Happy

[quote deleted]

If you can see the difference, you should have known that it would be a miracle to pull it off as travel expenses especially with Barclays being so strict on how the merchants coded themselves, that it would not even allow some foreign national rail companies ticket purchases as travel expenses because the damn foreign rail companies coded themselves being Freight, instead of being Passenger Trains...

Why wouldn't you do it for the team and report back so everyone could benefit?

jan_believes

I appreciate your post and that of cdancer20.

Am I to understand that I can take my current method of MS (buying Simon GCs) and improve on it by buying AMEX GCs through the Barclay's portal? And, I apologize but I don't understand the referenced calculation.

I understand it adds an extra step for me but I do benefit, right, with 4xs points, rather than only 2 points per card? I looked on the portal but only saw the mention of 2 points per shopping. What defines the BOOST? Please advise.

I wouldn't mind the extra step because of my low Barclays CL; I would buy more Simon GCs using other CCs, including a CB CC that returns 1.5%. Gas is cheaper on that side of town so the extra CB will about cover it.

Thank you.

Ctrix65513

Any problem using free shipping codes on the AMEX gift card site and the posting of RewardBoost miles?

jstilwe

I don't know if this is old news or not (scanned the thread, but may have missed it), but I successfully used the travel purchase eraser yesterday on a train ticket I purchased at Trenitalia online. It was coded as Other Travel, and when I used the eraser, it prompted me to select how many tickets were included in the order, then proceeded as usual to complete the reward purchase.

Superorb

We'll be traveling by train in Europe this summer, has anyone tried to redeem for high speed rail yet?

cdancer20

Currently the amount is 2x points. Sometimes, it's better to find other portals that offer more such as from time to time topcashback may offer 3% cashback. The BOOST part is IN ADDITION to the 2x that you already receive. So if it says 2x on BOOST, then you get 2x from BOOST and 2x for your Arrival purchase for a total of 4x (well 4.4x if you include the 10% after-bonus). So yes you can take the method you already do to another step (I believe. I don't know what Simon GCs are.) Purchase the Amex GC and then use that to purchase your Simon GC. The extra 2%+ cashback usually covers all purchases fees so you come out at a profit. Again I am speaking of buying normal Visa/MC GCs if that's what Simon GCs are as well. You should also read the Amex GC thread.

You should see the Amex GC specific thread.

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

bu08usc11

Yeah.

The method I use is buying the AMEX GC and then using those to buy OV/VGC.

So for calculations if using my Barclays Card:

2x for the Arrival + 2-4x for the Portal = 4-6x miles for using the Arrival Card depending on the promotion at that time (always 2x, sometimes 4x).

So let's do some math:

Currently you buy $3,000 in Simon VGC at 500/each and 2.95 fee. That's going to get you 6,000 miles (3k @ 2x) for $17.70 + MO fees (or free if you use BB). When you redeem the miles you get a 10% bonus. So you effectively get 6,600 miles (worth $66 travel) for $17.70. That's a 73% discount on travel.

If you buy a $3k Amex GC to use to buy the VGC it would break down as follows at the current 2x Boost. You would get 6,000 miles for the purchase of the AGC + 6,000 miles for the Boost. The AGC costs 3.95. Then you have to purchase the VGC for $17.70 and liquidate (again MO fees or free with BB). So you now have 12,000 miles which get the 10% bonus on redeem so functionally you have 13,200 that cost you $21.65. So you would be getting $132 in travel for $21.65. That's an 84% discount on travel.

When the portal is at 4x Boost your return is 6,000 miles + 12,000 miles for 18,000 miles + 10% bonus = 19,800 miles or $198 in travel for $21.65 or 90% discount on travel with Simon VGC.

So doing the AGC route saves you about 11% on travel costs over what you are already saving doing the VGC route.

Of course, if Simon won't let you use an AGC to buy their VGC then you are going to have to liquidate by buying the $4.95 VGC/OV and your costs will be almost identical to the just straight purchase of Simon VGC. The Simon VGC is easier and cleaner if you have unlimited access. Many of us do not though and therefore the AGC to buy OV/VGC at CVS is more lucrative than just buying OV/VGC straight away at CVS.

bu08usc11

That's the entire point. It's why it was a stretch. No one would guess that show tickets through a hotel would count, but they do. The whole point of asking, again, sweetheart, was because if it had been done and one of the brokers actually did work it would be nice to know and add it to the wiki.

Perhaps a purchase through a hotel in NY? A purchase of tickets through a site like Priceline when you also book a hotel/airfare? etc. [edit]

Happy

That is a good news because as recent as last month, the Trenitalia showed up as Freight per posts in this thread, as well as own experience with Chase CSP. So the Italians finally got their acts together. (OT, The site lost the email function to send tickets to the email address in file but now it put a box of "alternative email address" in the final screen - so the e-tickets are still sent out instead of stuck in your online account.)

Happy

Quite the contrary, I would fully expect tickets booked thru hotel and billed to your room would count - as it is just part of the bill you settle at check out - even it is the ONLY component of the bill if you stay on points for example.

Booked thru Priceline or Expedia or similar travel agencies probably would count. Booked thru a broker, it most likely would not count.

The key I believe, lies in the merchant's classification - if the merchant is classified as a provider of travel related products, chances are, anything billed thru such merchant would count. If a merchant is only a regular retailer, chances are, purchases thru that merchant would not count.

flyer4512

Has anyone tried buying Hilton Gift cards ? It costs $1.95 ( shipping) to see if it works.

I won't have a chance to use my ~ 15K remaining points before the AF so rather than just take ~$75 in cash I may give it a shot.

I don't see anything in the wiki about GC's being successful or denied but according to Barclay I should be good.

You can redeem your miles for travel and cash back statement credits, gift cards and merchandise. Travel statement credit redemptions start at 2,500 miles for $25, for any travel purchase within the last 90 days. A Travel purchase is defined as: Airlines, Travel Agencies & Tour Operators, Hotels, Motels & Resorts, Cruise Lines, Passenger Railways and Car Rental Agencies. Cash back statement credit redemptions start at 2,500 miles for $12.50. Gift card redemptions start at 5,000 miles for $25. Merchandise redemption values vary based on what you are redeeming for. To view all of your reward options or to redeem, please visit the Manage your rewards page.

drdrew450

you can downgrade to the no annual fee version, and use the points at your leisure

teddy25

Tokyo NRT bus coded as BUS LINES, CHARTERS, TOUR,
was able to call and use miles.

Tokyo Disneyland tickets bought at Sheraton tokyo bay comes up as SHERATON PARK TICKET C, coded as THEATRICAL PRODUCER.- Called, ticket created they are researching it

JR east (airport express) coded as RAILROADS-FREIGHT - Called, ticket created they are researching it

flyer4512

I don't like keeping cards open, I would grab the $75 cash before I did that.

That would also disqualify me for the NAF bonus at least for a while

Actually I just saw gift cards are redeemable at the same rate as cash so I may as well get a check instead

jhuck

Another option would be to redeem 8900 points to cover the annual fee, then just go on using the card and earning more points for another year. My annual fee's not due for some time, but I've read that you can do this.