new travel card from AMEX or CHASE ?

[Anonymous]

Entertaining the idea of getting one or two (combine HP) new travel oriented CC, sign up bonus is great but also looking for perks (more below), so would like some suggestions.

I've been using CHASE cards for a few years now (CSP->CSR, Freedom and FU) and have no compliants.

Haven't used AMEX much (except fidelity amex which was the only 2% card but has perhaps also have kicked me out of their list for the targeted 100K plat offers).

But I've heard more unpleasant stories about AMEX (FR, Freeze and Clawback points, let you check for limit but doesn't really let you do it often, etc), I understand that AMEX is not the only party in these stories and stories can be told in various ways to make one party look better or worse, but in generally I got an impression that AMEX seems a bit shaddy and I'm not sure I want the hassle of dealing with them at all (while, on the other hand, CHASE seems to be quite up frount and doing busniess fairly, 5/24 is not welcome but it is 5/24, it doesn't  become 3/24 after you have opened account or even after bouns points). Also most of my points are UR and introducing a bit of MR into the mix doesn't seem like a good idea either, thus leaning towards chase. 

One specific thing that I'm wanting is Marriott's gold status as I have started to stay with them more often but not 50 nights/year.

Cards that I'm looking at:

RITZ:

+ gold status, 2~3 nights at RITZ seems like one of the better sign up bonus of a hotel card.
+ can make use of the $300 and -$100
+ chase card?
- while I'm okay with putting 10K on it, there seems to be cheaper options below.
- other perks like PPS overlaps with CSR

SPG:

+ 40K (35+at least 5k from spending) will translate to over 120K of Marriott points
- I don't plan to put 30K on this to get gold status
- don't see any valubale perks
- amex card?

PLAT:

+ gold status without spending
+ more lounge access?
- have to wait till public 100K as I have had the fido card before and probably can't be targeted
- not "loyal" to any airline so the $200 here is harder to use than the $300 from RITZ
- again other perks overlap with CSR

HYATT/IHG: If I'm getting RITZ I'll probably grab one of them to combine HP and the annual night seems to cover the AF well

AMEX ED: If getting AMEX card will probably grab this to combine HP

open to other ideas as well.

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't worry about FR with AmEx. If you're telling the truth about your income, then what do you have to worry about? Besides, I think the whole FR thing is overblown. Now Barclays? That's probably not overblown.

I personally love doing business with AmEx...getting the money back on my limit as soon as I make a payment, 3x CLI, the AmEx offers, etc. But if you're already into UR and don't like the idea of a possible FR (which is pretty rare anyways), then it sounds like you should go with Chase.

[Anonymous]

Well it sounds as though you have already made up your mind, and are leaning towards Chase and I think that is ok ;-) . 

I recently dipped my toe into the UR pond with both the CSP and CSR, its a long story. So far I love my CSR, use for dining and travel charges, got the bonus and used for part of my honeymoon trip. Easily justified AF since the $300 travel credit is easy to use and the remaining AF costs I can justify with points multiplier and redemption. 

However Amex has treated me well and that I mean they have not done anything negative. They've backed me up on some losses that I have filed (purchase protection, merchant issues) and I've never had a swipe declined. MR points are a bit frustrating since they take forever to post, but I I dont use points often so I just rack them up. 

When I travel for work or pleasure, I carry both my Amex and Chase now and use appropiately (dining, gas, tickets, tolls, etc) . 

If I had to choose one over the other, I'd probably lean Amex, but only because I've been with them longer and are a Delta/SPG (now marriot, I know) person and traditionally those brands alligned with Amex. 

So maybe my response was no help, but maybe it was some help.. 

[Anonymous]

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@Anonymous wrote:

I wouldn't worry about FR with AmEx. If you're telling the truth about your income, then what do you have to worry about? Besides, I think the whole FR thing is overblown. Now Barclays? That's probably not overblown.

I personally love doing business with AmEx...getting the money back on my limit as soon as I make a payment, 3x CLI, the AmEx offers, etc. But if you're already into UR and don't like the idea of a possible FR (which is pretty rare anyways), then it sounds like you should go with Chase.

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Agreed. As long as the OP is honest about their income and keep away from MS ( i.e.one person here on MF used their new AMEX  to send money to themselves via PayPal) you will be fine. I have cards with both Chase and AMEX and haven't had any issues at all. Customer service is great and always accessible. I have four cards with AMEX ( Hilton, Hilton Surpass, Delta Gold and personal Platinum) and three cards with Chase  (Ritz, FU and Hyatt). Each cards serves its own purpose and is used more often or less often depending on what trip I have planned. 

[Berk]

I have Amex Plat as my travel card. I travel a lot for work so having the lounge access and networks is great. Love the automatic gold status at the major hotel chains as well. Was able to get a complimentary upgrade to a suite at a Marriot resort last week due to my gold status. I have zero stays with Marriot in the past 5 years as our company mostly uses the Hilton brand. It was great inviting my boss up to my suite while he was stuck in a broom closet on the first floor. I've been telling him for years to get the Plat card for the great travel benefits. He is now seriously considering it. Of course, the down side to me is that I have to give him lounge access when we travel together.

[Anonymous]

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@Anonymous wrote:

I wouldn't worry about FR with AmEx. If you're telling the truth about your income, then what do you have to worry about? Besides, I think the whole FR thing is overblown. Now Barclays? That's probably not overblown.

I personally love doing business with AmEx...getting the money back on my limit as soon as I make a payment, 3x CLI, the AmEx offers, etc. But if you're already into UR and don't like the idea of a possible FR (which is pretty rare anyways), then it sounds like you should go with Chase.

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Agreed. As long as the OP is honest about their income and keep away from MS ( i.e.one person here on MF used their new AMEX  to send money to themselves via PayPal) you will be fine. I have cards with both Chase and AMEX and haven't had any issues at all. Customer service is great and always accessible. I have four cards with AMEX ( Hilton, Hilton Surpass, Delta Gold and personal Platinum) and three cards with Chase  (Ritz, FU and Hyatt). Each cards serves its own purpose and is used more often or less often depending on what trip I have planned. 

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Oh yeah...I forgot about MS. That's the only reason to be concerned really.

[longtimelurker]

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@Anonymous wrote:

- have to wait till public 100K as I have had the fido card before and probably can't be targeted

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The Fidelity Amex shouldn't impact this at all, as it was issued by FIA/BoA rather than Centurian Bank.

[Anonymous]

I've never had any issues with my Amex cards. Honestly, I think the people that post issues with their Amex here are usually involved in some type of 'odd ball' behavior that will trigger something in Amexs computers.

[Anonymous]

Thanks a lot for the help guys. 

Went with Chase this time seeing that there's still hope the to be targeted for 100K and SPG alone doesn't seem to align too well here(intending to keep the account open for longer period rather than just getting the sign up and close soon, but SPG is having a hard time justifying its AF in terms of both benifit and point earning (only edge seems to be one more marriott point per dollar at marriott/spg which may not last for too long) ).

Not sure how much did my negative impressions on Amex have affected this decision though, while they might only be doing such things to people who are not telling them the truth about their income or are engaging in MS, I don't see big banks attracting vastly different demographics in terms of these (i.e. I don't see AMEX customers substantially more likely to not tell the truth about their income or substantially more likely to MS). Does this mean Amex has substantially less trust in their own customers then?  Anyways, questions that I should probably stop worrying about until the 100K offer hits