topic Re: Question about the Chase CSR? in Credit Cards

Question about the Chase CSR?

galahad15 — Fri, 16 Dec 2016 17:23:32 GMT

A question about the Chase CSR: in another thread, one poster very helpfully mentioned that after the $300 annual travel credit is applied, the CSR essentially becomes a $150 AF card, rather than a card with a $450 AF. My question though is, isn't the $300 you have to get the travel credit money you would have had to pay for travel expenses anyway? And so I don't quite understand how is that better than paying the $300 travel expenses on another card or in cash? Sorry I don't mean to ask a dumb or a snarky question here, honestly j/c how an expense you would have had to pay for even without the CSR helps the CSR's AF worthwhile or break even?

Re: Question about the Chase CSR?

Anonymous — Fri, 16 Dec 2016 17:31:08 GMT

@galahad15 wrote:
A question about the Chase CSR: in another thread, one poster very helpfully mentioned that after the $300 annual travel credit is applied, the CSR essentially becomes a $150 AF card, rather than a card with a $450 AF. My question though is, isn't the $300 you have to get the travel credit money you would have had to pay for travel expenses anyway? And so I don't quite understand how is that better than paying the $300 travel expenses on another card or in cash? Sorry I don't mean to ask a dumb or a snarky question here, honestly j/c how an expense you would have had to pay for even without the CSR helps the CSR's AF worthwhile or break even?

Don't really understand the confusion!

I need to make a trip that costs say $500. If I charge that to the CSR, the total cost, ignoring rewards, and including the AF is $950-300 = $650

If I put the charge on my no-AF card, the cost is $500

So the difference is $150, the effective AF for the CSR, and I then get to decide if the benefits are worth this $150.

Now if you don't do any travel, then yes, the AF is $450

Re: Question about the Chase CSR?

JustBPatient — Fri, 16 Dec 2016 17:35:51 GMT

Agreed. Its a travel card. When you travel that 300 offsets costs incurred, which means the 450 annual fee includes a 300 dollar coupon to do what you want with. Now with that said, if you dont travel at least occasionally, you would be better off with a CSP or a standard 1.5 or 2% cash back card in my opinion.

Re: Question about the Chase CSR?

Anonymous — Fri, 16 Dec 2016 17:37:36 GMT

@galahad15 wrote:
A question about the Chase CSR: in another thread, one poster very helpfully mentioned that after the $300 annual travel credit is applied, the CSR essentially becomes a $150 AF card, rather than a card with a $450 AF. My question though is, isn't the $300 you have to get the travel credit money you would have had to pay for travel expenses anyway? And so I don't quite understand how is that better than paying the $300 travel expenses on another card or in cash? Sorry I don't mean to ask a dumb or a snarky question here, honestly j/c how an expense you would have had to pay for even without the CSR helps the CSR's AF worthwhile or break even?

Another way to look at it...

- You spent $500 on a plane ticket and that's the only thing you put on your card for the month (for simplicity sake). Chase automatically credits your account $300 so your ending balance for the month is only $200, "saving" you $300 on your plane ticket

- You take that $300 that you "saved" and put it toward the $450 annual fee and your only Out of Pocket cost for the annual fee is $150.

As the above poster mentioned, if you do not spend $300 in travel for the entire year, then you never get the $300 credit and are Out of Pocket the whole $450.

Re: Question about the Chase CSR?

galahad15 — Fri, 16 Dec 2016 17:44:03 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
@galahad15 wrote:
A question about the Chase CSR: in another thread, one poster very helpfully mentioned that after the $300 annual travel credit is applied, the CSR essentially becomes a $150 AF card, rather than a card with a $450 AF. My question though is, isn't the $300 you have to get the travel credit money you would have had to pay for travel expenses anyway? And so I don't quite understand how is that better than paying the $300 travel expenses on another card or in cash? Sorry I don't mean to ask a dumb or a snarky question here, honestly j/c how an expense you would have had to pay for even without the CSR helps the CSR's AF worthwhile or break even?
Don't really understand the confusion!

I need to make a trip that costs say $500. If I charge that to the CSR, the total cost, ignoring rewards, and including the AF is $950-300 = $650
If I put the charge on my no-AF card, the cost is $500

So the difference is $150, the effective AF for the CSR, and I then get to decide if the benefits are worth this $150.

