Alaska air VS Venture

bestchoiceglobal · ‎07-10-2015

Soo I'm a good ways away from applying for either of these cards. I was just curious about the rewards for these. I've had my eyes on the Alaska Air for ages. It was my goal card but Venture looks good too. I buy at least one Alaska Air ticket a month it would be nice to get a reward from it! I purchase most for my son so I get no mileage plan rewards. We also will start to travel to Hungary once a year. I'd love to know which would be better when the time comes that I do want to go for it. What are your experiences & thoughts on these?

Anonymous · ‎07-11-2015

I have the Alaska air even though I'm not really in their hub. For the next 3 or 4 years we will be trekking all over the west coast, the card orginally appealed to me because of the bonus miles without a spending requirement and the companion fare. Seems like you will get a lot more use out of it than I will. I like the fact that you can earn and use your points on other Airlines. And 75 isn't a bad AF. If you do apply, make sure you get approved for the VS. If not, call the credit anyalst and have them bump you up to 5k. You will not get the 2500 bonus miles and companion fare with the platinum plus. My mom had to do that.

I don't have the Venture, but considered it. Honestly, it seems like a pump and dump card. Capital one is an easy lender to deal with, and miles post immediately. They have been giving great start lines with the venture. Also you can use the miles with any airline, hotels, etc. Spending requirement for bonus is kind of high..Alaska VS comes with no spending requirement for a free plane ticket and 3 pts per dollar for AK flights.

Its up to you and what you feel is better. Venture has a great sign up bonus but there are other 2% cards out there with No AF. Most people have been downgrading to the regular venture before the AF hits.

NRB525 · ‎07-11-2015

Since you buy those AK Air tickets so often, you should app for the AK card, like, yesterday. You'll at least get extra points for the purchase of the tickets. Beware: this card does have a foreign transaction fee, 3% on overseas purchases, so not so hot for overseas use.

However, you should then seriously consider (ok, app yesterday for) the CapOne Quicksilver, not the Venture. The QS will get you the 1.5% cash back, no AF so you don't have to earn out of that (and honestly, Venture AF does not provide any perks at all), and most importantly, no foreign transaction fee. Your trip to Hungary will have FTF. If you use your new QS that you got yesterday, no FTF.

Let us know how these apps go yesterday

morgacj2004 · ‎07-11-2015

The Ak Air Sig Visa is much harder to get than venture so it all depends on your score, hx and inq. I have had both. AK card is worthwhile if u use the companion pass or travel a lot on AK Air otherwise go with the venture and req AF waiver after I yr.

AX Hilton Aspire 20k, AX Bonvoy Brilliant 15k, AX BCP 2k, AX Blue Bus Cash 15k, AX Delta Air Platinum 49k, (AU) AX Delta Gold 15k, AX Amazon Prime Bus 25k, BC Uber 29k, AKUSA FCU -10k , CITI AAdvantage Exec World Elite MC 16.5k, Discover (2) 16k, Kohls-4k, VS Comenity $3k, BofA AK Air Siggy 9.8k, WF Propel AX 5k, JCP $10k PFCU Plat Rewards Siggy 39.5k, PFCU Power Cash Rewards AX 10.5k, NFCU Flagship 50k, CLOC 15k, CITI Costco 9.5k, GAP VISA Synchrony $9k,Target MC 9k, Ulta MC Comenity 9k, Pay Pal 1k, CO Venture One 23k, US Bank Radisson Rewards Signature 10k, US Bank Fred Meyers World MC, 11k, US Bank Plat VISA 15.7k, VS Comenity 2k, 240k total available credit. Utiliz-2%, Current FICO EQ-724, EX 763,TU 802 ,Chapt 7 BK D/C 11-2012. Starting scores 520-550

B335is · ‎07-11-2015

I have both. Venture is useless after year one (like Arrival+) and the AF kicks in. Alaska miles are pretty valuable and since they have codeshare agreements with tons of airlines in place, redemption is great even if you don't live in Seattle. The biggest problem with Alaska miles is the lousy 25k bonus. It rarely gets bumped to 50k.

BoA will most likely pull EX and Cap1 will pull them all. BoA is generally good with reconsideration if you aren't approved. Cap1 will 99% stand behind the computer response.

Anonymous · ‎07-11-2015

I don't think the bonus is lousy considering there is no spending requirement.

B335is · ‎07-11-2015

@Anonymous wrote:
I don't think the bonus is lousy considering there is no spending requirement.

I can see it depending on the individual, but spend requirements haven't taken much effort for me to make. It is nice to just get the bonus from being approved, but the AF also isn't waived for the first year like most other Airline cards. BoA is also good with approving multiple Alaska Airlines cards and bonuses as well.

Anonymous · ‎07-11-2015

Yeah it does suck that the AF isn't waived but I've noticed that people tend to cancel or downgrade the card after the bonus, which isn't really the point of a credit card. The issuer wants you to keep the card. People who tend to not churn really don't care about AF's but people who are in it for the bonus prefer it to be waived. I mean I could have done without the 75 for the the first year but there are more costly AF's.

bestchoiceglobal · ‎08-05-2015

@Anonymous wrote:
I have the Alaska air even though I'm not really in their hub. For the next 3 or 4 years we will be trekking all over the west coast, the card orginally appealed to me because of the bonus miles without a spending requirement and the companion fare. Seems like you will get a lot more use out of it than I will. I like the fact that you can earn and use your points on other Airlines. And 75 isn't a bad AF. If you do apply, make sure you get approved for the VS. If not, call the credit anyalst and have them bump you up to 5k. You will not get the 2500 bonus miles and companion fare with the platinum plus. My mom had to do that.

I don't have the Venture, but considered it. Honestly, it seems like a pump and dump card. Capital one is an easy lender to deal with, and miles post immediately. They have been giving great start lines with the venture. Also you can use the miles with any airline, hotels, etc. Spending requirement for bonus is kind of high..Alaska VS comes with no spending requirement for a free plane ticket and 3 pts per dollar for AK flights.

Its up to you and what you feel is better. Venture has a great sign up bonus but there are other 2% cards out there with No AF. Most people have been downgrading to the regular venture before the AF hits.

Thank you for such a thorough response. I'm just now seeing everybody's replies. I'm afraid I'm a long way from apping for Alaska Signature which is killing me! I wouldn't even app without knowing I could get it. I'm going to stick with this goal though as it seems like it would be a good fit!

bestchoiceglobal · ‎08-05-2015

NRB You crack me up i wish I could have got these all like yesterday

@NRB525 wrote:
Since you buy those AK Air tickets so often, you should app for the AK card, like, yesterday. You'll at least get extra points for the purchase of the tickets. Beware: this card does have a foreign transaction fee, 3% on overseas purchases, so not so hot for overseas use.

However, you should then seriously consider (ok, app yesterday for) the CapOne Quicksilver, not the Venture. The QS will get you the 1.5% cash back, no AF so you don't have to earn out of that (and honestly, Venture AF does not provide any perks at all), and most importantly, no foreign transaction fee. Your trip to Hungary will have FTF. If you use your new QS that you got yesterday, no FTF.

Let us know how these apps go yesterday