I love credit cards so much! v7.0 - 2025 (see first page for add'l details)

[daawoow]

Welcome! There are lots of ways participate in this hobby. Maximizing bonus categories is a good strategy for someone who doesn't want to "churn" a lot of cards. Some focus on churning new cards to get Sign Up Bonuses (SUBs) and then close the card after 1 year. Many do a little of both. If you want a new card for a high SUB, consider the Chase Sapphire. it has an elevated 100K SUB right now. We have a private group on Reddit where we share support links for the various cards. We try to help each other out if we don't have P2 (second player/spouse) to trade support links for the card we want. You can ask on here to join that group if you are interested in participating. You can also trade support links with your spouse, you just can't use your own link to apply for a new card.

A couple of other things to remember as you dip your toes into this hobby. First, never close a card before the 1 year anniv date. Let the next annual fee (AF) hit and then cancel. They will refund the AF as long as you close it within 30 days. Second, do not add your spouse as an authorized user to the cards in your name and vice versa. Chase has a 5/24 rule (no more than 5 personal cards in a 24 month period. That is personal cards from any bank, not just Chase. Authorized users will count as one of the 5 slots. Feel free to ask any questions.

Thank you! Was coming here as a newbie as well and this helped a lot. Much appreciated!

 

[EACarlson]

Yeah, Clear is definitely airport dependent. I'm a huge fan because I fly through ATL for most trips and they have a dedicated Precheck+Clear line that is rarely more than a 10 minute wait as compared to either Clear or Precheck by itself, which often appear to be much longer. I wouldn't sign up for a new Plat just to get Clear and I wish more airports combined Clear and Precheck the way ATL does.

Especially at ATL, the Pre only line is usually walk up. The heavier the Delta presence the higher likelihood that a Pre only line will be faster than Clear+Pre. Even at MCO, I get through Pre in 15 minutes and my colleague that pays out of pocket for Clear is through in 10.

Hmmm so I can transfer my current chase unlimited points to saphire and they suddenly be worth more? Not that’s intriguing
I don’t usually pay to have a credit card, but I definitely will if I’m gonna come out ahead…… I guess whatever bonus is tied, for it should cover the annual fee….. how long do the bonuses they have attached usually stay good for? wondering if this is something I need to jump on Sooner rather than later

Correct. The current sign up bonus for the Sapphire Preferred is 100k points with a floor value of $1,000 for a $95 annual fee. I average 2.5 cents per point on Hyatt stays and you can find SW flights for 1.6 cents per point. That means I'm getting up to $2,500 in Hyatt stays for just the sign up bonus or $1,600 in SW flights.
Elevated bonus offers usually have an expiration date you can find, but I wouldn't expect it to last any longer than May.

 

[Crazed4DisneyinSC]

There's a datapoint on DoC about the elevated CSP offer. This is not verified, so take with a grain of salt, BUT someone says their family member rec'd a mailer for the 100K offer that shows an expiration date of May 19th. I'm hoping this indicates when the public offer is also slated to end, as I can't apply til May 1. Let's keep our fingers crossed! I know this would be helpful to a few of us who need to wait out the clock.

 

[elgerber]

I have emailed Pepper 3 times and now called once (they don't answer), about the gift card I bought that has no value. Not a single reply. I fear I am going to have to dispute this with my credit card.

Question, did IHG change how their annual free night reward certs work? I have used them for at least 8 stays at the same HI Express in TN, and never been charged a penny. Until this weekend. I was charged $29.82. I called (I got no receipt at checkout, they said I was all good to go) the front desk this morning and they said it was taxes and fees.

 

[wanderlust7]

There's a datapoint on DoC about the elevated CSP offer. This is not verified, so take with a grain of salt, BUT someone says their family member rec'd a mailer for the 100K offer that shows an expiration date of May 19th. I'm hoping this indicates when the public offer is also slated to end, as I can't apply til May 1. Let's keep our fingers crossed! I know this would be helpful to a few of us who need to wait out the clock.

