TommyC80

I was just looking at CO.com today and noticed this:

The fee waiver for checked bags in conjunction with the Continental Airlines Debit MasterCard will not be valid for travel on or after April 1, 2011.

It doesn't look like the bag-fee waiver is going away for Credit Card holders at this time.

http://www.continental.com/web/en-US...ase/debit.aspx

thebyte

See this thread here:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/conti...ebit-card.html

Also, from what other people have posted, it's related to the possible banking change where the feds are going to limit the fees associated with debit cards. See this link today from the Wall Street Journal:
http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-...16-713515.html

CLG

April fool's?

Yoshi212

And an Annual Fee of $85?
I'm not paying that much currently.

sbm12

Nope. This is real and has been discussed a few times already:

• http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/conti...ighlight=debit
• http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/conti...ighlight=debit

Indeed. The current rates are $25/$65 for the 2:1 or 1:1 cards IIRC.

Yoshi212

That was my favorite perk, beyond the miles. Adios CO debit card.
I never check bags but it was nice knowing that for that $25 fee I wouldn't have to pay at the airport.

Suck it $mi$ek.....and Chase if it's their fault.

thaliajen

Just curious since the debit card was brought up: I was considering changing banks from Wells Fargo to Chase. As a Plat Elite, is there any benefit to my CO miles account for using a Chase "debit" card?

Yoshi212

Just miles for the purchases you normally wouldn't use a Credit card for but would a debit. like Coffee or Gas.

c1ue1ess88

Are they still giving 25k miles for signing up? And if so will the offer still be good in January? I'm abroad right now, but would like 25k miles, even if I have to cancel the debit card after a few months.

RNE

Yes. The bonus miles would be a benefit to you (assuming you qualify, i.e. don't already have a Chase checking account and have not had one "too recently"—nobody knows how recently is too recently.) See my response below. You're welcome.

The 25,000 bonus miles offer is still available (through December 31, and Chase have been routinely extending that deadline—though there's no guarantee that practice will continue.) My statuesque wife just opened an account. She had to deposit $100 in "new" money (so I printed it in our basement forgery shop).

Keep in mind that under current conditions (which can and have changed) you'll have to keep the account open for at least three months to avoid a $25 penalty and six months to avoid forfeiture of 10,000 of the 25,000 miles. This half-year sentence can be somewhat annoying because of the $6/month checking account maintenance fee. Avoiding it requires establishing direct deposit or five debit card transactions per month. (Remember to always select "credit" not "debit" when using your debit card.) The purchases don't have to be large, mind you. My wife avoids the fee by purchasing five <$1 Kindle books each month. She will push through less than $30 in six months. Good luck making any merchant fees on us, Chase, you sucker!

c1ue1ess88

sbm12

In the very near future (February or April, I believe) the Direct Deposit approach will require a $500+ deposit each month. This will likely affect folks who have historically used something like a paypal transfer which can show up as an ACH.

To fulfill my 5 monthly transactions I generally go for a metrocard. Something I was going to buy anyways and low cost.

Dash51

FWIW, PIN Debit purchases will let you avoid the $6 service charge. You just don't get any miles for them.

sbm12

Or make them as non-PIN purchases, earn awards and avoid the fees.