Since forever and ever (well, my recent memory, which is admittedly short), American Express Canada has always pulled Transunion when making a credit decision. This kind of sucked, because most other valuable Canadian creditors also pull Transunion, and this made the case of having excessive credit checks all too common.
A couple weeks ago I was approved for the Chase Ritz-Carlton (USA) credit card, with a sign-up bonus of two free nights after spending $4,000. As of yesterday, Flyertalk reports that Chase has implemented major changes to the Ritz-Carlton card. These include:
Update: So I’m testing the card. When you get it, you have to do a mini application which does a soft check on your Equifax. Your initial load has to be in a foreign currency, and has a 2.5% spread. The initial load has to be the equivalent of $CAD 100. After the initial purchase, you can load the card with Canadian Dollars. The address you want the card sent to has to match the card used for the initial purchase.
My partner recently traveled on Cathay Pacific from Toronto to Denpasar via Hong Kong on a Canadian passport. At the check-in desk, the agent demanded proof of onward travel from Bali. While we had something booked, all that information was with me and not with him (he was traveling alone). The agent said “you are not traveling today.” At this point it was nighttime where I was, and he couldn’t get a hold of me and was scrambling what to do. This article will explain the requirement for proof of onward travel, and what to do if you encounter a problem with it, and help you avoid being denied boarding.
I recently took a tour to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), the armistice border between North and South Korea. The tour organizer was the USO, what I believe to be a unique and economical way to visit the DMZ.
Like any good reader would know, when you get the American Express Platinum card, while paying a $699 annual fee, you get a $200 travel credit per calendar year. That means if you get the card a couple weeks before January 1, you will get two $200 credits for your first annual fee. Further, if you cancel your card within a month of the next annual fee posting, it is Amex’s longstanding policy to give you a full refund.
