Tag Archives: Hyatt Hotels

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Requesting New Chase EMV Cards: Freedom, United MileagePlus, and Southwest Airlines Plus & Premier

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(Hat Tip to Doctor of Credit’s post)

Good evening everyone, there is no doubt in my mind that I love Chase and Chase loves me.  I have quite a few credit cards (both personal and business) with Chase.  I always want the latest card design (remember the new Citi American Airlines Executive Credit Card? or the new Chase Ink Bold/Plus Business Cards?) and am a big fan of EMV (aka Chip and Signature) credit cards.  After reading Will’s recent post about the Chase United Airlines MileagePlus Credit Card adding EMV chips to their card, I decided to call Chase.

Chase United Airlines MileagePlus Credit Card

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New Hyatt Diamond Status Perks: Guest of Honor, United Club Passes, and Premium WiFi

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(Hat Tip to my Hyatt insider)

Good morning everyone, Hyatt has announced 3 new perks for Diamond elite members, effective on March 1.  To become a Hyatt Diamond elite member, you must complete 25 stays or 50 nights each calendar year.  Here are the new perks:

  • Guest of Honor – Beginning March 1, members can extend their Diamond in-hotel benefits such as Regency Club or Grand Club access, free breakfast and late check out to family or friends when they transfer a free night stay using Hyatt Gold Passport points. By extending Diamond privileges to members’ friends or family on an award stay, Hyatt is providing the warmest possible welcome and an extraordinary on-property experience.

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Park Hyatt Sanya Sunny Bay Resort (Cat 5) and Hyatt City of Dreams Manila (Cat 2)

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This week, Hyatt added 2 new properties to the Hyatt family: Park Hyatt Sanya Sunny Bay Resort (category 5 in Hainan, China) and Hyatt City of Dreams Manila (category 2 in Manila, Philippines).  According to the press release, the Park Hyatt Sanya is located on Hainan Island, “China’s southernmost province widely known as ‘the Hawaii of China.’  The hotel marks the fifth Park Hyatt hotel in China, as well as the 35th Park Hyatt hotel in the world.”  The Park Hyatt Sanya looks beautiful and has a gorgeous beach-front view.  Click here to view the home page.

Park Hyatt Sanya Home Page

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Random News Part 2: Ritz-Carlton Statement Credits, Lounge Club Card, Freedom 5% at Grocery Stores, and a Hyatt Retention Bonus

Chase Ritz-Carlton Rewards Credit Card

Random News Part 2: Ritz-Carlton Statement Credits, Lounge Club Card, Freedom 5% at Grocery Stores, and a Hyatt Retention Bonus

Good afternoon everyone, here is part 2 of Random News for today (part 1 from earlier today).  My Chase Ritz-Carlton Credit Card statement closed on January 4, so I have some information regarding annual fees and statement credits.  There has been a lot of confusion regarding “reimbursable travel expenses” and this lengthy 90+ page FlyerTalk thread has all the details.  Basically, if you buy airline gift cards, Chase knows about it now.

The $395 annual fee posted during the first billing period.  I was able to purchase 2 $150 Southwest Airlines eGift Cards and get both purchases reimbursed by Chase.  One reimbursement is posted as a courtesy credit and the second is posted as a statement credit.  As far as I know, Chase will no longer reimburse any Southwest Airlines Gift Cards or eGift Cards.  The transactions show up online as “SOUTHWES 5260***” and Chase is able to see the purchase as a gift card.  I don’t know why I was able to get both charges reimbursed, it just depends which representative you get.  Definitely YMMV situation.

Chase Ritz-Carlton SWA eGC Statement Credits

I found it interesting that both Southwest Airlines gift cards earned 2x for airfare and also counted toward my $3,000 minimum spend.  I am about $1,000 short of completing my minimum spend.

Chase Ritz-Carlton Statement Credits

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Dallas Centurion Lounge and FTU Advanced in Washington, DC this Weekend

AMEX Centurion Lounge

Dallas Centurion Lounge and FTU Advanced in Washington, DC this Weekend

This weekend is FTU Advanced in Washington, DC.  FTU stands for Frequent Traveler University and the Advanced means that we will cover more advanced miles and points topics than a basic event.  And for good measure, the DC stands of District of Columbia.  Now that that is all cleared up, I wanted to see if anyone else was going to FTU Advanced this weekend.  Here are this weekend’s speakers:

  • Ben Mutzabaugh, USA TODAY Travel
  • Gary Leff, View from the Wing
  • Ben Schlappig, One Mile at a Time
  • Greg Davis-Kean, Frequent Miler
  • Stefan Krasowski, Rapid Travel Chai
  • Matthew Klint, Live and Let’s Fly
  • Scott Mackenzie, Travel Codex
  • Daraius Dubash, Million Mile Secrets
  • Summer Hull, Mommy Points
  • Ed Pizzarello, Pizza in Motion
  • Chris Guillebeau, The Art of Non-Conformity
  • Matthew Kepnes, Nomadic Matt
  • Randy Petersen, Godfather of Frequent Flyer Miles and founder of online communities Milepoint & Flyertalk

If you read my blog, I’m sure you will recognize most of the other Boarding Area bloggers who will be speaking.  One speaker you might not be as familiar with is Chris Guillebeau; he has been to every country in the world and wrote a book called the $100 Start Up, which was the motivating factor for me to start my blog.  It will be great to hear Chris speak again.  More important that listening to the presentations, I really enjoy interacting with the other attendees.  Everyone has so much travel knowledge that you will definitely learn something new from everyone you speak to.  Learn more about FTU Advanced here.

I am staying at the host hotel, Hyatt Regency Crystal City, on Friday and Saturday night, and then moving down the street to the Sheraton Pentagon City Hotel for Sunday night.  I will be wearing my famous / infamous Travel with Grant t-shirt all weekend, so if you see me, come say hello.  For the record, I have several TWG shirts, so I will not be wearing the same shirt the entire weekend, in case you were thinking that.   Continue reading →