topic Re: Flying Blue marketing email (BoA) - significance? in Credit Cards

Flying Blue marketing email (BoA) - significance?

KJinNC — Tue, 19 Jan 2021 16:17:06 GMT

I received an email promoting a "limited-time offer" with the Flying Blue card, which is a World Elite MasterCard issued by Bank of America, with perks and points for SkyTeam (Air France, KLM, some others).

I fly sometimes on those airlines, particularly Air France. Not sure I fly enough to justify an $89 annual fee. I don't see any benefits listed, aside from points for purchases. For example, they don't mention free checked bags. Also get my first gold spade in a few weeks and don't want to mess that up. So, most likely, I won't apply for this. But maybe if there's a benefit I'm missing. Those with this card, feel free to suggest I do or do not go for it.

But the main reason I'm posting is to ask, for mainly academic purposes, does receiving this kind of email mean I am prequalified, or does it mean nothing except they are casting a wide net trying to drum up revenue in the covid era? I have no relationship with BoA other than trying their "recommended cards" feature. Thanks!

Re: Flying Blue marketing email (BoA) - significance?

dragontears — Tue, 19 Jan 2021 16:26:31 GMT

@KJinNC wrote:
I received an email promoting a "limited-time offer" with the Flying Blue card, which is a World Elite MasterCard issued by Bank of America, with perks and points for SkyTeam (Air France, KLM, some others).

I fly sometimes on those airlines, particularly Air France. Not sure I fly enough to justify an $89 annual fee. I don't see any benefits listed, aside from points for purchases. For example, they don't mention free checked bags. Also get my first gold spade in a few weeks and don't want to mess that up. So, most likely, I won't apply for this. But maybe if there's a benefit I'm missing. Those with this card, feel free to suggest I do or do not go for it.

But the main reason I'm posting is to ask, for mainly academic purposes, does receiving this kind of email mean I am prequalified, or does it mean nothing except they are casting a wide net trying to drum up revenue in the covid era? I have no relationship with BoA other than trying their "recommended cards" feature. Thanks!

The only thing that email "means" is that the airline has your email.

In my experience, these types of "prequalifications" are strictly marketing by the airline and they don't check to see if you actually qualify credit wise.

Re: Flying Blue marketing email (BoA) - significance?

FinStar — Tue, 19 Jan 2021 18:41:06 GMT

Marketing solicitation.

Re: Flying Blue marketing email (BoA) - significance?

coldfusion — Tue, 19 Jan 2021 18:45:44 GMT

There are general "tells" that you can look for that while aren't definitive can help you to properly categorize what it was you got in the mail.

Fixed vs. variable APR, terms used like "invitation to apply" vs "you're preapproved", and the existence (or lack thereof) and exact wording of an opt-out clause can all help to properly categorize the offer.

Given that BoA is the actual issuer this is more likely to be closer to an invitation to apply than a preapproval.

Re: Flying Blue marketing email (BoA) - significance?

K-in-Boston — Tue, 19 Jan 2021 20:27:17 GMT

@KJinNC wrote:
...
I fly sometimes on those airlines, particularly Air France. Not sure I fly enough to justify an $89 annual fee. I don't see any benefits listed, aside from points for purchases. For example, they don't mention free checked bags. Also get my first gold spade in a few weeks and don't want to mess that up. So, most likely, I won't apply for this. But maybe if there's a benefit I'm missing. Those with this card, feel free to suggest I do or do not go for it.
...

There is an XP bonus as part of the SUB, you get 20 XP every renewal, and can earn another 40 XP spending $15k a year. You need 100 for Flying Blue Silver (SkyTeam Elite) Then you need another 180 to get to Gold (SkyTeam Elite Plus) - unlike the major US airlines, these are not cumulative - if you're starting at Explorer you really need 280 to make it to Gold and 580 to make it to Platinum.

Seeing that you have Delta and other Amex cards, if you are a US-based flyer achieving Delta Medallion status is going to be much easier unless you are constantly taking short hops across country borders. Let's say you are taking Delta on a short 10-11 hour flight from Atlanta to Honolulu and back in a very reasonably priced Delta One seat for only $3,300. You would earn a total of 12 XP, 6 XP in each direction, because it is a domestic flight. Now, book a First Class ticket on AF or KLM from Paris to Brussels via Amsterdam for 1/10th the cost and you will earn 100 XP, 25 XP for each of those 1 hour flights (that's gate to gate with padding, not actual flight time) because they are all international flights. Flying Blue is a great program, but it's not ideal for those taking primarily domestic flights across countries that span large parts of the globe such as the US, Canada, Russian Federation, China, Brazil, and Australia.

As for checked bags, those are included except for Economy Light (basic economy) fares, which is typical of most non-LCC European carriers. I am not aware of any US credit cards for European carriers that give additional baggage allowance, as basic economy flyers are not typically a demographic they want to target. Additional baggage allowance is granted with status, however, and extends to those with status on other SkyTeam airlines such as Delta.

The card also comes with an additional 5000 miles granted on renewal as long as you've spent $50 in the previous year. That alone should be enough value to offset the annual fee. Finally, I agree with everyone else that the email is just marketing.

FWIW I would have this card (and the Virgin Atlantic card) if I didn't already know that BOA would move my Travel Rewards limit to it in order to open it.

Re: Flying Blue marketing email (BoA) - significance?

KJinNC — Tue, 19 Jan 2021 20:34:12 GMT

The email doesn't even give an interest rate, and it explicitly says "this is a promotional email". So I certainly don't take it for a preapproval, just wondering if it means anything at all, like "fits income group, fits credit score range, has flown on Air France," or if it's just a blast email going out to, as someone said above, everybody whose email address they have obtained.

Re: Flying Blue marketing email (BoA) - significance?

K-in-Boston — Tue, 19 Jan 2021 20:36:52 GMT

I started getting the elevated Virgin and Flying Blue offers after flying to London on Virgin and flying to BRU from LHR via AMS on KLM. Of course the latter card had just been introduced , and I am a member of both loyalty programs so it's not necessarily a correlation.

Re: Flying Blue marketing email (BoA) - significance?

KJinNC — Tue, 19 Jan 2021 20:39:33 GMT

I think my last Air France flight was fall 2019 from Venice to Paris. Probably would have been on Air France at some point in 2020 if not for covid, but, I'm not a frequent Air France flyer. I'm thinking they're casting a wide net due to travel slowdown.

Re: Flying Blue marketing email (BoA) - significance?

FinStar — Tue, 19 Jan 2021 20:41:46 GMT

I see it as just a promotional marketing campaign email. I wouldn't read too much into the criteria you mentioned other than you were targetted, like many others.