Hi Guys,
apologies for the long winded post. this has also served as a place for me to put down my own thinking to re-read...
I would appreciate some ideas on how to maximize value from DW's credit capacity. She's got credit capacity and some old credit cards that aren't terribly useful in earning benefits. Not sure what her AAoA is...need to pull a fresh report. I think 5-6y. 5 or so cards, total limits $35-40k. EX FICO 700. last HP in Oct. No amex relationship and one Chase card (united).
I pulled her Credit Match and she has a PRG offer for 50k MR with $1k spend. She's also been getting mailers for 50k bonus delta gold card.
I got denied the Citi AA 100k offer so I am thinking maybe she should app for it and get the 100k miles. (although selling her on the AF would be tough, especially once she finds out i signed up for the Amex MB plat LOL)
My current cards:
- PRG (collected 25k MR bonus)
- Delta Gold (collected 30k SkyMiles bonus)
- CSP (should hit min spend next month and get 40k UR)
- SPG (just got it)
- Amex MB Plat (50k MR once i hit spend)
the goal is to maximize signup rewards and position ourselves for a solid next 12-15 months of points generating. Besides a couple of domestic flights this year here and there (not incld business) our main goal would be a Summer 2015 1 wk Europe trip and (if points afford it maybe a brief cruise later this year. For cruise will see if i can score a deal via amex plat and/or a sale.
So i am thinking 2x flights to Europe will be around 120-150k points (depending on the miles used)
1 week at a category 4 SPG property would run us 50k points plus some cash... $700-$1000?
here are some options to consider:
- Get her to app for that targeted PRG offer. 50k MRs for $1k spend i heard is about as nice as it gets? or do you guys think that Amex may target her more aggressively now that I have so many cards and she isn't a member? I really like the grocery spend boost for this card and is one that i would like to keep. So either we ignore this offer and have her sign up as my free AF year is concluding or just have her take this offer and close her account when the year is coming up, at which point i can just add her as an AU.
- Get her to app for Citi AA and collect 100k miles. Is this worth it? Now that I got Amex plat I am questioning the value of paying out another hefty AF. (at least not right away, maybe towards my Plat renewal?). I am Ok to let this one go not just because i already took the Amex plat fee but also because the $10k/3m spend is quite a bit for one card.
- Either add her as AU on my CSP (she loves the metal look), collect 5k UR, or just get her to app for the CSP and scoup the 40k. I am leaning towards the latter, especially once my own CSP comes closer to AF. (she doesn't yet understand the concept of downgrading cards; she thinks it's enough to just close them once you get the points LOL)
- Send her a referral for the SPG card, that way I collect the 5k SPG points referral bonus. (probably best to do this *after* she apps/approved for the targeted offer? And probably in a couple of months once I have met my own bonus spend.
- What to do with her United Chase card? PC to what? No real benefit to this card anymore: better air purchase bonuses elsewhere (PRG, CSP) and even bags allowance only applies if you bought the tickets on the card. What would you guys PC to at Chase (nothing that has too good of a signup bonus that you would forego?) Maybe Freedom?
- I think it would be great to have one of the Ink cards to help us earn URs at the 5x rate. Although not sure how easy that is now that Office Depot insists on cash VR purchases.
I am leaning towards:
1) Have her apply for PRG targeted 50k MR offer. ASAP. Even though we can't combine MRs it would help if she has her own balance. (mine would be ~70k by the summer)
2) Have her apply for one of Chase Ink cards. (does chase approve biz cards if you are an employee but pay for your own expenses, get reimb and also have home office expense?)
3) Assuming 1 and 2 are approved and after spend is met, then send a referral for the SPG card. Then start earning those SPG points.
4) Have a backup Chase card to app for in case they don't approve Ink. Maybe Hyatt to get the two free nights.
5) PC the UA explorer card to a Freedom?
So SPG+UR win out because you can pool them in the household. While the MRs are just the freebies that we take while the AF is free.
Feedback appreciated!
