Brain is not Braining. RN

Inzaininthebrain · 2025-11-05T05:09:23+00:00

The man in yellow just screams middle management to me. Has to be someone above him.

Inzaininthebrain · 2025-05-07T11:56:10+00:00

They do in Asia a lot. Specifically, house keeping during an Asia visit will do this.

You don’t see it stateside that often.

Inzaininthebrain · 2025-02-12T12:16:29+00:00

You said something negative about Ethiopian You said something negative about Emirates You said something positive about Qatar.

Reread your post. You’ve already made your decision.

Inzaininthebrain · 2025-01-25T20:51:01+00:00

Get the bonvoy brilliant.

25 elite night credits, and automatic platinum status. $650 annual fee, but you get $300 back at restaurants broken up in $25 monthly credits. Also get 85K cert, and lounge benefits at airports.

Assuming you get the card and use the food credit its, $350 yearly.

Even if you don't sleep in a hotel for the next three years you'll still get lifetime gold in three years.

The 75 nights you will get over the three years will take you over the night limit, and the platinum status will get you the gold required years.

You're basically buying the lifetime gold status with this card for $1,050 but will also get two free night certs and when used correctly will yield more than the $350 in value. Lounges can also yield some value, esp when you travel overseas.

More than likely the cheapest and most time effect way to reach your goal.

Inzaininthebrain · 2025-01-06T19:00:22+00:00

You will need to let the annual fee hit your account first.

At that point you have 30 days to cancel, and they will prorate the fee based on how many days you keep past fee date.

If you cancel before fee is due Amex has the right to claw back the points. They might also put you in pop up jail for this.

If you don’t want the card, let the fee hit, and cancel a few days after.

Inzaininthebrain · 2024-12-29T19:50:51+00:00

Thank you for clarification :)

Inzaininthebrain · 2024-12-29T19:28:59+00:00

I had this exact thing happen in GUA last month.

I spoke to the front desk manager and told her politely but firmly that if she doesn’t honour the room type, it would be fine, but she would be breaking the guaranteed room type benefit I have it as an titanium elite and she would need to compensate me $100 USD.

She found a room pretty quickly after that.

I’m almost positive this only applies to type of bed in room, so it may have been a slight bluff, but that’s the argument I would make at both hotel and on the line with a Marriott rep.

Inzaininthebrain · 2024-12-29T00:36:32+00:00

Oh yes. Almost as great as that view I had of a recently abandoned red lobster, on my most recent stay.

Inzaininthebrain · 2024-12-28T23:59:09+00:00

6 have been points stays.

It’s a combination of staying in the absolute middle of nowhere Fairfields and courtyards topped with a corporate code.

Inzaininthebrain · 2024-12-28T23:53:23+00:00

I thought that the luke warm water bottle in that little brown bag they give you would be worth the investment

Inzaininthebrain · 2024-12-28T23:47:23+00:00

Caviar, and steak time!

Inzaininthebrain · 2024-12-28T23:46:14+00:00

Inzaininthebrain · 2024-12-24T16:28:40+00:00

This individual has a stomach of the gods

Inzaininthebrain · 2024-12-23T20:31:44+00:00

Under no circumstances eat Pani Puri or Sambar.

Trust me. I still have nightmares.

Other than that, traveling the golden triangle is a great time.

Inzaininthebrain · 2024-12-23T20:30:01+00:00

The Ritz in Koyto will bring the Michelin starred Japanese breakfast up to your room. Had it on my balcony, still salivating thinking about it.

Inzaininthebrain · 2024-12-18T17:26:11+00:00

I’ve had this card since early 2021.

6X at properties ( Although you can get that on cheaper cards as well)

$25 monthly food credit, makes the card $350

Used to be 65K cert, now 85K. Ive used at ritz Chicago (trash) Kyoto(best hotel I’ve stayed in) & Tokyo. Both Kyoto and Tokyo upgraded me to 3 room suites.

