I love credit cards so much!

Thanks for the responses about the AmEx points. Can someone provide some more info about transferring points? I see from the AmEx website that the first step for transferring to a hotel is to link the AmEx account to a hotel loyalty account. We actually don't have any hotel loyalty accounts -- we have never been brand-loyal to a hotel chain, and often have used Priceline which doesn't give you a choice of a specific hotel brand. So, if I were to transfer to a hotel, it looks like my choices would be Choice, Hilton, or Starwood. Looking at the Hilton website, and picking a hotel in London (tentatively planning a trip), it looks like a room that would be about $300 a night is 50,000 points -- which seems like a terrible value, or am I missing something?

The other possibility for using the points on this trip is to transfer the points to Delta. A flight that costs $1400 is 60,000 points. If the AmEx points transfer 1 - 1, then we would have enough combined Skymiles + AmEx points for this ticket. Anything I should be aware of with this option? Like will I really be able to book with points if the website shows that option?

Thanks to the experts for sharing your knowledge

 

We are not loyal to any hotel or airline but have joined the loyalty programs of all of the ones we come across just in case they will be convenient for a points transfer some day. I've never stayed at a Wyndham or flown on Korean Air but I am loyalty program member of both of those as well as a bunch of other companies. It's free to join the loyalty program so why not. Sometimes, you will be able to earn points on some of them for a survey or something too.

The Delta flight is a better value for your points (0.02 per point) than the hotel night (0.006 per point). If the award availability is there on Delta then you will be able to book. The only thing to be aware of is that award availability is limited and the seat(s) you are looking at for those 60K Sky miles can disappear if someone else books them with their sky miles. I don't recall if Delta allows you to hold an award booking like AA does but if they do, you can book the flight on hold and make the transfer of your Amex MR points to your Delta Sky miles account. The transfer is usually instant but can take up to 48 hours.

 

I'd love the quadfecta but I am waaaaaaaaay past the 5/24 rule for Chase. I won't be able to get the Freedom Unlimited. I may go for it and apply at a bank branch if the SPG card winds up going to pot due to the Marriott merger. I haven't tried the gyft.com option. Thanks for the tip!

 

Sign up for just about any loyalty program you can. It's free to do and then you have the ability to earn points. Even if you aren't brand loyal and use Priceline, you can give your number and earn points for the stay.

That hotel value is pretty bad, so I'd probably pay cash and earn points on that one. Delta is a better value here.

Because most airline and hotel points values are fixed (with exception of southwest and virgin) the value fluctuates with the price of the hotel. For example, I love St. Regis hotels. They are generally 30k Starwood points/night. That's a really good value when their rooms are going for $1300/night. But not so much during off season or weekdays when that same room is $475/night.

If the Delta ticket is available you can book it on points. However, Amex transfers can take a couple of days and if in that time award availability sells out (or drops out due to the pricing algorithm) then you'll have a bunch of Delta miles and no ticket.

I almost never fly Delta so I'm not familiar with their award availability or system. Before you initiate the transfer, I'd call Delta and ask how many award seats are available and if they can do a courtesy hold while you transfer the points. That should help ease your mind.

As a general rule of thumb, my minimum threshold for using points is about .02/$ since that's where your cash-back value tops out on any card (though it's usually .01/$1).

 

What category does gyft.com fall into? I'm thinking I'm going to apply for the the ink or ink+ card soon.

 

hope that helps. i plan to change my CSP when annual fee is charged. I heard if you are a private client, 5/24 rule is thrown out the window... but hey, its not a concrete ruling... ymmv!

it falls under utilities but only if you checkout via paypal.

 

You know what's weird? I actually just added the Freedom to my portfolio within the last month to take advantage of the 5X warehouse clubs (I see you, Costco) and I am almost positive that I'm past 5/24. I'm certainly no Chase private client or anything, so I do wonder how hard and fast this really is.

I'm not pursuing Freedom Unlimited right now because, honestly, I'm drowning in ultimate reward points and I'm trying to diversify. I might swing back around for it at some point, but so far I haven't felt the need. I picked up both the Delta Plat and SPG in the past few months and like them both. Here's hoping that the merger doesn't nuke Starwood just as I'm getting to know them. In the meantime, I'll just be over here daydreaming about getting targeted for the 100K Amex Plat offer. Sigh.

RE: Delta Award Availability - it's a total crap shoot. They don't publish their redemption charts so it can be tricky to know if you're getting a good deal. BUT, I've always managed to get where I needed to go for a reasonable amount. I booked 2 RTs to San Francisco in August for 51K which is half of what it would've cost me on United and I think they retailed for about $1100 plus baggage fees. I don't know what the ccp on that is, but I'm going to be waking up in Yosemite and I won't have to cut a check to do it, so it's a win in my book. I've found that their one way redemptions have a bit more availability at the saver level than round trips. So, if I find a cheap one-way somewhere, it's usually easy to book a one way award ticket on Delta to get me home.

