American Express Trifecta vs. Chase Trifecta

[Anonymous]

Hello All,

Just wanted to ask your opinon about American Express Trifecta credit cards vs. Chase Trifecta credit cards?

I'm asking, because I've had a positive relationship with Chase using a checking and savings account since they first opened in Florida, back in 2011.

However, I'm rebuidling my credit, hoping one day, I'd be able to obtain American Express/Chase upper tier credit cards, but over the last couple of months some experts have stated that card issuers are reducing credit card benefits and I'm afraid, by the time my credit improves and I graduate to an unsecured credit card, that both the AMEX/Chase trifecta credit cards might not be as much of a "No-Brainer" credit cards to have.

Should I garden my secured cards, wait two years and try Chase after the 5/24 Rule doesn't affect me?

Will the Chase Trifecta/AMEX Trifecta be viable in two years?

[wasCB14]

I wouldn't trust any detailed two-year predictions. "Experts" predict some things that happen, but more often fail to predict them, or they predict things that don't happen.

One thing does seem to hold true, though: It's hard to go very wrong if you're getting a nice big bonus at the start.

[NRB525]

My view is that the high-end cards from AMEX / Chase will be competing for quite a while, as they each look for big spenders.  

The benefits being reduced seem to be at the margins, the basic operation of points with many partners is likely to continue.  AMEX in particular is raising their game to win business.  

What cards res do you have, limits and what month / year were they opened? 

[UpperNwGuy]

The general rule around here is to get the Chase cards first, then the Amex cards.  That's because Chase has a 5/24 limit and Amex does not.  You already have a relationship with Chase, so that should count in your favor.  Don't listen to rumors.

[Anonymous]

My feeling is amex charge cards have a lot of hoops you have to jump through to lower effective AF. I don't find them particularly hard to do, just kinda annoying from time to time.

I also dont like Chase being so stringy on the approval rule, sub rule, and points given for each dollar spend.

I guess I am not particularly fond of either, even though I am in both system, lol.

[SouthJamaica]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Hello, All,

What is your opinon about the American Express Trifecta vs. the Chase Trifecta?

I'm asking, because I've had a positive relationship with Chase using a checking and savings account since they first opened in Florida back in 2011.

However, I'm rebuidling my credit, so one day, I'd be able to obtain those Amedrican Express/Chase upper tier credit cards, but over the last couple of months some experts have stated that card issuers are reducing credit card benefits mon thly and I'm afraid, by the time I graduate to an unsecured credit card, that both the AMEX/Chase trifecta might not be worth the 5/24(in Chases case).

Should I garden my secured cards, wait two years and try Chase after the 5/24 Rule doesn't affect me?

Will the Chase Trifecta/AMEX Trifecta be viable in two years?

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I don't know what the AMEX Trifecta is. I assume it's a combination of cards which will give you the ability to optimize your MR points.  If so, then you need to figure out which system -- the MR system or the UR system -- will give you the most benefits based on your travel plans and habits. Here's a great post comparing the two systems:

https://ficoforums.myfico.com/t5/Credit-Cards/AMEX-PLATINUM-Pre-approval-w-100K-pts-vs-Chase-CSR/m-p/5183492#M1525888

In the first instance, though, it will be easier to get an Amex card than a Chase card.

[kdm31091]

No one can really say anything about 2 years from now. Reward programs, lender rules, sign up bonuses, whatever....these things all change fairly constantly. If something ever does happen with interchange fees (that they get lowered), for example, you will see reward programs decrease substantially across the board.

Amex and Chase points are really two different things. Chase points can be redeemed for cash with no penalty, although if you just want cash back the cards aren't necessarily the best. Amex points strictly work well for travel (and a limited selection of gift cards) and mostly international travel at that. These aren't hard and fast rules, but it just depends what you want to do with the points. If you already have that figured out, prioritize the Chase cards over Amex as generally Chase is harder to get approved with.

[Revelate]

Look at individual cards first, trifecta status later frankly.  Not only can rewards packages change, fact is your life can change too.

The bulk of my current spending historically has been on the CSR: I eat out at restaurants too much, and I travel some for work which I'm not being reimbursed for even currently.

That said, all of my default spending from HOA fees, to tax payments, to generalized merchandise goes on the FU... and honestly I haven't used the Freedom in nearly a year because the quarters just don't line up for me sadly.

That may now be changing, going to try a meal service for a while since it's basically 1:1 with my restaurant spend now and God knows it's healthier food than what I often eat, and if my restaurant spend gets cut by 80% that's a rewards-altering change.  Also if I do manage to get through the interview process with Amazon (statistically they only hire 11% of the people who make it to the face to face for this role) suddenly my work travel expenses would be paid possibly with little needing reimbursement,  and I don't really travel that much for personal stuff other than the soccer things I do of which more and more is being paid for by the volunteer organization I work with directly rather than reimbursed.

