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Post by bakerworld on Aug 11, 2023 8:36:18 GMT -5
I think the Chase RR card fee we have is up to $149 annually however it lets us move up to Business class seats 4 times at the airport and that alone is $160. It also refunds us $75 dollars in travel so I figured it was worth it.
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Post by brp on Aug 11, 2023 9:57:39 GMT -5
When we first started using AA I was flying SW NS on the weekends, because it was all the SW NS offered to MCO at that time, and then I'd one-way back on AA. Twice I had to use AA both ways because we were flying mid-week to mid-week. It was during this time that I found the low fares link on AA's site. I anchored this link: www.aa.com/en-us/low-fares to my favorites. Then I noticed that AA's first class many times was practically half their normal price. I do like AA better than SW and once we use all the SW points we acquired during COVID we might switch to AA permanently. Basically I'm waiting to see how SW one NS offerings go delay-wise. We always prefer a regular airline over low cost carriers (which often aren't) when we have a choice. We fly Southwest for short trips like Vegas, San Diego. Otherwise it's AA or Alaska domestically.
I had not seen that AA low-cost site. It looks like they scrape the regular site for specific deals on specific dates. Putting in dates other than the ones that they list brings up the regular booking engine and regular prices. But, if one can hit the dates/city pairs they have posted it can be a good catch versus having to search directly. Thanks for the link 
Cheers.
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Post by disney54us on Aug 11, 2023 10:40:03 GMT -5
bakerworld don’t you fly out of PHL? That’s really good on AA for FC. The prices for flying from PHL to MCO the past year have become ridiculous for a 2 plus hour flight. Ended up with a lot of flights on Frontier (before they became the greyhound of flying, recently) they had new airbuses good prices and when you can get 60,000 pt and 5,000 bonus for filling it out on your flight I’m in. Those points came into good use and helped me out when I messed up my flight home from MCO. They didn’t care I was at the time a discount den member etc. because I had the card, they didn’t charge me the change fee. Same with AA bonus if you sign up in flight. Marriott because we would stay there when we visited son. So I use them for where I’m staying or who I’m flying. The credit card points game is fascinating but can become exhausting. Will say Apple Card offers cash back, I received a great interest rate as in this climate chase has risen their rates. I was surprised at the rate given the climate. I only started using AA when SW dropped the mid-week NS flights out of PHL. Now that SW is back to offering one NS flight every mid-week day, I am back to using SW. When we first started using AA I was flying SW NS on the weekends, because it was all the SW NS offered to MCO at that time, and then I'd one-way back on AA. Twice I had to use AA both ways because we were flying mid-week to mid-week. It was during this time that I found the low fares link on AA's site. I anchored this link: www.aa.com/en-us/low-fares to my favorites. Then I noticed that AA's first class many times was practically half their normal price. I do like AA better than SW and once we use all the SW points we acquired during COVID we might switch to AA permanently. Basically I'm waiting to see how SW one NS offerings go delay-wise. I've flown Frontier a few times with my daughters. DH flew Frontier in December to MCO. He didn't care for the 'trick' with the luggage - we combine into one case and I use large sized 'personal' bag. He didn't like that I wouldn't pay for the $40+ seats, which placed us further back in the plane, and he didn't like how Frontier boarded. Consequently Frontier is in the same category as OKW, BWV and BR/CC. LOL I don't know if it's because I found the Low Fare on AA but I do think the $ of flights is decreasing. So far I've resisted acquired another card. It amazed me that SW dropped so many NS flights, PHL to MCO. Add in that the prices just were not that great. I’m not a fan of SW boarding system, years ago when they actually had low prices that was the the reasoning behind no seat assignments. The prices have been for several years up there with other airlines, then I want an assigned seat. Frontier, and the luggage charges would still come out cheaper than SW with its 2 ‘free’ bags. I usually bought my seats and we would check one large bag. Total was always less than SW. Back when son was in college, frontier had more flights available so it worked with his schedule. He could get done classes drive down to MCO and they had one flight that landed before midnight. That worked because we were over the bridge so the airport was not far and no issues with traffic at that time. Now as all airlines, prices are higher, they have definitely upped their seat fare and the luggage prices add in now suitcase is 40 pounds vs 50 pounds. They have become somewhat of joke with passenger behavior so I rather fly AA. Shame because most of their planes were newer and air bus lands smoother. We still fly out of PHL, we go up the day before and stay with the ‘kids’. I will say I was spoiled all those years living so close to the airport. When we would fly into Daytona DAB only AA and Delta flys into there. Or use to now some other low cost new airline Aveo flys from Wilmington to DAB. AA did not fly NS but then added NS from PHL to DAB during certain months. Thanks for the link will check it out. When you are done using your SW points, if you opt to get another card do it on a AA flight because you get 60,000 miles I’d you take the application from the FA. |
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Post by Adelard of Bath on Aug 11, 2023 13:41:25 GMT -5
I bought first class on Delta months ago, and I've been watching it creep down and down. I thought I did okay at $850, didn't want to pay that but that seemed to be what it was. Now it's in the low-mid $600s for the same flight, bouncing up and down a bit. I just checked this same flight, shot up from ~$650 to ~$950 in two days. |
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Post by brp on Aug 13, 2023 15:40:58 GMT -5
I bought first class on Delta months ago, and I've been watching it creep down and down. I thought I did okay at $850, didn't want to pay that but that seemed to be what it was. Now it's in the low-mid $600s for the same flight, bouncing up and down a bit. I just checked this same flight, shot up from ~$650 to ~$950 in two days. I'm sure that, if you call, they'll reprice your flight for you
Cheers.
