Airline Pilot Central Forums

Airline Pilot Central Forums (https://www.airlinepilotforums.com/)
-   United (https://www.airlinepilotforums.com/united/)
-   -   Credit cards (https://www.airlinepilotforums.com/united/148654-credit-cards.html)

Swakid8 11-15-2024 11:33 AM


Originally Posted by OffAtTango (Post 3852660)
If you're willing to splurge a little bit, I personally belive the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant and the United MileagePlus Club Card is the perfect combo for a United pilot. United and Marriott are very tight with eachother, so most our layover hotels are Marriott properties. I always book a Marriott property when I have an uncommutable trip, and depenidng the current promo can earn up to 21 points for every $1 spent on a room. I have aquired enough points for multiple free nights and have only hard this card for 6 months. The Marriott card automatically upgrades your account to Platinum Elite, giving you club access when available. On top of that, there's an annual $300 dining credit and annual free night award so the card practically pays for itself. With regards to the United Club Card, if you are a commuter it is amazing. Get to a hub 2 hours before your trip? Have a long sit in a hub? Throw on a jacket and get a free meal + coffee in the club. With how expensive airport food is, this card too will pay for itself fairly quickly.

I have been evaluating applying for the Marriott Brilliant Card myself. Mainly to get club access and free breakfast. I too use Marriott for getting hotel rooms as a commuter. This is something I will likely pull the trigger on at the end of the year. The MP Club Card ontop of the Brilliant card might be a steep price. I'll have to activate my club passes my from MP explorer card to see what the food situation is like in the UAL club.

whatarefacts 11-15-2024 11:38 AM

Do you not need a ticket to enter the club?

BurritoBeach 11-15-2024 12:21 PM


Originally Posted by whatarefacts (Post 3852689)
Do you not need a ticket to enter the club?

Standby boarding pass will get you in.

ThumbsUp 11-15-2024 12:45 PM


Originally Posted by Swakid8 (Post 3852687)
I have been evaluating applying for the Marriott Brilliant Card myself. Mainly to get club access and free breakfast. I too use Marriott for getting hotel rooms as a commuter. This is something I will likely pull the trigger on at the end of the year. The MP Club Card ontop of the Brilliant card might be a steep price. I'll have to activate my club passes my from MP explorer card to see what the food situation is like in the UAL club.


If you are already getting Platinum+ on your stays with marriott, the Brilliant card offers you most very little benefit. The Boundless offers you 15 nights elite credit annually and a free stay for $95/year. So basically the free night pays for the card. The intro bonus points offer is also 30k higher right now than the brilliant, so even if you aren't platinum, sign up for the cheaper card, get the bonus and do a product upgrade.

But seriously 11-15-2024 02:32 PM


Originally Posted by ThumbsUp (Post 3852703)
If you are already getting Platinum+ on your stays with marriott, the Brilliant card offers you most very little benefit. The Boundless offers you 15 nights elite credit annually and a free stay for $95/year. So basically the free night pays for the card. The intro bonus points offer is also 30k higher right now than the brilliant, so even if you aren't platinum, sign up for the cheaper card, get the bonus and do a product upgrade.

The Boundless also has the added advantage that you get an extra Elite Night Credit for every $5000 spent. I made my wife an authorized user on the card and unfortunately I usually make Titanium.

Seminole00 11-15-2024 02:54 PM


Originally Posted by Swakid8 (Post 3852687)
I have been evaluating applying for the Marriott Brilliant Card myself. Mainly to get club access and free breakfast. I too use Marriott for getting hotel rooms as a commuter. This is something I will likely pull the trigger on at the end of the year. The MP Club Card ontop of the Brilliant card might be a steep price. I'll have to activate my club passes my from MP explorer card to see what the food situation is like in the UAL club.

The food situation is meh. Powdered eggs and sausages in the morning with some fruits and yogurt. Chicken strips, (sometimes carnitas) salad bar, hot soup and sandwiches starting at 1100. Plus bread, pastries, bagals, cheese/crackers and snacks during all hours of the day. Nothing too exciting but more than adquate for a hungery commuter who don't wish to spend $28.75 in SFO for a meal after the "employee discount".

Swakid8 11-15-2024 06:09 PM


Originally Posted by Seminole00 (Post 3852736)
The food situation is meh. Powdered eggs and sausages in the morning with some fruits and yogurt. Chicken strips, (sometimes carnitas) salad bar, hot soup and sandwiches starting at 1100. Plus bread, pastries, bagals, cheese/crackers and snacks during all hours of the day. Nothing too exciting but more than adquate for a hungery commuter who don't wish to spend $28.75 in SFO for a meal after the "employee discount".

Shoot, the ability to have access to a salad bar is a great deal. Wife and I will need to sit down and mull over our options….

Turbosina 11-15-2024 11:42 PM


Originally Posted by Swakid8 (Post 3852762)
Shoot, the ability to have access to a salad bar is a great deal. Wife and I will need to sit down and mull over our options….

The United Clubs in SFO, IAH, DEN, LAX definitely have fresh salads...not a full salad bar but it's better than pretty much any airport salad...

Ice Bear 11-19-2024 09:17 AM

Visa Debit is great. It's free and has built-in credit card debt protection.

Khantahr 11-29-2024 07:40 AM

The Bonvoy Brilliant has other Amex benefits unrelated to Marriott that also offset the cost, such as return protection. I've gotten several hundred dollars back this year from that alone from things that I wanted to return but the store wouldn't take back.

The higher end Marriott breakfasts (like above Courtyard level) are usually real food, and run $25+ per person, so that credit adds up fast too.


All times are GMT -8. The time now is 08:04 AM.


Website Copyright © 2026 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands