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Re: Dividend Miles - Useless
[Re: weeks5051]
#103065
07/18/2016 07:53 AM
07/18/2016 07:53 AM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 81,502 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 81,502
Central Florida!
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There is no fee to book an AA frequent flyer flight, unless it is really close, like less than a week away, something like that.
Carol Hill
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Re: Dividend Miles - Useless
[Re: weeks5051]
#103068
07/18/2016 10:46 AM
07/18/2016 10:46 AM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 81,502 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 81,502
Central Florida!
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We have had AA frequent flyer memberships since at least the 80s and I don't remember there EVER being a fee to book, unless it was last minute. I know that US Air did have a fee to book FF seats.
Regardless, it all depends on where you are, as far as whether you can use them or not. When we were in DC, we always had good luck with getting them, and in Florida also. US Air or Delta, no. I have a bunch of Delta miles and cannot ever use them to get to SXM. We almost used them to go to Europe and ended up cancelling the trip.
Carol Hill
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Re: Dividend Miles - Useless
[Re: kim]
#103072
07/19/2016 08:19 AM
07/19/2016 08:19 AM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 1,238 North NJ, 1720 miles from Para...
Kathleen
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Traveler
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 1,238
North NJ, 1720 miles from Para...
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We are VERY lucky living in the NYC area. We do the same thing except with JB and Delta. I originally bought Delta tix for our November trip, but when Delta changed their schedule (by an hour or so), I took the opportunity to cancel and got our flights back on JB with points and a much better return time. We love the 6 pm flight that JB offers on Saturdays from SXM to JFK. Almost a whole day at the beach on departure day. Or a morning at the beach and then lunch at the Lolo with time to spare. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Groovin.gif" alt="" />
That's why I wander and follow La Vie Dansante, that's all I want, La Vie Dansante (JB)
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Re: Dividend Miles - Useless
[Re: PreK176]
#103081
07/21/2016 08:08 AM
07/21/2016 08:08 AM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 81,502 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 81,502
Central Florida!
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There for a while, Citibank AA card was giving 50,000 free miles with a new card, if you charged something like $3,000 in the first few months. Not sure if they still do that or not.
Carol Hill
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Re: Dividend Miles - Useless
[Re: SXMScubaman]
#103083
07/21/2016 10:06 AM
07/21/2016 10:06 AM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 81,502 Central Florida!
Carol_Hill
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 81,502
Central Florida!
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Well, yeah, that makes sense, that you can't just get the card, cancel it and get the same deal again.
Carol Hill
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Re: Dividend Miles - Useless
[Re: Carol_Hill]
#103085
07/21/2016 10:42 AM
07/21/2016 10:42 AM
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Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 18,063 Auburn, WA
SXMScubaman
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Traveler
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 18,063
Auburn, WA
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Carol_Hill said: Well, yeah, that makes sense, that you can't just get the card, cancel it and get the same deal again. Totally agree but we had nothing to loose giving it a try.
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Re: Dividend Miles - Useless
[Re: SXMScubaman]
#103086
07/21/2016 07:48 PM
07/21/2016 07:48 PM
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 391 San Antonio
sumbeach
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 391
San Antonio
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Scubaman, we took out the AA/Citi card in my name, (the last one was for 50,000 with $3000 purchase in three months), then about a year later took out the same card in my wife's name, again for the same points/purchases. We just used my points for RT in November. Next year we'll use her points, and then it will be time for me to take out another card in my name ( it used to be 18 months between cards, I think it is now 24 months). We have done this for several years, both AA and Delta, and now doing Southwest. Like you say, starting out with 50,000 points or whatever they offer (daughter just got an offer from AA for 60,000) gives a good start to getting tickets.
Dan
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Re: Dividend Miles - Useless
[Re: SXMScubaman]
#103089
07/22/2016 09:27 AM
07/22/2016 09:27 AM
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Joined: May 2010
Posts: 395 Pacific NW
snmhanson
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 395
Pacific NW
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SXMScubaman said:RICKnGRACE_LI_NY said: I didn't read through the entire thread, so, if this is a repeat I am sorry.
The best card I have found is a Capital One Venture Card. Double miles that don't expire. You can find your flights and book through them. Or you can book your flights, use their card and apply for the refund. You get points per dollar spent. It converts like this example. $500 spent earns 1000 points. 1000 points = $10 So if you have 50000 points and spend $500 on a ticket you are covered.
