@Anonymouswrote:
Anyone care to comment on the real world uses of 100K AMEX points? Particularly with airfare. Consider I have never flown first class and am willing to fly economy to get more trips out of them...
Here is a start. Google is a powerful tool......
https://thepointsguy.com/guide/redeeming-american-express-membership-rewards-maximum-value/
Personal Cards: Amex Plat | Amex Delta Res | CSR | Citi AA Exec Business Cards: Ink+ | Amex BGR
@Anonymouswrote:@I'd pickup the Amex Plat @ 100k and get the CSR at a later point. Personally, I truly (and seriously, truly) hate the Amex Platinum card. However, with 100k bonus it is worth it. You can transfer the points out to a partner or get another fee fee donwgraded card. In the end, the CSR is a much better rounded card, unless your only purpose is "perks".
The CSR get 90% of my spend and its benefits are useful to me. But, at the end of the day you need to determine if you will actually use the Amex perks, to make it worht their outrageously high fee (e.g., if you fly Delta a lot - DL lounge access, live in a city that has a Amex lounge, etc.). Otherwise, the CSR is the clear winner. But, again for 100k Amex points get the card keep it for a year, see how you like it and determine then.
Lol! That's very subjective. Last time I was at Marriott or Hilton CSR didn't give us a free breakfast, upgrade, 25% point bonus and late check-out. The funny thing is Amex gave me that perk and I paid with my CSR card when I stay at Hilton and my Amx SPG card when I stay at SPG and Marriott for 3x (6 per $) Marriott points. This is a prime example were each card can compliment each other.
Now if you have gold status at both already this isn't much value.
CSR vs Amex Plat is more a personal choice =D
I signed up for my first card for just the sign-up bonus last week. That Delta Gold card was just too easy, 50k miles and $150 off my ticket right there. I plan on cancelling it at month 13 and getting a Delta Platinum.
100k Plat is easy decision here if you are OK with cancelling it after one year. You could get both and still be fine. That 100k bonus is large and worth about $1000 almost any way you slice it. All the crazy redemptions you hear about for people getting 6 cents per MR point are usally for first class tickets, that is where you get the best point/dollar redemption value, but you can always find some deals on main cabin fare if you look hard enough. Even if you don't look very hard, you should be able to get 1 cent per MR really easily. Amex is for all intents and purposes giving you a $1000 credit if you pay them $550 for the card. I like the idea of using Uber Eats to take care of that $200 credit, that would be pretty fun I think =D
Can't go wrong mate, I love my CSR and it works for me and my travel perfectly, but I'll eventually get the Amex Plat with 100k SUB, it is just too good to pass up.
@Anonymouswrote:In my opinion, there aren't many perks that are really duplicated. Priority Pass and PreCheck/Global Entry are the only ones that come to mind (unless you count certain non-transfer redemption options). I like having both the Platinum and the CSR because the Amex airline partners work better for me, but Amex points are nearly useless for me for hotel redemptions. Chase UR points have some great hotel transfer partners, and Southwest transfers are great if I need a cheap flight (usually when I'm booking flights for someone else or all other options are too expensive). The CSR's main advantage is that you get to combine all of your UR points, and UR points are easy to obtain and have a high value. Combined with the no-AF cards of Freedom and Freedom Unlimited, you get 5x points on rotating categories (this quarter is particularly good), 3x points on travel and dining (go with the CSP if you don't spend a lot here--you still get the biggest perk but don't have to shell out the high AF up front), and 1.5x points on everything else. This structure pairs up farily closely with the EDP Amex card, for what it's worth, but the categories are different, which means they complement each other well. Chase UR points also have a convenient minimum value for travel when you use the Chase travel portal.
The CSR doesn't have a lot of non-point perks. Some people value Priority Pass, but so far I haven't found Priority Pass lounges to be the most convenient for how I travel. My airport only has a SkyClub lounge, and when I fly Delta, the SkyClub lounge is almost always the closest to my gate. Check out the airports you frequent most (or where you want to go most) and see what Priority Pass lounges are available. If they're not convenient or you're not really into them, then you shouldn't value Priority Pass that highly. The PreCheck/Global Entry perk is worth face value, but it only works once in every four years (and a PreCheck/Global Entry membership lasts for five). And I don't rent cars much, so to me the car rental perks aren't so much a perk as much as they are a nice bonus if and when I need them. The most valuable non-point perks for Chase are the travel insurance policies. Primary car rental coverage is standard (Amex charges extra for primary coverage), travel delay insurance applies when you put only a portion of the trip on the card (the Platinum doesn't have this), etc.
