$50 Off Airbnb, Earn Virgin America Points on Stays, Pay for Stays with Membership Rewards
November 3, 2015
I will spend over 200 nights this year in Airbnb apartments--here's where I am sleeping in 2015--so three pieces of news about Airbnb caught my eye today.
Most (all?) AMEX cards are offering $50 off a $100 Airbnb purchase made by 12/31/15.
You can use AMEX Membership Rewards to pay for Airbnb stays.
You can earn Virgin America Elevate points for Airbnb stays.
Right now, if you sign up for Airbnb through my referral link, you’ll get $25 off your first stay, and I’ll get $25 off my next stay.
American Express Offers Free FICO Score
October 6, 2015
American Express is offering real FICO scores for free to cardholders. Get yours here. Barclaycard, Citi, and Discover already offer real FICO scores for free to cardholders, so by now everyone who opens rewards credit cards should have free access to their real FICO score.
Your FICO score is the main or one of the main factors in all decisions lenders make about whether to extend you credit, how much, and on what terms. Watch it. Guard it. Keep it high.
Small Business Saturday is Dead to Us
October 1, 2015
American Express christened the Saturday after Thanksgiving, and the day after Black Friday, as Small Business Saturday in 2010. Every year since then, American Express has offered $10 to $30 in statement credits per American Express card for shopping at small businesses on Small Business Saturday. There are probably people who have racked up over $1,000 in free statement credits from American Express in the last five years.
Well this gravy train is over, at least for this year, but I'd guess forever.
American Express,Virgin America,Status
Transfer Bonus and Virgin America Gold Status from AMEX
September 9, 2015
Transfer 80,000 American Express Membership Rewards to 40,000 Virgin America Elevate points by December 31, 2015 and receive top tier Virgin America Gold Status through February 2017.
In addition, if you complete the transfer by October 8, 2015, you will get 25% more Elevate points, so 80,000 Membership Rewards would equal Gold Status plus 50,000 Virgin America points.
Good Deal?
I value Membership Rewards at 2 cents each. I value Virgin America points at 2 cents each.
Alitalia,American Express,Delta,KLM,Aerolineas Argentinas,Korean,Air France,SkyTeam
The Coolest Thing You Can Do with 12.5k to 92.5k Delta SkyMiles
May 14, 2015
Updated 5/14/15 with current prices and routing rules. Screen shots show old prices.
Delta SkyMiles get a bad rap--very deservedly so--for the lack of Saver (Level 1) award availability that Delta releases, the fuel surcharges Delta charges on awards, the inability to add stopovers on awards, and the fact that Delta deleted its chart from the internet.
But it does not follow that Delta miles are worthless.
Costco to No Longer Accept AMEX, Only Visa
March 3, 2015
Costco currently only accepts American Express cards.
Soon, Costco will accept Visa cards.
Starting April 1, 2016 (in 13 months), Costco will no longer accept American Express.
This is primarily of interest to me because many people who fill out my Free Credit Card Consultation Form let me know that they need an AMEX because they do a lot of their shopping at Costco.
100,000 Point American Express Platinum Offer and Other Targeted Offers from Cardmatch
January 8, 2015
Some folks who type their information into the Card Match tool are getting offers for the:
American Express Platinum with 100,000 bonus Membership Rewards after spending $3,000 in the first three months
American Express Premier Rewards Gold with 50,000 bonus Membership Rewards after spending $1,000 in the first three months
Amex Everyday Preferred Credit Card with 30,000 bonus Membership Rewards after spending $2,000 in the first three months.
Hat Tip The Points Guy and View from the Wing
Head to the Card Match tool, and you'll find out if you're matched in just a
Register Now for American Express Small Business Saturday
November 18, 2014
American Express Small Business Saturday is back the Saturday after Thanksgiving–November 29, 2014. You can register your American Express cards now.
This year, you can get up to three $10 statement credits per American Express card.
$10 Credit for New and Existing Uber Users
October 8, 2014
Uber is my favorite way to get around. I no longer call or flag down taxis. On a recent trip to San Francisco and Los Angeles, I didn’t rent a car, using Uber to get around instead.
Uber is the world’s best taxi service because it has clean, courteous drivers and the easiest ride-ordering app imaginable. Tap, tap, tap, and a car whose progress you can track towards you is on its way.
American Express is currently running a promotion with Uber during which new and existing Uber customers can get a $10 American Express statement credit.
I’m Missing Out on $150 This Small Business Saturday
September 27, 2014
American Express Small Business Saturday is back the Saturday after Thanksgiving--November 29, 2014.
This year, you can get up to three $10 statement credits per American Express card. Since I have five American Express cards, I could get $150 in statement credits, but I'll be out of the country. Don't miss out on your free $150.
When can you register for Small Business Saturday?
How do the statement credits work?
What counts as a small business?
Register
Registration for Small Business Saturday opens on November 16.