topic Re: Which Top Tier MasterCard? in Credit Cards

Which Top Tier MasterCard?

jbestman007 — Mon, 24 Jun 2019 16:39:40 GMT

My credit card strategy is to have a top tier card from each major network by the time my portfolio is complete.

So....

Amex: Amex Platinum

Visa: Chase Sapphire Reserve

Discover: Discover IT

Business: Amex Business Gold or Chase Ink Preferred

MasterCard: ?

Right now, I have no clue what MasterCard to get. I am leaning towards getting the Apple Titanium card but.... there's gotta be a better card out there, right?

I know this question is partly based on needs. To be frank, The CSR and the Amex Platinum would have my needs pretty covered. The MasterCard would be to cover all my bases since I travel internationally and never want to be caught unprepared, when it comes to networks. I don't care about SUBs or point chasing. I care more about member benefits, hence the top tier cards.

Re: Which Top Tier MasterCard?

Remedios — Mon, 24 Jun 2019 17:11:56 GMT

You want to elaborate on what this Top Tier thing means to you?

For instance, your Platinum would be bottom tier to me, that's how much use I'd have for it

In addition, while Mastercard network has some benefits associated with their Elite and World Elite cards, most top tier benefits come from the issuers themselves, so you'll need to be more specific in what you're looking for in a card.

Re: Which Top Tier MasterCard?

ironchef — Mon, 24 Jun 2019 17:02:13 GMT

I would Recco to do the Barclays Aviator Red MC ! I Love the Card & its a Top Tier card

Re: Which Top Tier MasterCard?

simplynoir — Mon, 24 Jun 2019 17:08:42 GMT

@ironchef wrote:
I would Recco to do the Barclays Aviator Red MC ! I Love the Card & its a Top Tier card

If the person doesn't fly AA then it's not so much "top tier" for the OP. That's the point @Remedios is trying to make.

Re: Which Top Tier MasterCard?

jbestman007 — Mon, 24 Jun 2019 17:13:58 GMT

You are defining top tier subjectively. I mean top tier by any objective definition. In other words, flagship cards issued by international brands. And we all know what those are. Example, the Chase Freedom, while a very good card, is not Chase's flagship card. Chase Sapphire Reserve is its flagship/top tier card. So, you not having any use for it does not change the fact that it is innately a flagship.

Re: Which Top Tier MasterCard?

jbestman007 — Mon, 24 Jun 2019 17:15:21 GMT

@ironchef wrote:
I would Recco to do the Barclays Aviator Red MC ! I Love the Card & its a Top Tier card

Thanks! I will look into that card.

Re: Which Top Tier MasterCard?

Anonymous — Mon, 24 Jun 2019 17:23:09 GMT

Top tier from looking at the cards listed means the highest AF MC available.

Doesn't make much sense to me but, sure. I would be more focused on getting the most out of the card than the "prestige" of paying through the nose for a card in the AF.

Re: Which Top Tier MasterCard?

Remedios — Mon, 24 Jun 2019 17:23:25 GMT

@jbestman007 wrote:
You are defining top tier subjectively. I mean top tier by any objective definition. In other words, flagship cards issued by international brands. And we all know what those are. Example, the Chase Freedom, while a very good card, is not Chase's flagship card. Chase Sapphire Reserve is its flagship/top tier card. So, you not having any use for it does not change the fact that it is innately a flagship.

Well, in that case, pick a Mastercard with highest annual fee and hardest to get approved for

Boom, your first top tier card.

Good luck !

Re: Which Top Tier MasterCard?

M_Smart007 — Mon, 24 Jun 2019 17:27:45 GMT

@jbestman007 wrote:
@ironchef wrote:
I would Recco to do the Barclays Aviator Red MC ! I Love the Card & its a Top Tier card
Thanks! I will look into that card.

Just Make Sure You Understand Barclay's Adverse Action and How That Works?,

if you intend on APP'ing for Cards Righ after Getting A Sir Barclay Card.

you may want to research The Threads via The Search Feature. Search "Barclay AA" or "Barclays AA" should be plenty of info.