By far I have found the Platinum perks to be more exciting (except for the airfare credit--that is where the Amex program stumbles most; Chase's travel reimbursement is better, end of sentence). I love the access to SkyClub lounges. Travel will never be the same for me, and I can't go back to crowded waiting areas and outlet deserts (LaGuardia anyone?), and Centurion lounges are the best available. Amex offers can save you a lot of money, depending on which offers are available and where you spend your money. (However, since 2015, I believe I've saved $60 on cell phone/cable bill offers alone). The automatic gold status with SPG automatically matches with Marriott gold status, which has gotten me lounge access and executive floor upgrades at every single Marriott I've stayed at since getting the card. I don't stay in Hilton hotels often, so I haven't taken advantage of the hilton status perk.
The sticker shock is what gets most people for these cards. Together they're $1000, which to most people is insane just to have the ability to spend money. But, if you can use the Chase $300 travel credit (which covers basically any travel expense), the $200 airline credit (which usually works for gift cards, with certain conditions and exceptions--see FlyerTalk if you have questions), and the $200 Uber credit (which I use for UberEats most months), then the out-of-pocket expense is only $300 for everything I've described above. Whether this $300 out-of-pocket expense makes sense for you to spend is highly dependent on your travel preferences and frequency and income.
In general, if you are looking to make travel more affordable and you want peace of mind when you travel, choose the Chase CSR. If you're looking for elite experiences, choose Amex Platinum. If you like Delta and Hilton, lean towards Amex. If you like United, Southwest, Hyatt, and Marriott, Chase points will help you pay for them. If you want both, it can definitely make sense to have both.
However, remember that Amex SUBs are once in a lifetime. You may not find the 100k offer again/when you want to. They're not offered all of the time. If you decide you want to apply for the Platinum in the future, you may find yourself having to choose between signing up for a worse SUB or waiting indefinitely for the 100k offer to come around again. The CSR SUB is pretty stable at 50,000, and it is highly unlikely that Chase will offer 100k points anytime agian in the near future.
Edit: I should add that for those who are comfortable with booking airfare using airline partners, you can unlock value for both point systems in lots of unexpected ways. I'll let other people who know more about this than I do help explain how this affects the decision-making process if you're interested.
One of the most informative posts I've ever seen on this site. Thank you for that.
@Anonymouswrote:
Yeah if I got the AMEX I would get it, book some flights and then get the CSR after making the SUB.
But very important things for me:
Primary rental car insurance (always buy this)
Trip cancellation coverage (always buy this)
Trip delay coverage (always buy this)
$300 travel credit on $450 vs $200 on $550
International acceptance. Prefer Visa obviously.
Other thoughts:
I’ve NEVER even been inside a lounge so the thought about the Priority Access is a huge luxury. I wouldn’t know the difference with the AMEX lounges.
I almost never stay at hotels. Major perk of a lifetime in the entertainment industry is ending up with friends to stay with all over the world.
For flights, I use (can use) Southwest, United. Although I do use Delta and American a batch. I think international carriers are a bit of a draw for me with these two cards. Especially with how crappy the El Al redemption seems to be.
So the 100K is still very tempting. But I would be spending $550 to basically get a discount on some airfare. Then I suppose I’d use Uber eats for the rest as someone else suggested. I rarely use Uber.
Save some money, the CSP or Citi Premier looks like a better match for you, IMO. $95 waived the first year and both have 50k SUB.
@Anonymouswrote:In my opinion, there aren't many perks that are really duplicated. Priority Pass and PreCheck/Global Entry are the only ones that come to mind (unless you count certain non-transfer redemption options). I like having both the Platinum and the CSR because the Amex airline partners work better for me, but Amex points are nearly useless for me for hotel redemptions. Chase UR points have some great hotel transfer partners, and Southwest transfers are great if I need a cheap flight (usually when I'm booking flights for someone else or all other options are too expensive). The CSR's main advantage is that you get to combine all of your UR points, and UR points are easy to obtain and have a high value. Combined with the no-AF cards of Freedom and Freedom Unlimited, you get 5x points on rotating categories (this quarter is particularly good), 3x points on travel and dining (go with the CSP if you don't spend a lot here--you still get the biggest perk but don't have to shell out the high AF up front), and 1.5x points on everything else. This structure pairs up farily closely with the EDP Amex card, for what it's worth, but the categories are different, which means they complement each other well. Chase UR points also have a convenient minimum value for travel when you use the Chase travel portal.
