Airline Charges Amex PRG vs USB Altitude Reserve

[NRB525]

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@Shadowfactorwrote:
I have a contract for work that I will be flying to Barbados to do IT support for the next 3 years after this one. So most of my points are going to be on the FlexPerks system or chase UR.

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So, I hope you are sticking with one airline and one hotel chain for all this travel?  

Which airlines do you have miles with, and how many? What airline will be used the next few months?

Which hotel chains do you have points, and how many? The next few months?

These two questions should have an influence on where your card spend goes.. 

[Shadowfactor]

My company rents me an apartment so I don’t have any hotel points. They have some arrangement with a property company.

But I do always fly Jetblue from FLL to BGI.
Normally try to take Delta for the domestic part of the flight since JetBlue doesn’t fly to my city.

I don’t ever use points for work trips. I have too submit the booking receipt and a credit card statement for any work expenses in order to be reimbursed.

[NRB525]

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@Shadowfactorwrote:
My company rents me an apartment so I don’t have any hotel points. They have some arrangement with a property company.

But I do always fly Jetblue from FLL to BGI.
Normally try to take Delta for the domestic part of the flight since JetBlue doesn’t fly to my city.

I don’t ever use points for work trips. I have too submit the booking receipt and a credit card statement for any work expenses in order to be reimbursed.

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No one should use points for work trips, but everyone should earn miles for work trips. How many Jet Blue and Delta miles do you have?

[Shadowfactor]

I was saying more along the lines of redeeming miles for work trips and just pocketing the reimbursement.
Not sure if that’s even possible but when I worked for a different company right out of college they were much more lax with the reimbursement rules

I have about 4600 Jetblue Points

And about 85K Delta

[imaximous]

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@longtimelurkerwrote:

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@imaximouswrote:

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. By that I mean, hopefully you won't lose the phone or US Bank won't nerf the program, put a cap or eliminate 3x on mobile wallet spending. 

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That would be my biggest fear (which might prevent buying a phone just for this.  I actually have the Samsung phone, but not the credit card).

It just seems too good to last.   The Freedom 1Q makes sense to me, it encourages you to add the card to your wallet, and with luck (from Chase viewpoint) you will use it that way going foward, even when you are just getting 1x.  So just 1Q of capped bonus.

In contrast, especially with a Samsung phone, this is 3x almost everywhere, or 4.5 times for travel, for "ever",  with no stated cap.    Sounds like the original Cash + story to me!   Which doesn't mean you shouldn't get in now and reap the rewards why they last.

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Nerfing is definitely a concern, but I guess we'll cross that bridge when/if we get there. I'll continue to reap the benefits in the meantime.

I'm too new to US Bank to know the story of the original Cash+. I recently got the Altitude and Cash+ card (which I only got so I could qualify for the Altitude). I think the difference is that the Cash+ is not a premium card and has no AF. The Altitude is trying to compete in a category where other banks dominate. I can't see them removing a main feature for a while unless they're ready to throw in the towel. That's what I hope.

[NRB525]

For your original question I suggest using the Altitude for these airline tickets. 

While the MR are potentially valuable, you have not got a huge base of them and sounds like not good opportunities to grow them through spend. 

The 105k Altitude Points starts to get into usable reimbursement and future spend growth.. Delta is near 1.2c per so almost cash equivalents. 

[Shadowfactor]

Okay thanks for the advice.

I will probably try to grow Amex in the future once this contract is up and I’m back stateside or in a place with better Amex coverage.

Honestly trying to decide if having the PRG after year one is even worth it.
I do use the airline credits easily, and if I cancel AAA and use the roadside assistance. It’s basically a $35 AF card which isn’t terrible.

[UpperNwGuy]

Whatever you do, focus your points or miles earnings on one or two programs so you can build up enough points for that honeymoon.  Right now your points are scattered across too many programs, and none of the balances are high enough to be of much value for a two-person trip.