topic Re: Help needed, restructuring my portfolio! in Credit Cards

Help needed, restructuring my portfolio!

WhiteCollar — Fri, 22 Apr 2022 11:00:16 GMT

Hello All,

I'm currently restructuring my credit card portfolio. I have the Amex Delta Gold which no longer serves me. I want to either down grade or close it. I'm seeking a travel card that I can use for booking flights primarily and secondary for booking hotels. I'm preapproved for the Amex Platinum but the AF is a turn off. I'd also like a credit card I can use for dining but it's the last concern. I have the rose gold Amex and the Navy Fed flagship. I will never close the flagship however, I'm open for your suggestions.

Thank you!

Re: Help needed, restructuring my portfolio!

redpat — Fri, 22 Apr 2022 00:53:44 GMT

CSR or CSP card if you are under 5/24.

Re: Help needed, restructuring my portfolio!

K-in-Boston — Fri, 22 Apr 2022 01:17:33 GMT

If Membership Rewards are serving you well, and you won't find value in the Platinum card, the Green charge card would likely be a fantastic fit for you with the categories you are looking for. Very light AF with $100 Clear credit, 3x on airfare, hotels, and dining (although Gold is earning you 4x here), decent SUB, pairs fantastic with your Gold.

Re: Help needed, restructuring my portfolio!

WhiteCollar — Fri, 22 Apr 2022 11:00:55 GMT

@K-in-Boston wrote:
If Membership Rewards are serving you well, and you won't find value in the Platinum card, the Green charge card would likely be a fantastic fit for you with the categories you are looking for. Very light AF with $100 Clear credit, 3x on airfare, hotels, and dining (although Gold is earning you 4x here), decent SUB, pairs fantastic with your Gold.

I forgot to add that I have the BCP which I absolutely love!

Re: Help needed, restructuring my portfolio!

unsungivy — Fri, 22 Apr 2022 04:25:10 GMT

Yeah, AmEx Green or CSP. Amex Green will work well with your AmEx Gold, but if it serves you better to have a Visa for travel, get CSP (if the plat fee scares you off it's likely the CSR fee would as well).

Re: Help needed, restructuring my portfolio!

redpat — Fri, 22 Apr 2022 04:43:01 GMT

@WhiteCollar wrote:
I forgot to add that I
@K-in-Boston wrote:
If Membership Rewards are serving you well, and you won't find value in the Platinum card, the Green charge card would likely be a fantastic fit for you with the categories you are looking for. Very light AF with $100 Clear credit, 3x on airfare, hotels, and dining (although Gold is earning you 4x here), decent SUB, pairs fantastic with your Gold.

have the BCP which I absolutely love!

Well if you like CB vs. MR then again CSR or CSP for travel and your points can be worth 1.50 to 1.25 more for statement credits or for travel on chases's travel portal which is Expedia.

Close your gold cards and use the Chase card for dining and travel for the same rewards as your BCP.

Re: Help needed, restructuring my portfolio!

WhiteCollar — Fri, 22 Apr 2022 11:03:41 GMT

I do not want to keep paying multiple annual fees. Pairing the green and gold cards seem like a smart strategy but the AF's will add up. I will loooking into the CSP but I may have to wait becuase I may be over the 5/24 rule.

Re: Help needed, restructuring my portfolio!

Hoben02 — Fri, 22 Apr 2022 12:41:04 GMT

Run the site awardhacker.com will give an idea of what card to go after

Re: Help needed, restructuring my portfolio!

Reithe — Fri, 22 Apr 2022 14:05:49 GMT

@WhiteCollar wrote:
Hello All,
I'm currently restructuring my credit card portfolio. I have the Amex Delta Gold which no longer serves me. I want to either down grade or close it. I'm seeking a travel card that I can use for booking flights primarily and secondary for booking hotels. I'm preapproved for the Amex Platinum but the AF is a turn off. I'd also like a credit card I can use for dining but it's the last concern. I have the rose gold Amex and the Navy Fed flagship. I will never close the flagship however, I'm open for your suggestions.

Thank you!

@WhiteCollar I know a lot of people get up in arms over closing a line of credit but if it's not your oldest card and it no longer serves a purpose in your wallet then there's nothing wrong with closing it. Amex Green or CSP would be your best bet, as others have mentioned. Amex Green would at least keep you in the Amex ecosystem. You could also downgrade the Gold to the Green and grab the NFCU More Rewards Amex for a no annual fee dining card.

Re: Help needed, restructuring my portfolio!

calisig — Sat, 14 May 2022 14:41:43 GMT

@WhiteCollar - I have some other ideas, but before I weigh in on this, one question: Why don't you want to use your AmEx Gold to book flights and hotels? What are you looking for that your Gold Card doesn't have?

Re: Help needed, restructuring my portfolio!

WhiteCollar — Thu, 07 Jul 2022 11:45:11 GMT

I desire more travel benefits, an all incluisve travel card without an exuberant AF. Over the 5/24 rule so I do not quality for the CSP just yet.

Re: Help needed, restructuring my portfolio!

FormerCollegeDJ — Thu, 07 Jul 2022 13:59:49 GMT

@Reithe wrote:
@WhiteCollar wrote:
Hello All,
I'm currently restructuring my credit card portfolio. I have the Amex Delta Gold which no longer serves me. I want to either down grade or close it. I'm seeking a travel card that I can use for booking flights primarily and secondary for booking hotels. I'm preapproved for the Amex Platinum but the AF is a turn off. I'd also like a credit card I can use for dining but it's the last concern. I have the rose gold Amex and the Navy Fed flagship. I will never close the flagship however, I'm open for your suggestions.

Thank you!
@WhiteCollar I know a lot of people get up in arms over closing a line of credit but if it's not your oldest card and it no longer serves a purpose in your wallet then there's nothing wrong with closing it. Amex Green or CSP would be your best bet, as others have mentioned. Amex Green would at least keep you in the Amex ecosystem. You could also downgrade the Gold to the Green and grab the NFCU More Rewards Amex for a no annual fee dining card.

The above might actually be the best approach; you'd still have a 3x points travel and dining card with the Amex Green, lower your annual fee, and keep your Amex MR points (which IMO are probably better than Chase UR points because they have more airline partners). What you could then do is pick up a no annual fee, no foreign transaction fee Visa or Mastercard that offers a points or cash back multiplier on travel or dining or both as a backup card when traveling internationally if/when Amex is not accepted. The impending Wells Fargo Autograph Visa (will be formally released on July 13th) will offer 3% cash back on both travel and dining (as well as gas, streaming services, and cell phone expenditures).

You could also try to get a no annual fee, no foreign transaction fee card that offers >3% on dining; the U.S. Bank Altitude Go (4% cash back on dining) could be an option, though there are limitations on applying for USB cards (usually 1/12 rule observed). The USB Altitude Go's sibling card, the Elan Financial Services Everyday Rewards+ Visa or Mastercard (depending on the bank; many banks offer Elan Financial Services cards), could be a better alternative.

One other option if you stay at Hyatt Hotels relatively often is to get either the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Chase Sapphire Reserve, probably the former due to its lower annual fee. Hyatt is a Chase UR partner, Chase has a favorable exchange rate with World of Hyatt points, and WOH points have high value. Chase UR has other airline and hotel partners too, but its greatest value is probably at Hyatt, especially if you are already in the Amex MR ecosystem (which doesn't have Hyatt as a partner).