I love credit cards so much!

[Albort]

I'm slow on the trigger today. I think it's time to call it a weekend.

well, u found a prettier version... :] TGIF @Lain!

 

[gottalovepluto]

it depends on where you use them. Ive been looking at some Japan redemption, all the easy redemption are with Amex MR/SPG points... Honestly, im thinking about switching over to MR points from UR points at this time...
so far, i think ima use 53k points for a hyatt redemption for 4 night.

Perfect example of why different programs work for different people!

 

[peel]

@Ava
In addition to all of the points calypso mentioned about the CSR, also consider the value of travel perks like:
--trip cancellation insurance (I have a preexisting condition that means there's always a chance I might have to cancel a trip, so it's huge that I won't have to pay several hundred dollars for trip cancellation insurance)
--trip delay reimbursement (up to $500 per person for more than a 6 hour delay)
--baggage delay insurance ($100/day after more than a 6 hour delay)
--lost/damaged luggage reimbursement (up to $3,000/person)
--primary car rental insurance
--accident insurance
--emergency assistance

And also other perks like:
--purchase protection
--price matching
--1 year extended warranty

Some of these are also offered with the CSP, but they might pay out less or require a longer period of inconvenience before kicking in. Just some more food for thought!

 

[Ava]

Thank you @Albort and @Lain! I think you all have convinced me to go for the CSR next. I just have to talk to DW about it; she's wary of the whole travel hacking thing so signing up for a card with a $450 annual fee will take some explaining of the benefits vs cost.

@peel Very good point about the value of those perks.

 

[calypso726]

@Ava Yes, closing will ding your score. Like @Albort said it will raise your utilization with the loss of that credit line. If it is an older card it can affect your average age of credit. I always close cards with fees that I don't intend to keep long term.

 

[calypso726]

Double post

 

[WaywardMemphian]

Hi everyone! Don't think I've posted in this thread before but am looking for some advice/opinions.

I currently have the Chase Sapphire Preferred & Chase Freedom to earn UR points, but am wondering if I should also get an AmEx that earns Membership Rewards. Do people find good value in earning both UR & MR points? Or is it more lucrative to stick with one or the other? I like UR points so far as they are easy to earn & combine the points across both of my cards, plus the annual fee for the CSP is not too high ($95). Are there any MR-earning cards that have lower (under $100) annual fees? Most of the ones I see recommended on the travel hacking sites are premium cards with high annual fees and a lot of benefits that I don't think we'd use enough to make that fee worth it. Plus I'm wary of applying for a card with a sign-up bonus spend requirement greater than $3000 in 3 months, as we just don't spend that much on a regular basis.

The other cards that I'm eyeing at the moment are the Hilton Honors Surpass card with the 100,000 point sign-up bonus (will do this one first if I decide to go for it as that bonus offer expires at the end of this month) and the JetBlue Plus card which I will get before our Disney trip so we can get free checked bags for the 4 of us. I don't have any immediate plans for Hilton points but 100,000 points for a $75 AF seems like a great deal, plus you get a free weekend night every year.

DW signed up for the Marriott at the same time as the Southwest, we got the points from Marriott to transfer over to Rapid Rewards to count toward a companion pass before the March deadline. We have already used the free night and consider this as covering the annual fee, just prepaying. When our companion passes are expired, we are looking at doing a 7day hotel+air deal where you get a ton of points that still count for the Companion Pass. I'll just wait till they offer a big bonus like the recent 100,000 one and move some UR points over as well to do it. Thinking Hawaii for that.

I have a CSR, getting 3% back at Chick Fil A is a bonus

We each have a Discover IT with the 5% Bonus though they started off as Chromes. And we both have a Freedom that works the same way. Now Freedom offered 10x back for hotel and travel for a month not 5oo long ago) Our Diamond Preferred via City (once tied to a card based on our morgage) goes unused but just yesterday they solicited us to convert them to the double cash card.

What we want is a day to day card that maximizes our grocery and fuel purchases on a daily basis when it's not part of a 5% back bonus scheme. Sadly, being in Northwest Arkansas, there is a desert of Grocery Store competition, Kroger via Dillon pulled out years ago leaving worthless, expensive IGAS and a local chain called Harp's and Walmart.

Would love Kroger to re enter the area but we have that 800 pound Gorilla based here.

 

[Ava]

What we want is a day to day card that maximizes our grocery and fuel purchases on a daily basis when it's not part of a 5% back bonus scheme. Sadly, being in Northwest Arkansas, there is a desert of Grocery Store competition, Kroger via Dillon pulled out years ago leaving worthless, expensive IGAS and a local chain called Harp's and Walmart.

