My recent trip to Europe taught me many things. First, I must learn to speak Italian, because I love Italy enough to live there. Next, I must continue to amass as many miles and points as I possibly can in order to travel in comfort. And finally, it is a really bad idea to only travel with only one credit card.

Both MrsMJ and I dutifully called Citibank, Chase, and our Bank to let them know we were taking an extensive international trip, and intended to make some purchases while we were away, and purchase, we did. Mostly meals, souvenirs, and other incidentals. MrsMJ purchased couple of items right after we landed in Rome using her Hilton HHonors Reserve Visa, and these transactions processed just fine using a chip card reader. Our first snag was at the train station, where the kiosk would not accept my Chase Sapphire Preferred Visa. Turning to my Marriott Rewards Premier Visa, with Chip & Signature, my train ticket purchase went though with no issues. Missing out on Ultimate Rewards points makes me sad, but I’m not one for turning down Marriott Rewards points either.

With that, we were off to Rome, Florence, Venice, and our 14-night cruise aboard Celebrity Reflection. In most cases, merchants and restaurants we dealt with were well equipped to accept swipe cards and chip cards. In a few cases, only a chip card reader was visible and used. An important port of call for us was Kusadasi, Turkey. Not only because we were taking a private tour of the ancient city of Ephesus, but we also intended to purchase a new carpet for our dining room now that we are old enough to graduate from our IKEA dining room set.

We returned to the same vendor we purchased from last time, Topkapi, and sat through the usual carpet presentation. There was tea, Turkish coffee, snacks, and Turkish wine. Our guide recommended that I not drink any wine until we had made a purchase. I explained that my having a clear head was irrelevant in this case, as MrsMJ is in charge of all major purchases of home furnishings, so bring on the wine. After settling on the perfect carpet, MrsMJ presented her Hilton HHonors Reserve Visa to make the purchase. Her card was inserted into the chip reader and the response was “Transaction Denied – Call Bank.” Thankfully, Topkapi made the call for us and handed the phone to MrsMJ, because the call took entirely too long, included far too many instances of being placed on hold, and best of all, MrsMJ could hardly hear the Citibank representative. After going through the usual spiel of questions, the end result was that Citibank would not approve the purchase even though it was significantly below the amount of available credit, and we had called to tell them we would be making such a purchase before we left. Citi told MrsMJ that she would need to go into a Citibank branch with the card and photo ID in order to have the purchase approved. This was obviously not an option at the moment.

Much to my chagrin, MrsMJ turned to her longtime card, the Royal Caribbean Visa issued by Bank of America, which immediately approved the purchase. Maybe I should not have been so focused on being entertained with wine and snacks afterall, or I would have handed over my Sapphire Preferred Card for the purchase! Heck, I would have settled for some Membership Rewards points with my Amex Platinum (which also earns us some cruise benefits)! This would also have been an ideal way to meet the minimum spend requirements on the Chase Ink Bold Business Card which is currently offering 50,000 Ultimate Rewards bonus points when you make $5,000 dollars in purchases during the first 3 months of opening the card account. In other words, we could have been that much closer to another premium class roundtrip to Europe like the one I reported on here.

In the end, everything worked out. We got our carpet, and enough Royal points for a few bucks of onboard credit for our next Royal Caribbean cruise. Would I rather have Ultimate Rewards points or Membership Rewards points? Sure. The real lesson here is that it is a bad idea to put all your eggs in one basket when it comes to credit cards. Even if you do your duty, and call your card company to let them know you are traveling, there is a small risk that you might run into the difficulty that we did. Do not travel with just one card!

LINK: Ink Bold® Business Card

LINK: Chase Sapphire Preferred℠

LINK: Marriott Rewards® Premier Credit Card

LINK: Citi® Hilton HHonors™ Reserve Card 

LINK: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Disclosure: If you apply for and receive a credit card through the links provided in this post (with the exception of the Royal Caribbean Visa), I will receive a referral bonus. As always, I appreciate your readership whether you use my links or not.

