In the United States, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) catches thousands of people every year trying to get on planes with guns (which is terrifying considering how many are likely to slip through considering the TSA catches guns ). Well, here’s a fairly well-known case of someone trying to get on a plane with a gun. Congressman Madison Cawthorn, who represents the 11th district of Western North Carolina, attempted to board an airplane with a gun earlier this year. This is only now being made public through a request for public records. On February 13, 2021, TSA agents confiscated an unloaded weapon (apparently a “Glock 9mm pistol”) along with a loaded magazine in his hand luggage at Asheville Regional Airport (AVL). Cawthorn had claimed that he had brought the gun with him by mistake. Not only was he charged with a crime, but the gun was locked at the airport so he could find it after his flight. The officers had discussed what to do – although he was suggested to take it to his car, his flight was in just seven minutes and they didn’t want him to miss it, which is why they secured it. According to records, police officers can be heard repeating several times that there was “the elected officer Madison Cawthorn with a gun”. The rules for guns at airports vary widely from state to state and are determined by local and state laws. So, while in some states you could be handcuffed (at least), in other states you will be treated like trying to get a bottle of water through security (unless the TSA normally won’t get a bottle of water for you until Return from your trip). It is now being stated that Cawthorn may face a federal fine and loss of special security status, but nothing has been finalized in that regard. I do not get it:
Bottom lineA US agent was caught earlier this year by TSA agents carrying an unloaded gun and a loaded magazine in his hand luggage. He has not yet been punished, and officials have even housed him so that he does not miss his flight. With the thousands of guns caught at TSA checkpoints each year, with limited consequences, one can’t help but wonder how many slip through. Via https://globalconnekt.com/us-officials-tried-to-board-flight-with-a-gun/
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Amex’s Pay Over Time feature is something I recommend not using, but which may still be worth signing up for. Let me explain. What is Amex Pay Over Time?In general, one of the ways credit card companies make money is by funding fees. I recommend avoiding financing fees whenever possible as you usually pay a pretty high interest rate. What is interesting about American Express is that not all cards in the issuer’s portfolio are credit cards – some are even hybrid cards (they used to be called charge cards). With these cards you usually have to pay your balance in full every month. That is, unless you sign up for Amex’s Pay Over Time feature. This gives you the opportunity to spend more time paying for your purchases. Purchases can be credited to a pay-over-time balance and then paid off over a longer period of time so that you do not have to pay your balance in full at the end of a billing cycle. The catch is that you pay interest. Which Amex cards are eligible for Pay Over Time?American Express credit card purchases are automatically eligible for funding, so this feature is not required for payment over time. Pay Over Time is available on select American Express hybrid cards, including the following: Why you shouldn’t use Amex Pay Over TimeIf you can avoid it I would recommend not using Amex’s Pay Over Time feature:
Why you should (maybe) sign up for Amex Pay Over TimeThe reason you should sign up for the Pay Over Time feature is because American Express often offers an incentive to do so. Keep an eye on your American Express email and mail and you may see an offer that encourages you to sign up for Pay Over Time. For example, I received one of these in the mail yesterday offering 20,000 Membership Rewards bonus points for signing up (I estimate Amex points at 1.7 cents each, which is worth $ 340 for me). Suffice it to say this is a great offer – there is no fee to activate Pay Over Time, and you don’t actually have to use it to earn the 20,000 points. If you continue to pay your bill with each billing cycle (as you probably did before) nothing will change. It is always worth keeping an eye on these offers. And although they sound too good to be true, they are not … This is exactly how it works and who doesn’t want 20,000 “Free” Points? Although you will usually be contacted directly about these offers, you can also check this link to see if you are eligible. If you have multiple hybrid Amex cards, you should go to each card’s profile to see if you are eligible for a registration bonus. Bottom lineAmex’s Pay Over Time feature enables you to fund fees over a longer period of time on hybrid cards that were not eligible for funding in the past. In general, I recommend avoiding card financing fees as the interest rates can be quite high (aside from around 0% introductory APR offers). That being said, if you are being targeted for a promotion, it might be worth signing up with Amex Pay Over Time. It’s not uncommon to see registration offers of 20,000 Membership Rewards points, which is a lot of points to get for free. There’s no need to use Pay Over Time, and if you keep paying your fees in full you won’t be billed. Have you ever signed up with a specific offer for Amex Pay Over Time? Via https://globalconnekt.com/what-is-amex-pay-over-time-and-should-you-sign-up/
In the interest of full disclosure, OMAAT will receive a referral bonus for anyone approved through some of the links below. The information and related card details on this page for the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card and Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card have been independently collected by OMAAT and have not been verified or provided by the card issuer. These are the best publicly available offers (terms apply) we’ve found for any product or service. The opinions expressed here are solely those of the author, not those of the bank, credit card issuer, airline, hotel chain or product manufacturer / service provider and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these companies. For more information on our partners, please see our Advertiser Policy. Thanks for your support!
