topic Re: RUMOR: Chase to increase Travel portal multipler in Credit Cards

RUMOR: Chase to increase Travel portal multipler

Shadowfactor — Tue, 05 Mar 2019 01:32:17 GMT

It's been reported in an Award Travel group on FB that I currently belong to that Chase will be increasing the Travel Portal multipler.

This is just a rumor at this point but I thought I would share.

CSP will increase to 1.5x

CSR will increase to 1.75x

I can see some believability to this as other top tier travel cards have been upping the amount of points earned on a transaction.

Honestly think its a cheap move on Chase's part as it doesn't help you earn more points and thus doesnt waterdown the value of points for transferring.

Re: RUMOR: Chase to increase Travel portal multipler

Noctilum — Tue, 05 Mar 2019 02:14:44 GMT

I can see this happening... at the expense of being able to pool UR points from other cards or perhaps the value of UR points going down. I just can't imagine us getting this without losing something else.

Re: RUMOR: Chase to increase Travel portal multipler

Anonymous — Tue, 05 Mar 2019 03:35:33 GMT

Maybe the annual fee will be going up? Chase wouldn't increase something like that without taking something away.

Re: RUMOR: Chase to increase Travel portal multipler

BH1985 — Tue, 05 Mar 2019 03:56:18 GMT

Didn’t Chase recently cut some non-reward benefits from all of their cards? Perhaps that is how this rumored multiplier increase is financed.

Re: RUMOR: Chase to increase Travel portal multipler

NRB525 — Tue, 05 Mar 2019 04:20:11 GMT

This would be an interesting improvement. There is quite intense competition between Chase and AMEX and this little boost would be a way to enhance UR point value, if someone did not have much interest in many of the UR transfer partners.

Re: RUMOR: Chase to increase Travel portal multipler

jdbkiang — Tue, 05 Mar 2019 04:55:01 GMT

Hey, I’m part of the same group!

It would make the CFU closer in value to the BBP, almost.

Re: RUMOR: Chase to increase Travel portal multipler

wasCB14 — Tue, 05 Mar 2019 05:20:09 GMT

@jdbkiang wrote:
Hey, I’m part of the same group!

It would make the CFU closer in value to the BBP, almost.

It would hurt the popularity of BofA Travel Rewards. 2.625%+ with a little extra hassle would beat a fixed 2.625% st the Platinum Honors tier.

That said, on the few occasions I explored it years ago, book-through-Chase travel pricing was not always on par with competitors.

Re: RUMOR: Chase to increase Travel portal multipler

redpat — Tue, 05 Mar 2019 07:26:26 GMT

@wasCB14 wrote:
@jdbkiang wrote:
Hey, I’m part of the same group!

It would make the CFU closer in value to the BBP, almost.
It would hurt the popularity of BofA Travel Rewards. 2.625%+ with a little extra hassle would beat a fixed 2.625% st the Platinum Honors tier.

That said, on the few occasions I explored it years ago, book-through-Chase travel pricing was not always on par with competitors.

Since their change to Expedia I found pricing similar or some lower than others. Great to use on flights and still get miles and have them count towards status. I book FC domestic fares and pay the coach fare. Also, if I’m not staying at a Hilton I’ll book a suit and pay standard room rate for some very nice hotel stays. Omni has counted these bookings towards their award program.

This would be great news to get an extra .25 basis point.

Re: RUMOR: Chase to increase Travel portal multipler

Anonymous — Tue, 05 Mar 2019 09:52:01 GMT

I plan to PC to CSR in June. It would be great if multiplier is higher.

However, if I can't pool points, or AF makes math fail, i will just cancel it and just use my propel, or move to prestige.

Re: RUMOR: Chase to increase Travel portal multipler

UpperNwGuy — Tue, 05 Mar 2019 14:49:17 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Maybe the annual fee will be going up? Chase wouldn't increase something like that without taking something away.

You can count on the annual fee going up now that both Amex Platinum and Citi Prestige have higher fees than the CSR. When the CSR was first launched, all three cards were at $450. I'm sure Chase wants to raise the fee, or reduce the travel credit, without annoying the cardholders. I see the redemption rate at the portal being a way to do it. Of course, most hard-core points-and-miles users don't use the Chase portal because they can get better redemptions through the transfer partners -- unless Chase devalues the transfer rates.

I think the real problem is that the CSP has become just a junior version of the CSR. Some people who choke on the $450 CSR fee are willing to pay the $95 CSP fee, but a quick calculation of earnings on the two cards shows that you come out ahead on the CSR even at lower spending levels. The CSP is obsolete and compares poorly to the Amex Gold.

Re: RUMOR: Chase to increase Travel portal multipler

NRB525 — Tue, 05 Mar 2019 15:06:32 GMT

@UpperNwGuy wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
Maybe the annual fee will be going up? Chase wouldn't increase something like that without taking something away.
You can count on the annual fee going up now that both Amex Platinum and Citi Prestige have higher fees than the CSR. When the CSR was first launched, all three cards were at $450. I'm sure Chase wants to raise the fee, or reduce the travel credit, without annoying the cardholders. I see the redemption rate at the portal being a way to do it. Of course, most hard-core points-and-miles users don't use the Chase portal because they can get better redemptions through the transfer partners -- unless Chase devalues the transfer rates.

I think the real problem is that the CSP has become just a junior version of the CSR. Some people who choke on the $450 CSR fee are willing to pay the $95 CSP fee, but a quick calculation of earnings on the two cards shows that you come out ahead on the CSR even at lower spending levels. The CSP is obsolete and compares poorly to the Amex Gold.

This is the situation I am in. Have the CSP and TriFecta, should probably go to the CSR, but don't need to deal with the additional Travel Credits since I have many already on other cards. Yet the earnings on CSR are better. So I will be watching how this develops, to determine when to move to CSR.

Re: RUMOR: Chase to increase Travel portal multipler

Revelate — Wed, 06 Mar 2019 01:04:17 GMT

@NRB525 wrote:
This would be an interesting improvement. There is quite intense competition between Chase and AMEX and this little boost would be a way to enhance UR point value, if someone did not have much interest in many of the UR transfer partners.

I resemble that remark: I've been taking 1-2 short hops from LA to SFO and back a month and I haven't figured out a way to get cheaper than redeeming through Chase directly so far.

A 16.7% (I think I did that math right) reduction in my UR expenses: yes please!

Re: RUMOR: Chase to increase Travel portal multipler

Anonymous — Thu, 07 Mar 2019 01:15:02 GMT

Speaking of squaring the circle -- the blog miles to memories reports FICO forum as the source of this rumor, and FICO forum reports miles to memories is reporting it.

Re: RUMOR: Chase to increase Travel portal multipler

Shadowfactor — Thu, 07 Mar 2019 02:31:10 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Speaking of squaring the circle -- the blog miles to memories reports FICO forum as the source of this rumor, and FICO forum reports miles to memories is reporting it.

I actually got it from a different group on FB, but thats pretty funny!

Guess I'm famous now