@red259 wrote:
@mongstradamus wrote:
@red259 wrote:
@mongstradamus wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@red259 wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:I currently own the Arrival card and I called CSR to ask if I can upgrade to Arrival Plus and they said no. I called the backdoor number and they told me system automatically declines an app for an Arrival Plus if I already own an Arrival (same product). But they told me I can still app for the Arrival Plus then close the Arrival card by calling them.
However, I don't want to do that ... since I'm giving up the credit limit, and the account age. I tried to ask if they can downgrade it to a Rewards or a Ring they told me they can't ...
So, I'm wondering if anyone here owns both an Arrival and an Arrival Plus?
Thanks, enjoy your Sunday.
Why do you want the arrival plus? Is your spend going to offset the AF?
Right, for most the advantage is getting it for the first year for the bonus and waived AF. If you PC, you won't get the bonus, and then it is expensive compared to the free 2% cards unless you spend $40K+ (or need the WEMC benefits or use it for no FTF)
I know i am in the minority in these parts but i only believe that arrival+ and venture type cards are only worth it for signup bonus, after the first year you have to put an lot of spending to make it worth it with AF. I would rather use an no AF amex fidelity or double cash. I know is 2.2% vs 2% but its close enough imo and you can redeem it for cash!!
I'm inclined to agree. Although I like the WEMC benefits I am not sure it will be enough to justify the AF (I can't see putting 40k of spend on just this one card). Most likely I will downgrade the card next year, but that is quite a ways off and card value/benefits can change during that time.
i have mixed feelings about arrival+ type cards, i don't really know how i would properly use them. I think if i am going to take an TU HP i would rather go for one of their airlines cards first probably. To me its an much better value.
I like to use these types of cards for renting cars for paying fuel surcharges, train tickets, taxes on award redemptions etc. The signup is like $400 cash back plus 10% if you redeem for travel. The airline cards have decent signups, but you are stuck with miles for that airline and the value you get back depends on how you redeem them. In addition, a card like arrival will earn you 2.2 back on every dollar spent if redeeming on travel. An airline card usually does not give much in the way of bonus spend categories.
when i compare the two they are usually both get card for signup bonus and then drop it before AF hits. Usually when i am going to app for an particular airline card, i will already have an idea how would i be able to use it. For the most part if you apply for domestic airline card the fuel surcharges aren't that bad even if you are traveling with partner internationally.
@mongstradamus wrote:
@red259 wrote:
@mongstradamus wrote:
@red259 wrote:
@mongstradamus wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@red259 wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:I currently own the Arrival card and I called CSR to ask if I can upgrade to Arrival Plus and they said no. I called the backdoor number and they told me system automatically declines an app for an Arrival Plus if I already own an Arrival (same product). But they told me I can still app for the Arrival Plus then close the Arrival card by calling them.
However, I don't want to do that ... since I'm giving up the credit limit, and the account age. I tried to ask if they can downgrade it to a Rewards or a Ring they told me they can't ...
So, I'm wondering if anyone here owns both an Arrival and an Arrival Plus?
Thanks, enjoy your Sunday.
Why do you want the arrival plus? Is your spend going to offset the AF?
Right, for most the advantage is getting it for the first year for the bonus and waived AF. If you PC, you won't get the bonus, and then it is expensive compared to the free 2% cards unless you spend $40K+ (or need the WEMC benefits or use it for no FTF)
I know i am in the minority in these parts but i only believe that arrival+ and venture type cards are only worth it for signup bonus, after the first year you have to put an lot of spending to make it worth it with AF. I would rather use an no AF amex fidelity or double cash. I know is 2.2% vs 2% but its close enough imo and you can redeem it for cash!!
I'm inclined to agree. Although I like the WEMC benefits I am not sure it will be enough to justify the AF (I can't see putting 40k of spend on just this one card). Most likely I will downgrade the card next year, but that is quite a ways off and card value/benefits can change during that time.
i have mixed feelings about arrival+ type cards, i don't really know how i would properly use them. I think if i am going to take an TU HP i would rather go for one of their airlines cards first probably. To me its an much better value.