No Sign Up Bonus World Mastercard, maybe Not Be A Top Tier, But A Great 2% Cash Back on Everything,

look at Citi Double Cash.

No Annual Fee / No Non-Sense!

GL2U

Re: Which Top Tier MasterCard?

ironchef — Mon, 24 Jun 2019 17:27:01 GMT

Understood and Agreed! I dont fly as much with AA as I did other airlines but I will expand my Flights with them when I can to get Full Benefits for this Top Tier MC form Barclays.

Re: Which Top Tier MasterCard?

Anonymous — Mon, 24 Jun 2019 17:29:21 GMT

Savor is a top tier WEMC mastercard with no FTF and a whole plethora of benefits.

My Savor One came as a WEMC as well but I’m not sure if all of them are WEMC since they’re lower tier cards than the Savor, which has an AF and 1% higher return on dining and entertainment.

Barclays is too AA happy for me.

Re: Which Top Tier MasterCard?

jbestman007 — Mon, 24 Jun 2019 17:35:43 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Savor is a top tier WEMC mastercard with no FTF and a whole plethora of benefits.

My Savor One came as a WEMC as well but I’m not sure if all of them are WEMC since they’re lower tier cards than the Savor, which has an AF and 1% higher return on dining and entertainment.

Barclays is too AA happy for me.

I agree with how finicky Barclays can be. I do have Savor as one of the cards I am looking at.

Re: Which Top Tier MasterCard?

Anonymous — Mon, 24 Jun 2019 17:44:13 GMT

The Citi Prestige stands out as the obvious choice for what it seems like you're looking for. They're capping the fourth night free benefit at two uses per year, but if you can use it then you'll probably end up with positive value just from that and the travel credit.

Lots of perks, good earning rate, though it's ThankYou points which may or may not be ideal depending on your strategy, plus it's a black metal credit card if that sort of thing appeals to you.

Re: Which Top Tier MasterCard?

odd_dog — Mon, 24 Jun 2019 17:54:01 GMT

@ironchef wrote:
Understood and Agreed! I dont fly as much with AA as I did other airlines but I will expand my Flights with them when I can to get Full Benefits for this Top Tier MC form Barclays.

Hi, even going by your definition of a "top Tier MC from Barclays" the Red Aviator is NOT the "top tier" the Aviator SILVER is the top tier MC for AA and Barclays....I believe you have to have the RED and then get INVITED to get the Silver....of course more benefits and higher AF but if that is what you are looking for check it out....

Re: Which Top Tier MasterCard?

Anonymous — Mon, 24 Jun 2019 18:00:41 GMT

There is always mastercard black card, gold card for your collecting pleasure.

The reward sucks, but you already have reward part covered with your existing cards.

Re: Which Top Tier MasterCard?

jbestman007 — Mon, 24 Jun 2019 18:14:32 GMT

@Remedios wrote:
@jbestman007 wrote:
You are defining top tier subjectively. I mean top tier by any objective definition. In other words, flagship cards issued by international brands. And we all know what those are. Example, the Chase Freedom, while a very good card, is not Chase's flagship card. Chase Sapphire Reserve is its flagship/top tier card. So, you not having any use for it does not change the fact that it is innately a flagship.
Well, in that case, pick a Mastercard with highest annual fee and hardest to get approved for
Boom, your first top tier card.

Good luck !

LOL

There is no way I could have asked this question without coming across as smug and irrational but believe me, I am not. We can all agree that we are all different and cannot all fit in one box. When I first got an electric car, I got crushed by car enthusiasts that thought it was pricey, inconvenient and a joke. All true, from their perspective. However, I once poured engine oil in my wiper fluid container. In other words, I am not a car person. The electric car is charge. Drive. Zero to no maintenance. You have no idea how valuable that is to a non car person like me.