Disclaimer: This content is not provided or commissioned by American Express. Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of American Express, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by American Express. This site may be compensated through American Express Affiliate Program.

There’s a downside to 3 weeks in Europe? Actually, there is. Three weeks is enough to put you solidly on Europe time, and you eventually have to come home. So? I’ve been wide awake since 3am. Not just kind of awake. I mean….full on…ready to rumble, I could go run a few miles awake. Instead, I will blog about a random smattering of reflections on the longest vacation I’ve ever taken.

Credit Cards and Cash

Early in my trip I wrote a post about my first credit card experience in Europe. I was unable to use my Chase Sapphire Preferred card to purchase a ticket on the regional train from the airport into Rome. When I used my Chip & Signature Marriott Rewards Premier Visa, my transaction processed. I wanted to let you know that I had very few issues beyond that with my Chase Sapphire Preferred. All the shops and restaurants we visited (except one) were equipped with both chip card readers and swipe card readers. Some had separate readers for each type of card, while others had a single reader that could process both cards. When attempting to purchase train tickets in Livorno, Italy for the short trip to Pisa, we were unable to get any card to work. Thankfully, the machines accepted cash because the line to purchase tickets from an agent was excessive. On the return from Pisa, my Marriott Rewards Premier Visa worked just fine for purchasing train tickets. Moral of the story, always keep some Euros (or other local currency) with you when traveling. (Funny story (to me): met some nice people from the southwest US in a restaurant in Athens. They seemed shocked when the restaurant did not want to accept US dollars for their meal. Seriously people?!)

You May Have Trouble Using Your Credit Card Even if You Call Them First

I have to admit, this one caught me by surprise. MrsMJ intended to use her Citi Hilton HHonors Reserve Visa while we were away. It is Chip & Signature, and has no foreign transaction fees. She dutifully alerted Citibank to our travel plans before we departed, naming each country we would be visiting during our trip. Everything was fine until we arrived in Kusadasi, Turkey. We took the trip fully intending to purchase a carpet for our dining room while in Turkey. We visited the same seller we made our last purchase with, Topkapi, and found the perfect carpet. Offer the Citi Hilton HHonors Reserve Visa – “transaction declined, call bank.” Topkapi offered their phone to make the call. MrsMJ called and was placed on hold….for a LONG time. Frankly, I was getting a little hacked off that Citi would do this even if it wasn’t my dime paying for the call. When they finally did come back online, the fraud department went through the normal spiel of questions, which MrsMJ answered correctly.

Nonetheless, the final answer was that she would have to present herself in a Citibank branch with a picture ID before they would approve the purchase!!! Keep in mind, we were in Kusadasi, Turkey at the time. She handed over another card while on yet another long hold attempting to reach some kind of resolution, and the purchase was immediately approved with that card. I’m still trying to convince her not to cancel the Hilton Reserve Visa, because I think the Hilton Gold status alone is worth the annual fee. She is also on the hook for some not so insignificant foreign transaction fees because of Citi’s intransigence. Poor Citibank, they have made my wife mad. I really kind of feel for them.

My Fellow Countrymen

I love America. It is my country, afterall. A friend of mine, an ex-Marine, who has spent time all over the world and relishes travel to foreign locales used to have a saying, “only in America” when something funny (and good) would happen that really can only happen here. That said, I saw some behaviors exhibited by American tourists that played to the stereotypical “American tourist” picture that many have of us. Almost to a tee, we are loud. We speak loudly when others are quiet. We wear loud clothes. And then there were the nice folks we met that just assumed everyone accepts US dollars (though I admit that there are some countries where US dollars are widely accepted). Later, I witnessed one of my fellow countrymen lecturing the guest relations staffer on the ship about how the ship rocked too much during the night because we were trying to sail too fast. To each his/her own, I suppose, but I’d rather try and fit in, and try to learn a few basic phrases of the local language than just assume things will work out for me. And by the way, you’ll never hear me question the judgement of an experienced sea captain on the ship’s speed in public either….. though I guess I might feel differently if I cruised on some other cruise line that shall remain nameless. (Off soapbox)

Something else I noticed on this trip – more positive images of America. Yes, I see the contrast in these two paragraphs. What am I talking about? Upscale and locally focused retail shops were offering more clothing featuring more uniquely American images than I had noticed in the past. I saw more than one trendy looking European wearing an image of the American flag, scarves imprinted with a “stars and stripes” theme, handbags imprinted with the same, etc. Maybe it’s just me, and maybe it means nothing, but I think this is probably a good thing.

