Hello everyone. I have been a long time lurker. Like most people 2020 was a challenging year for us. In fact, 2019 was also a crazy year dealing with personal and family health issues.
I am interested in hotel points and possible cash back/discounts for our Disney AP’s. Right now my husband and I only have Chase cards with the exception of my husband’s older Amex Hilton card. We could put $2000+ a month on cards. We always pay in full.
Past 24 months
Me
8/18 CSP switched to CF 8/20 (not sure how this works for 5/24 since original CSP is 48mo)
5/19 CFU
Husband
2/20 CSP
6/20 Hyatt - applied for this when stayed to see his mom
9/20 CFU
My husband took early retirement from an airline and started a new job in 2020. We do still get to keep flight benefits, as well as multiple positive space vouchers as part of his retirement package, so we don’t really need points for airline travel right now. In the past we mostly stayed at Hilton’s because my husband would accumulate points from work travel. He will no longer be traveling for work. We have always stayed at a Hyatt Place when we visit my mother in law, and have been staying at more Hyatt properties recently.
I need a plan for both of us. I just don’t know what to do next?
Chase - I don’t think we are ready to try a business card. My husband could refer me for a Hyatt card. Other than Hyatt I don’t really see any other Chase cards that interest us. I am hesitant to start Marriott and keep up with another hotel program.
Amex - My husband could refer me for a Hilton card or should I start Amex with the Amex Platinum? The annual fee really scares me. I’m also not sure what I would use MR points for? Maybe transfer to Hilton?
Other cards? I’m not familiar with other bank cards. My son does have a discover card. Someone on the thread mentioned getting 10% the first year using the rotating categories on Disney gift cards. That might work?
I would appreciate any advice. Thanks so much!
Yes the Discover It card should give you 5% cash back on quarterly categories, plus 5% bonus back 1 year later (on your first year), while giving your son a small ($50?) support bonus and you a $50 SUB. If you maxed out a quarterly category by spending $1500, you would earn $75 now and $75 a year from now. Or a total max of $600 for $6k in spend over all 4 quarters. Warehouse clubs are 2nd quarter. Discover points never expire, but I think they can only be cashed out toward gift cards (which are often discounted).
For Amex, I plan to accumulate MRs then get the Charles Schwab Platinum card which (with some prep work) will cash out MRs to Schwab at 1.25x. If you try for one of the Platinums, I have some tips on DISchurners MISC thread, and have also posted them here in the past. As an example 100k MRs earned from one Platinum Card would be $1,250 toward a Schwab account.
I think a good card this year is the Amex Gold card (60k MRs for $4k spend in 3 months):
* $120 Cheesecake Factory (and a few others) credit ($10 per month). Many of us pick up $10 GCs and save up for dinner.
* $100 airline incidentals credit (benefit ends at the
end of 2021)
* $120 Uber/Eats credit ($10 per month). Many order Uber Eats for pickup. Benefit begins sometime in "
early" 2021
That's up to $340 credit on a $250 AF card during 2021, and only in 2021 (
unless they raise the AF?), not to mention 4x on dining and grocery.
For Chase, you might like the Chase Freedom Flex or Chase Freedom Unlimited which give 3x points on Dining and Drug Stores. The CFF also has quarterly 5x categories, while the CFU has 1.5x on everything. Both earn $200 SUB.
Chase Biz cards (which you aren't excited about): The Chase Ink Preferred has a 100k SUB for $15k spend in 3 months, which is more than you want to spend. The Chase Ink Cash and Chase Ink Unlimited Biz cards have $750 SUB for $7500 spend in 3 months.
If the Amex Gold doesn't fit your needs, let's see what the Hotel experts suggest. That's out of my knowledge area.
