Like hotel points, I have heard lots of guys that are platinum point members that get into the clubs and whatnot, but you have to spend a fortune on those cards. Well, way more than I typically spend in a year. But yeah, I guess if the incentives are worth more than the fee it might be worth it.

Have you ever negotiated these fees over the phone? I get mine waived. Every Time. They want someone who spends a lot on credit cards. They don't care that you never carry a balance. They get 3-5% every transaction. a $100 fee is easily waivable even at the clerk level if it keeps you spending with their card.

02-01-2018 | 11:25 AM

#194332

gloopy

Gets Weekends Off

Joined: Jul 2010

Posts: 12,831

Likes: 172

From: window seat

Quote:

Originally Posted by duece12345

Welp, they are going to requal me on the old cat and train me in order on the new cat. I’ll get requaled for 1 month on old equipment. ****.

That's what I was thinking. While that sucks in your case, it kind of has to be that way. The AE process is already liberal enough with honoring seniority as it is.

02-01-2018 | 04:27 PM

#194333

Cohiba

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Joined: Jul 2009

Posts: 96

Likes: 0

Quote:

Originally Posted by easternguy

Switched to an HSA this year. If you have an HSA, does your FSA become a "limited purpose" FSA account? In other words, the FSA can only be used for Dental and vision? Can't find a definitive answer on the myuhc website.

It is exactly as you thought...a limited purpose FSA. You can refer to the IRS section on HSA. The IRS encourages you to save it and only use the $$ for medical expenses at your choosing. The dental/vision aspect of insurance is normally paltry for most of us but if you have kids in orthodontics, the FSA is a pretty good thing or if you are going to have extensive dental work.

02-01-2018 | 04:34 PM

#194334

Cohiba

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Joined: Jul 2009

Posts: 96

Likes: 0

Quote:

Originally Posted by JamesBond

I flew with another pilot last year and he had taken his wife on Business Class to Munich on his points. He uses the Points Guy (TPG.com) to explain the process. Basically puts all his normal expenses (cable, utilities, gas, groceries). Call me crazy but that adds up to 2 free tickets a year. Or....transfer the points to hotels. Last May we stayed a week in NYC at a spectacular boutique hotel on the upper west side.

02-01-2018 | 04:42 PM

#194335

Cohiba

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Joined: Jul 2009

Posts: 96

Likes: 0

Quote:

Originally Posted by HTBH

At what point will they contact you and either put you in a sim or get a flight for you if you are about to lose landing currency? Do you have any say in the dates or a flight? Will you actually go non-current or will they try to get you in before you drop?

I go non-current on 1 Feb. Yes, I've tried to Yellow and Greenslip. And yes I filled out the 14 days of availability thing in icrew (down to 4 days left...)

HTBH

Fill out the form and they’ll schedule you about a week before you go non-current. They’ll definitely get you set up. If you go non-current they have to do more than a typical CQ 2 day since you’re non-qualified. They have to do a MV and a LOE (the LOE is actually a jeopardy event but they can repeat the flight phase). Going non-current isn’t a bad thing but a much bigger pain in the butt to resolve than doing the 3 bounces. Technically that’s all they have to do but Delta’s Instructor Guide requires a 2 hour program with a couple other maneuvers to get you back in the groove. Some instructors adhere to the instructor guide and some less so but if you go non-current it’s at least a full CQ sim and if it’s more than 30 days, it’ll be longer.

02-01-2018 | 06:36 PM

#194336

BigHitterLlama

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Joined: Aug 2015

Posts: 557

Likes: 0

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cohiba

FYI last month my fleet training guy told me to have to CPO to buy a trip to get me current. 2 days before they still hadn’t scheduled me when I got current on a green slip. YMMV.

02-02-2018 | 03:59 AM

#194337

Cohiba

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Joined: Jul 2009

Posts: 96

Likes: 0

If they buy you a trip, you’re paid as though you went to training. This can be an adverse event depending on the trip. I had one bought and thought I was getting 21+ hours. I was more than surprised.

02-02-2018 | 06:20 AM

#194338

BobZ

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Joined: Jun 2015

Posts: 4,116

Likes: 1

Yup. Unless you are in a category where its a mathematical impossibility to stay current....its generally not a good idea to go non current.

02-02-2018 | 06:57 AM

#194339

BigHitterLlama

Gets Weekends Off

Joined: Aug 2015

Posts: 557

Likes: 0

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cohiba

That blows!

02-02-2018 | 08:48 AM

#194340

GogglesPisano

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Joined: Sep 2013

Posts: 6,561

Likes: 311

From: Sitting SC at the Five Towns

Why can't our HSA contributions automatically stop when we hit the limit -- like our 401k? Has that level of math not been invented yet? Are we waiting for the next Isaac Newton? Or AI?