Now if you don't do any travel, then yes, the AF is $450

Thanks for the very helpful info longtimelurker and also to other posters who answered as well, I appreciate it! The CSR's web page mentions that the CSR's $300 travel credit applies "as reimbursement for travel purchases such as airfare and hotels charged to your card". Does anyone know if trains and/or local subways are included as eligible travel purchases, in addition to airfare and hotels?

Re: Question about the Chase CSR?

mongstradamus — Fri, 16 Dec 2016 18:05:10 GMT

It "should" be but i haven't yet tried it before. When i had my CSP trains subways taxis were covered under bonus points for travel, i would assume CSR would be the same. Chase usually has broad categories for travel, FWIW when i pay for parking it reimbursed with my 300 dollar travel credit with CSR.

Re: Question about the Chase CSR?

Anonymous — Fri, 16 Dec 2016 18:05:24 GMT

Thanks for the very helpful info longtimelurker and also to other posters who answered as well, I appreciate it! The CSR's web page mentions that the CSR's $300 travel credit applies "as reimbursement for travel purchases such as airfare and hotels charged to your card". Does anyone know if trains and/or local subways are included as eligible travel purchases, in addition to airfare and hotels?

From the Chase website:

Q. What types of merchants are in the 'travel' category?

A. Merchants in the travel category include airlines, hotels, motels, timeshares, car rental agencies, cruise lines, travel agencies, discount travel sites, campgrounds and operators of passenger trains, buses, taxis, limousines, ferries, toll bridges and highways, and parking lots and garages. Please note that some merchants that provide transportation and travel-related services are not included in this category; for example, real estate agents, in-flight goods and services, on-board cruise line goods and services, sightseeing activities, excursions, tourist attractions, merchants within hotels and airports, and merchants that rent vehicles for the purpose of hauling.

Re: Question about the Chase CSR?

galahad15 — Fri, 16 Dec 2016 19:24:01 GMT

Thank you Abby and mongstradamus!

Re: Question about the Chase CSR?

newhis — Fri, 16 Dec 2016 19:33:14 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Thanks for the very helpful info longtimelurker and also to other posters who answered as well, I appreciate it! The CSR's web page mentions that the CSR's $300 travel credit applies "as reimbursement for travel purchases such as airfare and hotels charged to your card". Does anyone know if trains and/or local subways are included as eligible travel purchases, in addition to airfare and hotels?
From the Chase website:

Q. What types of merchants are in the 'travel' category?

A. Merchants in the travel category include airlines, hotels, motels, timeshares, car rental agencies, cruise lines, travel agencies, discount travel sites, campgrounds and operators of passenger trains, buses, taxis, limousines, ferries, toll bridges and highways, and parking lots and garages. Please note that some merchants that provide transportation and travel-related services are not included in this category; for example, real estate agents, in-flight goods and services, on-board cruise line goods and services, sightseeing activities, excursions, tourist attractions, merchants within hotels and airports, and merchants that rent vehicles for the purpose of hauling.

I got toll fees and some parking fees as travel expenses for my first $300. The fee reset with the statement in early December.

I just found out that the San Antonio, TX airport parking is coded differently, so is only 1x and not counted in the $300.

Re: Question about the Chase CSR?

Anonymous — Fri, 16 Dec 2016 22:51:55 GMT

I think first and foremost the most important thing is people need to realize this is a travel card. So if you don't travel, the whole $300 credit thing won't make any sense.
Because of my lack of major travelling (1-3 times a year max), a $450 AF travel card just wouldn't make any sense for me!

Re: Question about the Chase CSR?

kaw943 — Fri, 16 Dec 2016 22:53:23 GMT

Do we get 300.00 every year or just as a one time deal, I just got approved for the card and did not see anything or should I say overrlooked it. I am waiting for it to arrive in the mail along with the paper work.

Re: Question about the Chase CSR?

Anonymous — Fri, 16 Dec 2016 22:57:38 GMT

@kaw943 wrote:
Do we get 300.00 every year or just as a one time deal, I just got approved for the card and did not see anything or should I say overrlooked it. I am waiting for it to arrive in the mail along with the paper work.