For the average American, the best way to maximize travel rewards is to make sure you are applying for the best credit cards and using the right credit cards for your daily expenses. Having the card that best suits your spending habits can mean the difference between earning a single point per dollar on a purchase and earning five points per dollar on a purchase. Over the past few years we’ve introduced so many great new cards that can really help you maximize every dollar you spend. I remember that I used to normally only earn around one point per dollar spent, whereas today I average several points per dollar spent. The best credit card bonus categoriesGiven how much the credit card landscape has changed, I thought it was worth dividing the cards I currently use for each of the major spending categories based on my card portfolio. Here are the cards I use for different categories, sorted from most points per dollar to least points per dollar: Airfare purchasesI use the American Express Platinum Card® (review) for my airline ticket purchases as the card offers 5x points on airline tickets purchased directly from airlines or through Amex Travel, up to $ 500,000 of those purchases per calendar year (that is certainly not meet an upper limit of I). I rate these points at 1.7 cents each, which corresponds to a return of 8.5%. In addition, the Amex Platinum offers excellent travel protection when topping up flight tickets. Learn more about the best credit cards for airline ticket purchases.
Food purchasesI use the Citi Prestige Card for my restaurant purchases as the card offers 5x Thank You Points for every dollar spent on restaurant purchases worldwide. I rate these points at 1.7 cents each, which corresponds to a return of 8.5%. Learn about the best credit cards for restaurant shopping.
Cell phone, internet and cable purchasesI use the Ink Business Preferred® credit card (verification) for my cell phone purchases as the card offers 3x Ultimate Rewards points and has a great cell phone protection plan. I now use the free Ink Business Cash® credit card for my internet and cable purchases, as the card offers 5x Ultimate Rewards points. As you can see, I forego some points with Ink Business Preferred when buying a cell phone, but I think it’s worth it for the added protection.
Purchases in the office supply storeI use the free Ink Business Cash® credit card (review) with no annual fee to buy office supplies, as the card offers 5x points. You can buy a surprising number of things from office supply stores so I find this very useful. In conjunction with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (rating), the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card (rating) or the Ink Business Preferred® credit card, these points can be converted into Ultimate Rewards points. Alternating quarterly category purchasesThe Chase Freedom Flex with no annual feeSM (Review) offers 5x Points in rotating quarterly categories for up to $ 1,500 in expenses per quarter. In the third quarter of 2021, for example, the card offers 5x points for purchases in grocery stores and selected streaming services. In conjunction with selected other cards, these rewards can be converted into Ultimate Rewards points. Grocery delivery purchasesI use Postmates and Uber Eats a lot, so I think that’s worth putting in a separate category in my case. What is interesting is how different credit cards categorize food delivery services, as some see them as restaurants while others don’t. I use the Citi Prestige Card for food delivery services as the card offers 5x thank you points for these purchases as Postmates and Uber Eats are treated like a restaurant.
Shopping in the US supermarketI use the Amex EveryDay® Preferred credit card from American Express (review) for purchases in US supermarkets, as the card offers up to 4.5x Membership Rewards points for purchases in US supermarkets. Specifically, earn 3x Membership Rewards points for the first $ 6,000 spent in U.S. grocery stores each calendar year, and then receive a 50% bonus when you make 30 or more transactions per billing cycle. Find out more about the best credit cards for grocery shopping.
Other travel purchasesI use the Chase Sapphire Reserve® for most purchases without a plane ticket as the card offers 3x Ultimate Rewards points for all travel encoded purchases (this even includes things like Ubers, taxis, parking, etc.). There are only two exceptions to this:
US gas station purchasesThe Amex EveryDay® Preferred credit card offers up to 3x Membership Rewards points for purchases at US petrol stations. Specifically, you collect 2x Membership Rewards points at US petrol stations and then receive a 50% bonus if you make at least 30 transactions per billing cycle. So this is the card I use to make gas station purchases when I rent a car. Learn more about the best credit cards for gas station purchases. US drug store purchasesI use the free Chase Freedom Unlimited® (review) with no annual fee for purchases in US drugstores as the card offers 3x points for these purchases. In conjunction with selected other cards, these rewards can be converted into Ultimate Rewards points. Daily non-bonus personal expensesFor personal expenses, my go-to card is the Citi® Double Cash Card with no annual fee (verification). The card offers 1% cashback when purchasing and 1% cashback when paying. What is special about this card is that, in conjunction with a card with thank you points, the cashback bonuses can be converted into thank you points at the rate of one cent per thank you point. So I basically earn two thank you points for every dollar spent, which is amazing. This is an incredible amount of flexibility, especially in these unprecedented times. Find out more about the best credit cards for everyday use. Daily, non-bonused business expensesFor business expenses, my preferred card is the American Express Blue Business® Plus credit card (verification), which offers 2x Membership Rewards points for the first $ 50,000 per calendar year (1x thereafter). In addition, I use the free Ink Business Unlimited® credit card (review), which offers an unlimited 1.5x points that can be converted into Ultimate Rewards points. Bottom lineAll in all, I make an average of over 3x points per dollar spent which is a solid return on investment in my opinion. While I’m not saying that everyone has as many credit cards as I do, I do think that strategically buying a few cards that have large bonus categories for the things that you spend the most on is very valuable. How does this compare to the cards you use to maximize your spending? Via https://globalconnekt.com/credit-cards-that-i-use-for-every-major-bonus-category/ A new airline plans to launch transpacific flights to the US in 2022. Air Premia plans LAX flights in 2022Air Premia is a South Korean airline startup that has just applied to the United States Department of Transportation (DOT) for the right to operate flights to the United