2013 App-O-Rama (AOR) and Churn Advice Archive
#2251
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Live in Columbia, MO. Fly COU, STL, or MCI.
Posts: 95
Another idea for lodging:
Fairmont credit cards from Chase give you two free nights anywhere. If you and your S/O each get a card, that's 4 nights at Fairmont Kea Lani in Maui. They also give you certs for free breakfast.
Fairmont credit cards from Chase give you two free nights anywhere. If you and your S/O each get a card, that's 4 nights at Fairmont Kea Lani in Maui. They also give you certs for free breakfast.
#2252
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 1,036
cool, i'll have to check UR mall ! oh i didn't even think car rental yet !! i guess i need to add that to the list of expenses and plan for it. i guess the international places i visited i didn't dare to drive but i guess maybe its feasible in Hawaii this time around.
Trust me. I am going to Hawaii tomorrow. Both Maui and Oahu. The UR Mall doesn't save you anything compared to the prices on that website above. The rates are at least 50-75% off any other website that I found. You don't need a CC to reserve if you happen to find something cheaper (which you won't), but the prices may fall on that website as time goes on and you can just rebook.
#2253
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 771
i would love for both of us to get both hyatt and fairmont cards that'll be like enough for what we need but i am maxed ( i think with chase) and she doesn't have enough history...
which is a better property andaz Maui ( hayatt) or the Fairmont Kea Lani?
they both seem to be good but if i may go for one which one (in your opinion) is good for two.
#2254
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 771
that leaves me with 5 other nights i need to take care off. what other options do i have ? i have 20k spg and i was thinking of having my wife sign up with an SPG card to get 30k points there that we can combine so i MAY get 60k points good for 3 nights at the Sheraton. SPG is increasing the category for the sheraton Maui which sucks but i don't think i can book the nights with the low spg points w/o having all the points on hand.
so far i have Hyatt/Fairmont for 2 nights
SPG? business card or wife's personal for a total of 60lk so ONE spg card could be in play. that would give us 3 possible nights . is 60k worth the 3 nights? each night is aprox 400 dollars. that would give me .02 cents per point. i think thats decent value.
same with hyatt...require 20k per night and i currently have 30k UR points that i can transfer to hyatt ...i can get additional 10k UR points for total of two additional hyatt nights.
chase card = 1
spg card = 1
using 40k additional UR
using 20k additional SPG points.
buying transferring 40 UR that would give me at least 4 nights at hyatt and possible 5th free? ( have to check into that). then use SPG points for 3 nights which give me 7 nights in Maui at two good hotels.
thoughts anyone? should i go for Hilton points ? this way i can use what i currently have and sign up with two cards ( one with chase and one with spg amex)
#2255
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Austin TX
Posts: 276
There is a dedicated Hilton and Hyatt forum where you might get more help and you can read resort reviews.
For me Hawaii is all about the view, but I'm spoiled. Once you get rooms squared away look into activities. I think it is the TYP from Citi someone wrote about using to pay for activities. Dig around MR site too. Maybe not the best value redemption but I think any redemption that allows you to do something you otherwise could not do is a good value.
There are forums like this on the topic of credit and credit scores. The people that post are very knowledgable. There are a few things you might be able to do to increase your wife's credit score and show a longer history.
If you have a card with a long history that has always been paid on time and you add her as an authorized user it will show on her credit report and it may show up with the same age of account as you have. This is called piggybacking. I did this for my kids with a 20 year old Chase card and it did improve their scores and allow them to get their own cards.
http://ficoforums.myfico.com/
There are other factors that you can effect. Credit mix is easy and has a fairly large impact. Installment loans are important, but harder to just go out and get, a store credit card is easy. Many will give anyone with an ID an account with a really low limit. Try Old Navy, or Target. These cards have no annual fee so open one and keep it forever to build up average age of accounts. Charge on it once a year to keep it open. It will result in an inquirery/hard pull but in the long run is worth while. Read the ficoforums!
For me Hawaii is all about the view, but I'm spoiled. Once you get rooms squared away look into activities. I think it is the TYP from Citi someone wrote about using to pay for activities. Dig around MR site too. Maybe not the best value redemption but I think any redemption that allows you to do something you otherwise could not do is a good value.
There are forums like this on the topic of credit and credit scores. The people that post are very knowledgable. There are a few things you might be able to do to increase your wife's credit score and show a longer history.
If you have a card with a long history that has always been paid on time and you add her as an authorized user it will show on her credit report and it may show up with the same age of account as you have. This is called piggybacking. I did this for my kids with a 20 year old Chase card and it did improve their scores and allow them to get their own cards.
http://ficoforums.myfico.com/
There are other factors that you can effect. Credit mix is easy and has a fairly large impact. Installment loans are important, but harder to just go out and get, a store credit card is easy. Many will give anyone with an ID an account with a really low limit. Try Old Navy, or Target. These cards have no annual fee so open one and keep it forever to build up average age of accounts. Charge on it once a year to keep it open. It will result in an inquirery/hard pull but in the long run is worth while. Read the ficoforums!
