Hilton HHonors Amex 62.5k + Citibank 50k

Earn 100k HHonors points by applying for the HHonors Amex and Citibank HHonors Visa Signature cards. This will cause two pulls on your credit report; only apply if you are committed to the HHonors program. 
HHonors points are most valuable when redeeming for stays with Hilton hotels. If you have some trips coming up and you need a hotel, check out these offers.


*Hilton HHonors points do not have very good conversion rates to airline mileage: 10,000 HHonors to 1,000 miles.


AmEx:

• 20k with first purchase
• 30k with $300 spend in first three months
• No Annual Fee
• Complimentary Silver Status for duration of membership
• Up to 2.5k additional miles on first four Hilton WorldWide hotel stays

Silver members receive a 15 percent point bonus, complimentary health club access when available and the option to redeem points for VIP Rewards, with award stays of up to 14 nights at participating hotels worldwide.

Citi Visa:

• 50k HHonors after $1,500 spend within first 6 months
• No Annual Fee
• Gold VIP membership after 6 stays within 90 days of Card membership

BONUS: If you are approved for a Visa Signature consumer card then you may qualify for instant Gold Membership. Check out the offer and see if you are eligible. Expires 8/31/2011.

Alaska Air 40k BofA Bonus

To prove there is no east-coast bias on my site, here is some love for those out west; The Alaska Air BofA 40k Bonus.

• 40k miles
• $99 Companion Fare Certificate
• Partner Rewards
• Annual Fee up to $75

$99 companion fare certificate- buy one ticket to any destination, any service class, any fare, and get a second ticket for $99 plus any taxes or fees. You can get a second first class ticket for almost nothing but you can NOT use the certificate with award travel.

This deal is not a mileage dump in the purest sense, bonus of 50k plus miles, but requirements to meet the bonus are supremely easy- APPROVAL. You just need to get approved for the card and the 40k miles are yours. This offer is great if you already have some Alaska Air mileage stock piled. I found nonstop SEA-MEX availability in economy class for 50k miles R/T for travel in August. There was also PDX-HNL in economy starting at 40k and going up to 47k for travel in August. 

Alaska Air also has an extensive catalog of partner airlines. From which you can use AA.com and DL.com to search their award availability and AS will match. 

So there are last minute summer travel opportunities if you take this deal. It is not the biggest bonus but you can book with partners fairly easily who may have more flights. Those who would benefit most should already have some Alaska Mileage Plan saved up.

The Curious Case of Dell and AAdavantage Miles

This past March, when traveling through Argentina, my Lenovo R500 contracted the blue screen of death.  It was clear Argentina would be its last trip and I would search for a new laptop when I got stateside.
After an exhaustive search for the best computer/bonus combo, I decided to buy a Dell  through the AAdvantage program. I chose a Dell because  I loved their had recently re-designed XPS 15 laptop line (formerly Studio) and from what I remembered with my previous Dell, they had responsive Tech Support.

AA has two unrelated Dell offers, one with the AAdvantage eshopping portal and another on their aa.com "earn miles" page. The AAdvantage eshopping portal was similar to those offered through DL and  UA ; 2 miles/$, 1 mile/$ and 1.75 mile/$ respectively. The XPS 15 was $1500 before tax earning, 2*1500= 3000 AA miles. This is not the greatest value, so lets check out the 2nd promo...

In the "earn miles" offer you can earn up to 6,000 points for a top rated computer AND save up to 30% off. For the same configuration that I chose in the first offer I earned 6,000 miles for $1,230 before taxes. Not only did I get almost 5 miles/$, I also saved $269. Valuing 1 mile = 1.2 cents you can extract; $269/.012= 22k miles. Deciding to go with the second deal netted me 28k AA miles instead of only 3,000 miles in the first deal, a 25k mile difference. I recommend the 2nd offer but YMMV.

This purchase also helped me reach my $1500 spend requirement for my 100k BA Chase offer. After one purchase I am 130k oneworld miles richer! Now you see how this can be addictive.

50% Buy Miles Bonus for Delta SkyMiles

With the weekend approaching, and being stuck in the city  I can't help but look at getting away for a summer excursion. I found a good start with Delta's 50% Buy Miles Bonus which ends next Thursday, 6/30. This expiring bonus makes buying mileage feel less like a robbery and more like just misplacing money, haha.

Delta's usual rate of ¢2.8 per mile is one of the more expensive prices for directly purchasing airline mileage. The 50% bonus drops the cost to ¢1.8 per mile and this may be the closest this program ever comes to matching the common ¢1.2 per mile valuation often assigned by frequent flyers.

Not the greatest deal but if you are like me and the summer winds are rekindling your romance with flying, this might help you get where you want to go.

Amex Plat MR Boost to 100k and Sapphire Update

Amex Platinum Boost


Thanks to Ndel over at Flyertalk.com who successfully boosted the 50k Membership Rewards he signed up for back in March 2011 to 100k MR.
Persistence is key with this boost. If you are considering signing up for the 50k promo call their MR direct line and mention the 100k offer. If you already signed up for the 50k you can call or send Amex a secure direct message. If you are denied do not panic, continue to contact Amex about the promo and stay polite.Talking to the CSR with kindness is your best strategy for completing a successful boost. Make them want to give you the extra 50k. YMMV.