The Last Musing For Now

As much as I loved being in Europe, visiting so many fabulous places, eating great food, and drinking wonderful wines, I really am happy to be home. As my friend says, only in America! And on this American holiday, I wish you all the very happiest of Thanksgivings! I am thankful for my wife, my family, my job, the ability to travel, and for all of you who flatter me by reading this blog.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Disclosure: If you apply for and receive a credit card through the links provided in this post, I will receive a commission. As always, I appreciate your readership whether you use my links or not.

As you know, the MJ on Travel team has relocated to Atlanta. We are settling into our new digs, and our belongings (what we didn’t drive down) will arrive this weekend. Looking at my travel calendar, I have 8 Delta flights booked over the next several weeks, and that’s just what I know about. There will be more. That brings us to my first travel-related question of the move: Amex Platinum or Delta Reserve?

A review of the benefits of each card is in order.

LINK: The Platinum Card from American Express

• This is a key card in any traveler’s wallet, and one that I’ve been carrying for several years. I rarely use the card for routine charges, but it is instead one that I carry for its many benefits including:
• Access to the airport lounges operated by American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and US Airways on day of travel. Note: You can access US Airways lounges whether you are traveling with them that day or not. Additionally, you will receive Priority Pass Select membership offering access to hundreds more lounges.
• The Cruise Privileges Program offering up to $400 dollars in onboard spending credits, upgrades, and other onboard amenities on many cruise lines.
• A $200 dollar airline fee credit annually which covers things like baggage fees and onboard meals. You can only receive this benefit on one airline per year, so choose wisely.
• The Fine Hotels and Resorts program offering room upgrades and many other benefits at select hotel properties worldwide.
• Starwood Preferred Gold status.
• Status in the rental programs at Avis, Hertz, and National.
• Global Entry fee waiver. ($100 dollar value)
• Many, many other benefits that you can read about here. The annual fee for this card is $450 dollars.

LINK: The Delta Gold/Platinum/Reserve Credit Card from American Express

This card is the top tier card offering from the Delta SkyMiles program. It comes with annual fee of $450 dollars as well, and it includes access to Delta Sky Clubs. There are other benefits as well.

• 10,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) (and now 10,000 redeemable miles too) with your first purchase. You can also earn up to 30,000 additional MQMs. 15,000 when you charge $30,000 dollars in a year, and an additional 15,000 when you charge $60,000 dollars. You’ll receive 15,000 bonus redeemable bonus miles at each of these thresholds too.
• Priority for Medallion upgrades.
• First checked bag for free for you and up to nine companions in the same reservation.
• Concierge services.
• You can read about the other benefits of this card here.

Each of these cards carries some compelling benefits. As a guy who is about to be flying Delta almost exclusively, the Delta Sky Club access, and most especially, the additional MQMs that come with the Delta Reserve card make that an enticing possibility. That said, as some of you know, MJ on Travel likes to cruise. The airline lounge access (including the Delta Sky Club), the Cruise Privileges program (which includes my favorite lines Royal Caribbean and Celebrity), and the $200 annual airline fee credit mean that this card actually pays for its $450 dollar annual fee itself. That’s even before I add in the value of SPG Gold status and the Global Entry fee.

On the other hand, the Delta Reserve card only gets me into the Sky Club, and does not include the benefits of the Platinum Card I value most. However, the bonus MQM possibilities are enough to make me seriously consider this card. I’m a little loathe to carry 2 cards that come with a $450 dollar annual fee each card. I will keep the Amex Platinum Card and forgo the Delta Reserve card. If I come up a little short on MQMs by year’s end, then I may reconsider. Afterall, if the Amex Platinum Card already pays for itself, am I really paying two $450 dollar annual fees? Will I even care if the Delta Reserve card saves me from losing status? Stay tuned. But for now, Amex Platinum wins!