 

I wish I was drowning in UR points..... I seem to use my points as fast as I earn them! I don;t qualify for the Ink card(at all,I've tried getting one using suggestions but no go) so I have to be content with CSP+Freedom 5x to snag points.....

 

Wow! -- You guys sound like Zen masters for credit card incentives offers and point incentives. I fly Southwest way more than any other airline (carrier with the most flight from our local airport), so did get their card and it does seem like for practically every trip we take one or two legs of our air legs is free. And I love that if you cancel the trip, the points go right back into your account (really nice) if it's a trip that is not a definite. Spending is such for us that we never had enough for the companion pass or something like that and we are a family of three that maybe fly three round trips a year (all of us). I sign up for the various incentive clubs that are free, but points add up quite slowly. There is a Holiday Inn that I stay for two or three nights every year three blocks from my mother-in-laws house and so sad -- I get one free night about every 10 years -- just two free nights to date lol.

 

million miles secrets .com excellent place to start. All this chatter here is not really an education if you're new at this...... One thing I learned, sign up for EVERY travel program available (for free) that way if you come across a chance to maximize your travel thru it you are ready to go! (ex. for years I had a Choice hotels membership, just learned to max/use it in the last year= free nights this year!) ANother tip for newbies.... figure out your own goals(where you want to travel/rewards) and aim for those. research the best ways to get yourself there.... there's a credit card for every need(just about) I personally love the SWA cc for beginners.... it's eye opening. (again, learn. You DON'T have to spend a lot to make a lot of points,we are NOT rich people!) after a few years of learning/doing this stuff I have traveled more than I thought possible,and have goals to do more(hopefully) soon....

 

I have a question for those of you with the Chase trifecta. Currently we have the Chase Freedom card (the older one with the rotating 5% categories). It is in DH's name.

It sound like we need either the Chase Ink Plus, Chase Ink or Chase Sapphire preferred in order to be able to transfer the Chase Freedom points into the Ultimate Rewards system.

I guess first, I want to make sure that is correct and second, I assume that we would need to get the new card in DH's name since the Freedom is in his name. Is that correct?

Thanks for all the help!

 

This is so true! I picked up the Amtrak card since we travel down to WDW on the autotrain and now have $1500.00 more in our budget due to free family bedroom and train fare.

 

Yes, that is correct. Chase will allow you to transfer into another person's account if they are also an authorized user. DH and I each apply for the same card so we each get the bonus and double down on our points accumulation.

 

You will need an Ink+ or Chase Sapphire Preferred to be able to transfer to a partner. The Ink+ is more desirable because its got a better category but the Chase Sapphire Preferred is a very good rental car insurance.

There is rumor of a new premium travel card coming out in August 2016, you could possibly consider that one too, rumor is 100k UR sign up bonus, $200-$500 annual fee. 3x on travel.(CSP is 60k UR, $95 waived for first yr, 2x on travel)

 

Also that the Ink is for businesses,and in spite of what some say on some forums, is not all that simple to qualify for.(I can attest to this) However the sapphire preferred is also quite good if you can't qualify for a business card(waah) and you can transfer points between members of the same household easily,as long as both members have ultimate rewards points. Example, in our house Only one person holds the sapphire card(with spouse as authorized user) and then we transfer any freedom points into that account to use for travel etc. much more flexible,and worth the annual fee for the sapphire preferred IMHO.

 

This is true. I got lucky and got approved for the Ink Plus a few years ago. I recently helped my mom apply for one and it was declined. She was no where near the 5/24 rule either. I even called reconsideration for her and no dice. They are definitely making it tougher to get approved for it.

I really hope they relax the 5/24 rule for this card during the initial roll out. I'm not applying for anything until this is released August 21st and then I'll cross my fingers.

 

Wow and to think I get excited when I accumulate the equivalent to $300 with my credit card points.

 

I opened a Sapphire card a few months ago for the 50K bonus and have been using it in tandem with my Freedom for everything I possibly can. When my statement closes in a couple of weeks, I'll be booking 2 round trip flights to London during Christmas week through Virgin and will only pay the fuel fees, which will go on the Sapphire card to earn 2x points. It's so exciting to game the system that tries to game us!

 

Are you purchasing the flights through the portal? How do prices there compare to normal prices? I was thinking about getting a Sapphire, but am really curious about airfare costs.

 

I'm transferring the UR to Virgin Atlantic at 1:1. Economy flights are a flat 17.5K per leg, while the cash equivalent for the flights I want was over $1300 when I checked last week. I haven't found any good deals directly through the Chase portal.