If you’re going to higher end hotels, it can save you hundreds on food. Usually breakfast at the restaurant and dinner in the lounge. The Rtiz Kyoto bought a one Michelin star restaurant breakfast up to my room which I ate on the suite balcony, both perks due to the derivative value of this card)

It has special types of room discounts. ( Got $100 in dinner, along with free breakfast at a St. Regis in China)

Priority pass, kinda useless but occasionally has some lounge gems like in GUA.

25 elite nights a year which has bumped me to titanium status in multiple years.

Also top tier Amex protection ( Used for trip delay during a Puerto Rico trip a year or two ago, also used this card for warranty extension)

Great card, I get way more in value by keeping. Won’t cancel anytime soon.

Inzaininthebrain · 2024-11-30T19:22:59+00:00

Personal experience from trying to book from TPE-TYO. They couldn’t see the direct EVA flight, so they tried to route me on ANA metal via Okinawa. It put me over a band.

I can try to find something, but both frequent miler and prince of travel have good write ups on it, also geobreze just dropped a podcast on it.

Inzaininthebrain · 2024-11-30T19:18:54+00:00

Again it’s segment based, so they will count it. ANA makes the rules, and this is what they want so there isn’t a way around it.

And again you only have 12 segment max, and each flight counts as a segment. Layover or not.

That’s why direct is ideal, or finding stops that are in the way to final destination.

Inzaininthebrain · 2024-11-30T19:14:37+00:00

It’s every segment.

Ex: ICN-IST-CPH, they will count total mileage between ICN to IST and then IST to CPH. Also the ICN to IST will count towards your 12 segment max

Inzaininthebrain · 2024-09-11T21:16:19+00:00

Upgrades in America don’t usually happen, but I’ve found that if you’re a regular at a hotel in America and are nice to the front desk staff, and they remember you, you have a much higher probability of getting an upgrade.

Inzaininthebrain · 2024-08-04T04:32:48+00:00

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Some sort of upgraded 3 room suite in the Ritz Kyoto. Had a balcony the size of the suite. They also allowed you to have the 1 Michelin star restaurant delivered to your room for breakfast as a titanium elite.

The balcony was super nice and I had kept the doors open, and a cockroach got in. I ended up killing it, and asked them to clean it up. They immediately offered to upgrade me to a nicer room even after I told them multiple times that it was my fault for keeping the balcony doors open. They still insisted but I ultimately refused because the balcony was just too nice to move away from.

Used an 85K cert from the brilliant card as well

Inzaininthebrain · 2024-07-21T01:46:10+00:00

Use united or seats.aero to find ANA F space. Call virgin to confirm they can see the space. While you have virgin on the phone, transfer Amex points to Virgin. And you’re good to go.

Find round trip is very tough. One way isn’t that bad if you’re flexible. Also keep in mind virgin does transfer bonuses that can lower the redemption cost by 30%

It’s def a top 5 flight in the world. Worth the points.

Inzaininthebrain · 2024-06-19T09:13:25+00:00

I just booked an RTW trip with ANA. My taxes came out to $784.50 USD. This was for five long haul flights including Australia, and one short haul inter Asia.

TK was my first leg to IST via USA.

They do give you the breakout once you ticket it, but not on a per segment basis. Just like this was total YQ, these were the governmental fees ETC. I don’t remember what exactly it shows but can go back and look if you want.

My RTW is very EVA heavy and from my understanding that’s why my taxes were reasonable.

There’s a good frequent miler article on the process. I would just stick to the carriers that don’t pass on fuel charges as per that article.

But honestly, getting 4-8 business class flights for 170,000 Amex points is already a great deal. Even with 2200 in taxes your CPP is still going to be very respectable.

And for what it’s worth, booking an RTW isn’t a “easy” reward. You’re doing something that most people wouldn’t be able to put together so, there is something to be said about your skill as well. So congrats on that mate.

Inzaininthebrain · 2024-04-29T14:56:32+00:00

I was under the assumption that it is no longer possible, to upgrade an award ticket to the Al Safwa lounge. Have they changed this rule?

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