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Chase Sapphire Preferred or Barclay Arrival?

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ficobgtx
Regular Contributor

Re: Chase Sapphire Preferred or Barclay Arrival?


@nachoslibres wrote:

Thanks for the quick replys from everyone.  We try to limit eating out honestly - especially since we own a restaurant and can get food from there pretty often.

 

I'm thinking if I did get the CSP I would still want to run most of my purchases through the Freedom, correct?  Since base purchases earn 1% but then get the 10% bonus because of the checking at the end of the year.  So that would be 1.1 UR earned per $1 as opposed to the 1.07 UR earned per $1 on the CSP, correct?

 

And I will say I have been spoiled by the Arrival as far as instant mile availability.  It's nice being able to see your miles go up each day due to the previous day's purchases.  I may just wait a year or so and apply for the CSP - like you say I don't have anything to lose with the first year AF being waived.  I got the Arrival back in August and got the Freedom earlier this month so I think no matter what I choose to do I will want to wait to get another card.

 


My personal opinion... Why not get something like Fidelity Amex (2% cash back on everything, no AF). Then get CSP and combine with freedom. See if it makes sense to use the 20% off points on hotels using CSP. Probably your best bet. Use Chase for all of the bonus categories (some 2x on CSP, 5x rotating on Freedom), Amex for everything else (unless they don't take Amex).

 

You'll probably find out if CSP is worth it in the first year. If not, PC to no AF Sapphire. You will still get the bonus, so win-win.

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Message 51 of 60
takeshi74
Senior Contributor

Re: Chase Sapphire Preferred or Barclay Arrival?


@nachoslibres wrote:

I know if I was doing a lot of flying that the CSP would likely be a no-brainer with the point transfers


@nachoslibres wrote:

I've also looked MR points from Amex but then I get even more confused - so right now I'm just seeing if the CSP should be a card I should eventually apply for or if I should just keep the Arrival as my main card.


It's not necessarily a no-brainer based on amount of flying.  For any rewards program look at redemption. For UR and MR look at the transfer partners to see if they would be of any benefit to you.  In my case MR doesn't transfer to anything useful to me.  UR does.  Plus I accumulate at 5x on the categories that Freedom and Ink cover.  YMMV.

Message 52 of 60
trumpet-205
Valued Contributor

Re: Chase Sapphire Preferred or Barclay Arrival?

This really all comes down to whether or not you plan to transfer UR points to loyalty program. If you do then CSP is ahead of Arrival (more so if you shop online using their portal).

 

On the other hand if you don't have preferential when it comes to airliners and hotel, then Arrival is a better deal. Although like someone else mentioned Fidelity AMEX is a better deal due to no AF (unless you spend a lot at places that don't take AMEX). Don't worry about FTF since Fidelity only charges 1%, with 2% cashback you will still come out ahead.

 

Another option is Capital One Venutre card. Has much lower AF ($59), although you earn 2% instead of 2.2% on arrival.

Message 53 of 60
longtimelurker
Epic Contributor

Re: Chase Sapphire Preferred or Barclay Arrival?

The poster said the spend is $10K per month, and at that level the extra 0.2% on Arrival outweighs the AF compared to Fidelity Amex. (Provided there is enough travel redemption!)

Message 54 of 60
nachoslibres
Established Contributor

Re: Chase Sapphire Preferred or Barclay Arrival?

Thanks again for all the replies, it really is helpful.

 

I looked at the MR transfer partners and based upon where I live and the airlines I would use the transfer partners just don't work well for me.  I could definitely use some of the transfer partners from UR - I just don't think I would use them often enough.

 

The Fidelity card I know is a good card but I don't want to have to open and maintain a Fidelity account, and based upon my spending I still come ahead at 2.2% on the Arrival with the AF than I would at 2% and no AF - provided I have enough travel expenses to get cash back on - which I do.

 

As for the suggestion of a hotel card (i.e. Marriott or Hyatt) that is actually a really good suggestion.  I see the annual reward of a free night on either card is worth more than the AF itself (as long as you select a good hotel) and I may end up going this route.  Has anyone used both a Marriott or Hyatt credit card to achieve status (since I will likely only book between 3-5 nights a year) and then use the CSP in conjunction for miles to redeem for hotel rooms?

Message 55 of 60
thehogsters
Valued Member

Re: Chase Sapphire Preferred or Barclay Arrival?

