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Amex vs. Chase question

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iced
Valued Contributor

Re: Amex vs. Chase question


@Anonymous wrote:

Hey all!

 

This might be long but want to get all the details out to get feedback/thoughts so bear with me, and thanks in advance!

 

So I am getting ready to pull the trigger on a new card in a few months and doing my research now. Before I was pretty locked in on going the CSP or CSR route for some travel perks etc... to pay off the rest of my wedding expenses ($8k guarenteed spend that I already have cash to pay off now)

 

The more I look at it though it is seeming like AMEX makes so much more sense and here is my rational that I would love thoughts on:

 

FICO - 690-700 current (plan on letting this sit another 3 months)

Income - $170k annual

 

- I don't carry a balance and only buy if I have cash for it anyhow, so charge card vs credit makes no difference

- My spend is normally flights, hotels or food (So AMEX Platinum and then Gold seems like a smarter points play)

- There are no CSR lounges at my airport

- I tend to fly Delta (which is already a partner)

- There are two lounges at my airport I could get into with a Amex Plat (one delta lounge and one airspace lounge)

- All my travel is domestic (have left the country once)

 

I know this will punt me on some 5/24 if I went this route, so maybe grab like a CSP and then go for the Plat shortly after if I want to be in on chase? But honestly at this point thinking Chase isn't worth it that much rewards wise.

 

Also I have heard approval odds tend to be better with Amex than Chase even if you dont have a relationship with them yet. Could be wrong here.

 

Has anyone else thought the same? People here hard in on Chase? Would love some outside opinions!

 

Thanks!

 

 


MR program is angled to better benefit DL flyers and the UR program is angled to better benefit UA flyers.

 

I'm a moderate DL flyer (Platinum Medallion) and used to be a UA 1K before my travel reduced and I switched to DL. That said, I still personally favor the UR program to the MR because redemption rates to MileagePlus are better than they are to SkyMiles. That is, 3 UR net me more value than 4 MR, but it's about even at 3:5 UR:MR. In my case, I put all airfare on Platinum for 5x, use the Uber credits, and use the SkyClub access, but everything else on the Platinum is redundant. All other travel/dining goes on CSR for 3 UR.

 

If you get good value out of SkyMiles, MR is a no-brainer for you. If you don't so much, you might consider UR but bear in mind you are now diluting your point earning across two programs. There is something to be said to piling MR transfers on top of SkyMiles for your award flights.

 

At this point, most of my MP miles come from CSR spend, and a majority of my SkyMiles come from flying. It's not as efficient as pooling all into one program where I'd be redeeming for international business tickets every year, but it's efficient enough for me.

 

I will say you're probably overvaluing the lounge access. SkyClubs can be ok because it's single-flyers getting in via card, and they tend to have better capacity planning, but PP and Centurion lounges are often at/over capacity and the services suffer as a result. Last time I was in McCarren, there was a line 25 people deep waiting for space to open up in the Centurion lounge - I saw the line, turned right around, and went to a restaurant to wait for my flight instead.

 

Don't sweat the approval on Chase - a score in the high 600s and a low-risk profile that doesn't scream "I'm a churner" is enough to get accepted by them. 

Message 21 of 36
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Amex vs. Chase question

Maybe MR is designed to be better for Delta flyers. But in reality it is not really.

 

Amex never have skypesos transfer bonus (none since 2008). And delta skypesos is pathetic in values for anything outside international business (1.3cpp on average). So ironically, going UR can typically get you better value on delta domestic flights (1.5cpp, 1.66 if you include 10% skymile value).

 

ofc, plat has more points for flight, so it will come out on top by about 1.5-2% in terms of real reward value (5x1.3 vs 3x1.5 or 1.66), but plat's AF is not very easy to cut down, at least for me, 7-8k flight spending per year, I cannot justify plat. Main problem is the uber credit, i don't use uber much, and uber eat is outrageously overpriced, with tips and delivery charge, I am wasting more than credit I receive.

 
Message 22 of 36
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Amex vs. Chase question

A couple of thoughts:

 

I am no-go with Chase and love Amex, but the 50% bonus for travel redemptions would be very helpful for me.  I try to keep status with AA, and being able to get some benefit on revenue flights would be great.

 

My GF has CSR and doesn't like it.  I think her issues is with the customer service.  She also has Gold, and another older revolver loves them.

 

Unless you are getting the 100K MR SUB, I think you should go with the Charles Schwab Platinum as it gives you a base level value for the points and you are still able to grab SUBs from the other varieties of Platinum.

Message 23 of 36
TheConstant
Regular Contributor

Re: Amex vs. Chase question


@Anonymous wrote:

I am not sure you can get CSP/CSR with that score though. Gold is more likely, Plat is a bit risky.

 

To figure out what combo nets you more value, do the math here https://www.thepointcalculator.com/Credit-Card-Comparison-Tool


I got in with CSR with a 705. Chase did not use a FICO for me, they used an internally derived score that actually put me lower in rating than my FICO did.

 

Gold and Platinum have the same eligibility requirements, so they are both equally as difficult to get.


Goal Score:800

[ AmEx Blue Cash Preferred - $34500 ]
[ Chase Sapphire Reserve - $22400 ]
[ BofA Unlimited Cash Rewards - $31000 ]
[ BofA Cash Rewards - $18000 ]
[ Citi AAdvantage Platinum - $15000 ]
[ Chase Freedom Flex - $12000 ]
[ Cap. One QS - $7800 ]
[ Cap. One QS - $7000 ]
[ AmEx EveryDay Preferred - $5000 ]
[ Discover IT - $4500 ]
Message 24 of 36
SouthJamaica
Mega Contributor

Re: Amex vs. Chase question


@Anonymous wrote:

Hey all!

