Tag Archives: Radisson Rewards

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My Outrageous 2017 Travel Predictions + Reader Ideas Needed

Good morning everyone, I’m sorry for the delay, but I have been diligently thinking about my 2017 travel predictions.  I am going to channel my inner Nostradamus to come up with some outrageous travel predictions for 2017.  Doctor of Credit has a good resource for all other 2017 travel predictions.

Disclaimer: I have made some travel predictions in previous years and I am more often wrong than right, but that losing streak has not dampered my prediction spirit.  To see how bad I am at making predictions, please read A Look Back at my 2016 Predictions (Airlines, Hotels, Credit Cards & MS).  I consider myself an optimistic pessimist (I prepare for the worst, but hope for the best), so these travel predictions will sound depressing.

Airlines

  • Southwest seems bent on making the Companion Pass very difficult to get unless you fly Southwest every week.  I believe credit card signup bonuses will no longer count toward the Companion Pass and Southwest might kill the whole concept of the Companion Pass entirely or switch to a certificate program similar to the Alaska Airlines companion fare or Virgin America companion ticket.
  • Other airline credit cards will adopt the Alaska Airlines companion fare (you pay full price and your companion pays up to $120) or the Virgin America companion ticket (you pay full price and your companion pays full price minus $150).

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A Travel Hacker Wish List for Santa (Reader Ideas Needed)

Good afternoon everyone, here is the filler post of the weekend. Enjoy!

Usually this time of year, we look back at the predictions we made at the end of 2015 or early 2016 and see how many things we got right and how many things we got wrong. It is usually a little depressing to look back and see how much has changed (for the worse) over the last 12 months. I wanted to put a positive spin on the predictions this year and turn it into a Christmas wish list for Santa. If Santa had the power to make travel hacker lives better, what would you wish for?

Grant’s wish list (in no particular order):

  • I want Chase to create a “no 5/24 rule day” so everyone can be approved for the Chase credit card they really want (I have my eye on the Chase Sapphire Reserve Credit Card).
  • I want the JPMorgan Chase Ritz Carlton Credit Card to change the $300 travel credit (incidentals only) to match the Chase Sapphire Reserve Credit Card $300 travel credit (paid airfare and hotels).

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Targeted US Bank Club Carlson Personal & Business Credit Card Offers

Good morning everyone!  Yesterday, I received targeted offers from US Bank for my personal and business Club Carlson credit cards.  The offers are not amazing (for me, at least), but you may have better offers, so check your mail box.  The first offer is for my US Bank Club Carlson Personal Credit Card.  I can earn up to 2,000 bonus Club Carlson points for spending $2,000 at retail stores and restaurants from November 1 through December 31.

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30,000 Club Carlson Points Giveaway & 10% Off Members Only Rate Exclusive (MORE) #ClubCarlson

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Update on 10/14/16 at 11am PT: Sorry for the delay, I just picked the winner of the 30,000 Club Carlson points – congrats to twa44.  I also selected 8 runner ups and sent them each a $10 Amazon eGift Card – congrats to Adam, Brant, Dimi, Joe-SC1, Kelly s, Luke US, Nick and Sharon.  Thank you everyone who participated and have a great day.

Good morning everyone, happy TGI Friday!  Today’s post is sponsored by Club Carlson and I am going to introduce you to the MORE program: Members Only Rate Exclusive.  If you are a Club Carlson members and you book directly through Club Carlson’s website, you can now save up to 10% off your Club Carlson hotel reservation at any Club Carlson property worldwide (Radisson Blu, Radisson, Radisson RED, Park Plaza, Park Inn by Radisson and Country Inns & Suites By Carlson).  If you are not a Club Carlson member, you can join today for free.

As a Club Carlson member, you can enjoy Members Only Rate Exclusive benefits, such as:

  • 20 points per U.S. dollar spent on rooms, food and beverages purchases
  • Award Nights starting at 9,000 points with no blackout dates
  • Food and beverage discounts
  • Elite status after just 10 Eligible Stays

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Retention Offers for Bank of America Alaska Airlines and US Bank Club Carlson Business Credit Cards

Good afternoon everyone, I hope your Labor Day Weekend is going well.  I have 2 data points to share regarding retention offers on my Bank of America Alaska Airlines Visa Signature Credit Card and US Bank Club Carlson Business Credit Card.  When you pay the $75 annual fee on the Bank of America Alaska Airlines Visa Signature Credit Card every year, you get a $99 Alaska Airlines companion pass that is good for a future Alaska Airlines flight.  My annual fee posted in early August and I already received the $99 Alaska Airlines companion pass, but I wanted to see if I could get the $75 annual fee waived too.  After a long talk with the Bank of America retention department, I was only able to get a 2,500 Alaska Airlines miles retention offer – no annual fee waiver or statement credit.  The 2,500 Alaska Airlines miles posted a few weeks after my call and I just called Bank of America to close the credit card, so I wouldn’t have to pay the $75 annual fee.  The agent didn’t want me to close the credit card, so she convinced me to convert it to a no annual fee Bank of America Travel Rewards Credit Card instead.

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