So UR are worth more for British Airways and United?  Those two never have good deals at any airports near me.  I just got the Sowthwest premier since they usually have the best prices anyway and now fly to the carribean.  I'm going to get either the CSP or Arrival but still researching.  We never use any of the UR hotels.  Im way to cheap for them.  We go to the beach and rent from VRBO.  We go to Disney and use hotwire.  We go to Cancun and stay at Palace Resorts.  Just don't see how CPS would be better than Arrival in my case?

Message 56 of 60
mongstradamus
Super Contributor

Re: Chase Sapphire Preferred or Barclay Arrival?


@thehogsters wrote:

So UR are worth more for British Airways and United?  Those two never have good deals at any airports near me.  I just got the Sowthwest premier since they usually have the best prices anyway and now fly to the carribean.  I'm going to get either the CSP or Arrival but still researching.  We never use any of the UR hotels.  Im way to cheap for them.  We go to the beach and rent from VRBO.  We go to Disney and use hotwire.  We go to Cancun and stay at Palace Resorts.  Just don't see how CPS would be better than Arrival in my case?


I guess it depends on where you live , for me i live in nyc metro area so i have access to JFK and EWR, which covers almost every airline out there.BA/avios is good for domestic flights because there are almost no fuel surcharges for domestic flights, i find them an bit "cheaper". 



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Message 57 of 60
nachoslibres
Established Contributor

Re: Chase Sapphire Preferred or Barclay Arrival?


@thehogsters wrote:

So UR are worth more for British Airways and United?  Those two never have good deals at any airports near me.  I just got the Sowthwest premier since they usually have the best prices anyway and now fly to the carribean.  I'm going to get either the CSP or Arrival but still researching.  We never use any of the UR hotels.  Im way to cheap for them.  We go to the beach and rent from VRBO.  We go to Disney and use hotwire.  We go to Cancun and stay at Palace Resorts.  Just don't see how CPS would be better than Arrival in my case?


CSP is going to be better than the Southwest card UNLESS you fly enough to rack up enough miles for the companion pass.  If you won't do enough spend then the CSP is better because #1 to can transfer your miles to other partners besides just Southwest (including hotels like Hyatt), #2 you get 2x miles on any travel or restaurant purchases and #3 the annual fee is lower.

 

Now, the difference between the CSP and Arrival+ is great, because the Arrival+ allows you to redeem your "miles" against any kind of travel while to maximize your return on the CSP you will be transferring those miles only to transfer partners.  So if you want the flexibility to use your rewards against purchases on Hotwire or at Disney your best bet is to go with the Arrival+.

 

I use the Ink Bold and Freedom (in place of the CSP - but they earn URs as well) in addition to the Arrival+.  I use the Ink Bold and Freedom for any bonused spend (any spend where I can get 2x UR/$ or more) and then the Arrival+ for every thing else.  Why?  Because if I'm earning 2x UR/$ or more on my Ink Bold / Freedom I equate that to at least 4% back since I value URs at $0.02/$.  Anything that is unbonused where I would only earn 1 UR/$ back I put instead on the Arrival+ which earns 2.22% back on every thing.  I like having flexibility and because we plan on going on a Disney Cruise each year I would like something to help pay for it, and if I only had the Ink Bold / Freedom (or CSP) I wouldn't be able to do that.  With the Arrival+ I am.  I will use my Chase UR points for travel for my wife and I - which will likely consist of flying on United (Southwest is a good partner too, they just don't have flights out of the small town I live in) and staying in Hyatt's.

Message 58 of 60
thehogsters
Valued Member

Re: Chase Sapphire Preferred or Barclay Arrival?

Let me also add this about the shopping portals. I have been doing a lot of portal shopping on the southwest rr site ( same as chase) since getting my card a few weeks ago. The two stores I use most are Lowe's and Walmart. Barclay's give 2 points at Walmart and 3 at Lowes. The chase portal only gives 1 and 2. A lot of the other stores that interest me also give back one more point on the Barclay's portal.
Message 59 of 60
nachoslibres
Established Contributor

Re: Chase Sapphire Preferred or Barclay Arrival?


@thehogsters wrote:
Let me also add this about the shopping portals. I have been doing a lot of portal shopping on the southwest rr site ( same as chase) since getting my card a few weeks ago. The two stores I use most are Lowe's and Walmart. Barclay's give 2 points at Walmart and 3 at Lowes. The chase portal only gives 1 and 2. A lot of the other stores that interest me also give back one more point on the Barclay's portal.

Yes, but if you value a UR at $0.02/UR that means when Chase gets 1 and 2 points /$ on purchases you are actually getting 2 - 4% back, compared to 2 - 3% back on the Barclay's card.  Not much difference, but still a difference none the less.

Message 60 of 60
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