www.CostaRicaTicas.com

One side note: If you are going to be buying a home or refinancing your mortgage in the next year or two then you probably don't want to go crazy applying for different credit cards as the banks don't like to see the recent hard pulls on your credit report and probably won't give you as good of an interest rate. I already have my house so I apply for a few credit cards every 3 or 4 months and still have an excellent credit score.

Unfortunately I don't leave Accra until the 31st of May for Frankfurt on Lufthansa. Don't think they have a United Club in Ghana. Will check though, thanks. As for the airlines I fly it is chosen by my company whether United or Delta. The fun trips will also be on both as I have a lot of miles on both airlines but haven't made elite yet with United this time. It only takes 2 trips to get to Elite status for the routes I have to fly but all have been Delta up to this past one.

I actually wasted one long flight on KLM by joining their program also but I wanted the Petroleum Club membership again. The Petroleum Club is the best rewards program of any airline which is free to join as long as you are employed in the Oil Industry. If you have an 8 hour layover or more it gives you 3 free meal vouchers and a room in a 5 star hotel as well as full access to any of the KLM/Air France lounges.

_________________
"If you think that I'm half crazy your wrong, I'm at least seventy-five percent gone. I was born this way and I'll die this way so I probably won't be changing today." - Richie Allbright, South Texas Singer/Songwriter. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ftvsq3mX0Ow

Same problem. I won't be flying out before 5/31. Is this a deal that will come back around? Also, if I keep it for a year and cancel with a balance of $0, will that affect my credit rating? No club at SJO I see...

Mine said it would deduct $95 off the first year. A couple shuttle flights to Houston with the free bags and a few quarts of Rum at the clubs will certainly eat up that 300 bucks. Plus I already applied for the card and got approved. Wanted to have it in hand before the next trip back over here.

_________________
"If you think that I'm half crazy your wrong, I'm at least seventy-five percent gone. I was born this way and I'll die this way so I probably won't be changing today." - Richie Allbright, South Texas Singer/Songwriter. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ftvsq3mX0Ow

If I can get the invitation code I'll apply. Seems like a good one to have.

Hard to say. Chase is pretty heavy into marketing so I would think so in one form or another.


If your other cards also have a $0 balance shouldn't have much of an affect. I don't like to pay annual fees so usually call to cancel a month or two before the year is up and they usually send you to a retention specialist who offers different things to keep you as a customer, such as waiving the annual fee again or for life, crediting back your annual fee amount after a few purchases, or giving a certain amount bonus miles or points. Amex, and sometimes Chase, will usually let you just cancel so if you have more than one card with them move most of your credit limit from the card you are about to cancel to one of the ones your are keeping first. Another option is to have them transfer your card to a no fee card. That's a good option as it helps increase your credit history and overall credit utilization percentage. Here are a couple links:

http://www.creditcards.com/credit-card- ... o-1508.php
http://www.creditcards.com/credit-card- ... d-6000.php
http://www.frugaltravelguy.com/2012/05/ ... cards.html


SJO has a small VIP lounge downstairs. You could get in with a card like the American Express Platinum which gives you Priority Pass Select membership, and this card would also give you lounge access with Delta, US Air, and American. It's an expensive card at $450 a year, but you can make that money back pretty easily. They give you a $200 airline incidentals credit per calendar year, so as long as you don't apply in December or January that's $400 back already. They will also pay $100 for Global Entry if you don't already have that. It also gives you Starwood gold status which has a couple perks like a 4pm checkout.

Another option if you have an Amex card for 12 lounge passes a year (possibly 24) for $33, but a bit of a hassle, is:
http://millionmilesecrets.com/2012/04/1 ... edit-card/

When I went to the card part of United's website it said the fee was automatically waived. Don't know if this is because I am a frequent flyer (carry over One Pass from Continental) or not. But anyway and even if not I will easily get that back. Just the boarding is worth it to me.

_________________
"If you think that I'm half crazy your wrong, I'm at least seventy-five percent gone. I was born this way and I'll die this way so I probably won't be changing today." - Richie Allbright, South Texas Singer/Songwriter. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ftvsq3mX0Ow

I have the Taca LifeMiles Visa. You get 20k miles on your first purchase and 20k more if you spend $2000 in the first 4 months. I pay many of my bills on it, I got 2k already in 3 months. All paid off each month, no interest. It's free for the first year. And then it's $75/year, but they give you 6,000 miles ($180 value) with each renewal fee. It's like getting 2x1 miles on your money.

BTW, they are having a 2x1 sale until end of May. ($30 for 2,000 miles). However, Taca does not have any of the 30K mile trips out of NY to SJO for the next 6 months. They have 30k each way. 60K to SJO in coach... no gracias!

Anyone want to stop by a lounge this week and pick up an invitation code?

I am coming down Saturday or Sunday and will get as many as they allow me to have.

_________________
"If you think that I'm half crazy your wrong, I'm at least seventy-five percent gone. I was born this way and I'll die this way so I probably won't be changing today." - Richie Allbright, South Texas Singer/Songwriter. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ftvsq3mX0Ow

Cool, you'll be there 5/25-26? PM me a code if you can. Next time I'm in SJO I'll owe you a few drinks.

They are all the same !!! Pick one that supports your FF program and put everything on it ... I have AAdvantage and I get to upgrade to CR almost everytime....

Same here. I also do most of my travel with American because they have the best connections from where I live. I also get the upgrade to Business both ways usually. I still think that in the United States American has the best FF package for me. Also sine they are the airline who created the concept of air miles programs in the first place they seem to still lead.

_________________
--==xpatriot==--

If you go to the website it automatically waves the fee for the first year. www.chase.com/united

_________________
"If you think that I'm half crazy your wrong, I'm at least seventy-five percent gone. I was born this way and I'll die this way so I probably won't be changing today." - Richie Allbright, South Texas Singer/Songwriter. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ftvsq3mX0Ow

I can get year one free on the explorer, I'm looking for the next card up. The one that costs $395 a year.