There are built in benefits to these cards that are valuable to me. It might not be to a lot of people but they are infinitely valuable to me at this stage of my life. Remember, I am not getting 20 cards. I am getting just 4 or 5. If I am keeping a thin portfolio, I want only the best for me (within reason of course). The two cards I mentioned, the Amex Platinum and the CSR. I have researched those extensively and will have the AFs covered easily. If there is any doubt, I would stay with the Gold and the CSP. But for now, given my lifestyle and needs, the AF is not an issue.

Again, sorry if I am coming across as ridiculous. But I get how I can be judged harshly without the benefit of context.

Re: Which Top Tier MasterCard?

SouthJamaica — Mon, 24 Jun 2019 18:15:46 GMT

@jbestman007 wrote:
My credit card strategy is to have a top tier card from each major network by the time my portfolio is complete.
So....
Amex: Amex Platinum
Visa: Chase Sapphire Reserve
Discover: Discover IT
Business: Amex Business Gold or Chase Ink Preferred
MasterCard: ?

Right now, I have no clue what MasterCard to get. I am leaning towards getting the Apple Titanium card but.... there's gotta be a better card out there, right?

I know this question is partly based on needs. To be frank, The CSR and the Amex Platinum would have my needs pretty covered. The MasterCard would be to cover all my bases since I travel internationally and never want to be caught unprepared, when it comes to networks. I don't care about SUBs or point chasing. I care more about member benefits, hence the top tier cards.

Since you travel a lot I would suggest the Citi Premier card.

Re: Which Top Tier MasterCard?

Anonymous — Mon, 24 Jun 2019 18:17:59 GMT

Are the scores shown in your signature up to date?

Re: Which Top Tier MasterCard?

odd_dog — Mon, 24 Jun 2019 18:18:57 GMT

@SouthJamaica wrote:
@jbestman007 wrote:
My credit card strategy is to have a top tier card from each major network by the time my portfolio is complete.
So....
Amex: Amex Platinum
Visa: Chase Sapphire Reserve
Discover: Discover IT
Business: Amex Business Gold or Chase Ink Preferred
MasterCard: ?

Right now, I have no clue what MasterCard to get. I am leaning towards getting the Apple Titanium card but.... there's gotta be a better card out there, right?

I know this question is partly based on needs. To be frank, The CSR and the Amex Platinum would have my needs pretty covered. The MasterCard would be to cover all my bases since I travel internationally and never want to be caught unprepared, when it comes to networks. I don't care about SUBs or point chasing. I care more about member benefits, hence the top tier cards.
Since you travel a lot I would suggest the Citi Premier card.

But isn't Citi DUMPING a lot of the benefits this September to that and many other of their cards?

Re: Which Top Tier MasterCard?

SouthJamaica — Mon, 24 Jun 2019 18:30:35 GMT

@odd_dog wrote:
@SouthJamaica wrote:
@jbestman007 wrote:
My credit card strategy is to have a top tier card from each major network by the time my portfolio is complete.
So....
Amex: Amex Platinum
Visa: Chase Sapphire Reserve
Discover: Discover IT
Business: Amex Business Gold or Chase Ink Preferred
MasterCard: ?

Right now, I have no clue what MasterCard to get. I am leaning towards getting the Apple Titanium card but.... there's gotta be a better card out there, right?

I know this question is partly based on needs. To be frank, The CSR and the Amex Platinum would have my needs pretty covered. The MasterCard would be to cover all my bases since I travel internationally and never want to be caught unprepared, when it comes to networks. I don't care about SUBs or point chasing. I care more about member benefits, hence the top tier cards.
Since you travel a lot I would suggest the Citi Premier card.
But isn't Citi DUMPING a lot of the benefits this September to that and many other of their cards?

~~No. Not that I'm aware of.~~

Oops. I guess you're right.

https://onemileatatime.com/citi-benefits-changes/

What the heck?

Holy cow. Dropping car rental insurance is major. The Premier card is principally a travel card. But I would be crazy to use it for car rentals now.