M² Episode 105: Amex Highs and Lows, News You Can Use & Planning Travel for 2021

0:30 Amex Shutdowns

• We were talking about PPK->Plastiq
• Seems to be related to PPK payments to Amex?
• Gets back to the alchemy discussion. Fusing things together that aren’t meant to be fused together.
• Also reminds me of “you can do all kinds of things and not get shutdown but you never know the one thing that might really bother a bank.” Or an airline for that matter.
• Condolences to all affected. Hopefully you were able to take some rewards off the table along the way.
• Does this make us more likely to cash out as we go? Specific puzzler is whether “the wave has passed and if you’re safe you’re safe” -or- “Amex is going to start scrutinizing whether other Plastiq PPK payments went against Amex’s allowable payment types with Plastiq.”

5:10 No Annual Fee Amex Hilton Aspire Offer

• CF Frost post on Milenomics

11:15 PayPal Key

• Last week it was Plastiq, this week it’s Citi payments over the phone not working
• Entering a “PayPal Key everywhere” phase
• How are we using PPK now/going forward?

15:00 Bravo Update

• Sam
• I had two batches of payments refunded. Some of those were on PPK, but many were also on VGC from Fluz.
• I’m thinking of running some 2.9% through and then switching to my ‘other device’ (bluestacks) and going back  to 2%.  I haven’t seen a bank
• Robert
• New approach: One ~$499 PPK payment tied to Amex Personal Gold per day
• So far so good (fingers crossed)

19:40 Stop & Shop/Giant 4x (4x!) on VGCs 12/11 - 12/17/2020

• That supports quite a high liquidation cost
• What would you do if even Bravo at 2.9% didn’t work?
• VGC/MCGC liquidation vs head-on CC spend (buyers clubs/gc reselling)

23:05 Office Depot/Office Max $15 off $300 VGCs

• 12/13-12/24/2020
• HT CF Frost on Slack

23:50 Looking Forward: Vacation Planning

• High Level
• What windows are opening for you? What slots do you have confidence getting something on the books?
• Idea: I’d rather book something that’s currently possible [even if it’s a currently a diminished experience] and hope that it gets better rather than book something that’s impossible now hoping it will open up [international travel through Q3 2021 say]. Just tired of booking and cancelling stuff.
• Sam
• Step 1: Cancel/Get out of Hawaii Flights.  Alaska schedule changed last month, and then just today cancelled the route entirely for now.  United flight home was moved from 2PM to 10PM departure. Booked with Turkish, so a phone call is in my future.
• I’m feeling very rusty in regards to complicated award bookings.  This is the longest period of time I’ve gone without actively looking for/booking awards.
• Does JuicyMiles still work? Remember them?
• Robert
• Booked Hyatt/Alila Ventana Big Sur
• They played games with availability but was able to find some 30k dates
• Will pair with a visit to Napa
• Felt good to drain some Hyatt points. URs are refilling themselves much slower than MRs, but hey - I’ve got cash (from cashing out) so I should give myself permission to use it.

Discuss The idea of being careful in your redemptions whatever currency you’re using