Since everyone (almost) so high on TravelPro…
Check out this TRAVELPRO Rollmaster™ Lite 20" Expandable Carry-on Hardside Spinner Luggage from Nordstrom: http://www.nordstromrack.com/s/6081565
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I would take any random Delsey or Samsonite over any random Ricardo Beverly Hills bag. I mean, do you really think anyone from BH is rolling up to their private plane with one of those? 
“Retail” prices on most mass-market luggage bear no relationship to what people actually pay. Look at the luggage section at places like Macy’s, and you’ll almost always find nearly all of the luggage “on sale” for 40-60% off.
But a lot of people who don’t buy higher-end luggage like buying pieces at Costco because they’ll stand by them essentially forever, making it a low-risk proposition.
(At least financially)
I cheaped out on a checked bag (“It” brand from Macy’s) before a trip to Europe some years ago, thinking, “I rarely check a bag, so quality is only so important,” and on that first trip one of the wheels broke off – and we had four trains, multiple taxis/Ubers, and a couple of flights remaining.
As I’ve mentioned, I’ve usually ended up dumpster diving at TJ Maxx / Marshalls sifting through the junk to find a piece with sturdy construction (check the handle!) and wheels that make mobility effortless. (There’s a reason they’re called spinners. 
). Figure $60 minimum (if on clearance and you’re lucky) up to ~$100 if you go this route.
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So my Uni, kicks us out of the dorms for winter break, from the 19th to January 3rd, and I have to find accommodations for that time period since flying home will obv cost more, and since I don’t feel like harassing a friend and their family for 2+ weeks, a hotel it is.
However, I do have a Fazaa discount card, which entitles me to a flat student rate of 265 aed per night including all tax and fees at Abu Dhabi Aloft Marriott, now splitting that with a friend in a similar situation brings it down to 132.5. Upon request/email to Marriott’s reward CS team, you can enroll in an elite status challenge (which I confirmed is still working with modifications in 2022), in which if you stay x # of nights you can instantly earn Marriott elite status for a calendar year. For Gold Elite you must stay 9 nights within 90 days, and for Platinum Elite you must stay only 16 nights for elite status!
For 2120 aed or $794 I’ll earn elite status for the year with Marriott Bonvoy, and I can status match challenge them every calendar year according to the latest fine print retaining status, making next year’s booking a likely upgrade, and some nice perks on paper.
Before I had a chance to call a credit analyst, my Chase Sapphire Reserve application that recently went pending was just approved.
((80,000 URs * $0.015/ea) - ($550 AF - $300 travel credit)) = net sign-up bonus of $1,050 toward future travel
I wasn’t expecting this approval without some intervention on my part, as my two existing Chase cards have reasonably healthy credit lines, and I almost never use them.
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Thinking out loud for next year, a new Marriott credit card could yield a sizable sign-up bonus, and you get the fifth night “free” on redemptions… which is great for longer stays.
I have no idea how many points it costs to stay in a decent Marriott property in that part of the world, but this might be a path worthy of further analysis.
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I was in the same boat freshman year, and the uni allowed me to stay over winter for free.
I applied and they basically said only Ukrainians and Chinese or you live somewhere where you’d need to quarantine for longer than the break.
Good to know, I wasn’t able to plan that far ahead this time, they sprung it on us so this was pretty last minute by my standards, next year maybe a points redemption is in order, just gotta lease another car to get the intro bonus
I looked into cards that’d give status but they usually only grant for primary, I’m always an AU for obvious reasons. For points redemption wise, for 13 nights what I need it’s about 330k points through their portal for a nice hotel, and 220 for the budget ones go figure.
Take a look at what status gets you and make sure it’s worth prioritizing. It generally wasn’t for me, even when I was traveling like crazy for work.
Then I mainly consolidated my stays to two brands (with one primary) so I didn’t have a handful of points littered across a dozen loyalty programs.
For unknown reasons beyond covid-related extensions Hilton has failed to revoke my Diamond status after not earning it for multiple consecutive years, and if they took it away tomorrow I’m not sure what I’d miss.
After clean and safe, location is the most important hotel attribute to me. If they give me a better room when I check in, well, that’s welcome… but I’m just sleeping there for a couple of nights.
But that’s my travel style. You may have other drivers.
Good thing since you identify as a Chinese woman on Saturdays…you’re in like Flint!
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how does marriott credit nights when they’re split across two calendar years?
I emailed them re: this because I was concerned about that too.
Status is received after challenge is completed, so you’d receive status for the calender year after you finish the challenge.
Considering this is one of the cheapest rooms that meets all those markers for me, and is close enough to things to do over the break, the status is just a welcome bonus. I mean at less than 73 bucks a night, between two people with all taxes and fees included it’s pretty hard to be mad at that.
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If you’re on financial aid, start the conversation there. Not the housing people.
Even if you don’t get free on-campus housing, you might get something toward FA that helps with your OOP costs.
We apply for break housing with the financial aid office ‘emergency’ housing authorization team. My friend and I both tried.
In their direct words unless you’re at risk of being homeless or have a severe emergency they’re not approving jack. They’re not very nice, lol.
I bought this one and love it:
Tourlite 22" 2-Wheel Carry-On Luggage. It’s basically a duplicate of the one I bought in 2007, which was killed in action on Hawaiian airlines. Not a spinner, those are not for me.
Pleasant reminder upon renewing my US Bank Altitude Reserve… you don’t have to use their OTA to use the $325 annual travel credit (which also includes dining).
I was reminded by accident when I loaded some funds into my Lyft account and paid with this card (there was a 10% back Lyft offer [up to $3 back]), which is what prompted me to make the purchase.
The annual fee on this card is $400, or $75 net after the travel/dining credit is used up.
They were willing to give me 5,000 points (worth $75 toward travel) to keep the card open for another year, so net OOP cost is $0 again this year.
The main niche this card fills for me is 3x (4.5%) back on mobile wallet purchases (Apple Pay, etc). Same 4.5% applies to travel purchases.
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That’s for my trip for tomorrow.
I just rebooked my 12/3 flights:
- Canceled the 16,000-mile booking
- Booked the identical itinerary for 11,000 (and chose the same seats
)
And my 12/10 flights:
- Canceled the 20,000-mile itinerary
- Booked a better one for 14,000
So on those three itineraries I recouped 29,000 miles – and ended up with one identical itinerary, and two that I liked better than what I had.
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Midway through our stay in Rome and just enjoyed breakfast from the rooftop of the Palazzo Manfredi. Absolutely insane that this is bookable with Hyatt.
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Pretty sweet! Anything weird/different booking one of the SLH vs normal Hyatt booking? I was looking at booking Tabacon thermal spa in Costa Rica next year.
That became a really good way during and post-Covid era when airlines dropped all their rebooking fees and rules on when and how you can do that.
I did the same with my Florida Trip in December. I booked, then rebooked for a lot lower price.
It was even nice to use Amex Hilton’s $250 airline fee credit to change our family into comfort+ seats on Jetblue for three $54 side seats and two $34 middle (per seat).
Unfortunately, Delta charges $100 per comfort seat on the same route, so not sure if I want to use other credit cards airline fee credits to upgrade us to Comfort+ there. Maybe I’ll do that since it’s the end of the year and doesn’t look like there will be another flight before year-end.
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