At that point, CSR may no longer be viable unless I get a travel bug and that just doesn't seem to be in the cards in the next decade (no pun intended).

So ultimately keep your credit plans flexible, if a card makes sense individually for your lifestyle get that, and if it happens to lead to trifecta or not in the future go for it... but ultimately life is not predictable, so just set your credit file up in the best manner to take advantage of opportunities when they do come up and re-evalute your plan every so often.

[longtimelurker]

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@Revelate wrote:

So ultimately keep your credit plans flexible, if a card makes sense individually for your lifestyle get that, and if it happens to lead to trifecta or not in the future go for it... but ultimately life is not predictable, so just set your credit file up in the best manner to take advantage of opportunities when they do come up and re-evalute your plan every so often.

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Very well stated!   Basically very little is static on the credit side, and life needs change as well.

Until very recently, the Platinum card was more a perks only card which you wouldn't put spend on, now it's worth using for airfare.   Similarly the revamp on the Gold Amex has made it much more useful to many people, and as we have seen on this forum, some people who used to be Chase-all-the-way are now being drawn to Amex, especially with things like the BBP (and Amex Amazon for that matter, there isn't a good definition of Amex Trifecta).    And some time down the road, these cards could be nerfed in some way (including travel partners being dropped), or Chase cards become better and the choice might switch again

And for some the choice isn't Amex vs Chase (or even Citi).  If you don't need to transfer points, Wells Fargo Propel + Visa Sig gives 4.5% on travel, same as the CSR through portal, with no AF.

So choose for the moment, and reevaluate as things (either the cards or you!) change.

[Anonymous]

First off, a 'trifecta' from Amex or chase simply means any 3 cards from said issuer that earns MR or UR points respectively. Now, I think it's best to diversify your point earning in case one issuer devalues. That said, personally I think the best setup requires the ability to get business cards, and in fact you can run a trifecta from both issuers without having inefficiency from overlapping categories between the issuers. My suggestion:

Chase Sapphire Preferred or Reserve (mainly to transfer UR points to travel partners and other general Sapphire benefits)
Chase Freedom (5x categories to supplement Sapphire)
Chase Ink Cash (5x categories to supplement Sapphire)
Amex Platinum and/or Gold (whichever, or both, makes sense for your situation)
Ames Blue Business Plus (2x MR on all purchases)

It's worth getting the Sapphire Reserve for the travel protections, as the Amex Platinum falls a bit short here, but personally I am going for the City National Bank Crystal card regardless of anything else, and it happens to have this issue covered, so for me the Sapphire Preferred does everything I need from a Sapphire. Citi Prestige is also an option here, but that presents its own slew of pros and cons and potentially adds a whole additional layer of optimization and there's enough to consider here just between UR and MR so I won't get into that can of worms.

As far as point earning, the Freedom and Ink Cash are the only cards between MR and UR that earn 5x on anything aside from the Amex Platinum's 5x category, plus they have no annual fee so it's a no brainer. Freedom never has a category that overlaps with the Sapphire categories (by design on Chase's part, I reckon). The only notable overlap between UR and MR is that sometimes (like once a year-ish) the Freedom has grocery which overlaps with Amex Gold's 4x on grocery, which is not a big deal imo. Sure the Gold's restaurant category overlaps with the Sapphire's, but again the main reason for the Sapphire is for UR transfers, car rental insurance, and in the case of the Reserve, the travel insurances. However since the Gold categories only earn 4x in the US, it's nice to have the Sapphire categories for international use.

Of course, it should be considered that the Platinum and/or Gold card really only starts to make sense if you can effectively utilize the credits. Beyond that the Platinum begins to make more sense if you can use the Centurion lounges practically and the Gold makes sense if the rewards outweigh your opportunity cost for grocery/restaurant spend (ie if you have the CSR, that 4x on restaurant on the Gold card has the opportunity cost of 3x UR) and the effective annual fee after the credit valuations (if you value the credits at face value, you're effectively earning 1x MR toward offsetting the $30 effective annual fee once you discount the opportunity cost of 3x UR, and that assumed you value MR and UR equally).

If you are vesting in MR, the Blue Business Plus is a no brainer, earning 2x MR on everything. Ultimately you'll be earning 2x or 4x MR or 5x UR on just about everything. Of course this doesn't even account for the rumored updates to the Amex Green card, but this combined UR/MR pentafecta/hexafecta is already pretty stacked and diverse and flexible in the face of potential devaluations.