Is there a downside to having multiple credit cards open?

No. Having multiple credit cards can actually improve your credit score by lowering utilization and increasing available credit.

Do I need to spend a minimum each month to qualify for travel benefits?

Most cards do not require a monthly minimum. Some cards have annual spending thresholds, like $75,000 on the Amex Platinum for extra lounge guest access.

How long before a trip should we reach out?

The earlier the better. Airlines publish schedules 11–12 months out, and while award seats aren’t always released immediately, it helps to plan ahead.

Is there a minimum salary needed to qualify for your services?

No. Clients with both small and large annual spends can benefit. Strategies to maximize points and miles work regardless of income level.

What is the best credit card?

There is no single best card. The right choice depends on your spending habits, travel goals, and preferred transfer partners.

Iceland’s PLAY Airlines Goes Bankrupt- Friend Left Stranded

Iceland’s ultra low cost airline PLAY Airlines has cancelled all flights and ceased operations as of today September 29th, 2025 stranding passengers all around Europe and North America.

Normally, I wouldn’t write about this as not many readers have probably ever heard of PLAY. However, a friend is now stuck in Dublin because of this and reached out for help. After having a great week in Dublin for the Steelers Vikings NFL game he got a rude awakening while trying to come home. Normally, he would have reached out to me to book his flights but he was traveling with friends who aren’t in the points and miles game (yet) so they all booked together on PLAY.

He went from flying the Spirit Airlines of Iceland to flying home in business class with a lie flat seat. So I guess it worked out well for him!

What to Do When Your Airline Goes Out of Business or Your Flight Gets Cancelled

In this case, Eric didn’t find out that PLAY was ceasing operations until he made it to the Dublin airport so I can only imagine what was going through his mind. Everything from “how am I going to get home” to “will I ever get my money back” was probably racing through his head. When something like this happens, or even when an airline cancels your flight (and doesn’t go out of business), you’ll want to take matters into your own hands and not rely on the airline for help as countless other passengers are probably trying to do the same.

The only option he had was to pay $1,100 for a one way coach flight home leaving tomorrow. However, he is sitting on a good amount of transferable credit card points.

The lowest cost for an economy flight was 84,000 Delta SkyMiles home with two stops and 22 hours of total travel time getting in the day after.

Searching for business class flights out of Dublin, there wasn’t any award availability back to his home airport but I found a nonstop flight from Dublin to Boston on Jetblue in their incredible Mint business class for only 60,000 miles and $56 in taxes and fees. Then he booked a cheap one way ticket from Boston back home for $224. And because both flights will be on JetBlue, he should be able to have them check his bags all the way home even though they’re on separate tickets. One of the best ways to book JetBlue Mint seats is through their partner Etihad which is a transfer partner of American Express, Citi, and Capital One.

By being his own advocate and reaching out to me, we were able to find him a much better flight home and save a ton of money.

Trip Cancellation Insurance

Most premium credit cards have trip cancellation and trip delay insurance. If you pay for your trip (even just the taxes and fees on your award flight) you are covered in the case of your trip being cancelled. A trip being cancelled could be from the airline cancelling your flight or even if you have to cancel it for a covered reason like a medical issue that is signed off by your doctor.

Whenever your trip is cancelled or delayed (typically for longer than 6-8 hours or overnight), I always recommend keeping all of your receipts to be reimbursed. They will typically reimburse you for food, lodging, transportation as well as basic needs like toiletries, and medication.

However, when digging into the fine print of the terms and conditions for the policy, it looks like American Express does not cover “Financial insolvency of a travel agency, tour operator, or Travel Supplier”. In this case, I still recommended he keep all receipts and file a claim but to be ready for them to deny the claim. It never hurts to ask!

*Just a Few American Express Cards With Trip Cancellation Insurance*

EU 261 Compensation

The EU Air Passenger Rights Regulations also known as EU 261 provides for compensation to travelers who are delayed, denied boarding or have their flight cancelled. There are a number of qualifications and rules to receive compensation but one of them is flight cancellations. In this case, Eric can file a claim with the airline and should receive €600 since the flight was over 3,500km. However, we’ll see how this plays out as the airline has ceased operations.

File a Dispute With Your Credit Card

Since your flight was cancelled (and the airline itself was basically cancelled) you should immediately reach out to your credit card company and file a dispute. They shoul.d credit you back the cost of the portion of the cancelled ticket.

Wrapping Up

PLAY Airlines going bankrupt and ceasing operations was not how Eric thought his trip was going to end. But thankfully, we were able to find him a better flight home and he should be entitled to quite a bit of compensation!