 

This might be long but want to get all the details out to get feedback/thoughts so bear with me, and thanks in advance!

 

So I am getting ready to pull the trigger on a new card in a few months and doing my research now. Before I was pretty locked in on going the CSP or CSR route for some travel perks etc... to pay off the rest of my wedding expenses ($8k guarenteed spend that I already have cash to pay off now)

 

The more I look at it though it is seeming like AMEX makes so much more sense and here is my rational that I would love thoughts on:

 

FICO - 690-700 current (plan on letting this sit another 3 months)

Income - $170k annual

 

- I don't carry a balance and only buy if I have cash for it anyhow, so charge card vs credit makes no difference

- My spend is normally flights, hotels or food (So AMEX Platinum and then Gold seems like a smarter points play)

- There are no CSR lounges at my airport

- I tend to fly Delta (which is already a partner)

- There are two lounges at my airport I could get into with a Amex Plat (one delta lounge and one airspace lounge)

- All my travel is domestic (have left the country once)

 

I know this will punt me on some 5/24 if I went this route, so maybe grab like a CSP and then go for the Plat shortly after if I want to be in on chase? But honestly at this point thinking Chase isn't worth it that much rewards wise.

 

Also I have heard approval odds tend to be better with Amex than Chase even if you dont have a relationship with them yet. Could be wrong here.

 

Has anyone else thought the same? People here hard in on Chase? Would love some outside opinions!

 

Thanks!

 

 


I certainly wouldn't get both; I would want to concentrate the points in one or the other.

 

IMHO you might get more travel  per dollar from Chase, but for the overall travel experience Amex really wraps their arms around you and takes care of you, with lounges, extra service in strange places, etc.

 

The Amex platinum is easy to get, Chase not so much.

 

You sound like you will get a lot of action out of an Amex platinum card, so go for it and enjoy it.


Total revolving limits 741200 (620700 reporting) FICO 8: EQ 701 TU 704 EX 685

Message 25 of 36
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Amex vs. Chase question

Thanks for all the great replies and food for thought all!

 

Based on a lot of what I see here I don't feel like I will be missing out on much if anything if I just go for the Amex in a few months.

 

It is normally just my fiance and I travelling every few months, lounges would be a nice place to chill and grab a free drink/snacks pre flight as we pay for all those in airport now and just sit outside terminal.

 

I am heavy in the order food through doordash, so a flip to Uber Eats isn't hard for me to make as I have a long day office job.

 

Again, I really appreciate all the break downs for both sides. I am heavy leaning Amex now thanks to all!

Message 26 of 36
TheConstant
Regular Contributor

Re: Amex vs. Chase question

@SouthJamaica

AMEX MR can yield over 2cpp for award flights, and you get 33-67% more MR than UR in their shared categories.

I'm loving my CSR but I have to give credit where its due, AMEX exceeds in some places where CSR doesn't and vice versa

Goal Score:800

[ AmEx Blue Cash Preferred - $34500 ]
[ Chase Sapphire Reserve - $22400 ]
[ BofA Unlimited Cash Rewards - $31000 ]
[ BofA Cash Rewards - $18000 ]
[ Citi AAdvantage Platinum - $15000 ]
[ Chase Freedom Flex - $12000 ]
[ Cap. One QS - $7800 ]
[ Cap. One QS - $7000 ]
[ AmEx EveryDay Preferred - $5000 ]
[ Discover IT - $4500 ]
Message 27 of 36
iced
Valued Contributor

Re: Amex vs. Chase question


@TheConstant wrote:
@SouthJamaica

AMEX MR can yield over 2cpp for award flights, and you get 33-67% more MR than UR in their shared categories.

I'm loving my CSR but I have to give credit where its due, AMEX exceeds in some places where CSR doesn't and vice versa

And I can get over 6 cpp on UR. It's going to vary from case to case, so it's disingenuous to categorically state that MR beats UR here, or vice versa. It will come down to the individual and how he or she is able to redeem. 

Message 28 of 36
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Amex vs. Chase question


@iced wrote:

@TheConstant wrote:
@SouthJamaica

AMEX MR can yield over 2cpp for award flights, and you get 33-67% more MR than UR in their shared categories.

I'm loving my CSR but I have to give credit where its due, AMEX exceeds in some places where CSR doesn't and vice versa

And I can get over 6 cpp on UR. It's going to vary from case to case, so it's disingenuous to categorically state that MR beats UR here, or vice versa. It will come down to the individual and how he or she is able to redeem. 


And thats why I ask the question Smiley Happy 

 

The points in post cases seemed almost interchangeable, so I tried to break my choice by spend and partners more than anything. Then just looked at the perks and decided if I will feel the per year price was worth it.

Message 29 of 36
TheConstant
Regular Contributor

Re: Amex vs. Chase question

@iced

Where are you getting 6cpp on CSR? I'd like in on that.

Case-by-case is why I said AMEX "can yield", not "does yield" Smiley Wink

Goal Score:800

[ AmEx Blue Cash Preferred - $34500 ]
[ Chase Sapphire Reserve - $22400 ]
[ BofA Unlimited Cash Rewards - $31000 ]
[ BofA Cash Rewards - $18000 ]
[ Citi AAdvantage Platinum - $15000 ]
[ Chase Freedom Flex - $12000 ]
[ Cap. One QS - $7800 ]
[ Cap. One QS - $7000 ]
[ AmEx EveryDay Preferred - $5000 ]
[ Discover IT - $4500 ]
Message 30 of 36
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