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Post by Adelard of Bath on Aug 13, 2023 17:52:17 GMT -5
I'm sure that, if you call, they'll reprice your flight for you  When I bought, they were offering three flights out of Tampa each day. I chose the middle one. Same as last year, they eventually cancelled the middle flight and put me on the dinner-time flight. No big and I'm totally okay with it. And Delta's policy is any change more than 90 minutes from the flight I chose when I purchased the tickets gives me a no-questions-asked refund. No vouchers or anything. So I was watching the price steadily creep down as summer wore on, thinking "well soon I will click that button and get my money, and then rebook the flight" Wellllllll for some reason prices shot up again so that's gone. If I'm lucky it will go back down again. |
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Post by fuzzylogic on Aug 14, 2023 8:11:22 GMT -5
For the Southwest fans out there - right now if you spend $500 thru Rapid Rewards Shopping you'll get 2000 bonus points. Thru today only.
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Post by BWV Dreamin on Aug 15, 2023 5:13:00 GMT -5
Seriously looking at Chase Ink Business Unlimited card. Can use rewards as cash back or turn into points to use on Southwest. Looks like the best bang for my buck to put my Hawaii cruise payment on with no annual fee.
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Post by tomandrobin on Aug 15, 2023 5:51:47 GMT -5
Just got my new Southwest Business card today in the mail. Spend $3000 in the first 3 months, earn 60,000 points. Spend $15,000 in the first 9 months, earn 60,000 more points.
I activated the card and bought five $500 Disney Gift Cards last night. I will buy two more gift cards today and reach my first milestone. Over the next couple of months I will start buying additional Disney Gift Cards to use towards my DVC Maintenance Fees. I will also pickup those discounted $500 SWA gift cards that Costco sells as they become available. I Will reach companion status in the fall and it will be good thru 2024.
All these savings stack up big time, if you time it right.
For the above, I will get four R/T tickets to MCO from Baltimore, plus the four free R/T tickets for my companion. Plus save 10% on SWA cash purchaes with my gift cards, plus save money on my DVC MF. Plus, any cash SWA tickets I buy will get a free ticket for my companion. The only cost to me is $99 annual fee. Crazy savings for the 15 months. For me and my use, I am looking at $5000 in savings for the year.
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Post by fuzzylogic on Aug 15, 2023 7:21:50 GMT -5
Seriously looking at Chase Ink Business Unlimited card. Can use rewards as cash back or turn into points to use on Southwest. Looks like the best bang for my buck to put my Hawaii cruise payment on with no annual fee. Business Unlimited ($0 fee) is not great. With cheap cards comes cheap perks. You do not get the 3X on travel. $5000 spent on a cruise @ 1.5% cash back is $75. Not great. Ink: $5000 spent on a cruise would get you 15,000 points. Converts to $150 cash, or 15,000 Southwest miles. 15,000 Southwest miles is worth around $250. Signup bonus: $750 vs 100,000 points. 100,000 points are worth more like $1500 on Southwest, or round trips for 5 from the midwest to Orlando.. |
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Post by tomandrobin on Aug 15, 2023 8:05:53 GMT -5
Seriously looking at Chase Ink Business Unlimited card. Can use rewards as cash back or turn into points to use on Southwest. Looks like the best bang for my buck to put my Hawaii cruise payment on with no annual fee. Business Unlimited ($0 fee) is not great. With cheap cards comes cheap perks. You do not get the 3X on travel. $5000 spent on a cruise @ 1.5% cash back is $75. Not great. Ink: $5000 spent on a cruise would get you 15,000 points. Converts to $150 cash, or 15,000 Southwest miles. 15,000 Southwest miles is worth around $250. Signup bonus: $750 vs 100,000 points. 100,000 points are worth more like $1500 on Southwest, or round trips for 5 from the midwest to Orlando.. I have good friends that I have been trying for years to get them to switch. But they stick with their cash back card, thinking its a better deal. They can not grasp the value of the companion pass, all the free flights with the earned points and using discounted gift cards to further enhance the perks.
You are going to buy "X" number of airline tickets a year regardless. But if you buy the gift cards and use for MF/travel like described above.....the rewards start doubling or tripling.
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Post by BWV Dreamin on Aug 16, 2023 7:29:59 GMT -5
tomandrobin Questions on the Southwest CC. When rewards are earned, they only go to the account holder, correct? Or can you transfer some to another RR person ( in this case my husband?). Truly I don’t understand the companion pass thing. If Southwest CC ends up being better I’ll go with it. Right now my cash back goes towards my purchased airfare anyway. The bell has rung, I am ready for school!
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Post by tomandrobin on Aug 16, 2023 14:23:39 GMT -5
tomandrobin Questions on the Southwest CC. When rewards are earned, they only go to the account holder, correct? Or can you transfer some to another RR person ( in this case my husband?). Truly I don’t understand the companion pass thing. If Southwest CC ends up being better I’ll go with it. Right now my cash back goes towards my purchased airfare anyway. The bell has rung, I am ready for school! You can use your points on anyone. No need to transfer to him. Here is the link to make transfers.
When you have earned companion pass, its good for the remainder of the year earned plus the following year. During that time, when you book a flight on Southwest using points or cash, your companion flies free. You are allowed to change your companion three times per year. There are no black outs.
So if you book a flight to WDW 12/26-1/2 and the ticket is $620 R/T, your companion will fly free with you. That is a $620 savings. Obviously, the amount of money saved is dependent on the amount of flying you will do. But going back to my original post, to earn that companion pass, you also earned 130,000 rapid reward points. That Christmas trip cost 45,000 points and you fly free. Now your savings is $1240 just for that one trip.
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