Disclosure: If you apply for and receive a credit card through the links I’ve provided, I will receive a referral bonus. As always, please know I appreciate your readership whether you apply for a card through one of my links or not.

Disclaimer: This content is not provided or commissioned by American Express. Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of American Express, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by American Express. This site may be compensated through American Express Affiliate Program.

MJ has gone fishing this week, so look for some “Best of” posts. These posts are picked based on the number of views they receive.

Original post date – April 13, 2011

As you know, I’ve been a proponent of the American Express Platinum Card for sometime.  Frankly, if you travel at all, you should at least consider adding the Platinum Card to your wallet.  If you fly American, Delta, or US Airways, even better.  Why?  The Platinum Card will get you access to these airlines’ lounges on the day of travel if you hold a boarding pass on their flights.  In the case of US Airways, they’ll grant you access to the US Airways Club whether you’re flying them or not.  Continental Airlines has been a longtime participant in both the Platinum/Centurion lounge access program as well as an Amex Membership Rewards transfer partner.  As of September 30, 2011, that relationship goes away has ended as Continental moves towards full integration with United.  Oh well, life goes on.  So let’s talk about why this card is an even better deal for travelers.

Amex made some changes to the card last year which they marketed as “The Next Generation” of the Platinum Card.  I blogged about those changes then, which included a $200 dollar airline “fee credit” per year, a 20 percent bonus on travel purchases made with Membership Rewards points, and a new travel app that includes a subscription to TripIt Pro, a $49 dollar value.  That’s something, but recently, Amex has rolled out even more enhancements to the Platinum Card product that are worth real money.

First, the lounge access program now includes Priority Pass Select membership.  This adds access to over 600 lounges worldwide.  Notably, the Select level of membership does NOT include access to Continental and United lounges that participate in the Priority Pass program.  No doubt a nod to Chase, which is the issuer of both the Continental and United mileage credit cards.  Still, this is a real enhancement.  Second, if you decide to register for theGlobal Entry program, a US Government offering which allows you to bypass lengthy customs and immigration lines at certain US airports, Amex will credit the $100 dollar application fee back to your account.  Finally, Amex no longer charges its Platinum and Centurion Card holders that annoying foreign transaction fee when making purchases overseas.  So now you’ll be saving 2.7 percent on foreign purchases when using the card overseas.  You can read American Express’ presser on these enhancements here.

At $450 dollars per year, this Card isn’t for everyone.  But if you are a frequent traveler who is likely to purchase a lounge membership from one of their lounge partners, the lounge access alone basically pays for the card.  Couple that with the real enhancements that Amex has made to the Platinum Card, and there’s no question that many travelers should carry this card in their wallets.  I know I do.  Not to sound corny, but I never leave home without it.

Disclosure: If you apply for and receive an Amex Platinum Card through the link I provided above, I will receive a commission.

Disclaimer: This content is not provided or commissioned by American Express. Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of American Express, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by American Express. This site may be compensated through American Express Affiliate Program.

LINK: Citi® Hilton HHonors™ Reserve Card

After applying for the great new Citi Hilton HHonors Reserve card on Tuesday, I was immediately approved. I assumed it would be next week sometime before the card showed up. Much to my surprise, it was delivered via UPS Friday afternoon. Interestingly enough, I had signed into my Hilton account online on my way home Friday to see if my HHonors account now reflected my Gold status that is a key benefit of the card, and it did!

Citi and Hilton really stepped up the packaging for this card as well. It’s not quite Amex Centurion worthy, but fancier than I expected, for sure.

