Catch Up Post

Where did we leave off?  So, I ended up deciding to migrate from United to US Airways.  I got a silver challenge from a coworker and completed the 10 segments for that so I finished the year Gold with Delta, Silver Preferred with US Airways, and Premier Silver with United.  If I had applied the 10 segments to United I would have been Gold with them, but since I’m crediting everything to US Airways this year and rarely check bags or have the opportunity for Star Alliance lounge access when traveling internationally I figured I’d just end that way.  In retrospect I should have finished as Premier Gold on United and waited for the Silver Preferred Challenge starting in January, but oh well.  Mileage running for 10 segments wasn’t in my cards either.

I’m already at 14 segments with US Airways (actually upgraded on 5 of those as Silver and another 6 were RJs without F so not too bad!), and 19 segments on Delta (with a pretty crappy upgrade percentage this year).

As far as hotels go I finished as Diamond with Hilton and still Silver with Marriott.  I think I was about 20 nights shy of Gold, but that’s what happens when I spend most of my time flying to meetings and not really staying anywhere.  If Marriott counted stays the way Hilton does I might eventually climb with them, but they have their method that works for them.

Since I now get chauffeured to most of my meetings and Avis actually checks to see whether you got 13 rentals I dropped from First to normal Preferred.  I remember before the First program begging to get upgraded to Preferred Select after I had done 20 or so rentals because their computer system just didn’t check for that regularly, but a simple fax to them for that corrected.  I also dropped from National Executive Aisle.  Since I never rent cars it doesn’t really matter to me.

As far as credit cards go I’m currently using my Hilton AMEX Surpass for Hiltons, the Barclay US Airways Card for way too many spending categories until I hit the spending to get PQMs, then I’ll probably change from the J.P. Morgan Visa to another Chase card that accrues more URs and use the Hilton Amex or the Chase card depending on category.  It’s about time for a new credit card or App O Rama since I bought a house and a new car last year so I can churn for a bit before worrying about inquiries.

So that sums up my past few months.  Critique away!