Originally Posted by
JPG3392
The participating restaurants are pretty much the same (perhaps even exactly the same, though I'm not sure of that). You can't link the same credit card to two or more programs. You can belong to all three programs (I do), but you need a different credit card for each one. I think that the same company administers the program for various airlines.
Even if you dine infrequently in participating restaurants, you would lose nothing by registering your card with AA and perhaps gaining a few 1,000 miles. Once you've registered, the crediting of miles is automatic, though it takes a few days for them to be reported and it's wise to check occasionally to make sure that credit has been recorded.
This is unfortunate. I have one credit card that I put all of my expenses on. I'll just keep it registered through AA Dining since that is going to be my primary account. And most of the bonus sign on miles require a $30-$50 meal within 30 days. With Macaroni Grill as my only main option, it's hard to do multiple times.
Originally Posted by MSPeconomist
Are you sure you'll have time between graduation from med school and starting an internship for a foreign vacation? And does spending money on a big trip then make sense, given that you'll probably have relocation expenses and settling in at the new place to do in addition to youur student loans?
Good question. Thankfully my school graduates at the end of May and residency begins in July (you know the old adage about not getting sick in July). And we're not going to be taking a super fancy shmancy trip. My mom and I both follow the idea that you can't really explore the country if you're at an all-inclusive type place. We'd like to stay at B&Bs in a few towns and keep our spending to food (we're such foodies!) and adventure (can we say zip-lining in the jungle!?!) Sure it will cost money but with the right planning, I think we can do it on a reasonable budget.
Originally Posted by lwildernorva
Good points, but the OP seems a reasonable, responsible sort who has stuck by her original desire to avoid taking out credit cards to get the miles in response to a number of suggestions. I think of this like a high school or college graduation trip--a reward well earned for the hard work required by medical school and a needed break before jumping into the even more intense work required in hospitals. All work and no play. . .
Nevertheless, OP, you should be sure you have all of the likely costs estimated before you go. Airfares, though high, may not equal the amount you'll pay once you're on the ground in Costa Rica for lodging, meals, and transportation. You can't predict everything, but you won't want to do all of this hard work in accumulating miles and points simply to realize that you'll still need to spend another $2000 to make your trip come true.
Fortunately, some of the information may be found by doing Google searches around the web as well as by looking at another forum here on FT dedicated to travel in Central America:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/central-america-479/.
Thank you, kind friend! I'd like to think I have a good head on my shoulders and think things over reasonably. I never did get a graduation trip after HS or undergrad. This may be my last time before the "real world" catches up to me!
Thank you for the reminder to plan things out and get a handle on other expenses. I look forward to reading up on the central america forum...perhaps a study break!
Also, thank you so so so much for all of your tips and advice. I'll have to put some thought into a hotel membership. Honestly, my dad has a pretty lucrative Choice hotels account because he books hotels for all of the speakers and exhibitors for multiple business conferences throughout the state. Usually he books my hotels with expiring points. But perhaps there is a conversion from Choice to an airline that we could utilize if he's feeling extra generous.