States. According to the application, Air Premia hopes to begin flights between Seoul Incheon (ICN) and Los Angeles (LAX) on Boeing 787-9 aircraft from the second quarter of 2022. The planned frequencies or timetables have not yet been announced. Suffice it to say that the market between Seoul and Los Angeles is huge and Korean Air and Asiana used up to five daily Airbus A380s between the two airports before the pandemic. With the merger of Korean Air and Asiana, the route will soon only be served by one airline, so Air Premia wants to offer its customers a non-stop alternative. What is Air Premia anyway?Air Premia is a new hybrid airline startup in South Korea that just received its airline certification a few weeks ago. The airline was founded by the former president of Jeju Air, Korea’s largest low-cost airline. Air Premia plans to exclusively operate Boeing 787-9s, especially on long-haul routes. While the airline will initially operate domestically to get used to it and due to border restrictions, long-haul flights are to begin from 2022. The airline is considering flights to North America, Australia and Europe. Honolulu, Los Angeles, San Jose, and Vancouver have all been named as possible travel destinations in North America. Air Premia is not a traditional low-cost airline. The airline’s Boeing 787-9s are equipped in a two-cabin configuration with a total of 309 seats:
When the airline was first announced, it was stated that Air Premia Economy tickets would cost 80-90% of the price of Korean full-service airlines in economy class, while premium economy tickets would cost 140% of the price of Korean full -Service airlines would cost in business. Here’s a video about Air Premia’s Boeing 787-9 cabins (which is weird, and besides, they can’t even make the actor look like he finds the premium economy seat comfortable): frameborder = “0” allow = “accelerometer; autoplay; write clipboard; encrypted media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture” allowfullscreen> I don’t understand Air Premia’s business modelI have to be honest, I don’t understand Air Premia’s business model at all, especially when it comes to aircraft configuration. First of all, let’s remember that the long haul business is really tough, especially for airlines without business class cabins (where most of the profits are made in many markets). What I fail to understand is why Air Premia didn’t just switch to extremely low cost and squeeze 375 seats on its planes. The airline would then have a legitimate cost advantage over competitors. Instead of this:
Personally, I just don’t think the airline stands out enough to be successful and compete with the big guys. “We charge 10% less and give one or two centimeters more legroom” just doesn’t seem like a great business model to me if customers forego frequencies, a global route network, a global frequent flyer program and connection options, etc. So while South Korea could definitely use some competition from the Korean Air and Asiana merger, I’m not sure the doctor ordered this? Bottom lineAir Premia plans to start flights between Seoul and Los Angeles from the second quarter of 2022. This is a new South Korean hybrid airline that intends to use the 787-9 primarily on long-haul flights. These planes will be in a ridiculously spacious two-cabin layout with economy seats 35 inches apart. I’m not sure I understand the business case for this, but that sounds great to consumers … What do you think of Air Premia and the airline’s business model? Via https://globalconnekt.com/air-premia-is-planning-flights-from-seoul-to-los-angeles/
I love old aviation ads because it’s always fun to see how the aviation industry has changed. Well, if you’re looking for an old aviation-themed ad this Saturday morning, look no further. A friend sent me a link to a promotional video released by London City Airport in the early 1990s (Londonist wrote about it five years ago). It’s kind of hilarious, kind of interesting, and oh so 90s. The nearly eight-minute video is meant to show how much more convenient London City is than London Heathrow for business travelers, though based on the opening pictures, music, and commentary, you might think you were watching an episode of Forensic Files (which, frankly, is probably the what else I would be watching right now, so it works). But no, you are just learning about Elizabeth James, “someone in a hurry but who wants to be the best in air travel.” After all, “she must be in central London on time, ready to do business, without drama, without delay”. I find it quite amusing how Elizabeth chooses to sit in the middle seat with the seats on either side of her empty. And where did Elizabeth’s checked baggage suddenly appear as she was getting ready to travel to Dublin? Then there is “the international departure lounge gives her time to relax, contact her office and find out about London markets”, although boarding for her flight to Dublin starts as soon as she arrives. Anyway, you can check out the video for yourself here: frameborder = “0” allow = “accelerometer; autoplay; write clipboard; encrypted media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture” allowfullscreen> Like I said, I found the video both amusing and a nice look back at aviation. However, if you ask me, it’s the dramatic music throughout the video that really takes it to the next level. What do you think of this London City Airport promotional video? Via https://globalconnekt.com/london-city-airport-1990s-promotional-video-lol/ The Conrad Bora Bora is one of my favorite Hilton hotels worldwide (read my review of the Conrad Bora Bora). The catch is that it has been very difficult to get free saver-level nights at this hotel in recent years. If there was availability, this was often only the case for one week throughout the year. There is some great news in this regard. Currently, the availability of awards at Conrad Bora Bora is very open to the entire schedule – at the time of this post, most dates are available, including until 2022 With standard award availability, expect 89,000 Hilton Honors Points per night. If you have Hilton Honors Elite status, you will receive a fifth night free when you redeem your rewards, meaning you pay a total of 356,000 points, which equates to 71,200 points per night. That is a phenomenal value. Personally, I value Hilton Honors Points at 0.5 cents each (and Hilton often sells points at that price too), so to me it’s like paying only $ 356 a night here. For comparison, the same nights as above if cash payment was just over $ 5,000, including all taxes and fees. As you can see, this is phenomenal value. Also, remember that Hilton Honors Gold and Hilton Honors Diamond status are easy to earn with credit cards, plus you can earn free breakfast and room upgrades. If you have dreamed of going to Bora Bora, I would definitely consider snapping an award for yourself on this opportunity. Remember that in order to visit French Polynesia as a tourist you must be fully vaccinated (which makes traveling there even more enjoyable for some people). Who is planning a trip to Conrad Bora Bora with this rate availability? (Hat tip opposite LoyaltyLobby) Via https://globalconnekt.com/great-offer-bonus-nights-at-conrad-bora-bora/ Every now and then we see hotel loyalty programs offering bonuses to new members. Currently, Marriott Bonvoy, the world’s largest hotel loyalty program, has one such offer. The Marriott Bonvoy refer a friend promotionMarriott Bonvoy is currently offering a promotion for new members, but only if recommended by existing members:
To take advantage of this, the member making the referral must send an invitation through this link containing the email address of the person you want to refer, as well as your name, email address and Bonvoy Number (so that you will be rewarded). There is no published end date for this promotion, so it can be withdrawn at any time. Is this Bonvoy promotion worth it?Of course, if you want to join the Marriott loyalty program, a promotion is better than no promotion, and this is the only offer I know of. For a certain context of how this is worthwhile, I rate Bonvoy points at 0.7 cents each. In other words, this promotion is worth ~ $ 14 (which is how much I’m worth 2,000 points) per stay for both the referring and referring person. That’s pretty decent, especially if you’re making shorter stays in less expensive accommodations. This is in addition to all other ways to collect points through the Bonvoy program. If you want to accelerate your point collection, don’t forget these credit cards: Preferably without an annual fee
Marriott Bonvoy Bold ™ credit card
Best sign up bonus ![]() Best for Marriott perks ![]() Best for business travelers ![]() Bottom lineNew Marriott Bonvoy members can earn 2,000 bonus points for each of their first five stays when referred by an existing member (and referring members receive the same). It’s always nice to get an extra bonus for joining a loyalty program so hopefully some non-Bonvoy members can benefit from it. Via https://globalconnekt.com/marriott-bonvoy-referral-bonus-for-new-members/
In the interest of full disclosure, OMAAT will receive a referral bonus for anyone approved through some of the links below. These are the best publicly available offers (terms apply) we’ve found for any product or service. The opinions expressed here are solely those of the author, not those of the bank, credit card issuer, airline, hotel chain or product manufacturer / service provider and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these companies. For more information on our partners, please see our Advertiser Policy. Thanks for your support!
The Platinum Card® from American Express (test report) and The Business Platinum Card® from American Express (test report) are among the most popular premium cards ever. The personal version of the card has recently undergone a major refresh, and on top of that, both cards are currently offering great bonuses for new cardholders. The cards have high annual fees – $ 695 for the personal version (Pricing & Fees) and $ 595 for the business version (Pricing & Fees). The main reason I have these cards is because of the great benefits they offer, including lots of credits. If you are a new cardholder, all of these benefits can be difficult to take advantage of, given the sheer number of them. In this post, I thought I was going to talk about it what you should do as soon as you have received the Platinum Card in the mail. If you already have the card and have taken all the benefits, by all means skip this post, but I get a lot of questions about it. The following should be observed in no particular order: Activate your Priority Pass membershipSimply having the Amex Platinum Card gives you a Priority Pass membership, which gives you access to over 1,300 lounges around the world. However, you must explicitly request the card in order to take advantage of the benefit. To do this, register for the Priority Pass using this link. You will be asked to confirm your details and within a few weeks you should receive your Priority Pass card in the mail.
Activate your Hilton Honors Gold statusJust for the possession of the Amex Platinum Card you will receive the Hilton Honors Gold status, which gives you room upgrades, access to the Club Lounge (depending on availability), free breakfast or credit for food and drinks, etc. This benefit is valid as long as you have it, but you must register for Hilton Honors Gold status.
Activate your Marriott Bonvoy Gold statusSimply for the possession of the Amex Platinum Card you will receive the Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status, which offers you advantages such as room upgrades, extended Internet, bonus points, late check-out depending on availability and more. This benefit is valid for as long as you have the card, but you must register for Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status.
Sign up for the global entryOne of the advantages of the Amex Platinum Card is a Global Entry or TSA Pre-Check credit every four years. I highly recommend getting Global Entry as it is done automatically with the TSA pre-exam while the opposite is not. To use this, simply charge your card the Global Entry or TSA pre-check fee and this will be automatically refunded. No registration is required. You can even use it to pay the fee for a friend or family member if you already have them. Sign up for CLEAROne of the great things about Amex Personal Platinum and Amex Business Platinum is that you can earn up to $ 179 in annual credit towards a CLEAR membership. To use this, you need to debit your card with the membership fee. There is a way to maximize this, however. Delta SkyMiles or United MileagePlus members only receive a discounted membership fee of $ 119 per year, saving you $ 60. Then you can add a family member to your account for just $ 50. In other words, your credit can cover two people instead of one. Determine a preferred airlineOne of the great things about Amex Personal Platinum and Amex Business Platinum is that it gives you $ 200 annual airline credit. To take advantage of this, you need to name a US airline with the options Alaska, American, Delta, Frontier, Hawaiian, JetBlue, Southwest, Spirit, and United. If you are already a cardholder, you can choose the airline of your choice in January each year. If not, your previous selection will be applied. If you are a new cardholder, you can choose your preferred airline. To confirm or select the airline of your choice, log into your Amex account and then click on the “Benefits” tab above. Then scroll down to the section that talks about airline credit and you will see the link to select an airline. Also remember that the airline you have specified is also the airline to which your 35% “Pay with points” discount option on Amex Business Platinum applies. Choose your airline carefully, especially when it comes to the business card.