#2256
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: DCA/IAD
Programs: HH Gold-IHG Plat
Posts: 390
For hotel stays. I did 50k UR to hyatt for 2 nights at a andaz Maui. Then I am doing 200k hilton for 5 nights in HNL at the HHV. You could get away at doing 160k at hilton Waikiki instead of the Hawaiian village. This was done with citi hilton x2 plus buying VR at cvs for x3 per $.
#2257
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 771
There is a dedicated Hilton and Hyatt forum where you might get more help and you can read resort reviews.
For me Hawaii is all about the view, but I'm spoiled. Once you get rooms squared away look into activities. I think it is the TYP from Citi someone wrote about using to pay for activities. Dig around MR site too. Maybe not the best value redemption but I think any redemption that allows you to do something you otherwise could not do is a good value.
There are forums like this on the topic of credit and credit scores. The people that post are very knowledgable. There are a few things you might be able to do to increase your wife's credit score and show a longer history.
If you have a card with a long history that has always been paid on time and you add her as an authorized user it will show on her credit report and it may show up with the same age of account as you have. This is called piggybacking. I did this for my kids with a 20 year old Chase card and it did improve their scores and allow them to get their own cards.
http://ficoforums.myfico.com/
There are other factors that you can effect. Credit mix is easy and has a fairly large impact. Installment loans are important, but harder to just go out and get, a store credit card is easy. Many will give anyone with an ID an account with a really low limit. Try Old Navy, or Target. These cards have no annual fee so open one and keep it forever to build up average age of accounts. Charge on it once a year to keep it open. It will result in an inquirery/hard pull but in the long run is worth while. Read the ficoforums!
For me Hawaii is all about the view, but I'm spoiled. Once you get rooms squared away look into activities. I think it is the TYP from Citi someone wrote about using to pay for activities. Dig around MR site too. Maybe not the best value redemption but I think any redemption that allows you to do something you otherwise could not do is a good value.
There are forums like this on the topic of credit and credit scores. The people that post are very knowledgable. There are a few things you might be able to do to increase your wife's credit score and show a longer history.
If you have a card with a long history that has always been paid on time and you add her as an authorized user it will show on her credit report and it may show up with the same age of account as you have. This is called piggybacking. I did this for my kids with a 20 year old Chase card and it did improve their scores and allow them to get their own cards.
http://ficoforums.myfico.com/
There are other factors that you can effect. Credit mix is easy and has a fairly large impact. Installment loans are important, but harder to just go out and get, a store credit card is easy. Many will give anyone with an ID an account with a really low limit. Try Old Navy, or Target. These cards have no annual fee so open one and keep it forever to build up average age of accounts. Charge on it once a year to keep it open. It will result in an inquirery/hard pull but in the long run is worth while. Read the ficoforums!
she did apply for discover IT and has a BOA credit card as a start. I also refinanced my car and added her on the loan. i could have her apply for a store card as well but rather her apply for a real card.
#2258
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 771
For hotel stays. I did 50k UR to hyatt for 2 nights at a andaz Maui. Then I am doing 200k hilton for 5 nights in HNL at the HHV. You could get away at doing 160k at hilton Waikiki instead of the Hawaiian village. This was done with citi hilton x2 plus buying VR at cvs for x3 per $.
so you signed up for two citi hilton cards?
#2259
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 771
so for a 7 night stay here's what i currently thinking.
Citi HH reserve , 2 free weekend nights
Amex no annual 50k HH card - cash and points 300 plus 38k HH to complete HH three nights.
chase Hyatt card - 2 night stay along with 50k UR points.
that would give me 7 nights with a total cost of $200...I could have my wife do an amex HH 50k, transfer to my account and get an additional night for HH.
so 3 cards to accomplish this with 50k UR points ( currently have 30k but can manage 20k more in 2.5 months).
Citi HH reserve , 2 free weekend nights
Amex no annual 50k HH card - cash and points 300 plus 38k HH to complete HH three nights.
chase Hyatt card - 2 night stay along with 50k UR points.
that would give me 7 nights with a total cost of $200...I could have my wife do an amex HH 50k, transfer to my account and get an additional night for HH.
so 3 cards to accomplish this with 50k UR points ( currently have 30k but can manage 20k more in 2.5 months).
#2260
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: DCA/IAD
Programs: HH Gold-IHG Plat
Posts: 390
the only hotels in Maui that i can see is the Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort and Ho olei at Grand Wailea. The grand Wailea is only available for my days in July...those are 95000 per night or 200 dollars plus 38000 points. I could do the cash and points , 200 is acceptable for us to pay for 3 nights = 600. the 4 other nights i could do with two cert from hyatt card and UR points. i guess i need to hit citi cards .
so you signed up for two citi hilton cards?
so you signed up for two citi hilton cards?
#2261
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 113
New Years in Maui
Im on board with this for New Years. Set up 2 one way flights on Hawaiin from NYC using wifes points on Hawaiian Barclay. 40K points gets me back to DCA on Alaska (got the 50k sign up bonus). 3 nights at SPG Westin Maui (must book b4 March 5 at 12,000 a night instead of 20,000). 4 free nights at Fairmont using sign up bonuses for my wife and I, and 2 free nights using rewards from Hyatt card. My cost $20 plus resort fees ($250). do it!
#2264
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 771
thanks !