Chase Ink shutdowns on the rise, LoungeBuddy becomes a dead program walking and Amex begins to put limits on the amount of yearly Priority Pass visits Platinum cardholders get. All that and more in this week’s Saturday Selection, our weekly round-up of interesting tidbits from around the interwebs (links to the original articles are embedded in the titles).
Chase shutting down some Ink credit cardholders
It’s almost Halloween again and, like every streaming service and cable channel on the planet, it’s time to drag out some scary stories that will send chills down the human spine. When an issuer decides that they don’t like you, either because your activity looks like a money-laundering drug dealer or because you figured out a unique chink in a bank’s anti-fun armor, they can decide to “shut you down.” This usually involves closing one or all of your accounts and then leaving you to spend some quiet time alone thinking about what you’ve done. Some banks even take your points, but Chase actually gives you a couple of months to use your Ultimate Rewards before they zero you out, bless their hearts. Usually, Chase is actually one of the less-likely banks to shut down folks who creatively maximize their credit, but it seems that there’s been a slight uptick recently. Doctor of Credit shares a reddit discussion that seems to indicate that these buzz-kills might be targeted at folks who have been taking an exhilarating ride on the “Ink Train,” as Ink Business cards don’t have the same draconian churning rules that Chase consumer and co-branded cards do. One might say that it can even get a little wild-westy. I think it’s too soon to say whether or not the points police are really on the hunt for serial Inkers, but it’s a good reminder to be safe out there.
American Express putting LoungeBuddy out to pasture
LoungeBuddy was founded in 2013 as a search, review and booking tool for airport lounges around the world. The idea was that, regardless of what elite status you hold, you could search for lounges in the airport that you’re in and then book a day pass in one fell swoop. Similar to kids born after cellphones can’t understand life without GPS, those folks used to ubiquitous credit card-based Priority Pass memberships and other types of free lounge access might ask the question, “why would I need that?” Evidently, we don’t. American Express bought LoungeBuddy in 2019, but has recently been hacking away at it, Black Knight-style. The iOS app went away in July, making the website the only way to find and book lounge access. Then, a few weeks ago, Amex removed the $100 annual LoungeBuddy credit from the Amex Green Card and told current cardholders that they’d be losing the benefit next January…and there’s a good reason why. LoungeBuddy will breathe its final breath on January 30th, 2025, after which it will be crossing the virtual rainbow bridge to join all of the other happy, defunct apps in the afterlife. RIP, buddy.
Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders get Air Canada lounge access
One of the more taxing experiences of my time in college happened during a winter trip to Québec. On the last night we were there, a group of us went to a sugar shack, a homey cabin-like maple syrup “farm” out in the countryside. The maple sap had just started flowing and to celebrate we were treated to a multi-course sampling of hearty Québecois fare: omelets, game, bacon, stew, potatoes…all of it bathed in copious amounts of maple syrup. I thought that I loved fresh maple syrup, but after an hour or so, I realized that I had a limit – and I had reached that limit about 45 minutes and 7,000 calories earlier. I’ve never experienced a sugar rush (or crash) quite like it, something which I’m eternally grateful for. Why do I mention this? Just to be very clear to folks with a similar background that Air Canada’s Maple Leaf Lounges have nothing to do with a sugar shack and can be very pleasant places to while away an hour before a flight. Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders now have complimentary access to around 20 Maple Leaf locations around the world when flying a Star Alliance carrier; Thrifty Traveler has the full list here. Note that the access is just for the cardholder, however. Guests will oddly cost 59 loonies, American dollars, euros or British pounds (I’d recommend paying in Canadian currency at current exchange rates).
Amex putting limits on Priority Pass lounge access
American Express has a long, ongoing and successful war on the happiness of Platinum cardholders. Amex’s high-end, $695/year, “luxury” card doubles as one of the more expensive coupon books in the world, carrying monthly, bi-annual, quarterly or yearly credits for: airline incidentals, prepaid Fine Hotels & Resorts stays, digital entertainment, Global Entry, Uber, CLEAR, Saks Fifth Avenue and Walmart+ (which is what really gives it that luxury feel). As the coupons have multiplied, some benefits have gone away. The Priority Pass that comes with the card no longer has access to restaurants, unlimited Delta SkyClub access will start to be very limited next year and using the $50 Saks credit now has a shipping charge attached (for orders under $300). Last week, Platinum cardholders in Spain were informed that their Priority Pass lounge access would no longer be unlimited starting October 24th. After that date, our Iberian friends will be allowed a maximum of 20 visits/year for primary cardholders; 10/year for authorized users. It’s thought that this will soon be implemented across Europe and eventually, barring mass revolt, on this side of the pond as well. Loyalty Lobby flagged the new changes and speculates on what next.
The post Chase Ink shutdowns, RIP to LoungeBuddy and Amex limits Priority Pass access for Platinum cards (Saturday Selection) appeared first on Frequent Miler. Frequent Miler may receive compensation from CHASE. American Express, Capital One, or other partners.