xinfamousxi

I know I made two other threads, but figured with all the help I got I would tell you guys my full situation.

I need to book a trip with Southwest for a trip in June. The Trip comes out to 102,000 points. I currently have zero points, but I just recently got a Chase Saphire preferred card (just arrived) and Friday I was approved for Southwest Premier.

I need $4000 spend on Chase and $2000 on Premier. I can make the $4000 spend, but need some Ideas on the $2000 spend. I was thinking about buying Amex gift cards to use on the trip but that would just be $1000. Does the Amex Serve method still work?

I know that the points are changing on April 17th, so I'm hoping to get the points before that. Assuming I can make the spend on both cards by March 15th I was thinking about calling Chase and having me cycle closed sooner so I can get the points. (i know its no guarntee but its worth a shot)

Is anything I am doing flawed? Can I get some ideas please?

indelible

redbird

xinfamousxi

?

jn in ca

"Redbird" is what the kids who are too cool for school call the new Target American Express Card. Walmart calls theirs "Bluebird" so you can see how someone came up with Redbird.

I won't bother to go into the differences between the existing "white" Target American Express card and the new "redbird" Target American Express card, but don't confuse the two.

A note to the OP: If I was you, and I'm not, I'd flush that CSP and instead get the business version of the Southwest Visa, (plus one for your wife, if you have one of those).

A note to the mods: why is this in the SWA topic? How about moving it to manufactured spending, since that is obviously what the OP is trying to do? This really isn't a Southwest topic. SWA is simply the poor sap who is going to be on the receiving end of the ms.

xinfamousxi

Thanks for the clarification and I just found the section this should have went. The RedCard is not available in Nebraska. I need to find a new method to get this done. Thanks for the advice on the business card.I will send a message to a mod to have this removed.

Peoriaman1

Might be cheaper to just, you know, buy the tickets outright?

Just sayin'.

trouble747

Why? If one is simply looking for WN points, the CSP earns 2 points in many situations (travel & restaurants) where the southwest cards only earn 1.

indelible

because of the 50k bonus..2 x 50k bonus + $2k spend each = 104k points. Spend 6k more and he gets CP so one ticket will be free. so he'll actually need less than 102k.

Did you get a points bonus for the CSP card?

rove312

Plus, I don't think it can be known if the points cost will still be 102K when he has the points.

indelible

true, that's why he's trying to get the tickets before the de/re-valuation

Hot Pocket

Have honestly never understood why the community embraces people who have ZERO loyalty (e.g., the self-professed "I currently have ZERO points")

I'm all for maximizing the value of programs in which one is an active participant, but IMHO threads like this are a bridge too far.

Buckeye 777

Yes, Redbird is not in every city, but another alternative is American Express for Target reloadable card. Not every target has it but it is nationwide. I found one after searching in 3 targets. This one comes with a $3 load fee per $1,000 and you can withdraw at ATM, it is worth it if you find an ATM with no fees. The card itself charges $3 each ATM withdrawal, max $400. Not too bad for trying to MS.

more information here on flyertalk:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/manuf...-cities-2.html


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jn in ca

Yup, that was exactly my thinking. If the problem is making enough spending to get the sign up bonus, and that appears to be what the OP is asking about, then making the spending on multiple Chase/SWA visas is going to be easier than CSP.

Meeting the sign up spending on multiple cards at once is going to be tough for a lot of people. It would be for me, but I don't do apporamas.

I agree. This really is a Chase credit card question, not a Southwest question. That is why I suggested this should go in the MS topic. That is full of people who try to "bump and run" through the loyalty programs.

darthbimmer

Indeed. THIS behavior contributes to why our points are getting devalued.

Hot Pocket

Agreed, and I hate to pile on (but I'm going to anyway...)

I fly WN twice each week and also need 4 tickets to California later this spring, and quite frankly it bugs me that I have to compete with card churners who NEVER fly WN.

To me there is gaming the system, and then there is raping and pillaging the system and not caring whether the opportunities ever come back.

No (real) offense to the OP, but if you are Nebraska based, maybe take a few flights out of OMA and learn the game a little bit, rather than focusing on the endgame right away...