I know it sounds like a lot, but if you use it like cash, which we do, it builds up quickly. We just remember to treat it like a cash card and pay it in full at the end of every month. Any way, it works for us. 50,000 AA FF miles got me a first class ticket from SEA to SXM on the dates and flights I wanted. That was a $900.00+ ticket. I'll stick with my Citi Bank AA card. We used to use our Citi AA card for both our personal and business expenses and accrued over a million miles throughout the years. We eventually used up all of the miles, but it was challenging at times (especially in more recent years) to find award flights that worked for us. We often found ourselves using Aanytime points or having to take red eye flights or incur long layovers. And even when we did find flights, we usually could only get a limited number of award tickets on the flight and would have to purchase a couple as well so that our family of five could travel together. There were even times when we had plenty of miles, but ended up purchasing tickets on a different airline because we couldn't get award travel on American or any of it's partners. Then about four years ago we switched to Capital One where we get two points for every dollar spent. Now, charging $50,000 on our Capital One card (the same amount that we had to charge on our Citicard to get 50,000 AA miles) gets us 100,000 Capital one points. Those 100,000 equates to a $1,000 travel credit which can be used for ANY flight on ANY airline at ANY time - and we can purchase it from whatever source we would like. If we don't have enough points for the entire ticket it doesn't matter - we get a credit for as many points as we have or choose to utilize. In addition, since we are simply purchasing the tickets with our credit card we still get the FF points on the flights (unlike when using FF miles for a ticket). The points on the Capital One card can also be used for hotels or any other travel expenses we incur. Another nice benefit is that our Capital One card doesn't charge foreign transaction fees. And they have been great to deal with whenever there have been any issues such as fraud alerts. I really have found no downside to the Capital One card and I have been able to get tickets (usually first class) for my family through Capital One points for each of our annual trips to the Caribbean. I probably sound like a commercial for Capital One, but I'm really just a happy customer. Everyone has to use the card that's best for them, but I would recommend that anyone looking for a new travel card to take a look at Capital One and run the numbers. Matt
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Re: Dividend Miles - Useless
[Re: snmhanson]
#103090
07/22/2016 09:50 AM
07/22/2016 09:50 AM
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Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 646 CT
Beevly
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 646
CT
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One more thing about Cap One - when you call them you'll be talking to a real person in less than a minute.
Last edited by Beevly; 07/22/2016 09:51 AM.
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Re: Dividend Miles - Useless
[Re: snmhanson]
#103091
07/22/2016 11:01 AM
07/22/2016 11:01 AM
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Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 1,562 Long Island, NY
RICKnGRACE_LI_NY
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 1,562
Long Island, NY
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Thank you. I couldn't have said it better myself. Well, I tried to but you still said it better.
Rick and Grace
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Re: Dividend Miles - Useless
[Re: SURICK]
#103093
07/22/2016 11:38 AM
07/22/2016 11:38 AM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 247 Toronto, Ontario
Kevin_B
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 247
Toronto, Ontario
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Well Surick, I am one of your neighbours (note spelling). When I was working, I belonged to Air Canada's Aeroplan, and had a CIBC Aerogold card. The accumulated points took my wife and me on several trips both far and near, in Economy and Business classes. Since retirement, our travels have been mainly to sunny destinations. I switched to the RBC World Elite MasterCard, and our trips to SXM on Westjet for the last few times have cost us nothing, except for taxes to fund the government. You don't have to wish to live somewhere else or for something you can't get; you just need to evaluate your needs and get creative. Just my tuppence (Cdn, of course!)
Kevin
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Re: Dividend Miles - Useless
[Re: SURICK]
#103094
07/22/2016 12:02 PM
07/22/2016 12:02 PM
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Joined: May 2010
Posts: 395 Pacific NW
snmhanson
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 395
Pacific NW
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I agree with you about miles Surick - they are difficult at best, even for us US citizens and that's why I switched strategies. I did a quick search and there are several credit cards available in Canada that offer travel benefits. RBC, MBNA, Capital one and American Express all came up as potential options. I didn't look at the specifics but it appears there are different programs that they offer. I think the key is to get a card that isn't affiliated with a specific airline, hotel chain, online booking agent, etc... Using something that simply gives you a travel credit will offer the most flexibility.
I'll add that I think one thing we can all agree on is that these are first world problems we are talking about. I sometimes feel a bit guilty even posting about these topics and always have to remember how fortunate I am to even be able to take a vacation, much less get free airline tickets.
Matt
Last edited by snmhanson; 07/22/2016 12:08 PM.
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Re: Dividend Miles - Useless
[Re: snmhanson]
#103095
07/22/2016 03:41 PM
07/22/2016 03:41 PM
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Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 646 CT
Beevly
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 646
CT
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snmhanson said:
I'll add that I think one thing we can all agree on is that these are first world problems we are talking about. I sometimes feel a bit guilty even posting about these topics and always have to remember how fortunate I am to even be able to take a vacation, much less get free airline tickets.
Matt Well put.
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