For those motivated to find the best rewards cards by the Disney Visa blooper...

[TreeOfLife]

Check out what Quicken.com's search engine for best rewards cards pops up:

Blue from American Express (Travel/Entertainment)
Chase i.Card Platinum (Internet)
National City VehicleVantage Visa (Automobile)
"Toys ""R"" US Visa Platinum Card" (Retail)
Subaru Platinum MasterCard from Chase (Automobile)
Universal Entertainment Plat MasterCard (Travel/Entertainment)
Harley-Davidson Chrome Visa Card (Recreation)
Harley-Davidson High Performace Visa (Recreation)
"Toys ""R"" US Visa Gold Card" (Retail)
"Toys ""R"" US Visa Classic Card" (Retail)
Subaru Standard MasterCard from Chase (Automobile)
Universal Entertainment MasterCard (Travel/Entertainment)


Didn't think I could post the direct link, but hope this helps...

 

[hulagirl]

Thanks for the info TreeofLife! I spent some time on the AMEX site today - Delta Skymiles looks like such a good deal! We're trying to decide between Gold and Platinum...The annual fees are higher than I expected but the rewards seem to balance that some. I appreciate you taking the time to post about this. Every dollar helps these days!

 

[TreeOfLife]

And Delta's new promo imcludes double miles for using your card to pay your taxes and home improvement expenses too!
Oh, double miles at Alamo car rental as well...
See, there's better out there after all.

In my personal opinion, Disney miscalculated again and made yet one more terrible mistake in dumping AMEX to promote their pathetic Visa instead.

 

[williamsle]

AMEX also has a Starwood card. The annual fee is $30 a year (the first year the fee is waived). You can earn 5 free nights at the WDW Swan or Dolphin with 40,000 points. I have also stayed for free at the Sheraton Safari for 3,000 points. This is my favorite card because there are no blackout dates for award stays.

 

[icydog]

I think we pay $50.00 for AMEX senior card that lets you deposit miles for any airline. Is this too much for this service? What's AMEX Blue? We have plain old Gold Card.

 

[chris1gill]

I have to agree about using the Starwood card!! Not only do you get free hotel rooms with as little as 2000 points, but you can also get 25,000 frequent flyer miles for the cost of 20,000 points, that's better than the airlines offer & it's fee is cheaper too.....

 

[starwood]

I've been using the Hilton Hhonors visa. You get 2 pts for every $ and I have enough points to redeem for 2 adult 3 day parkhoppers for Disneyland for our upcoming trip in July.

 

[TandyR]

I have AmEx Blue with no annual fee and get points for every dollar spent and I have lists and lists of things that I can use them for. In the past I have turned the points in for Disney Breakfasts. I have rolled them over into HHonors points before to get free hotel rooms and this upcoming trip I am turning them in for Gift Cetrifcates for free Amtrak trip from Boston to Orlando. So I haven't bothered to even apply for the Disney Visa because I love Disney, but I feel like I get a better deal with my trusty AmEx Blue, because we don't always vacation at Disney.

 

[icydog]

If you use Amex Blue can you use your points for any airline carrier you want? I am paying $50 to have gold Amex, just so I can use miles on any airline I wish.
Also you seem to get more choices as to where you can use your miles with the Blue card, is that true?

 

[TandyR]

I just am cutting and pasteing things related to travel there are a ton of other things that you can turn your points in for with AmEx Blue. I just got tired cutting and pasteing.

This are airlines you can roll points over into their frequent flier programs:
All Nippon Airways, LatinPass, Delta Air Lines, Mexicana_, Aeromexico, Virgin Atlantic Airways_, Hawaiian Airlines_, Continental Airlines, US Airways®, EL AL Israel Airlines, Southwest Airlines_

This are airlines you can turn points into certificates for $$$ off flights:
Continental Airlines Certificates_, Frontier Airlines, Aer Lingus, Air France, Cathay Pacific, Qantas, SWISS, Virgin Atlantic Airways, LanChile

These are places you can turn points into Gift Certificates to use (The AmEx be your guess cards are great because they are basically cards you use anywhere that takes AmEx.):

Ticketmaster, SONY MUSIC_, BLOCKBUSTER®, Loews Cineplex, Hollywood Movie Magic, Restaurant Associates, Smith & Wollensky Steak-to-Go, Morton's of Chicago Steakhouse, The Capital Grille, American Express - Be My Guest, Fleming's Steakhouse & Wine Bar, Hollywood Movie Magic, Broadway.com_

These are hotels that you can role points into their frequent stayer program:
Starwood Preferred GuestSM, Best Western, Marriott, Hilton, Priority Club®__

These are hotels that you can turn your points into certificates for $$$ stays:
Vail Resorts, Marriott Travel Certificates, Omni Hotels__

These are car rental places that you can turn your points to $$$ car rentals:
Dollar Rent A Car, Thrifty Car Rental, Budget, Hertz, Avis, National Car Rental

You can also turn in points for certificates for $$$ off Amtrak and Rail Europe .