The date on the page where you generate the support says 5/12.

 

[Crazed4DisneyinSC]

Question, did IHG change how their annual free night reward certs work? I have used them for at least 8 stays at the same HI Express in TN, and never been charged a penny. Until this weekend. I was charged $29.82. I called (I got no receipt at checkout, they said I was all good to go) the front desk this morning and they said it was taxes and fees.

I don't know the answer, but I did book 3 FNC for Singapore later this year, and noticed that my confirmation emails list an Additional Charge of $3.40 for each night. When I look online, it says this is a "10% service charge", whatever that means. It does seem like a change, as I've also never been charged any "taxes" for using FNC at IHG properties, or maybe just certain properties charge additional "fees".

 

[Crazed4DisneyinSC]

The date on the page where you generate the support says 5/12.

Oh, THANK YOU! This is indeed very helpful!! That means I'll be able to make the cutoff if I apply on 5/1

 

[wanderlust7]

@Duckbug.Ducktales and anyone else using Pepper for the USB software credit, MEAB is reporting that one of their payment processors changed the coding. Link No idea what determines which payment processor you get.

My charge on 4/2 was fine. Will need to remember to check again next month. You need to download the transactions and look for 05734 in the memo.

 

[georgina]

Question, did IHG change how their annual free night reward certs work? I have used them for at least 8 stays at the same HI Express in TN, and never been charged a penny. Until this weekend. I was charged $29.82. I called (I got no receipt at checkout, they said I was all good to go) the front desk this morning and they said it was taxes and fees.

That's odd. I used one in Orlando in March. I was expecting to get hit with the parking fee and/or resort fee, but neither happened.

 

[elgerber]

I don't know the answer, but I did book 3 FNC for Singapore later this year, and noticed that my confirmation emails list an Additional Charge of $3.40 for each night. When I look online, it says this is a "service charge", whatever that means. It does seem like a change, as I've also never been charged any "taxes" for using FNC at IHG properties.

The manager just called me back, and it was a mistake. He said that amount was supposed to be billed to IHG, but was mistakenly billed to my card. They are refunding it.

 

[Crazed4DisneyinSC]

The manager just called me back, and it was a mistake. He said that amount was supposed to be billed to IHG, but was mistakenly billed to my card. They are refunding it.

Good to know! Glad they are refunding you!

 

[elgerber]

Good to know! Glad they are refunding you!

Glad I left a message for the manager instead of just taking the front desk guys word for it.

 

[VGCgroupie]

Especially at ATL, the Pre only line is usually walk up. The heavier the Delta presence the higher likelihood that a Pre only line will be faster than Clear+Pre. Even at MCO, I get through Pre in 15 minutes and my colleague that pays out of pocket for Clear is through in 10.

I will have to see what my experience is like at MCO. So far I have only used it at airports with Pre+Clear lanes and it has saved me quite a bit of time.

 

[VGCgroupie]

clear and precheck are 2 different programs,right?

Yes sorry. I used the Amex plat credit for both. I cant see why anyone would have clear without precheck unless they were denied acceptance to precheck

 

[Duckbug.Ducktales]

@Duckbug.Ducktales and anyone else using Pepper for the USB software credit, MEAB is reporting that one of their payment processors changed the coding. Link No idea what determines which payment processor you get.

My charge on 4/2 was fine. Will need to remember to check again next month. You need to download the transactions and look for 05734 in the memo.

Thanks for the heads up

 

[PrincessGidget]

Clear is a must (even the free version) if you are planning to go to a game at Yankee stadium. Last year when the Dodgers were in town we arrived over an hour early and still didnt get in until the third inning. The next night I was with my 20something son and he told me to download the free clear app while we were in line. Our wait was about 10 minutes vs over 2.5 HOURS the night before.

