@Anonymous wrote:
If you intend to get gift cards with your MR points you should consider applying for the blue cash cards instead before you get too deep into the MR program. For pretty much any earning category (except restaurants on the golf cards), you are going to get more rewards for every dollar you spend on the blue cash cards. For example, the 6% cash back on groceries with the BCP is 33% higher than the value of MR points you get on the EDP when you redeem for gift cards. (If you don't meet the 30 purchases minimum it's even more of a divide: the BCP rewards are higher by 100%). The no-fee cards are similar. The only time you come out even is with the everyday purchase that earn one MR point or 1% cash back.
If you signed up for the card for the signup bonus, then no big deal. 10,000 points is great for travel if you're building up for something. However, it's not going to get you very far on its own. If you just want to take the $100 gift card and run, a person could do worse. But do keep your options open going forward.
Yes, with the caveat that if you do 20+ transactions a month, on non-category the ED will give you 1.2 MR vs 1c on the BCE. But if you are doing cashback in makes little sense to do either when 1.5% or 2% cards are common.
The other thing about gift cards: with flights, people computing cents per point compare to the cheapest available cash cost. There is a huge market for discount gift cards, so in that sense getting a $100 for 10K MR isn't really 1c per MR, as it's likely you could get the same $100 gift card for about $90 (depending which gift card it is)