The CSR doesn't have a lot of non-point perks. Some people value Priority Pass, but so far I haven't found Priority Pass lounges to be the most convenient for how I travel. My airport only has a SkyClub lounge, and when I fly Delta, the SkyClub lounge is almost always the closest to my gate. Check out the airports you frequent most (or where you want to go most) and see what Priority Pass lounges are available. If they're not convenient or you're not really into them, then you shouldn't value Priority Pass that highly. The PreCheck/Global Entry perk is worth face value, but it only works once in every four years (and a PreCheck/Global Entry membership lasts for five). And I don't rent cars much, so to me the car rental perks aren't so much a perk as much as they are a nice bonus if and when I need them. The most valuable non-point perks for Chase are the travel insurance policies. Primary car rental coverage is standard (Amex charges extra for primary coverage), travel delay insurance applies when you put only a portion of the trip on the card (the Platinum doesn't have this), etc.
By far I have found the Platinum perks to be more exciting (except for the airfare credit--that is where the Amex program stumbles most; Chase's travel reimbursement is better, end of sentence). I love the access to SkyClub lounges. Travel will never be the same for me, and I can't go back to crowded waiting areas and outlet deserts (LaGuardia anyone?), and Centurion lounges are the best available. Amex offers can save you a lot of money, depending on which offers are available and where you spend your money. (However, since 2015, I believe I've saved $60 on cell phone/cable bill offers alone). The automatic gold status with SPG automatically matches with Marriott gold status, which has gotten me lounge access and executive floor upgrades at every single Marriott I've stayed at since getting the card. I don't stay in Hilton hotels often, so I haven't taken advantage of the hilton status perk.
The sticker shock is what gets most people for these cards. Together they're $1000, which to most people is insane just to have the ability to spend money. But, if you can use the Chase $300 travel credit (which covers basically any travel expense), the $200 airline credit (which usually works for gift cards, with certain conditions and exceptions--see FlyerTalk if you have questions), and the $200 Uber credit (which I use for UberEats most months), then the out-of-pocket expense is only $300 for everything I've described above. Whether this $300 out-of-pocket expense makes sense for you to spend is highly dependent on your travel preferences and frequency and income.
In general, if you are looking to make travel more affordable and you want peace of mind when you travel, choose the Chase CSR. If you're looking for elite experiences, choose Amex Platinum. If you like Delta and Hilton, lean towards Amex. If you like United, Southwest, Hyatt, and Marriott, Chase points will help you pay for them. If you want both, it can definitely make sense to have both.
However, remember that Amex SUBs are once in a lifetime. You may not find the 100k offer again/when you want to. They're not offered all of the time. If you decide you want to apply for the Platinum in the future, you may find yourself having to choose between signing up for a worse SUB or waiting indefinitely for the 100k offer to come around again. The CSR SUB is pretty stable at 50,000, and it is highly unlikely that Chase will offer 100k points anytime agian in the near future.
Edit: I should add that for those who are comfortable with booking airfare using airline partners, you can unlock value for both point systems in lots of unexpected ways. I'll let other people who know more about this than I do help explain how this affects the decision-making process if you're interested.
@Excellent post @Anonymous!
OP - TPG has already done this for us. Look here -
Added conclusion from the article -
"It’s great that American Express responded to the release of the Chase Sapphire Reserve Card by improving the benefits on The Platinum Card from American Express. However, unless you spend a lot of money on airfare (and prepaid hotel bookings) in a year, the Sapphire Reserve is probably still the better bet for most travelers out there. That being said, some of the other benefits on the Amex Platinum could make it a great addition to your wallet, even if the earning rates still leave a bit to be desired. Here’s hoping that there are even more enhancements up issuers’ sleeves!"
https://thepointsguy.com/guide/sapphire-reserve-vs-amex-platinum-airfare/
*Edited since there is a disclaimer about citing external articles. Doing my part to comply with the rules. 