by PointsGuru | Jan 20, 2016 | Taxi Rideshare & Rentals
The comeback of UBER to Las Vegas was imminent and will be bigger than ever because they should be allowed to pick up passengers at McCarran International Airport. A place that until now has been sacred to only long taxi lines, limos and those ride share vans.
UBER is officially back in Las Vegas now that the Nevada Transportation Authority made its final approval for ride sharing companies. While it will not include airport pickup when it launches you can at least get around the city without being nickeled and dime’d by a cabbie.
Sign up and look for UBER Promos here and here. (more…)
by PointsGuru | Jan 15, 2016 | Hotels
One of the most annoying things which is sadly a trend in the hotel industry are these room keys to get up the elevator. Mainly because the hotel does not have in mind those of us traveling for business have deliveries such as Postmates or even pizza. One of the reasons of asking for a delivery is so that we do not have to stop what we are doing and deal with elevators and such that is part of what we are tipping the delivery drivers to do.
I recently stayed at the Hyatt Atlanta Midtown to find that it was yet another hotel that featured the elementary school elevator keys. I just do not understand why adults have to use keys in a day when they have video cameras at the front door, security at the front at night, and giving us one more travel hassle that is just unnecessary. I ordered Postmates delivery if you are not familiar you can read about it here to find that my food sat getting cold at the front because the delivery person was not able to come up to the room. At most hotels they would send the person up but they would not send him up. Hotel sites need to list when they have elevator key hassles on their websites from now on. People can decide if it is an “amenity” they want when they stay at a hotel. Great location otherwise… Room service could be open longer hours as it opens at 5pm. Good Wifi. New, modern hotel.
The Fairfield Inn by Marriott in Tulsa has the same issue where the room keys are a nuisance. They would not let Mazzio’s Pizza deliver to my room instead I had to elevator shuffle down to the 2nd floor where the lobby is located to meet my pizza delivery guy. It’s almost like the Fairfield wants you to go out of your way to a 2nd floor lobby as another hassle instead of on the street level. The hotel thought they should go out of their way to make sure the traveler has one more obstacle to go through because planes, trains, and automobiles are not enough.
One way to work around the keyed elevator entries is to have your guest take the stairs if it’s at a small hotel such as the Fairfield Inn that only has 4 floors. You should be taking the stairs anyway as it’s great exercise! Another workaround that works when you do not have to put up a key for each floor is to just follow a guest of the hotel in the elevator who are already have a key out.
Who knows as hotels upgrade their elevators we may see it get worse and worse. I just hope they can start being upfront about this and add it to their “amenities” area so that I can choose NOT to stay at a hotel that treats you like a child having to use a key to get up an elevator. Here’s a hint: Nobody likes it. Everyone in the elevator complains about it and if someone wants up they will damn well get up there.
by PointsGuru | Dec 17, 2015 | 5% Cash Back
Chase Freedom recently announced the 2016 rotating categories where you can earn 5x points on your purchase (up to $1,500 per quarter) instead of the normal 1x point per dollar spent. You’ll earn 5x points at gas stations and local commuter transportation spend for the first quarter of 2016. Normally this is just for gas purchases but now you can get 5x back on commuter transportation such as taxis, Uber, and Lyft. This does not include Amtrak but it does include subways. If you already have the Quicksilver card you get a 20% back discount on Uber rides so this will only really help you on gas purchases and Lyft when you get a surge rate too high on Uber for instance.
Discover It Card has announced the 5% Cashback Bonus categories for the 1st Quarter of 2016 which will almost be exactly the same as Chase Freedom. This will be purchases at Gas Stations and for Ground Transportation with registration available now.
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by PointsGuru | Dec 17, 2015 | Winning
If you weren’t able to score Adele concert tickets today, you are not alone. As tickets for the British singer Adele’s “25” North American tour went on sale Thursday, social media was filled with disappointed fans who used a popular refrain from her hit: “Hello from the other side; I must have tried a thousand times.”
Wednesday’s presale gave fans a glimpse of how in-demand the tickets for Adele’s show are. Those who registered for Adele.com were emailed a presale code to try to nab tickets early. The struggle for Adele tickets is real, and not everyone was successful in their quest.
Except, not completely. In today’s ticket market, selling out a show, or a tour, doesn’t mean what we expect it means. There are a number of reasons, and they can get complicated. Robots are involved. And superfans. And credit card companies.
“Sold out” is a phrase that no longer stands in the way of you and your favorite shows. Here is one ticket search sites that can hook you up, from the front row to the nose bleeds. You may also want to try Vivagogo, Stubhub, and Live Nation. One of my favorites is Ticket Network because their site is fast and they are upfront about their fees. There are hundreds of Adele concert tickets listed on this site but expect to pay up. The best way to get them for cheap is to wait until the last 24-hours of the show then look at the reseller sites and watch the prices drop by 50% at least. (more…)
by PointsGuru | Dec 17, 2015 | Taxi Rideshare & Rentals
It’s very hard to get any kind of credit or free Rides from UBER unless you’re a new rider but now you can get a FREE $20 just by doing something too simple to be true. You will also learn about a new service inside a messenger you most likely already use.
You can now order an UBER car inside Facebook Messenger for yourself or someone else and at the same time prove that you are actually on your way. It updates everyone in the chat with how long it will take you to arrive so they all know you are not just sitting there in your PJ’s.
The new Uber in Messenger feature can be found by clicking on the car icon or finding “Transportation” in the three-dot “more” menu below where you write your messages. Either of those actions will open Uber’s Request Ride option where you can add your pick up location, destination, and car type.