I like to use these types of cards for renting cars for paying fuel surcharges, train tickets, taxes on award redemptions etc. The signup is like $400 cash back plus 10% if you redeem for travel. The airline cards have decent signups, but you are stuck with miles for that airline and the value you get back depends on how you redeem them. In addition, a card like arrival will earn you 2.2 back on every dollar spent if redeeming on travel. An airline card usually does not give much in the way of bonus spend categories.
when i compare the two they are usually both get card for signup bonus and then drop it before AF hits. Usually when i am going to app for an particular airline card, i will already have an idea how would i be able to use it. For the most part if you apply for domestic airline card the fuel surcharges aren't that bad even if you are traveling with partner internationally.
I should clarify. I would never advise someone who wants travel rewards getting the arrival+ as their first card. For something like that I would recommend a general travel card like the CSP or Amex everyday etc (to have flexibility of programs). These are the types of cards I usually generate my airline miles with and then I like a card like the arrival+ to cover the expenses I mentioned earlier. Airline cards tend to be the last type of card I get unless they have a massive signup bonus. In general my app priority has gone: general travel cards, cash back travel cards,hotel cards then airline cards. Of course, if you just go off signup offer with the idea of getting the card only for the bonus then ditching it after a year without using the card for much spend beyond that then I can see an airline card holding more value. I also like the cash back travel cards for discount airline tickets. Sometimes you can get a great deal on plane tickets and the airline miles it would cost to redeem for the same ticket does not make financial sense.
;
@B335is wrote:
@mongstradamus wrote:
@red259 wrote:
@mongstradamus wrote:
@red259 wrote:
@mongstradamus wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@red259 wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:I currently own the Arrival card and I called CSR to ask if I can upgrade to Arrival Plus and they said no. I called the backdoor number and they told me system automatically declines an app for an Arrival Plus if I already own an Arrival (same product). But they told me I can still app for the Arrival Plus then close the Arrival card by calling them.
However, I don't want to do that ... since I'm giving up the credit limit, and the account age. I tried to ask if they can downgrade it to a Rewards or a Ring they told me they can't ...
So, I'm wondering if anyone here owns both an Arrival and an Arrival Plus?
Thanks, enjoy your Sunday.
Why do you want the arrival plus? Is your spend going to offset the AF?
Right, for most the advantage is getting it for the first year for the bonus and waived AF. If you PC, you won't get the bonus, and then it is expensive compared to the free 2% cards unless you spend $40K+ (or need the WEMC benefits or use it for no FTF)
I know i am in the minority in these parts but i only believe that arrival+ and venture type cards are only worth it for signup bonus, after the first year you have to put an lot of spending to make it worth it with AF. I would rather use an no AF amex fidelity or double cash. I know is 2.2% vs 2% but its close enough imo and you can redeem it for cash!!
I'm inclined to agree. Although I like the WEMC benefits I am not sure it will be enough to justify the AF (I can't see putting 40k of spend on just this one card). Most likely I will downgrade the card next year, but that is quite a ways off and card value/benefits can change during that time.
i have mixed feelings about arrival+ type cards, i don't really know how i would properly use them. I think if i am going to take an TU HP i would rather go for one of their airlines cards first probably. To me its an much better value.
I like to use these types of cards for renting cars for paying fuel surcharges, train tickets, taxes on award redemptions etc. The signup is like $400 cash back plus 10% if you redeem for travel. The airline cards have decent signups, but you are stuck with miles for that airline and the value you get back depends on how you redeem them. In addition, a card like arrival will earn you 2.2 back on every dollar spent if redeeming on travel. An airline card usually does not give much in the way of bonus spend categories.
when i compare the two they are usually both get card for signup bonus and then drop it before AF hits. Usually when i am going to app for an particular airline card, i will already have an idea how would i be able to use it. For the most part if you apply for domestic airline card the fuel surcharges aren't that bad even if you are traveling with partner internationally.