Every year

Re: Question about the Chase CSR?

kaw943 — Fri, 16 Dec 2016 23:02:01 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
@kaw943 wrote:
Do we get 300.00 every year or just as a one time deal, I just got approved for the card and did not see anything or should I say overrlooked it. I am waiting for it to arrive in the mail along with the paper work.
Every year

Thanks.

Re: Question about the Chase CSR?

Anonymous — Sat, 17 Dec 2016 00:20:29 GMT

@kaw943 wrote:
Do we get 300.00 every year or just as a one time deal, I just got approved for the card and did not see anything or should I say overrlooked it. I am waiting for it to arrive in the mail along with the paper work.

If you app (rather than PC) the one-time deal part is the 100K UR. For those that care about AF, and want to keep the card, the fact that the $300 is every year makes the card much more attractive

Re: Question about the Chase CSR?

Revelate — Sat, 17 Dec 2016 04:12:03 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
I think first and foremost the most important thing is people need to realize this is a travel card. So if you don't travel, the whole $300 credit thing won't make any sense.
Because of my lack of major travelling (1-3 times a year max), a $450 AF travel card just wouldn't make any sense for me!

I'd just recommend doing the math; if you spend more than $300 on travel a year (and even travelling once will do that quite likely) especially considering how much Chase codes as travel (apparently all the mass transit here in LA does, and I'm seriously considering trying it for once) then the restaurant spend I need just to break even with the CSP is pretty darned trivial.

I knew the card was good, but after doing the math I really should get it.

Re: Question about the Chase CSR?

Anonymous — Sat, 17 Dec 2016 04:20:19 GMT

While I do travel a lot (air, hotel, train, etc) I must say I really like to use the $300 travel credit for Uber/Lyft. I live in LA and frequently use Lyft. I used the 2016 travel credit in the first couple months and have already started using the 2017 credit on Lyft. While I do understand the CSR is a travel card, what one person might consider travel can vary. Although I travel out of state about once per month I'm just trying to use this example of Lyft/Uber as being able to "travel" without even leaving the city you live in.

Re: Question about the Chase CSR?

Anonymous — Sat, 17 Dec 2016 04:45:11 GMT

Surprised nobody has mentioned that if you time it right and keep the card only one year, you can "double dip" the travel credit. I signed up in August and used up my credit before my December statement date, the deadline for using your 2016 travel credit. I ALSO get a 2017 travel credit as well (already started using some of it)

Since I paid $450 for the card and got $300 in 2016 and will get $300 in 2017, I could cancel the card after 1 year and not pay another annual fee. That would be basically them PAYING ME $150 to use the card. And that doesn't even count the 100K sign up bonus!

If you do ANY sort of travel it's a total no brainer.

Re: Question about the Chase CSR?

newhis — Sat, 17 Dec 2016 13:58:18 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Surprised nobody has mentioned that if you time it right and keep the card only one year, you can "double dip" the travel credit. I signed up in August and used up my credit before my December statement date, the deadline for using your 2016 travel credit. I ALSO get a 2017 travel credit as well (already started using some of it)

Since I paid $450 for the card and got $300 in 2016 and will get $300 in 2017, I could cancel the card after 1 year and not pay another annual fee. That would be basically them PAYING ME $150 to use the card. And that doesn't even count the 100K sign up bonus!

If you do ANY sort of travel it's a total no brainer.

I bet some people will triple dip.

I think before applying and my plan is to keep the card at least for 2 years before PC or close (for all the cards I apply).

Re: Question about the Chase CSR?

elim — Sat, 17 Dec 2016 14:45:02 GMT

My statement cuts Dec 25th. I'll report back when it does.

I got hurt a couple months ago and had knee surgery yesterday, so I bought a Marriott E-GC for exactly $300. I'll just use next year's credit when I travel (hoping to be back on my feet soon!).

Re: Question about the Chase CSR?

Anonymous — Sat, 17 Dec 2016 20:21:48 GMT

It will work for the subway. And you would potentially be able to get the 300 three times before switching over to the no annual fee card. Paired with the signon bonus, its a no brainer for most.

And might I say wow I am impressed with your scores you are at the 800 mark on all three practically galahad15!