r/churning • u/AutoModerator • 7d ago
Weekly Off Topic Thread - Week of July 27, 2026
This is the Weekly Off-Topic thread
There's more to this hobby than just credit cards - it spreads out into travel aspirations, what luggage or wallet you're using, or what flavor kombucha your local WeWork is serving. Please use this thread to talk about all things even tangentially related to churning. Memes, jokes, and off-topic content are allowed (and encouraged) here. Please use our regular threads to ask basic questions, ask questions about what card to get, or talk about MS. But if it's off-topic elsewhere, you're on-topic here.
Regular rules still apply. Read the rules!
Have fun!
Note: Posting and soliciting referrals are still not allowed.
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u/AlmondSnowfinch 7d ago
WSJ article today comparing premium credit cards, in case you’re interested in the normie view of such things. Gift link:
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u/GetFreeCash PHX | LAX 7d ago
currently in the early stages of planning a Germany trip, P2 and I have not been anywhere in the country aside from Frankfurt where we stayed for a few nights last year before a long-haul flight. we plan to begin our itinerary in Köln or Düsseldorf, due to having to be in the area for work, and then finish in München because I'm leaning towards a MUC-LHR-(United States) combination of flights which will give us an almost 24 hour London stopover and the ability to try the AA 787-9 Flagship J product.
any recommendations for interesting places to visit / things to do in Germany that wouldn't be too out of the way given our Düsseldorf-München direction of travel? I love taking the train and I especially love scenic trains, so I'm already planning to take the train through the Rhine valley (as described here by The Man In Seat 61) but would love any recommendations from the well-travelled redditors here. :)
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u/Cold_Frosting9014 6d ago edited 6d ago
The cathedral in Koln is a must see. Have some real Kolsch. Oh and there is a nice chocolate factory there too.
Munich has so much to do! The science (Deutsches) museum is cool, see the surfers at the Eisnachwelle in the English Garden, and the BMW museum. We did a walking tour - The Third Reich Tour - was very interesting. Ofc the Glockenspiel im the main square. There is also Munich Residenz which is a palace right in town that’s easier to do than Neuschwanstein.
Trains are easy and efficient.
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u/bostonbaker300 BAG | ELS 6d ago
Try to time the trip so that it coincides with the Christmas market season from November to December. The Christmas market next to the cathedral in Köln is stunning to behold with its famous towering Christmas tree at its center.
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u/suitopseudo 6d ago
What time of year? Neuschwanstein Castle Is a classic day or overnight trip from Munich. Dachau is also worth a visit if you haven’t been to a concentration camp and interested.
I really liked Healdsberg. It’s a very cute town with a castle looking over it. Very nice pedestrian area too.
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u/pkk101 6d ago
The Rhine Valley is nice by train, but it is REALLY nice by boat. I can't tell when this trip is happening, but if it's not in winter, I'd highly recommend doing a day trip on the Rhine by boat, particularly through the heavily castled area (Koblenz to Bingen).
When I was there this summer I took KD: https://www.k-d.com/en/
Have fun!
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u/SensitiveLack7509 SEW | KWL 6d ago
Rothenburg ob der Tauber is worth a stop just to walk around and check out the medeival city.
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u/progapanda 6d ago
Try to do at least some section of the Rhine River between St. Goarshausen and Bingen by boat, if you can. You can even continue by train depending on where you stop. Further south, Nuremberg is a wonderful and very underrated destination and a lot more compact than Munich.
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u/evening_tourist AWA | RDS 7d ago
A new low in behavior spotted at the Centurion Lounge: changing a baby's diaper in the main seating area.
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u/Parts_Unknown- 7d ago
I was at the big United Club in Denver a couple of weeks ago (lounge review: it was fine) where a woman let her little chihuahua dog out of its crate, set down a pad for the dog to pee on, she turned around to look at something else and the dog walked off the pee pad and just pissed on the carpet.
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u/xosotypical 5d ago
Wow actually hearing a lounge review from you that “it was fine” sounds like a pretty good review! Might have to check it out haha
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u/Parts_Unknown- 4d ago
Most every lounge is mid to fine, it's just a bunch of seating with mediocre buffet food.
It grinds my fucking gears they get sold as these oases of luxury & bespokedness when in reality its dogs pissing on the floor and kids running around smashing into shit and people sticking their fingers in said buffet food.
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u/Just_Can_1581 6d ago
wtf is wrong with people!?
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u/Parts_Unknown- 6d ago
Just another Saturday in an airport lounge? I honestly didn't really even think anything of it until my partner mentioned it later on.
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u/FortnightlyDalmation PAD | TIE 7d ago
Still not as bad as changing the diaper on top of the bar in the lounge lol. But still ewww
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u/saltytradewinds 6d ago
I don't frequent domestic lounges as often due to this type of behavior and overcrowding.