Amex 50k MR for $1000 spend in first 3 months. Annual Fee of $450 is NOT waived: Offer 


Abstract:

• Potential 100k MR for $1,000 in spend within first 3 months
• Annual fee of $450 is NOT waived
• Mention 100k Bonus ID's: 5748 or 3882
• Send secure messages
• Call MR direct line: 800-297-3276

Update on Chase Sapphire Boost

Recent feedback from this offer shows approvals are slowing. Keep updated on the status of this offer here.
As awareness of this boost by applicants has grown it has for Chase CSR as well. They seem to be cracking down on the sudden increase in requests for the boost by stating it is for targeted customers only and you need a unique 12 digit identifier to qualify. 

As with most boosts, they are time sensitive. The longer you wait the more risk you take of being approved. I hope some of you got in on this deal and who knows, this offer may still have some legs on it yet.  YMMV.

American Airlines Cancels My Flight

There was a mechanical problem with one of the engines on my AA 955 JFK-EZE trip and unfortunately the flight had to be cancelled. The flight was not cancelled until around midnight and the new T8 at JFK was a ghost town when the flight disembarked. There was no support team waiting at the gate and it become obvious AA did not have an action plan for this scenario. Luckily for me I could just take a cab back to my place in NYC but the flight had many natives of Argentina who were stranded and were not as fortunate. It was a very tense atmosphere as AA could not find a Spanish speaking representative who would be able to advise a flight full of native Spanish speakers.

Instead of writing to complain about AA or to shame them, I sent a summary about the events that unfolded that night. Simple as that and here is how they responded:

Dear Travel Abstract,

Thank you for contacting us.  We are sorry that your return trip to Buenos Airesdidn't go as planned.  It must have been frustrating when your flight was delayed and then cancelled.  There is no question that you were inconvenienced. While on-time performance is a top priority at American, the many uncontrollable factors associated with air travel make some delays and cancellations inevitable. Nevertheless, we should always do everything possible to make such situations a little less frustrating and we are concerned that we didn't do so on this particular occasion.
As a gesture of goodwill, we've credited your AAdvantage® account with 10,000 bonus miles.  This adjustment should be reflected in your account very soon.
We know your time is valuable and we'll do our very best to restore your confidence in our ability to get you where you are going -- as planned.  We will look forward towelcoming you aboard again soon. 

Sincerely,
AA CSR

It does not seem to be an automatic response as the CSR mentions Buenos Aires and about being inconvenienced. They deposited 10,000 bonus miles into my AAdvantage account electronically even though I had not requested any type of compensation. It was one of the more frustrating cancellations I have dealt with and for AA to recognize this in writing and bonus mileage is refreshing and I appreciate that. 


When things do go right I give credit and recognition to those who earn it, but this was not one of those times. Even still I understand that there will be the occasional inconvenience when flying and I embrace it. I do enjoy flying AA and look forward to my next trip with them.

10K AAdvantage Miles for Verizon FiOS Triple Play

This is a solid offer. If you are open to switching to a new internet/voice/cable service this is a good opportunity. Especially if you have a love/hate relationship with your service providers, as I do with cablevision! I have been questioning paying for my land line service for several months but after this I would be willing to switch everything over to FiOS.
For most it may be more of a hassle than the 10k miles are worth, for others who are already close to switching hopefully FiOS is in your city.

Take this promo and you are only 2,500 AA miles from a one-way award ticket (off-peak) to the Caribbean.

You need to be a member of American Airlines' frequent flier program AAdvantage to participate in this offer.

Abstract:

• Subscribe to eligible triple play bundle between 6/20/2011 and 8/27/2011
• Installation of eligible triple play bundle must be completed by September 27, 2001
• Maintain Service for 60 days with no past due balances
• Miles will post within 90 days of service activation or within 30 days of registration on the link.
• One order per household

Understanding Credit Scores

Credit Score-

One of the easiest ways to accrue a pile of miles is through credit card sign-up bonuses. In fact it is common to see 50,000 mile offers and higher for signing up for a new credit card; 100k BA Chase (expired), 100k Chase Sapphire Preferred (live), 150k AA miles (live). Before you go into this world of credit card bonuses it is necessary to understand Credit. You need to use your intelligence about your credit and avoiding taking on more risk than you can handle. If you can learn the fundamentals of the credit card game you will see it is the most rewarding bonus mileage program. 

The first thing you must be diligent with is your credit score. Your credit score, known as a FICO score, is the aggregate of all credit data that can be gathered on you. It is called a FICO because the company that gathers, packages and sells this information about your credit is FICO. FICO scores can range from 300-850, the higher the better, with an average FICO score between 700-725 for 2011. 

I do not like to use generalizations, but as long as you can maintain a FICO of 725 or higher you should not have any problems with your applications. Of course you have to take this with a grain of salt, evaluate every promo offer and decide whether you are an ideal candidate before applying.

Credit Data-

The pie graph shown below is the breakdown of how your credit score is built. Each data category is given a percent value of how important it is to the composition of your FICO.

