canada Domestic Flights (Excludes Tango Fares)
Aeroplan is offering a 75% bonus on Air Canada and Air Canada Express flights within Canada between September 10 and October 21. Registration required. The bonus applies to roundtrips or two one-ways on Tango Plus, Latitude and Executive Class fares. “Tango” fare classes N, G, P, E, and A do not earn this bonus.
Eating Around the Grand Hyatt New York
I was staying at the Grand Hyatt, and as folks who read the review know I had a bit of room service on arrival. So I wasn’t hungry early, but headed out to get a little bit of dinner around 8pm. First stop was Schnitzel & Things, a small restaurant that started off as a food truck with both excellent schnitzel and sides, it’s counter service and a few tables in back. Unfortunately they close at 8pm and were cleaning up as I arrived. So had to go looking for something else to try. That neighborhood has plenty of Japanese restaurants, and wherever there are clusters of one type of food you have competition which gives you a good shot that the food at any given place will be ok. And walking down the side…
Etihad Guest Offers a Poor Use of Miles for My Birthday!
This morning I received a happy birthday email from the Etihad Guest program. The Etihad Guest team would like to wish you a very Happy Birthday! We are thrilled to offer you an exclusive birthday discount on specially selected rewards so you can treat yourself on this special day. Happy Birthday and Happy Shopping! As anyone that’s my friend on Facebook will know, they got the timing of this a little bit off. And they do have my correct birthday on file (oops). But they’re actually close, and that’s not what prompted this note. It’s just what those ‘exclusive birthday discount[s] on specially selected rewards so [I] can treat’ myself are that’s what prompted this note. Oops, guess they should have gotten the birthday even more wrong and sent this my way a few weeks…
Delta Hates its Customers #742: Award Wallet Forced to Stop Helping Members Track Their Skymiles Accounts
Regular readers are familiar with Award Wallet, the service that helps you track all of your frequent flyer accounts — you enter your account number and password once, and with a single click you can update all of your account balances, see which ones have grown or gotten smaller, and also with one click log into your account. I’ve found that this helps me be a more engaged member. I don’t have to keep track of all of my account numbers of sticky notes or e-mail folders, and I can easily stay up to date on my activity and relationship with each program. And I’ve found that the programs I can’t track at Award Wallet (American and Southwest won’t permit access) I am less engaged in. I’m an American AAdvantage Executive Platinum but logging into…
Registration Now Available for Starwood’s Fall Promotion
A couple of weeks ago I outlined Starwood’s fall promotion, “Better By the Night.” Registration is now available, and registration must be completed by November 30. Between October 1 and December 20, Starwood is offering: Double points on eligible stays of 1 or 2 nights Triple points on eligible stays of 3 or more nights In addition, there are online and mobile device booking bonuses: 250 bonus points for eligible stays booked at spg.com, through the Blackberry app, or with the W Hotels iPhone app 500 bonus points for eligible stays booked through their iPhone app This is the same-named promo they ran in the first quarter of the year, with the same double and triple point bonuses, but the online and mobile app booking bonuses this time are new. There’s about 130 non-participating properties.
Grand Hyatt New York: Excellent Renovation, Great Club Lounge, Way Too Busy to Get the Little Things Right
My favorite hotel in New York, and my favorite big city hotel in the United States, is the Andaz 5th Avenue in New York. My love of breakfast there is something readers of this blog know well, I’m told by two different people that it even became a subject of a journalist’s interview with a Hyatt Vice President. Hyatt has several good options in New York, I’ve stayed several times at the Andaz Wall Street which is a good hotel, with a confusing breakfast benefit, and a very different location. If I need to be down in the financial district I never hesitate to stay there. I’m less a fan of the Hyatt 48 Lex but they’ve improved the breakfast benefit for Diamonds since I stayed there (now allowing a dollar credit in the restaurant…
35% Transfer Bonus from American Express to Air France KLM Flying Blue – One Week Only
American Express is offering a 35% bonus on transfers from Membership Rewards to the Air France KLM Flying Blue program between September 10 and September 16, that’s one week only. The page to transfer to Flying Blue now reflects the transfer bonus. For flights in coach or business class departing the U.S., Delta is usually the better American Express transfer partner. Flying Blue adds fuel surcharges to awards whenever paid tickets would include those charges, while Delta doesn’t on most though not all partners (but does add an international origination surcharge, so if you’re beginning your trip in Europe Delta may not turn out to be the better option). This 35% bonus may compensate for the fuel surcharges that the Flying Blue program adds on to awards. There are other advantages as well. Delta frequently…