Sign up for free rental car statusSimply having an Amex Platinum Card gives you Avis Preferred, Hertz Gold Plus Rewards and National Emerald Club Executive Status. It’s super easy to sign up. You can register for all of these status levels on this page or by calling Amex Customer Service. Sign up to ShopRunner for free 2-day shippingShopRunner brings you free two-day shipping with thousands of brands from over 100 stores. An annual membership typically costs $ 79, but it’s free with an Amex Platinum Card. You can register for this benefit here.
Decide if you want to add authorized usersWhile the Amex Platinum has a high annual fee, you also have the option of adding authorized users for a fee:
Why should you consider adding an authorized user? They also get access to Centurion Lounges, Delta SkyMiles when flying with Delta, and Priority Pass membership, as well as Hilton Honors Gold status, Marriott Bonvoy Gold status and more. Adding three authorized users to the Amex Personal Platinum for $ 175 equates to a payment of ~ $ 58 per authorized user. That’s a damn good deal for all of these perks.
Use your Uber balance (Personal Platinum only)The Amex Platinum Card offers $ 200 annual Uber credit. That comes in the form of $ 15 monthly Uber credit, and in December, you’ll get $ 35 credit, all of which can be used on US trips or Uber Eats purchases in the US. To take advantage of this, simply add your Amex Platinum to your Uber profile and the credit will automatically be used for trips.
Use your digital entertainment credits (Personal Platinum only)The Amex Platinum Card offers $ 240 annually in digital entertainment credits. This allows you to earn $ 20 monthly credit for eligible subscriptions purchases at Peacock, Audible, SiriusXM, and The New York Times.Simply charge your card with an eligible purchase (no registration required) and you will be automatically refunded. Otherwise, if you have subscriptions to any of these services, this is a great deal. Use your hotel credit (Personal Platinum only)Amex Platinum offers $ 200 annual hotel credit. Receive an annual credit for prepaid bookings at Fine Hotels & Resorts or The Hotel Collection Hotels when booked through American Express Travel. While there is no rush to take advantage of this, it is essentially like a free $ 200 hotel stay. No registration is required, all you have to do is charge your card with the purchase. Use Your Equinox Credits (Personal Platinum Only)The Amex Platinum Card offers $ 300 annual Equinox credit. This enables you to receive $ 25 in monthly statement credits for purchases of select monthly Equinox Fitness Club memberships or an Equinox + digital subscription. No registration is required, simply debit the fee from your card.This is useful for those who are Equinox members or have an Equinox location nearby, while others are unlikely to be worth it. Sign up for Saks Credits (Personal Platinum only)The Amex Platinum Card offers an annual Saks balance of USD 100. That is a credit of $ 50 in the first half of the year and a credit of $ 50 in the second half of the year. These apply to purchases made with Saks in-store or online. You need to sign up for the Saks benefit.
Use Your Dell Balance (Business Platinum Only)The Amex Business Platinum Card offers Dell credit of USD 200 per year. This comes in the form of a $ 100 loan in the first half of the year and a $ 100 loan in the second half of the year. Dell sells all kinds of products that you might not expect, so this should be pretty easy to use. You need to sign up for the Saks benefit. Start by loading Amex offersOne of my favorite perks of Amex cards is the Amex offer program. This allows you to save money with American Express and collect bonus points for all types of purchases. To take advantage of this, log into your account and scroll down and you will see all kinds of offers. Start by adding them to your account and then use your card to make purchases where you can earn discounts or bonus points. I earn a significant number of points and cashback with it. Bottom lineBoth the Amex Personal Platinum and Amex Business Platinum offer so many great benefits that it can be overwhelming at first. While there is a lot more to discover, the things above are the first things I would do when you received this card in the mail. There are great deals out there right now for both the personal and business versions of the card, so it can make a lot of sense to apply. The following links lead you to the tariffs and fees for the American Express cards mentioned. These include: The Business Platinum® Card from American Express (tariffs & fees) and The Platinum Card® from American Express (tariffs & fees). Via https://globalconnekt.com/what-to-do-when-you-receive-your-amex-platinum-card/
Im Interesse einer vollständigen Offenlegung erhält OMAAT einen Empfehlungsbonus für jeden, der über einige der unten aufgeführten Links genehmigt wurde. Die Informationen und zugehörigen Kartendetails auf dieser Seite für die Bank of America® Premium Rewards®-Kreditkarte und die Amex EveryDay® Preferred-Kreditkarte wurden unabhängig von OMAAT gesammelt und wurden vom Kartenaussteller nicht überprüft oder bereitgestellt. Dies sind die besten öffentlich verfügbaren Angebote (es gelten die Bedingungen), die wir für jedes Produkt oder jede Dienstleistung gefunden haben. Die hier geäußerten Meinungen sind allein die des Autors, nicht die der Bank, des Kreditkartenausstellers, der Fluggesellschaft, der Hotelkette oder des Produktherstellers/Dienstleisters und wurden von keinem dieser Unternehmen überprüft, genehmigt oder anderweitig befürwortet. Weitere Informationen zu unseren Partnern finden Sie in unserer Richtlinie für Werbetreibende. Vielen Dank für Ihre Unterstützung!
Für diejenigen in den Vereinigten Staaten mit guten Krediten ist der beste Weg, um Punkte zu sammeln, die Verwendung von Kreditkarten. Dies kann die von Karten angebotenen Willkommensboni, die für Kartenausgaben angebotenen Punkte und alle Arten anderer Angebote umfassen. Ich habe in der Vergangenheit über die Kreditkarten geschrieben, die ich für jede wichtige Bonuskategorie verwende. Heutzutage ist es möglich, 2-5x Punkte für viele der Dinge zu sammeln, für die wir am meisten ausgeben, von Reisen über Restaurants bis hin zu Supermärkten und Tankstellen. Es gibt jedoch einige Dinge, für die wir alle Geld ausgeben, für die Sie einfach keine Bonuspunkte sammeln können. Dies kann Dinge umfassen, die von Arztbesuchen über die Zahlung von Steuern per Kreditkarte bis hin zu Einkäufen über Plastiq und dem Kauf von Punkten über points.com reichen, um nur einige Beispiele zu nennen. In diesem Beitrag wollte ich teilen Was ich heute für die besten Kreditkarten für den täglichen Gebrauch ohne Bonus halte. Ich werde sowohl persönliche als auch Visitenkarten teilen, und die „Rendite“, die ich auf diesen Karten berechne, basiert auf meiner Bewertung verschiedener Punktwährungen. Innerhalb jeder Kategorie ordne ich die Karten basierend auf der Rendite, die sie bieten, ein, obwohl diese Karten in allen Fällen eine Rendite von 2% oder mehr bieten, basierend auf meinen Berechnungen. Beste persönliche Kreditkarten für den täglichen Gebrauch im Juli 2021Es gibt viele großartige Kreditkarten, mit denen Sie Ihre täglichen, nicht bonusbezogenen persönlichen Ausgaben maximieren können. Von einer einfachen 2% Cashback-Karte bis hin zu Karten, die Ihnen mit ein paar Tricks möglicherweise viel mehr Wert verschaffen, lassen Sie wahrscheinlich Geld auf dem Tisch. Hier sind einige meiner Favoriten: Citi® Double Cash CardCiti Double Cash Jahresgebühr: $0 Was Sie über das Citi Double Cash wissen müssen: Die Citi Double Cash spielt in einer eigenen Liga, wenn es um persönliche Kreditkarten für den täglichen Gebrauch geht. Auf der einfachsten Ebene bietet die Karte 1 % Cashback bei jedem Einkauf und dann zusätzlich 1 % Cashback, wenn Sie diese Einkäufe bezahlen. Wenn Sie die Karte jedoch in Verbindung mit der Citi Premier oder Citi Prestige besitzen, können Punkte zu einem Cent pro Punkt an Citi ThankYou übertragen werden, was bedeutet, dass Sie 2x übertragbare Punkte pro ausgegebenem Dollar sammeln können. Erfahren Sie mehr über das Citi Double Cash, beantragen Sie das Citi Double Cash.
Bank Of America® Premium Rewards® KreditkarteJahresgebühr der Premium Rewards Card: $95 Was Sie über die Premium Rewards Card wissen müssen: Die Premium Rewards der Bank of America verdienen 1,5-fache Punkte, aber es gibt einen Trick, um den Wert der Karte wirklich zu maximieren, und der wird nicht jedermanns Sache sein. Während jeder Punkt normalerweise einen Cent wert ist, hat die Bank of America das Preferred Rewards Programm, bei dem Sie Boni erhalten, wenn Sie bestimmte Beträge bei der Bank eingezahlt haben. Wenn Sie beispielsweise ein Guthaben von mindestens 100.000 US-Dollar bei der Bank of America haben, erhalten Sie einen Bonus von 75%, für unglaubliche 2,625% auf alle Einkäufe. Erfahren Sie mehr über die Premium-Prämien der Bank of America. Capital One Venture Rewards-KreditkarteJahresgebühr der Capital One Venture Card: $95 Was Sie über die Capital One Venture Card wissen müssen: The Capital One Venture bietet 2x Venture-Meilen pro ausgegebenem Dollar. Jede Meile kann für einen Cent für den Reisekauf eingelöst oder bis zu einem Verhältnis von 1:1 auf eine Airline oder einen Hotelpartner übertragen werden (Transferraten variieren). Da ich Capital One Meilen mit jeweils 1,3 Cent bewerte, entspricht das einer Rendite von 2,6%. Erfahren Sie mehr über das Capital One Venture, bewerben Sie sich für das Capital One Venture.
Chase Freedom Unlimited®Chase Freedom Unlimited Jahresgebühr: $0 Was Sie über die Chase Freedom Unlimited wissen müssen: Die Chase Freedom Unlimited bringt 1,5x Punkte pro ausgegebenem Dollar, und diese Punkte können in Ultimate Rewards-Punkte umgewandelt werden, wenn Sie sie in Verbindung mit der Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (Überprüfung), Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card (Überprüfung) haben oder Ink Business Preferred® Kreditkarte (Überprüfung). Ich bewerte Ultimate Rewards Punkte mit jeweils 1,7 Cent, so komme ich zu dieser Bewertung. Erfahren Sie mehr über die Chase Freedom Unlimited, beantragen Sie die Chase Freedom Unlimited. Amex EveryDay® Bevorzugte KreditkarteJahresgebühr für die Amex EveryDay Preferred Card: $95 Was Sie über die Amex EveryDay Preferred Card wissen müssen: Der Amex EveryDay Preferred verdient 3x Punkte in US-Supermärkten für Einkäufe von bis zu 6.000 USD pro Jahr, 2x Punkte an US-Tankstellen und 1x Punkte pro ausgegebenem Dollar für alles andere. Wenn Sie jedoch mindestens 30 Transaktionen pro Abrechnungszeitraum tätigen, erhalten Sie einen Punktebonus von 50 %, d. Ich schätze Membership Rewards Punkte mit jeweils 1,7 Cent, so komme ich zu dieser Bewertung. Erfahren Sie mehr über Amex EveryDay Preferred, beantragen Sie Amex EveryDay Preferred.
