Recap: Sapphire Reserve Causing Issues With United, Booking.com Resort Fee Commissions & More

 

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HelpyBoi
HelpyBoi (@guest_776406)
June 29, 2019 17:40

Here’s a rant.
I hate how hotels don’t quote all taxes and fees with rates.
It’s not like they don’t know what the taxes and fees are, since it’s fixed based on where they are located. It’s not like buying a car or an appliance, which changes the tax rate.

I wish we could move to a system where the only rate you can advertise is the all in cost, out of my pocket, taxes and “fees” included.

So grateful kayak lets me use that as an option when I search!

ADP
ADP (@guest_776027)
June 28, 2019 13:05

It’s going to be really interesting to see the comments when the CSR devaluation inevitably rolls in.

doc
doc (@guest_776146)
June 28, 2019 17:43

That goes without saying. There will always end up being a better product, at some point in the future.

As savvy travelers, we’re all obliged to take advantage of the most prestigious travel benefits on offer, present tense… whichever card or cards that may involve, that we can qualify for. When a better offer eventually gets introduced to the market… we can then amend our spending behavior, at that time.

Are you saying that you’d rather use a card with lesser travel benefits… just so that you can say, “I told you so,” somewhere down the line? – If so, that doesn’t make much sense.

Another thing we can probably agree on; is that it was banks that started the disloyalty in this industry… not consumers. Consumers used to be loyal to a fault, and many still are. But, now, savvy consumers are starting to become loyal to the quality of services offered… not necessarily to the underlying brands.

doc
doc (@guest_775995)
June 28, 2019 12:21

Whomever is writing for PYMNTS does not seem like English is their first language.

That article on resort fees is riddled with a combination of misspellings and grammatical errors.

It’s painful to read, despite having timely information.

YoniPDX
YoniPDX (@guest_776028)
June 28, 2019 13:06

Resort, destination, service, property fees, daily housekeeping fees (just saw this I think at the Fountains in Orlando or maybe it was a Wyndam resort). Seems like they have taken a page from the airlines.

Even worse is when they charge it for reward stays.

doc
doc (@guest_776058)
June 28, 2019 13:56

The Airlines actually have some of the most transparent quoting systems.

Southwest quotes all of their fares to the dollar, and after all fees and taxes you’re within pennies of the advertised rate.

If hotels just had the same advertising rules as airlines, a lot of this hullabaloo over post reservation price gouging would be a moot point.

HaveMiles
HaveMiles (@guest_776160)
June 28, 2019 18:38

That’s because DOT regulation requires them to quote the complete fare. It used to be different. Unfortunately DOT doesn’t regulate hotels.

tuphat
tuphat (@guest_775990)
June 28, 2019 12:15
Sven Katesh
Sven Katesh (@guest_776044)
June 28, 2019 13:38

It does, thank you

doc
doc (@guest_776054)
June 28, 2019 13:51

Thanks for the public link.

doc
doc (@guest_775984)
June 28, 2019 12:08

Clicked on that Chase United article and it’s not a public link.

Is this site getting paid to link the WSJ?

It’s really annoying clicking on articles that require membership to another site.

Ann
Ann (@guest_776089)
June 28, 2019 15:29

Will got a WSJ subscription deal (available to anyone) some time ago, IIRC. I think he just forgets that most of us can’t read those articles without outside help. They are not affiliate links.

HaveMiles
HaveMiles (@guest_776159)
June 28, 2019 18:37

I had no problems reading the article by googling the title in an iPad Safari incognito tab and clicking on the first link.

Frank
Frank (@guest_775970)
June 28, 2019 11:46

Is anyone else thinking to short AA’s stock after seeing 64% of earnings are coming from miles sales? Once Citi upgrades their IT that # is going to plummet…

United is full sh!t — if anything they should be offering JPM more to push the UA card, not asking for more. JPM would likely happily just drop them given that their other products ARE better

EDIT: Some idition (possibly MoreSun) linked DoC’s 5/24 post to that WSJ story in the comments there

YoniPDX
YoniPDX (@guest_776024)
June 28, 2019 13:02

“Wah-Wah it’s not fair we have to compete with JP Morgans higher AF card that has better ROI, more usable/useful benefits, and earning multiplers or savings beyond just FF card benefits, so we can pimp our own metal and formerly free flying benefits”

“It’s also not fair that the CSR card holders have higher discretionary incomes, Fico’s and charge $38k/yr on avg.”

Celia
Celia (@guest_775962)
June 28, 2019 11:39

We got the fee free for a year on the United Club card and do not really use the cared itself. I don’t need more miles and if I did, I’d transfer them from the CSR. The CSR is more versatile than either of the United cards. I find that booking trips thru the Chase portal saves me a bunch so I don’t use the free bag benefits. The only other plus of the UC card is the lack of a close in fee which I just used but that’s being eliminated anyway.

Geo
Geo (@guest_775981)
June 28, 2019 12:01

But that goes for all Club cards. No one uses AA club card beyond signup, and since Amex Plat comes with Delta club access…

YoniPDX
YoniPDX (@guest_775946)
June 28, 2019 11:09

//Rant on//

Seems like CSR card is just more competitive because of better Insurance and better. mutiplier categories.

Cards from UA, SW, AS, DL, AA, only earn measly 2-3x and have poor travel insurance (i.e. delays and bags, etc).

FF Points and miles are already a huge profit center with high breakage overall by most Americans, and they can earn even more or create inflation by de-value anytime.

Airlines have never been more profitable than past few years. AA had almost $1B profits realized by stockholders for 2018.

So honestly airlines need to do a better job competing with issuer’s, funny how just like the banks. Airline Union employee s and tax payers bailed airlines.

The baggage fees and fuel surcharge that were created duirng the great recession, are now profit centers.

That’s the problem when your choices are limited by giants Corp that are too big that they DGAF or feel they even need to about employees, customers or ethics .

//Rant off//

Celia
Celia (@guest_775967)
June 28, 2019 11:41

Wax on, Wax off 🙂

Seriously though, all great points.

Information Booth
Information Booth (@guest_775927)
June 28, 2019 10:35

“There is no such thing as mysterious deaths in the Dominican Republic”…well then they must be obvious and intentional. The death toll is 12 or 13 right now… just from the USA alone. They couldn’t pay ME to vacation there… at least the airlines are acknowledging there’s a problem. John 3:16

Mike L
Mike L (@guest_775917)
June 28, 2019 10:22

I got a paywall when I clicked your WSJ link. To get around it, Google “United Chase” and use the first news story link.

Andrey
Andrey (@guest_775952)
June 28, 2019 11:30

Doesn’t work

Mike L
Mike L (@guest_776060)
June 28, 2019 14:02

Try ‘United Chase WSJ” and make sure you are under the ‘news’ tab on Google.