Vanilla Reloads: Gone the way of the dinosaur
Man, the news of CVS changing their policy to cash-only for Vanilla Reloads shook my little points manufacturing world upside down. I loved it so much because I essentially turned CVS into my bank; loading Vanilla Reload cards was my deposit transaction. Quite literally, because that’s how I’ve been paying rent up until this month.
So now what?
This year is shaping up to be very Europe-y. So far, I have Paris in June (on British Airways), Germany in Oktober (on Lufthansa), and now, Venice sandwiched in between the two in August (on Swiss).
I got in on the fare war that Star Alliance carriers were having at Delta hubs, and was able to book the new business class on Swiss round-trip for a hair under $1,500. Not nothing, but a good deal since it was only $40 more than regular ol’ economy. Plus, it’s my birthday trip: I’ll be turning 30 in Italy this year!
I’m glad I booked when I did because now, fares are around $5,000 for the same itinerary.
I’d much rather pay less than a third of that!
Buying this ticket was NOT the most financially responsible thing I’ve ever done, but whatever. I was able to click through the FIA/Fidelity portal to get 3 points a dollar back + points for using a mileage-earning credit card, so around $75 back right off the bat. It will also give me new things to explore and write about (and I’m still not caught up with everything).
Last year was all about the Southern Hemisphere, with Easter Island, Santiago, Australia, Fiji, and New Zealand. This year is looking to be about Western Europe. So funny how these themes seem to crop up each year.
Did anyone else get on this deal? I’d love to hear about all the itineraries people were able to construct!
Activation notification via email from American Express
I got my new Amex EveryDay Preferred card the other day. Instead of being really excited about, like usual, I was sorta like, “Hrmph.” My credit limit was not… where I wanted it to be. I wasn’t satisfied by how low it was. Not to worry, I can just switch around lines of credit, right?
I have two consumer lines of credit with Amex that are not charge cards: the Delta Skymiles Platinum card and now, the EveryDay Preferred card.
On the Delta card, let’s say I have a $10,000 credit limit, and on the EveryDay, let’s say they gave me $2,000. I have $12,000 in total to switch around however I want, in theory. $6,000 for each, for example. No problem, I thought, I’ll give Amex a call. Read More
This lounge visit was directly before my first-ever Qantas flight in economy AKL-SYD. I booked the ticket with 10,000 Avios points. After returning the car to Avis, we headed to check-in, fully expecting to go afterward to the Emperor Lounge thanks to my Priority Pass Select card via Amex. I’d get in for free but my “mate” would have to pay $27. I figure $27 bucks for a few drinks, free wifi, and maybe some lunch-type items would be alright.
However, I asked the agent checking us in if I could add my AAdvantage number to the ticket instead of British Airways number (since I have some status with American but nothing with British Airways). I figured if he saw that I was American Platinum/Oneworld Sapphire that it might do something. Sure enough, when he handed me the boarding pass and said, “And the Qantas lounge is right past security…”
Hmmm. “Can I get into the Qantas lounge?” Since I was Oneworld Sapphire, that was enough to grant entry. Maybe others know that, but I sure didn’t. It saved me from having to pay for access to the Emperor Lounge. Score! Read More
See you soon, Paris!
I am over the moon right now because I just booked an epic trip to Paris in June. I have booked complex, multi-stop and RTW itineraries before, but even still, was amazed at how easily and quickly this trip came together.
Leaving from EWR.
Is that so?
Well, this would certainly be a game changer.
Per this report from PM&M and this post from @Ringsthecaddy on Twitter, CVS stores will stop accepting credit cards for Vanilla Reloads starting TOMORROW (3/31). Does that mean we can get in one last day of reloading? Or is it essentially “effective immediately?”
Vanilla Reloads have become a huge staple in my points earning strategy, to the point where I’ve relied on it to pay monthly bills like rent and student loans (and I know this is true for many others out there). To have it taken away with no warning would be tough. I can revert back to bill pay through my bank, but earn no points in doing it that way.