Would love Kroger to re enter the area but we have that 800 pound Gorilla based here.

I have an AmEx Blue Cash card with no annual fee that gives 3% back at grocery stores on up to $6,000 per year, 2% back at gas stations, and 1% on everything else. There's also a version with a $95 annual fee that gives you 6% back on up to $6,000 in grocery and 3% back at gas stations. (I've had this card for over 15 years; if I were getting one now I'd spring for the version with the AF.) These are just cash back cards though, they don't earn MR points.

 

[MrPTato]

I have an AmEx Blue Cash card with no annual fee that gives 3% back at grocery stores on up to $6,000 per year, 2% back at gas stations, and 1% on everything else. There's also a version with a $95 annual fee that gives you 6% back on up to $6,000 in grocery and 3% back at gas stations. (I've had this card for over 15 years; if I were getting one now I'd spring for the version with the AF.) These are just cash back cards though, they don't earn MR points.

If you chat or call them up, they should be able to upgrade your card! I love my Blue Cash Preferred!

 

[calypso726]

Thank you @Albort and @Lain! I think you all have convinced me to go for the CSR next. I just have to talk to DW about it; she's wary of the whole travel hacking thing so signing up for a card with a $450 annual fee will take some explaining of the benefits vs cost.

@peel Very good point about the value of those perks.

DH was wary too and before my dad passed he was convinced I was doing something illegal We took our first flight using points and miles in first class to Scotland. I showed DH the price of the flight in real money on the airline website. It was about $18,000 per person. He still thought there was a catch and was waiting for the other shoe to drop. After that flight he was a believer and now is far more spoiled about how we travel. He is all in on the travel hacking hobby.

There was a time we would have only picked up a super high AF card for the first year and bonus. Now we actually keep some of them because we travel a lot more thanks to this hobby and we do use the other benefits.

I have an AmEx Blue Cash card with no annual fee that gives 3% back at grocery stores on up to $6,000 per year, 2% back at gas stations, and 1% on everything else. There's also a version with a $95 annual fee that gives you 6% back on up to $6,000 in grocery and 3% back at gas stations. (I've had this card for over 15 years; if I were getting one now I'd spring for the version with the AF.) These are just cash back cards though, they don't earn MR points.

Amex has an Everyday no fee card and Everday Preferred card that earn that both earn MR. Groceries is a bonus category and if you use the fee card 30 times in a month you get a 50% bonus on all your MR points earned that month.

 

[Albort]

heh, i got my mom into the game... this curent trip, she kept asking... "use points... use points! i dont want to spend money." lol

edit: shes also spoiled flying J class every single time back to Taiwan too. lol.

 

[elgerber]

heh, i got my mom into the game... this curent trip, she kept asking... "use points... use points! i dont want to spend money." lol

edit: shes also spoiled flying J class every single time back to Taiwan too. lol.

LOL, I got my son into the game when he was just turning 23. He has 50000 SW miles and 80000 IHG points waiting for him to go somewhere. Problem is, he has hardly any friends and the ones he has are broke LOL. We were in England and he texted me, how do I sign up for Delta account, I have to travel for work and I don't want to leave miles on the table . Good boy!

 

[laceltris3]

@Ava
In addition to all of the points calypso mentioned about the CSR, also consider the value of travel perks like:
--trip cancellation insurance (I have a preexisting condition that means there's always a chance I might have to cancel a trip, so it's huge that I won't have to pay several hundred dollars for trip cancellation insurance)
--trip delay reimbursement (up to $500 per person for more than a 6 hour delay)
--baggage delay insurance ($100/day after more than a 6 hour delay)
--lost/damaged luggage reimbursement (up to $3,000/person)
--primary car rental insurance
--accident insurance
--emergency assistance

And also other perks like:
--purchase protection
--price matching
--1 year extended warranty

Some of these are also offered with the CSP, but they might pay out less or require a longer period of inconvenience before kicking in. Just some more food for thought!

https://www.chase.com/card-benefits/sapphirereserve/travel

It says in the link above that pre-existing conditions are specifically excluded under the terms of the travel insurance, so I have continued to purchase traditional travel insurance within two weeks of making a trip deposit to ensure there are no issues with coverage of my kiddo with food allergies. He hasn't had anaphylaxis since he was diagnosed 3 years ago, but I don't want to have to argue about whether having an epi pen prescription refill at his well child counts as treatment that would be within the timing for the exclusion.

Have you actually made a claim under the CSR travel policy related to your condition? How did it work out?

 

[WaywardMemphian]

Ava.

Don't let the annual fee scare you. You get a 300 dollar travel credit every year that basically knocks it down to 150 a year.