There are lots of other things also, but I just did the ones related to travel and the like.

As I said I love AmEx Blue's point program and the flexablity of it.

 

[TreeOfLife]

That is why AMEX is the top 10 rewards card!

Maybe having Universal's in the top 10 will encourage Disney to improve that visa
I still say their decision to dump AMEX is something they may regret dearly

 

[Debi]

I also have the Starwood AMEX card, which I love. My first year is up in July, and I'm seriously considering keeping it, despite the $30 annual fee. I also have a Chase i-Card to use in all places that don't accept AMEX. I applied for the Disney Visa and am awaiting the decision whether I was approved; if I do get the card, I'll keep it just as a "spare card." For me, the Starwood AMEX card is much more beneficial!

 

[*Flower*]

We also have the Amex Delta SkyMiles card, and not only are they running the 'Double Miles on Federal Tax payments' but beginning 3/15, they're doing 'Double Miles on Restaurant visits" until mid-April (I think).

They also do double miles on gas station purchases, grocery shopping, and some other things too- I just don't remember.

All I know is that last summer we flew out to California for $20 (9/11 tax), and the rest of the ticket charges were free.

I also applied for the Disney VISA, and I'll probably use it to get the pin (maybe).

 

[hulagirl]

I just got a phone call from AMEX (I applied for the Delta Skymiles card yesterday) They said "they will not accept my application because I have no personal income". I stay at home with my 3 beautiful boys and have the great priviledge of raising them to be decent young men someday. I work very hard at what I do and manage all of our household income. My credit rating is excellent and I have 2 other credit cards in my name alone. My husband makes a good income and we have owned a home for more than 12 years! They actually had the nerve to suggest that my husband apply and list me as a "secondary" card holder . Oh well, I guess I'll take my crdit worthiness elsewhere. I bet Disney will give me their card

 

[Muffy]

I am wondering if the Chace I card is the card that gives you web certs for the reward? I have a Starwood Am express but need a visa or mastercard as am express is not accepted everywhere. I do have a marriot visa but i would like to switch to a better reward visa.

 

[mad4themouse]

Originally posted by Muffy
I am wondering if the Chace I card is the card that gives you web certs for the reward? I have a Starwood Am express but need a visa or mastercard as am express is not accepted everywhere. I do have a marriot visa but i would like to switch to a better reward visa.

I have the Chase-i card and it DOES pay in Webcertificates (1% back). It's a MasterCard. I get a webbie just about every month (you need to charge at least $1,000 to do that). The rewards are sent automatically, so you don't have to mess around with calling some phone number to redeem or filling out a bunch of forms.

 

[TandyR]

hulagirl, I find that odd AmEx did that. I am a SAH mom of two beautiful girls and my job is to raise them into good women....the perks are wonderful the pay sucks. But I applied for my own AmEx 3 years ago...I hadn't been working a paying job for 4 years at the point. So AmEx hasn't always been that way.

 

[hulagirl]

Tandy,
I found it very surprising too. She said it had something to do with New York state law. I guess it is unique to AMEX though because I haven't had trouble obtaining either Visa or M/C in recent years.

 

[Arielle22]

Originally posted by hulagirl
Tandy,
I found it very surprising too. She said it had something to do with New York state law. I guess it is unique to AMEX though because I haven't had trouble obtaining either Visa or M/C in recent years.

Hurlygirl. I have had an AMEX since 1989. I was told that it was the primary cardholder's income that determined the card. That my husband could have a card on my account but his income would not count. He could have gotten his own card using his income but we chose to just get him a card on my account. On our Visa it is our combined income that determined the limit. I am in Massachusetts.

I was under the impression that if I was to default on the AMEX they would come after me only not my husband. I don't know if that is true but I seem to remember that from signing up.

 

[dahess]

I use Discover. It give cash back.

Here is a website that might be useful for all you folks.

Freelancebyu.com

It is a great frugel website that has a section on credit cards.

Have a great day!