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Thanks for the feedback. We do talk briefly about United status at around 04:00 in the video, though for us it's not a motivating factor because we live in a strong Delta hub and have Air Canada status through an Aeroplan credit card. I agree those are a big deal if you can make use of them, and based on yours and other feedback we've received I wish I would have talked more about them in the video (maybe in a follow up). Thanks for your comment!

Thanks for your comment! I haven't tried booking through Priceline. Can you add your number when you book, or do you give them your number at the hotel?

@@40-and-flying I just give them the number when I check in. In the US its far less expensive for the same room on Priceline. My observation outside the US not much of a price difference. Making it better to take the points.

Thank you! I hope you have as good of luck with your platinum status in Asia as we have had!

Thanks for your comment! I've heard they don't give lifetime Titanium anymore, so that's awesome you've got it! We'll be in Bali next year - I'll have to check out the Aloft there. Thanks again!

Thank you for your kind words! Congrats on Platinum! We hope to hear your experiences once you've stayed with your newly earned status!

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it!

Thanks for your comment! We haven't been in a position to get much out of the double night promos yet (we've stayed one or two nights a couple of times), but that's definitely true!

Thanks for sharing your experience! We have had many upgrades at Platinum, but usually not all the way to a suite. We're in a Delta hub - very little United presence here anymore - but if we weren't I'd definitely be glad to have the status!

@ makes sense if you ever do make titanium I probably say it’s the best level out of all the tiers. Recently achieved ambassador status so I’ll get back to you when you post a recap of your 2025 Marriott experience.

You really get aeroplan status with titanium? I couldn't find it on their website but I'd love to get that

I look forward to hearing about it!

Thank you - glad you enjoyed it!

Aloha - thank you for your comment! We do go for airline status as well, but usually only lower level status as we fly a lot of different airlines and we haven't found it to be worth flying exclusively within one alliance (yet). I do think the United status (and Hertz status as well if you rent cars) could come in handy, so good luck with your pursuit of Titanium! I think it will be more useful for your US stays as well. We'll have a video out soon - hopefully in the next few days - looking at Titanium status with Marriot. Thanks for watching!

@ good to know! I look forward to your future videos!

Thank you! We loved our experience and will definitely attend more Japanese baseball games in the future.

Thanks for sharing!

Hi - thanks for your comment! You're right - it's one business and one personal card. The AMEX Brilliant card is a personal card, which gives 25 nights, and the other is the AMEX business card which gives 15 nights. Thanks also for mentioning the Annual Choice award at 75 nights, which I believe is a 40,000 point night? We've never gotten it, but we will have a video soon talking about Titanium status with Marriott which will include that. Thanks again!

@@40-and-flying HI! Thank you. Yes, the Annual Choice award night is a 40,000 point night that also allows you to add another 15,000 point of our own if you wish to. I am blessed to be a Lifetime Titanium, so it is something I was focusing on. I did use my 50 night bonus award to add 5 elite nights in addition to get to 79 night this year. I am new to the CC game and by chance was just a loyal Marriott person over the years because of convenience and my love of the Marriott hotels abroad that I love. I agree with you that Marriott stays in the US are a hit and miss with even Titanium Lifetime meaning very little on most occasion especially if it is franchise location where can be great one place and almost non existent in another. There are several very good folks giving info on Marriott and I did enjoy yours in addtion. In 2025 I plan to acquire the Amex Brilliant card giving me 2 85,000 night awards (Chase Ritz-Amex Brilliant, 2 35,000-40,000 night awards (Chase Boundless+75 Night Choice Award. All the awards allow me to add 15,000 of my own points for a better property if I wish. I will pay a good sum for this privilege, but the free nights along with other credits easily make this worthwhile for me. As shared I have only stayed in a few Marriott in the US which I loved, but my nights in Bali, London, Scotland, Paris, Moscow, St Petersburg, Rome, Madrid, China and several others were well worth my dedication to Marriott. I am looking at IHG and Hyatt this year additionally, but just doing this to broaden my horizons. Thank you again! I am 64 in two weeks and all together I have stayed at Marriott well over a thousand nights.

Thank you! We're glad you enjoyed it!

Very good information - thanks for your insight!

smart-ex.jp/en/information/ This is the phone number listed on their website - I have never had to contact them though so I'm not sure if it works, but it says they have support in English. Also, check your junk or spam folders for the tickets if you haven't.

Thanks for sharing!

Definitely!

I'm glad it was helpful! The window is 28 days in advance of the date you plan on taking the train, yes. At that point the discounted price should show up. The business hours time is also Japan time, yes, although I've read recently you can now book until 11 PM Japan time (I have not tried this myself). Thanks for watching!

We have the follow up coming and also a video looking forward to 2025. Thanks for your comment!

Agreed. That's a very good point of people with higher status near airports - I hadn't thought of that. Thanks for your comment!

@@40-and-flyingis this location safe for tourists? I’m going to a wwe event at the Intuit dome. I’ve been trying to find hotels near the area with good reviews

@manuelmacias5192 There is a shuttle company that runs from several of the hotels near the airport to the Intuit Dome and TH-cam arena. The hotel can arrange it, and you can call them for information. We were in town for a David Gilmour concert at the Intuit Dome and used it. I believe it was around $35 per person round trip. We felt safe near the Intuit Dome around concert time - there were a lot of people around - but we didn't leave the hotel other than that. I personally wouldn't feel safe walking around that area, especially at night, and definitely would not walk from there to the Intuit Dome.

Very insightful - thank you. I recently traveled to Japan without my wife (who has the status), and I sorely missed the late check outs and early check ins. Glad to have you as a subscriber, and thanks for your kind words!

That's crazy! Sounds like you were due! We don't stay a lot in the US, but we've never been upgraded either. Thanks for your comment.

Thank you so much! I'm glad you found it helpful! I agree we need more content showing real world experience with loyalty programs.

Thanks for sharing your experience!

Thank you! And thanks for taking the time to comment!

Thanks for sharing!

Thanks for sharing! We don't have a lot of experience as Platinum in the US yet, so I appreciate your insight. We'll have another stay and room tour video up on a US stay next week - I will spoil it a bit and say the benefits are not as good as we've had internationally.

@@40-and-flying looking fwd to it

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it!

smart-ex.jp/en/index.php

That is true in our experience. In fact, at the end of the video we compare benefit value by region (Europe, Asia, and the US) with specifics of upgrades and perks in each region!

Glad it was helpful! Thanks!

Thank you! Hope it's helpful.

Thank you! And thanks for watching!

th-cam.com/video/8KRubWZNdQk/w-d-xo.html

So do we!

We got 250 points instead of the F&B credit

@@40-and-flyingfood and beverage credit was how much? 250 points is like nothing

@@bimmerM3 It was $10 USD. We weren't going to use it, so we took the points.

So do we! We visit every time we're in Kyoto. Thank you for your comment!

Plus the lobby of the hotel has a weird citrusy air fragrance that made me nauseous

Sorry to hear that. I'm glad they refunded you when you left!

Thanks for your kind words. Glad you enjoyed it!