Beste Business-Kreditkarten für den täglichen Gebrauch im Juli 2021Die oben genannten sind die meiner Meinung nach besten persönlichen Kreditkarten für den täglichen Gebrauch, aber was ist mit den besten Visitenkarten? Eine Visitenkarte mit einer guten Rendite für nicht bonbonierte Ausgaben zu erhalten, kann sehr wertvoll sein, unabhängig davon, ob Sie Cashback-Prämien oder Punkte sammeln möchten. Hier sind einige meiner Favoriten: Blue Business® Plus Kreditkarte von American ExpressJahresgebühr der Blue Business Plus Card: 0 $ (Preise & Gebühren) Was Sie über die Blue Business Plus Card wissen müssen: Das Amex Blue Business Plus ist ziemlich unglaublich, da es 2x Membership Rewards-Punkte für die ersten 50.000 US-Dollar bietet, die jedes Kalenderjahr ausgegeben werden. Dies ist die beste Visitenkarte für Ihre ersten 50.000 US-Dollar an nicht Bonusausgaben pro Jahr. Ich schätze Membership Rewards Punkte mit jeweils 1,7 Cent, daher komme ich zu dieser Bewertung. Erfahren Sie mehr über Amex Blue Business Plus, beantragen Sie Amex Blue Business Plus. Hauptstadt eins® Funke® Meilen für UnternehmenJahresgebühr der Capital One Spark Miles Card: 95 $, im ersten Jahr verzichtet Was Sie über die Capital One Spark Miles Card wissen müssen: Jede Spark-Meile kann gegen einen Cent für den Reisekauf eingelöst oder Meilen im Verhältnis von bis zu 1:1 auf ausgewählte Airline- und Hotelpartner übertragen werden (Venture- und Spark-Karten erhalten die gleichen Prämien ). Erfahren Sie mehr über das Spark Miles Business, beantragen Sie das Spark Miles Business. Ink Business Unlimited® KreditkarteJahresgebühr für Ink Business Unlimited Card: $0 Was Sie über die Ink Business Unlimited Card wissen müssen: The Ink Business Unlimited verdient 1,5x Punkte pro ausgegebenem Dollar, und diese Punkte können in Ultimate Rewards-Punkte umgewandelt werden, wenn Sie die Karte in Verbindung mit der Chase Sapphire Preferred, Chase Sapphire Reserve oder Ink Business Preferred Karte haben. Ich bewerte Ultimate Rewards Punkte mit jeweils 1,7 Cent, so komme ich zu dieser Bewertung. Erfahren Sie mehr über das Ink Business Unlimited, bewerben Sie sich für das Ink Business Unlimited.
Hauptstadt eins® Funke® Bargeld für UnternehmenCapital One Spark Cash Card Jahresgebühr: 95 $, im ersten Jahr verzichtet Was Sie über die Capital One Spark Cash Card wissen müssen: Die Spark Cash Business ist eine der besten Cashback-Business-Kreditkarten, da die Karte 2% Cashback bietet. Erfahren Sie mehr über das Spark Cash Business, bewerben Sie sich für das Spark Cash Business. Blue Business Cash™ Karte von American ExpressJahresgebühr der Amex Blue Business Cash Card: 0 $ (Preise & Gebühren) Was Sie über die Amex Blue Business Cash Card wissen müssen: Die Blue Business Cash ist eine der besten Cashback-Business-Kreditkarten, da die Karte 2% Cashback auf die ersten 50.000 US-Dollar jedes Kalenderjahres bietet. Die Obergrenze von 50.000 US-Dollar ist für einige Unternehmen restriktiv, aber die Karte hat auch keine Jahresgebühr. Erfahren Sie mehr über das Amex Blue Business Cash, beantragen Sie das Amex Blue Business Cash. Die Business Platinum Card® von American ExpressJahresgebühr für die Amex Business Platinum Card: $595 (Preise & Gebühren) Was Sie über die Amex Business Platinum Card wissen müssen: Die Bonuskategorie Amex Business Platinum ist nur sinnvoll, wenn Sie ein Unternehmen haben, in dem Sie ständig sehr große Einkäufe tätigen. Die Karte bietet 1x Punkte bei den meisten Einkäufen, aber 1,5x Punkte bei Einkäufen von 5.000 USD oder mehr in einer einzigen Transaktion, für insgesamt bis zu einer Million Bonuspunkte pro Jahr. Erfahren Sie mehr über das Amex Business Platinum, beantragen Sie das Amex Business Platinum.
