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First Class Flights Cheaper than Economy with AMEX Business Platinum 35% Membership Rewards Points Rebate

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Good morning everyone, happy Friday!  A few weeks ago, I was looking at flights from San Francisco (SFO) to Orange County (SNA).  I found this 7:15pm Alaska Airlines flight that was $155 for Saver (Basic) Economy and $209 for First Class.  The flight is only 1.5 hours long and normally I do not fly First Class, but I remembered that the American Express Business Platinum Charge Card offers a 35% rebate when paying with American Express Membership Rewards Points on First Class flights.  Based on my calculations ($209 x 65% = $135.85), the First Class flight should be cheaper than the economy flight after the 35% rebate.  In this post, I will show you the steps to book the First Class flight using American Express Membership Rewards Points.

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3 Buy Miles/Points Promos Ending June 30: Alaska (30%), American (10%) & Virgin Atlantic (40%)

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Good afternoon everyone.  I was working on my Buy Miles & Points Page and found 3 offers ending in the next few days.  Always check the math to make sure that buying miles & points makes sense for you.  Do not buy miles & points speculatively unless you have a use in mind.  With that said, here are 3 buy miles/points promos ending on June 30.  First up, Alaska Airlines is offering a 30% discount, when you purchase at least 20,000 Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan Miles.  This offer expires on June 30.

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Warning! US Bank Radisson Rewards Credit Cards Charge 3% Foreign Transaction Fees (FOREX)

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Good morning everyone.  I guess today is the day that I bash US Bank and Radisson Rewards.  Earlier this morning, I wrote Problem Solved! Missing US Bank Radisson Rewards Credit Card Anniversary Points Posted.  In today’s post, I will tell you to be careful using your US Bank Radisson Rewards Credit Cards internationally and for international purchases because you will be hit with a 2-3% foreign transaction fee (FOREX).

The only reason I am using my (dusty) US Bank Radisson Rewards Credit Cards is because I received a targeted spending offer from US Bank / Radisson Rewards in early May.  Doctor of Credit has more details, but the bonus is simple: spend $500 in May, June, and July to earn 20,000 bonus Radisson Rewards points.  That was a pretty simple targeted spending promotion, so I brought both of my US Bank Radisson Rewards Credit Cards with me to Tahiti and used them a few times.  Unfortunately, I forgot that US Bank / Radisson Rewards charges foreign transaction fees on international purchases, so I racked up a few FOREX fees on my trip :(

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Problem Solved! Missing US Bank Radisson Rewards Credit Card Anniversary Points Posted

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Good morning everyone.  A few months ago, I wrote PSA: Make Sure to Convert / Upgrade to US Bank Radisson Rewards Premier Visa Signature Credit Card.  In that post, I shared my experience upgrading from the no annual fee to the US Bank Radisson Rewards Visa Signature Credit Card ($50 annual fee).  A few days before I wrote that post, I received this email from US Bank on March 28 informing me of the cardmember anniversary.  The last bullet point in the email mentioned the 25,000 anniversary points, which was my whole reason for upgrading.  Unfortunately, the 25,000 anniversary points never posted to my Radisson Rewards account, so I had to track them down.

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Hotel Review: Sheraton Grand Sydney Hyde Park

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Sheraton, the SPG-turned-Marriott hospitality brand, definitely isn’t the crown jewel of the Marriott fleet — especially in the U.S. In fact, most travelers would say that it doesn’t even come close to the likes of JW Marriott or even a W or a Westin. That may be the case, but there are a few Sheraton properties that definitely deserve a shoutout and one of them is located right in the heart of Sydney.  While the Sheraton Grand Sydney Hyde Park isn’t the world’s most impressive property, it just might be one of the most impressive Sheraton properties out there. Here’s my experience with this property, and why you should probably give it a chance next time you’re in Sydney.

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