If you travel abroad, I suggest getting Global Entry. The card reimburses you for that. It also covers passort fees.

Got my inverview for Global Entry set up before we fly out at MEM to BWI this Summer. TSA Pre check is included in Global Entry.

So glad Memphis got Global Entry and an office. Now waiting for Norwegian to show up in a couple of years.

Oh, book Southwest by calling Ultimate Rewards, it's a better deal with CSR points than transferring them to Southwest direct. You can also book Norwegian over the phone.

We have flown Southwest to MCO and stayed a couple of days, then flown Norwegian to London via Norwegian. Norwegian Premium Economy is a heck of a deal for what it costs in points.

Make a point to his a lounge or two covered by the card to get your other money back via goods and services.

 

[Albort]

LOL, I got my son into the game when he was just turning 23. He has 50000 SW miles and 80000 IHG points waiting for him to go somewhere. Problem is, he has hardly any friends and the ones he has are broke LOL. We were in England and he texted me, how do I sign up for Delta account, I have to travel for work and I don't want to leave miles on the table . Good boy!

hehe, same here. A majority of my friends never have the money to travel. im currently sitting on around 475,000 points. (380k UR, 35k SPG, 65k TYP) 1.5 years of collecting.

 

[ski_mom]

If you travel abroad, I suggest getting Global Entry. The card reimburses you for that. It also covers passort fees.

What kind of passport fees does it cover?

 

[WaywardMemphian]

What kind of passport fees does it cover?

What kind of passport fees does it cover?

Sorry, TSA pre check or Global Entry sign up or renewal fees. I had read somewhere they covered the cost of getting a passport but I don't remember where or my memory is faulty and it's only those two.

 

[Lain]

LOL, I got my son into the game when he was just turning 23. He has 50000 SW miles and 80000 IHG points waiting for him to go somewhere. Problem is, he has hardly any friends and the ones he has are broke LOL. We were in England and he texted me, how do I sign up for Delta account, I have to travel for work and I don't want to leave miles on the table . Good boy!

When my toddler turned 2 and started needing her own seat, I signed her up for United's and Hawaiian's mileage programs. I figured if we're paying for her ticket, she should get the miles. Hawaiian makes it very easy (and free) to transfer miles, but keeping her miles with United active when we're not flying with them every year is tricky and transferring the miles is expensive! But you're right -- don't want to leave miles on the tarmac.

 

[eeyoresmom]

Hi everyone, I'm looking for some advice. You guys helped me and DH get started with this back in late April and he opened the Ink Business and CSR. I opened the CSP. We are working on the MS for the CSP but no issue there. I just started thinking about which Chase card to apply for next (needed a breather, lol), IIRC the advice is usually the Chase Freedom ?? Well I got a targeted offer for the SW Visa, get 40,000 pts after $1000 spend and a $100 statement credit after first purchase, $69 AF. We fly almost exclusively on SW for domestic flights, I'd estimate around 8 trips/yr. Should this be my next card?? Those UR points earned with the SW Visa can be transferred to the CSR for 1.5X correct?

 

[calypso726]

Hi everyone, I'm looking for some advice. You guys helped me and DH get started with this back in late April and he opened the Ink Business and CSR. I opened the CSP. We are working on the MS for the CSP but no issue there. I just started thinking about which Chase card to apply for next (needed a breather, lol), IIRC the advice is usually the Chase Freedom ?? Well I got a targeted offer for the SW Visa, get 40,000 pts after $1000 spend and a $100 statement credit after first purchase, $69 AF. We fly almost exclusively on SW for domestic flights, I'd estimate around 8 trips/yr. Should this be my next card?? Those UR points earned with the SW Visa can be transferred to the CSR for 1.5X correct?

Chase Freedom sign up bonus is at 15,000 UR I think. I wouldn't waste a Chase app on such a small bonus. My recommendation wold be for your DH to open a CSP and for you to open a CSR. It's another 50K UR points each. If pressed on a recon call as to why you'd want both cards simply state that you's like to use the new card for business expenses you'd like to keep those expenses separate from your personal card but wanted to have similar benefits as your current card. Then, I'd product change which ever one you don't want to keep after a year for the Freedom and PC the other for a CFU. You can transfer your UR points from CSP and CSR to SW airlines. After these two cards then I'd go for the SW airlines cards.

No they cannot. SW card points are not UR points they are Rapid Reward SW points and cannot be transferred to UR. The only cards that earn UR points and can be transferred between each other UR card accounts are CSR, CSP, Chase Sapphire no fee (no longer available) Freedom, CFU, Ink+ (no longer available). Ink Cash, Ink Preferred, Ink Bold (no longer available).