 

[Crazed4DisneyinSC]

Can anyone help with some math (kinda)? I was able to locate when I got my last CSP, which was 11/2/2020. The offer at that time was 80K for $4K spend in 3 months. I'm trying to find out WHEN the bonus points would have posted, so I can get a new CSP! I don't have access to the card on Chase anymore. Is there a certain amount of days that statements post AFTER cards are issued? For example, I see my last payment made on the card was 12/26/2021 and then it was closed. I typically pay bills on their due date. So if I had a statement due on the 26th of each month, theoretically I could have had the bonus points post maybe around the March 26, 2021 statement I'm thinking? Or maybe April 26? I would have had to definitely meet spend before the end of February 2021 (using roughly 3 months after card obtained), which would make sense for a March statement for bonus to post? Ugh... I wanna apply now cuz I need a MSR, but I don't wanna chance a denial if my timing isn't right. I wish I kept better records back in 2020

 

[AndreaDM]

Can anyone help with some math (kinda)? I was able to locate when I got my last CSP, which was 11/2/2020. The I offer at that time was 80K for $4K spend in 3 months. I'm trying to find out WHEN the bonus points would have posted, so I can get a new CSP! I don't have access to the card on Chase anymore. Is there a certain amount of days that statements post AFTER cards are issued? For example, I see my last payment made on the card was 12/26/2021 and then it was closed. I typically pay bills on their due date. So if I had a statement due on the 26th of each month, theoretically I could have had the bonus points post maybe around the March 26, 2021 statement I'm thinking? Or maybe April 26? I would have had to definitely meet spend before the end of February 2021 (using roughly 3 months after card obtained), which would make sense for a March statement for bonus to post? Ugh... I wanna apply now cuz I need a MSR, but I don't wanna chance a denial if my timing isn't right. I wish I kept better records back in 2020

I came here to post a similar question! I can't see the exact date I earned the SUB, but the 60K bonus points are on my April 2021 statement. If I downgrade now, wait a few weeks to reapply, then hit the bonus spend in late May or June I should be ok? Wish I'd have kept better records back then also!

 

[TheOneWithTheTriplets]

Can anyone help with some math (kinda)? I was able to locate when I got my last CSP, which was 11/2/2020. The offer at that time was 80K for $4K spend in 3 months. I'm trying to find out WHEN the bonus points would have posted, so I can get a new CSP! I don't have access to the card on Chase anymore. Is there a certain amount of days that statements post AFTER cards are issued? For example, I see my last payment made on the card was 12/26/2021 and then it was closed. I typically pay bills on their due date. So if I had a statement due on the 26th of each month, theoretically I could have had the bonus points post maybe around the March 26, 2021 statement I'm thinking? Or maybe April 26? I would have had to definitely meet spend before the end of February 2021 (using roughly 3 months after card obtained), which would make sense for a March statement for bonus to post? Ugh... I wanna apply now cuz I need a MSR, but I don't wanna chance a denial if my timing isn't right. I wish I kept better records back in 2020

If you pay on your due date, that's not quite the statement date. My Flex that statemented 4/8 is due 5/5.

Can you look at your bill payments in Jan, Feb, March 2020 and confirm which payment is the one that you broke $4k in payments to chase for that card number? If it was the Mar 2020 payment, those points hit in February. If it was the February payment, those points hit in January, etc.

Or, think of it this way. You opened 11/2 and had 90 days to hit spend, so you hit the spend no later than 2/2. That card then likely statement some time in Feburary, early March at the very latest, so you're over 4 years since you earned that bonus.

 

[TheOneWithTheTriplets]

I came here to post a similar question! I can't see the exact date I earned the SUB, but the 60K bonus points are on my April 2021 statement. If I downgrade now, wait a few weeks to reapply, then hit the bonus spend in late May or June I should be ok? Wish I'd have kept better records back then also!

If they points are on your April 2021 statement, my understanding is that's when you earned the SUB. It's the card closing date, not the payment application date. What date did your statement close in 2021?