For example, according to the Pie graph 65%  of your FICO can be traced back to the Payment History and Amounts Owed category's. 

                                                    Credit Data as % Value of Importance, image from MyFICO.


The graph is from MyFICO.com which has tons of FREE information under their "education" tab to help you.

For a quick crash course start with these articles:

1. Credit Score Facts & Fallacies
2. What's in your FICO®  score
3. What's NOT in your FICO® score
4. Improving your Score

From here you can explore the site yourself. Remember to never apply for credit cards or other credit dependent obligations without first understanding the conditions.

There are three different Credit Reporting Agency's in the United States and all three give you a different FICO score. You should check if there are any errors on your credit report which, you can obtain for free every 12 months from AnnualCreditReport.com. I would also recommend the credit database websites of whogavemecredit.com and creditboards.com to find out what lenders use which credit bureaus in your state (U.S.).


References-
There are also two sites that I found to be extremely helpful with not only this particular topic but many; thefrugaltravelguy.com and thepointsguy.com. They are both long time veterans of this mileage/points game and they always have top quality content, so go check them out.


I do not get compensated or work for MyFICO or any subsidiaries of MyFICO. I am not authorized to speak on their behalf. I simply think their articles on credit scores are comprehensive, easy to read and FREE are the best out there.

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card Boost: 50k->100k points

UPDATE: Boost to 100k Points has shown signs of slowing down. Chase is now requesting your invite ID number. This post will be updated as the status of this offer continues to develop.


After the 100k BA Chase promo that expired this past May, Chase has another big bonus coming worth 50k points and a potential boost up to 100k! You can try to call in about the extra 50k before even registering or if you already have been approved for the card I suggest sending a secure direct message.  
If you applied for Chase credit card in past 30 days you are unlikely to be approved. YMMV.


Abstract:

• 50,000 points can be worth up to $625 in flights.
• 1:1 Transfer to British Airways, Continental, Hyatt, Marriott or Priority Club.
• No Foreign Transaction Fee 
• Annual Fee is waived for first year.
• Requirement: Spend $3,000 in 3 months. 

As heard first on Flyertalk.

Citibank 150,000 AA Miles: 75k Visa + 75k Citi Amex Cards

These are links from an offer whose deadline was February 28th, 2011. They should have expired but they have not. Even though there is no mention of the 75k miles on either of the applications people have been using these links and gotten approved over at flyertalk. Now because of these unique circumstances there is a certain tactic you need to employ to get approved for both personal cards; apply simultaneously (within the same day). You can take that literally and open two seperate browsers (chrome, IE, mozilla, safari), make sure you clear all cookies, and then click "verify application" on both applications within several minutes of each other. That tactic has been proven to work on flyertalk and across other sites as well.

Remember Your Mileage May Vary and this deal can be gone at anytime so jump on those 150k AA miles now.

The Abstract:

• Annual Fees ($85) Waived for first year
• Valid for oneworld award travel (BA, IB, CX..)
• 1 AA mile for every $1 spent
• AA miles may never expire and count towards lifetime status.
• Call a CSR at 1-800-201-4523 to track the status of your cards

Citi Visa Requirements: $1,500 in purchases within first 6 months. CSR for Visa card: 1-888-766-2484

Citi Amex Requirments: $4,000 in purhcases within first 6 months. CSR for Amex card: 1-866-449-2484

Only apply if you KNOW you can get approved AND meet the spend thresholds.



Disclaimer: I do not endorse applying for Credit Cards unless you are deligent with paying off your balance in full, know your credit scores and are in a position to deal with debt obligations.

Fidelity: 50k AA OR 50k UA + 50k DL miles

Here we have a great set of offers from Fidelity. You can compound your earning capabilities without needing to spend money or tie up funds in separate accounts. The key here is that the AA and UA offers are for NEW customers only and you can only be a new customer once. The DL offer is for existing account holders and can be applied for once you decide on the AA or UA offer. I decided to go with AA because of their nonstop JFK-EZE service, upcoming trip, and AA counts redeemable miles toward lifetime status. YMMV.


Step 1:

Earn 50k AA or 50k UA miles when funding a new Fidelity brokerage account with $100,000 in cumulative deposits. If you do not have $100k to do this, reference the guidelines below for an easy way to achieve the funding requirement. 

• Deposit $25,500, couple of business days for deposits to clear.
• Withdraw all but $500 of your funds.
• Redeposit $25,000, withdraw and repeat until you reach $100,000 in cumulative deposits.
• Mileage typically posts on the Sunday following meeting the requirement.

-OR-

Step 2 (must complete Step 1):

Earn 50k DL miles when funding a Fidelity brokerage account with $100,000 in cumulative deposits.

• After receiving 50k AA miles enroll in Delta offer. The Delta offer is for existing customers so remember to complete the new customer promo's in Step 1 first. 
• The account you opened in Step 1 qualifies for the Delta offer. 
• Since you already acheived $100k in deposits from Step 1 you do not need to touch any money for this offer.
• Wait until the Sunday after enrolling for Delta SkyMiles to post.