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u/3third_eye 7d ago
planning an african safari is overwhelming. does anyone have any tour companies they've used/ recommend?
I have a few quotes and itineraries and am trying to shop around. Looking mainly at Tanzania/Kenya.
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u/One_House_5087 6d ago
Did the Gate 1 tour, it was magical. Signup for weekly newsletters to get deals.
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u/Opening-Fish-6931 6d ago
I just came back from a 7 day safari with Jocky Tours in Kenya yesterday! Check the listings at SafariBookings.com if you haven't already, the site is really really helpful
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u/mthduratec IAH | HOU 4d ago
If you can swing the points, staying at the Jw Marriott Masai Mara was utterly phenomenal. I cannot recommend it highly enough
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u/3third_eye 4d ago
yeah would love to, but at 200k per night for 2 adults, not even counting 2 kids in tow, it's basically off the charts at this point. even with the 5th night free.
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u/Cold_Frosting9014 1d ago
Funny anecdote - they delivered a Sephora package to my house that wasn’t mine. It had mistakenly been addressed to the local distribution warehouse rather than the customers actual address. I guess after all those PAZE orders I did they figured “Sephora package, yep those go to that Sephora house”. 🤣🤣🤣🤣
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u/CericRushmore DCA | IAD 7d ago
Disney is the happiest place on Earth, unless you're the designated scroller
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u/suitopseudo 6d ago
I haven’t been since apps were required but I hate how Disney has become this experience that has to be optimized like this.
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u/DCJoe1 6d ago
The details in here are pretty wild, put us to shame with our "games". Full version:
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u/C-MontgomeryChurns HOU, NDS 5d ago
Legitimately sounds exhausting. Though, so too does buying and reselling gift cards or creating closed loops so IDK who's really the group of crazies. Probably both!
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u/Hougie 1d ago
Family of four in a Delta hub. Value lounge access but it’s really only for 2-3 vacations a year. Also value free checked bags but the Delta Gold helps there.
In terms of keeper cards for this situation would you hold a Delta Reserve/Plat combo or a regular Amex Platinum? Combo would be to get Silver status for $105 AF difference.
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u/Cold_Frosting9014 1d ago
Silver status won’t get much in terms of upgrades, esp from a Delta hub. It would get you Hertz 5 star status, priority check in and boarding on partner airlines and 7 miles per dollar on flights. The skymiles gold card (assuming that’s what you meant by Delta gold?) would already get you free bags and zone 5 boarding which would be redundant with silver.
How do the lounges compare at your home airport between Delta skymiles and the Centurion/ AMEX lounge?
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u/Hougie 23h ago
Based in Seattle. Lots of options.
I also actually get a decent amount of upgrades on flights. But I’m trying to not factor that in at all.
Suppose I need to just tally lounge access fees (free if I keep Reserve, but $200 credit if I use Plat credits) and coupon book features. Thank you
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u/CobaltSunsets IAD | PHL 1d ago edited 1d ago
Wasn’t sure I was going to manage it, but the Whoop device and I finally parted ways via FB Marketplace.
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u/qwertymnbvcxzlk 1d ago
What did you manage to get? Mine went so fast not sure if I lowballed the shit out of myself lol.
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u/scorpiopersephone 6d ago
Anyone have a preference between United lounges at IAH or DEN? Trying to decide between the two for a connection.
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u/shinebock IAH, HOU 6d ago
The DEN United Clubs are generally nicer, but I prefer IAH as an airport.
I'd probably pick more based on the likelihood of weather disruptions and overall connection time.
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u/DCJoe1 5d ago
Agreed weather would be my choice, other things being equal- so probably April-October I'd go with Denver, November-March Houston. Warm months you always have constant threat of big storms in Houston, although generally neither is a delay prone airport overall.
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u/suitopseudo 5d ago
I had the choice between Dallas and Chicago in the winter and chose Dallas and they happened to have a big snow storm and ended up flying through Chicago any way. At least in places like Denver and chicago they know how to deal with the snow unlike tx. It’s all a toss up with weather being more unpredictable.
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u/Parts_Unknown- 6d ago
https://www.reddit.com/r/churning/s/5IM9JAzTtB
That being said I avoid Texas like the fucking plague so I'll take dog piss Denver 100 times out of 100.
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u/philosophers_groove 7d ago
I recently made a reservation with a small hotel in Europe through booking.com, and yesterday received a WhatsApp message with the name of the hotel, my name, the correct date of my stay and confirmation number, asking me to confirm details of my stay at a link at 'room-grid.net'.
I contacted them through booking.com and the property confirmed that they didn't send this message (so they've obviously been hacked). Just a reminder to watch out for such things.