That's why you need to bank all the airline miles (well except for Spirit lol)! A TU hard pull is worth $400 for me. There's a few ways to creatively redeem that bonus, but I usually use it for rental cars. Heck I just got $700 redemption value on Citi Honors Reserve card with two free weekend nights. I don't think I'll ever convince you to warm up to these Hotel and Arrival/Venture types of cards though.
Oh hotel cards can give you real bang for the buck with the free nights if you redeem them right.
I think the fixed value type rewards cards like the Arrival+ and Venture are good because they let you shop fare sales (or hotel sales, etc.) and apply your rewards that way. For example, as a frequent visitor to Hilton & Marriot hotels, I sometimes get offers for additional free nights, or double points or something like that. If you book rooms with points or miles, generally you aren't eligible for such bonuses; also if you book stays with points you don't earn hotel points for those stays. With the Venture or Arrival+, what you can do is book normally, get your free night or bonus points, or whatever, then pay with points. You still get points on your hotel rewards for your stay because you paid normally.
Something else that is really attractive to me is that you can book however you'd like. For example, sometimes I get great deals on last minute vacations via Hotwire or Priceline. Get a $300 room for $100, then pay for it with rewards at 2x per dollar and that's good value. The same applies to work travel because we use a designated travel service (big corporation). The travel department can book the travel, I get points on it, and then I can still pay for travel using rewards if I want to. What I hate most about airline points, is that it's such a pain to book travel at maximum value. I've got 125k AA points that I always try to use, but can't find the right flight without planning 6 months in advance.
Everyone's situation is different of course. Straight up cash back is definitely the easiest.
@red259 wrote:
@B335is wrote:
@mongstradamus wrote:
@red259 wrote:
@mongstradamus wrote:
@red259 wrote:
@mongstradamus wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@red259 wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:I currently own the Arrival card and I called CSR to ask if I can upgrade to Arrival Plus and they said no. I called the backdoor number and they told me system automatically declines an app for an Arrival Plus if I already own an Arrival (same product). But they told me I can still app for the Arrival Plus then close the Arrival card by calling them.
However, I don't want to do that ... since I'm giving up the credit limit, and the account age. I tried to ask if they can downgrade it to a Rewards or a Ring they told me they can't ...
So, I'm wondering if anyone here owns both an Arrival and an Arrival Plus?
Thanks, enjoy your Sunday.
Why do you want the arrival plus? Is your spend going to offset the AF?
Right, for most the advantage is getting it for the first year for the bonus and waived AF. If you PC, you won't get the bonus, and then it is expensive compared to the free 2% cards unless you spend $40K+ (or need the WEMC benefits or use it for no FTF)
I know i am in the minority in these parts but i only believe that arrival+ and venture type cards are only worth it for signup bonus, after the first year you have to put an lot of spending to make it worth it with AF. I would rather use an no AF amex fidelity or double cash. I know is 2.2% vs 2% but its close enough imo and you can redeem it for cash!!
I'm inclined to agree. Although I like the WEMC benefits I am not sure it will be enough to justify the AF (I can't see putting 40k of spend on just this one card). Most likely I will downgrade the card next year, but that is quite a ways off and card value/benefits can change during that time.
i have mixed feelings about arrival+ type cards, i don't really know how i would properly use them. I think if i am going to take an TU HP i would rather go for one of their airlines cards first probably. To me its an much better value.
I like to use these types of cards for renting cars for paying fuel surcharges, train tickets, taxes on award redemptions etc. The signup is like $400 cash back plus 10% if you redeem for travel. The airline cards have decent signups, but you are stuck with miles for that airline and the value you get back depends on how you redeem them. In addition, a card like arrival will earn you 2.2 back on every dollar spent if redeeming on travel. An airline card usually does not give much in the way of bonus spend categories.
when i compare the two they are usually both get card for signup bonus and then drop it before AF hits. Usually when i am going to app for an particular airline card, i will already have an idea how would i be able to use it. For the most part if you apply for domestic airline card the fuel surcharges aren't that bad even if you are traveling with partner internationally.
That's why you need to bank all the airline miles (well except for Spirit lol)! A TU hard pull is worth $400 for me. There's a few ways to creatively redeem that bonus, but I usually use it for rental cars. Heck I just got $700 redemption value on Citi Honors Reserve card with two free weekend nights. I don't think I'll ever convince you to warm up to these Hotel and Arrival/Venture types of cards though.