If this is true about CVS, they’ve changed their policy overnight with no warning – and we only know about it because of a leaked memo. I can’t say I blame them, but I wonder what the catalyst was? Transaction fees? Too many fraud attempts from criminals? Too many points addicts getting their fix at CVS for $4 a pop?
The game will go on no matter what. Here’s a post from Points Chaser about how to cope. We’ll all find out soon enough how this shakes out.
Mark this one as developing. Don’t be sad because it’s over; smile because it happened… right?
The Dome Home B&B in Healy, AK
Denali National Park is a lot of things. It’s huge, beautiful, natural, wild, raw, breathtaking – and very far from most anything. There are no hotel chains here, so staying at the Dome Home Bed & Breakfast didn’t earn me any stay credits with any points program – but it did earn me some American miles. How? Sites like Pointshound and Rocketmiles are GREAT for earning points in far-flung places – sign up if you haven’t already. There are some gems on there for boutique hotel and B&B bookings like this one that will still earn you miles! I always checked Rocketmiles for every booking I make, just to see what’s available. And everyone should absolutely see Alaska someday, points or no. It is gorgeous!
I settled on the Dome Home after seeing that I could still earn miles for booking at that it was located near to Denali in Healy, Alaska – only a 30-minute drive from the northern entrance to the park. They also had a brewery I wanted to visit, and it was a 15-minute drive from a tourist oasis where there were restaurants, shops, grocery stores, and gas stations in case we needed anything “for the road.”
I had the good fortune to visit Guadalajara, Mexico for a night as part of my trip from LAX-GDL then GDL-ATL. (Click to read my experience in Aeromexico’s economy class.)
I wasn’t expecting many (or any) amenities at GDL, but pulled up my Priority Pass app on my phone just for kicks. There is one Priority Pass lounge in Terminal 1, and I was able to go for free thanks to my American Express Platinum card – Priority Pass Select membership comes with the card.
I headed over to the lounge not expecting much, but was very pleasantly surprised (the best kind of surprise?).
Off to Atlanta on Delta!
Grand Hyatt Manchester entrance
I was in San Diego for some business and spent a few nights at the Grand Hyatt Manchester, near downtown and the Gaslamp District. It was my first time at this Hyatt, and I was quite looking forward to it.
This review also feels kind of gratuitous (like the review of the Centurion Lounge @ DFW) because Lucky has also reviewed the same property. BUT – I have breakfast pictures! Take that!
Outside New York-New York in Las Vegas
I took a cab here from LAS, which was super cheap – only about $15. I read a tip somewhere to the cab driver to “avoid the tunnel,” whatever that means, so I said that and about 10 minutes later arrived at my introduction to the most artificial place in the world: Las Vegas.
I went to Las Vegas for the weekend to hang out with a friend from high school. It had been a couple of years, and a visit was overdue. Also, Ms. Britney Spears announced a residency at Planet Hollywood, so that was reason enough for us. Add to that Shania Twain at Caesar’s Palace, and you have a recipe for the gayest weekend ever.
Gratuitous? Like this lounge needs another review:
They all have pictures, describe the space, tell you where it is, what services are offered, the food selections, access requirements, and so on. And they all echo the same sentiment: this is quite possibly the best lounge in the United States. Even Yelp says so – it has 42 reviews, ALL of which are 5 stars. WOW.
(My original pics are below but look just like everyone else’s.)
Update 2/1/15: I have been BANNED from the Barclaycard Travel Community.
I don’t know why, but this is what I see when I log in now:
So if anyone has given me kudos, but I haven’t reciprocated, this is why. Thank you guys for the support, but it looks like I’m out of this one, unfortunately. :/
This post is part personal ad and part information.
Barclays Bank has been doing some really cool things lately, especially with their new Barclaycard Arrival (the naming of this card is so weird). They’ve created a revolutionary card with instant posting of points, instant redemptions, a great portal, free FICO score, and a slew of other great benefits. Anything a bank can do to keep a consumer engaged with their product is a really good thing. Now, they’ve made a community. Read More
Hello and welcome to Out and Out! My name is Harlan – I’m a points and miles enthusiast who loves to travel. I am interested in personal finance, the power of positive thinking, and the extraordinary journeys that make life worth living.