Die Karten, die ich für private Ausgaben ohne Bonus verwendeWelche der oben genannten Karten verwende ich für meine Ausgaben ohne Bonus? Heutzutage ist das Citi Double Cash meine Lieblingskarte, da Prämien auf Citi ThankYou übertragen werden können, was bedeutet, dass ich den Gegenwert von 2x ThankYou-Punkten pro ausgegebenem Dollar verdiene. Meine Ersatzkarte für persönliche Ausgaben ist die Chase Freedom Unlimited, mit der ich in Verbindung mit der Chase Sapphire Reserve bis zu 1,5x Ultimate Rewards-Punkte pro ausgegebenem Dollar sammeln kann. Diese Karten zeigen auch perfekt, warum es sinnvoll sein kann, Steuern per Kreditkarte zu bezahlen. Es gibt Dienste, mit denen Sie Ihre Steuern gegen eine Gebühr von unter 2% bezahlen können. 1,5x Ultimate Rewards-Punkte oder 2x Dankeschön-Punkte für weniger als zwei Cent abholen zu können, ist ein unglaublicher Wert, wenn Sie mich fragen. Die Karten, die ich für nicht-Bonus-Geschäftsausgaben verwendeFür geschäftliche Ausgaben ist meine Go-to-Karte die Amex Blue Business Plus, mit der Sie 2x Membership Rewards-Punkte sammeln können. Der einzige Nachteil dieser Karte für viele Unternehmen besteht darin, dass Sie maximal 2x Punkte für die ersten 50.000 US-Dollar pro Jahr sammeln können. Daher ist meine Ersatzkarte für nicht bonusbezogene Geschäftsausgaben die Ink Business Unlimited, mit der ich 1,5x Ultimate Rewards-Punkte pro ausgegebenem Dollar verdienen kann. EndeffektKreditkartenbonuskategorien sind heutzutage nicht nur besser als je zuvor, sondern auch der Wert, den Sie aus Ihren nicht bonusbezogenen Ausgaben erzielen können, ist besser als je zuvor. Mit den oben genannten Karten können Sie wirklich nichts falsch machen. Als allgemeine Faustregel gilt, dass Sie mindestens 2 % Cashback oder mindestens das 1,5-fache übertragbare Punkte pro ausgegebenem Dollar in Kategorien ohne Bonus verdienen. Idealerweise sammeln Sie 2x übertragbare Punkte, möglich mit Karten wie dem Citi Double Cash und Amex Blue Business Plus. Welche Karten verwenden Sie für Ihre täglichen Ausgaben ohne Bonus? Die folgenden Links führen Sie zu den Tarifen und Gebühren für die genannten American Express Karten. Dazu gehören: die Blue Business® Plus Kreditkarte von American Express (Preise & Gebühren), die Business Platinum® Karte von American Express (Preise & Gebühren) und die American Express® Blue Business Cash Card (Preise & Gebühren). Via https://globalconnekt.com/11-beste-kreditkarten-fur-den-taglichen-gebrauch-2021/
This story about what happened in a hotel in Mexico is downright terrible, although I think it could have ended worse. Teenage boy attacked by crocodile at beach resort in MexicoEighteen-year-old Kiana Hummel is from the Bay Area and was recently on vacation with a friend at the Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa. She was about to go swimming late at night (just before midnight) when she was attacked by a 12-foot crocodile. Before she could get into the sea, the crocodile appeared:
After the attack, Hummel and the bystanders immediately called for an ambulance. Allegedly, the hotel staff initially refused to call an ambulance. They simply poured water bottles on her wounds and bandaged her. She did not receive medical attention until four hours later, and when she got to the hospital she had to prepay thousands of dollars before assistance. Fortunately, Bumblebee survived and did not lose any limbs. However, she is now undergoing multiple surgeries and has extensive muscles, no damage, and cannot walk. She remains in the hospital but is now back in the United States. For those wondering how a crocodile could get into the sea, there is a river that goes into the sea near the hotel and even some sort of crocodile-watching area not far away. So it is rare for crocodiles to attack people in the ocean, but it can happen. Here’s a Good Morning America interview with Hummel: Does Marriott have any responsibility here?Hummel and her family believe Marriott should have done more to warn guests of the potential crocodile threat. They feel that Marriott should be held responsible for this and state that Marriott has not even contacted them or attempted to help them.Instead, a Marriott spokesperson released the following statement about the incident:
Really, Marriott ?! I understand the company wants to be cautious for legal reasons, but that’s one of the most callous statements I’ve ever seen from any company about an incident like this. There was actually a little sign There are warnings about crocodiles (and other things) on the beach, but at night it was not lit and mostly in Spanish. The potential risk from crocodiles was not mentioned further. I’m not a lawyer, of course (and the fact that this happened in Mexico with an American hotel group only makes it more difficult), but I have a few thoughts:
I don’t know what exactly is the problem here. Apparently, Hummel did nothing reckless and did not consider her in any way endangered, otherwise she would not have gone into the sea. Presumably the hotel knew this risk existed (although such attacks are rare) and it should have done more than just have a lighted sign that no one would read in the dark. After the incident, the hotel reportedly put chains around the beach at night to warn guests of the dangers of swimming. It seems like something along these lines should have been done all along. Bottom lineAn 18-year-old was attacked by a 12-foot crocodile just before a nightly swim at the Puerto Vallarta Marriott. Fortunately, there were some brave people who heard screams and came to the aid of the teenager. The teen is expected to make a full recovery, although it will be a long way to get to this point. Personally, I feel that Marriott has some responsibility here – both for the lack of proper signage and for the response from staff. This story also reinforces why I am afraid of the sea. It’s the shark’s house, and I more or less refuse to go in (as much as Ford makes fun of me for it). Now that there are crocodiles in the game, I will stay further away from the sea, at least in areas near rivers and crocodile reserves. What do you think of this crocodile incident?
Via https://globalconnekt.com/terrifying-crocodile-attack-in-the-marriott-puerto-vallarta/ |
AuthorBest Travel Tips Archives
March 2022
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