Oh hotel cards can give you real bang for the buck with the free nights if you redeem them right.
we have had many conversations about hotel cards, and the conclusion for my purposes hotel points aren't even worth 1 cpp. Hilton and Marriot have such little value to me. I know my usage of hotel cards isn't going to be how most use it. I would want to use it for higher end hotel, which are usually not allowed with free night stay.
I know i am probably not using hotel cards or points the best way i can.
@Anonymous wrote:
@mongstradamus wrote:
@red259 wrote:
@B335is wrote:
@mongstradamus wrote:
@red259 wrote:
@mongstradamus wrote:
@red259 wrote:
@mongstradamus wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@red259 wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:I currently own the Arrival card and I called CSR to ask if I can upgrade to Arrival Plus and they said no. I called the backdoor number and they told me system automatically declines an app for an Arrival Plus if I already own an Arrival (same product). But they told me I can still app for the Arrival Plus then close the Arrival card by calling them.
However, I don't want to do that ... since I'm giving up the credit limit, and the account age. I tried to ask if they can downgrade it to a Rewards or a Ring they told me they can't ...
So, I'm wondering if anyone here owns both an Arrival and an Arrival Plus?
Thanks, enjoy your Sunday.
Why do you want the arrival plus? Is your spend going to offset the AF?
Right, for most the advantage is getting it for the first year for the bonus and waived AF. If you PC, you won't get the bonus, and then it is expensive compared to the free 2% cards unless you spend $40K+ (or need the WEMC benefits or use it for no FTF)
I know i am in the minority in these parts but i only believe that arrival+ and venture type cards are only worth it for signup bonus, after the first year you have to put an lot of spending to make it worth it with AF. I would rather use an no AF amex fidelity or double cash. I know is 2.2% vs 2% but its close enough imo and you can redeem it for cash!!
I'm inclined to agree. Although I like the WEMC benefits I am not sure it will be enough to justify the AF (I can't see putting 40k of spend on just this one card). Most likely I will downgrade the card next year, but that is quite a ways off and card value/benefits can change during that time.
i have mixed feelings about arrival+ type cards, i don't really know how i would properly use them. I think if i am going to take an TU HP i would rather go for one of their airlines cards first probably. To me its an much better value.
I like to use these types of cards for renting cars for paying fuel surcharges, train tickets, taxes on award redemptions etc. The signup is like $400 cash back plus 10% if you redeem for travel. The airline cards have decent signups, but you are stuck with miles for that airline and the value you get back depends on how you redeem them. In addition, a card like arrival will earn you 2.2 back on every dollar spent if redeeming on travel. An airline card usually does not give much in the way of bonus spend categories.
when i compare the two they are usually both get card for signup bonus and then drop it before AF hits. Usually when i am going to app for an particular airline card, i will already have an idea how would i be able to use it. For the most part if you apply for domestic airline card the fuel surcharges aren't that bad even if you are traveling with partner internationally.
That's why you need to bank all the airline miles (well except for Spirit lol)! A TU hard pull is worth $400 for me. There's a few ways to creatively redeem that bonus, but I usually use it for rental cars. Heck I just got $700 redemption value on Citi Honors Reserve card with two free weekend nights. I don't think I'll ever convince you to warm up to these Hotel and Arrival/Venture types of cards though.
Oh hotel cards can give you real bang for the buck with the free nights if you redeem them right.
we have had many conversations about hotel cards, and the conclusion for my purposes hotel points aren't even worth 1 cpp. Hilton and Marriot have such little value to me. I know my usage of hotel cards isn't going to be how most use it. I would want to use it for higher end hotel, which are usually not allowed with free night stay.
I know i am probably not using hotel cards or points the best way i can.
For Marriott it's allowed. Ask Jsucool how he used his Marriott points.
really I was under impression that it was only category 1-4 hotels where you get the free nights. I was looking at some of the marriots in thailand they are all category 7, so that wouldn't quite work out for me.