Slick marketing for sure. That said, I think this card is backed up with some compelling benefits that make it worthy of your consideration. Those benefits include:

• Earn 2 weekend night certificates good at select hotels and resorts within the Hilton HHonors portfolio after $2,500 in eligible purchases within 4 months of account opening
• Earn 10 HHonors Bonus Points per $1 spent on hotel stays within the Hilton HHonors portfolio
• Earn 5 HHonors Bonus Points per $1 spent on airline and car rental purchases
• Earn 3 HHonors Bonus Points per $1 spent on all other eligible purchases
• Enjoy the benefits of HHonors Gold status as long as you are a cardmember
• No foreign transaction fees on purchases
• Travel with ease and enjoy global acceptance with your Citi chip credit card
• Earn an anniversary bonus of 1 weekend night certificate at select hotels and resorts within the Hilton HHonors portfolio each cardmembership year with qualifying purchases

LINK: Citi® Hilton HHonors™ Reserve Card

Disclosure: If you apply for and receive a credit card through the links provided in this post, I will receive a commission. Please know I appreciate your readership whether you use my links or not.

I recently received a question from a reader on credit cards. I offered my advice. Feel free to comment if you would have offered different advice.

Reader: “I am new to the apporama game and would like to do my first one. I am planning a trip in november with my wife and 3 kids to Europe. I would like to pay with points for as much as possible. Do you have any suggestions for me on what cards to get? I have a Amex Gold bz card that I got in Nov of last year and have about 220000 points on it. I also have a Citi AAdvantage Platinum MasterCard that I applied for in early March of 2012 with a balance of 60000 miles. I have a decent credit score with my lowest being 730. I also live in New Orleans so I have pretty good airport to fly from. Another thing you might want to know is that I own a small biz with about $30000 month spend that I currently put on my Amex.”

MJonTravel: “Well, there are a few ways to do this. You could transfer your Membership Rewards points to either FlyingBlue or SkyMiles and book travel on either Air France or Delta. I found some availability at the 75,000 mile level in Economy on random dates in November using delta.com on either Delta or Delta and Air France (connecting in Atlanta) between New Orleans and Paris. You’ll collect enough Membership Rewards points at your current charge rate to get most of your family to Europe. Granted, we didn’t discuss where you would like to go in Europe.

Now, you mentioned applying for some other cards. I have 2 cards in mind and I think they will allow you to leverage the bonuses you might earn from them and the Membership Rewards points you already have in a better way. I would consider applying for the Chase Sapphire Preferred card for your personal card, and the Chase Ink Card for business expenses. Key benefits: With the Sapphire Preferred Card, you will receive 40,000 bonus Ultimate Rewards points if you spend $3,000 dollars in the first 3 months after account opening. You earn 2x UR points for travel and dining charges, 1x points for everything else. The Ink card offers a 50,000 Ultimate Rewards point bonus. You get 25,000 bonus points with your first charge and 25,000 more points if you spend $10,000 dollars in the first 3 months. Based on your business charges, that won’t be a problem for you. Further, you earn 5x bonus points for Ink card charges at office supply stores, cell phone charges, landline phone,internet and cable TV service. You get 2x points for gas station and hotel charges.

The beauty of Ultimate Rewards points is that they can transfer to British Airways 1 for 1…..and so can your Membership Rewards points. Let’s assume for a second that you get the full bonus for Ink…and you get a Sapphire Preferred Card…. That’s 90,000 UR points right away, not counting what you earn from your routine charging. Perhaps your spouse could even obtain a Sapphire Preferred Card too…..another 40,000 points. You could transfer your points to British Airways and book travel on BA or their Oneworld partner American Airlines, both of which tend to have pretty good award availability, though be advised that BA does charge fuel surcharges on award travel which can amount to several hundred dollars per ticket.

This is probably what I would do if I were in your situation…..but I have to advise that I’m not a banker or financial planner, and only you can know what you can handle with credit cards. I’m going to include links to the Chase Sapphire Preferred card, and the Chase Ink card with Ultimate Rewards. Please be advised that if you apply for and receive a credit card through these links, I will receive a commission. You are absolutely under no obligation to use these links, and if you have received a better offer for the same cards through another method, please use the offer that provides the most benefits to you.”

What do you think of my advice, and what would you have said differently? Comments welcome.

Disclosure: If you apply for and receive a credit card through the links above, I will receive a commission.