Everyone who uses Messenger Transportation will get a $20 Uber credit. It’s rare for Uber to hand out these kinds of free credits to people who are already users, but somehow Facebook convinced it to create a big incentive to use Messenger Transportation.
Make sure to download the latest version of the Messenger app on your smartphone to see the new options as it may not appear in the unupdated version.
If you’re new to UBER you can Register here to get an additional $15 credit for Uber towards a Free Ride.
by PointsGuru | Nov 24, 2015 | Hotels
As we are still all recovering from the big merger of Starwood and Marriott announcement there is some good news for those of us that enjoy resort-style hotel pools. In Downtown Houston a Marriott Marquis Houston will include a one-of-a-kind rooftop lazy river shaped like Texas overlooking Houston’s Discovery Green. This is normally something you would only see at Disney and Las Vegas resorts in the U.S. minus the Texas shape.
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by PointsGuru | Nov 19, 2015 | Points
The Upromise referral program is now offering a $20 bonus for both new and current members, available for new accounts opened by December 31, 2015. New Upromise members can earn a $20 bonus after your first purchase just for joining the free Upromise college savings program through a current member’s referral link.
$20 Upromise New Member Bonus
You may possibly be able to join directly via this Upromise Referral Link.
How to earn $20 into your Upromise account:
1. Join Upromise through this exclusive link invitation by 12/31/2015
2. Make a qualifying purchase with Upromise (including shopping at 850+ online partners through Upromise.com, dining out at 10,000+ participating restaurant locations, buying groceries, and more) within 45 days of enrolling
3. $20 will be added to your Upromise account AND to your friend’s account.*
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by PointsGuru | Nov 18, 2015 | American Express
American Express has been working hard this year to send us huge savings through free statement credits when we spend with them. Most of these we can get through our sign-in but some you can get on multiple cards through Twitter. If you have not used American Express offers you need to do it before they figure out how much money they are losing on it. We have made money on some of them and saved huge on others.
Amazon is on the list probably because Chase and Discover Card are both offering 5% back this Christmas season although AMEX has a better off with a $15 credit on a $60 spend. You can just buy a gift card and use it for January or after the quarterly 5% bonus from Chase and Discover is over.
Amazon.com: Spend $60+, get a $15 statement credit. Expires 12/31/2015. Blog Post
Tip: Purchase a $60 gift card to trigger the statement credit. You can purchase Amazon gift cards here.
$10 Back on Uber –
Click Here to Tweet #AmexUber to get $10 back 1x on single qual purch $20+ on Uber w/cnctd Amex Card through 12/31/2015. Look for more Uber promo and discount codes here.
$35 Off at Hampton Inn –
Click Here to Tweet #AmexHampton to get $35 Credit from a $175+ Spend at a US or US Territory only Hampton Inn with your synced Amex card which includes all room charges, incidentals, tax, etc. The transaction must hit your credit card by 1/18/16.
$5 Back at Toys R Us –
Click Here to Tweet #AmexToysRUs to get $5 back 1x on single qual purch $25+ at Toys R Us w/cnctd Amex Card through 12/31/2015. Valid in-store or online so it’s best to purchase a Toys R US gift card in-store to use at a future time.
$10 at the Movies with Regal Entertainment –
Click Here to Tweet #AmexRegal to get $10 back 1x on single qual purch $60+ at Regal Entertainment Group w/cnctd Amex Card through 12/31/2015. Unfortunately this is valid for purchases in movie theaters only and not online. Valid at participating locations under the Regal Cinemas, United Artist, and Edward Brands.
$5 Credit on a Delivery –
Click Here to Tweet #AmexDelivery and Spend $25+, get a $5 statement credit. Expires 1/15/2016. If you are new to Delivery.com make sure to read here to sign up to get an added discount code. (more…)
by PointsGuru | Nov 17, 2015 | Chase Cards
The Chase Freedom card normally earns 5% in rotating categories but this time it seems to be offering a highly competitive offer for the Christmas season. Possibly because of Discover Card’s double offer. This Quarter’s categories are Amazon, Zappos, Audible, and diapers.com and they are claiming to pay back 10x cashback on these instead of 5x starting November 23, 2015. Normally each category runs for three months of the year and you can earn 5x on up to $1500 per quarter but this bonus gives extra spending incentive at places such as Amazon.
From November 23 until December 31 you’ll earn 10% back for the category bonus. Keep in mind that before that date it will be the normal 5%.
You could earn up to $225 in rewards by spending $1500 between October 1 and November 22 then spend another $1500 between November 23 and theend of the year. This would be a maximum of 22,500 UR points if you are earning points instead of cashback. (more…)
by PointsGuru | Nov 17, 2015 | Citi Cards
Citi Cards is finally catching up to the amazing AMEX Offers we have enjoyed so much this year. Once a week we have made a post on the amazing American Express offers so let’s hope that Citi gives us something to talk about as well. They have launched the new Citi Smart Savings Program that offers special deals at participating merchants when you make purchases with your targeted Citibank credit card. They’re only targeted offers for now and no Twitter or social media syncing like the AMEX Offers.
You can connect your credit cards with deals at select retailers and service providers. You can access the available offers within your online account for your Citibank credit card. Although, You must add the offers to your card before you make the purchase in order to qualify for the deal. These deals offer cash back in the form of an account statement credit on qualifying purchases at participating merchants.
Some of the offers on my card with Citi were a Earn 10% cash back at Chili’s Grill and Bar, Sear’s, Sports Authority for in-store and online, and Earn 20% cash back at Starbuck’s. (more…)
