I have a CSR and I don't travel very often. I got it for the sign-up bonus.
I am not yet decided on if I will keep it after one year. For $150 a year you get 4.5% cashback on dining/travel, lounge access, and a **bleep**e ton of travel insurance. You have to spend at leat $300 in travel, though. I'm not sure if that is right for me or not. I need to eat out less, lounges are full/closed when I need them, other cards have decent travel insurance built-in. I really like just straight cash back, not having to spend it through a portal.
FNBO sounds perfect for people like me. There is no AF, and when I do travel I would get a better than normal cash back plus $100 each year to spend on bag fees and stuff and free Global Entry fee. I will be applying for it soon I think and cancelling CSR.
*edit* forgot to add that I have a VISA with no FTF, so not so worried about Amex acceptance internationally.
@digitek wrote:I have a CSR and I don't travel very often. I got it for the sign-up bonus.
I am not yet decided on if I will keep it after one year. For $150 a year you get 4.5% cashback on dining/travel, lounge access, and a **bleep**e ton of travel insurance. You have to spend at leat $300 in travel, though. I'm not sure if that is right for me or not. I need to eat out less, lounges are full/closed when I need them, other cards have decent travel insurance built-in. I really like just straight cash back, not having to spend it through a portal.
FNBO sounds perfect for people like me. There is no AF, and when I do travel I would get a better than normal cash back plus $100 each year to spend on bag fees and stuff and free Global Entry fee. I will be applying for it soon I think and cancelling CSR.
*edit* forgot to add that I have a VISA with no FTF, so not so worried about Amex acceptance internationally.
Thanks! I started to feel like I was the only one...I probably would be in your situation if I got CSR. Somebody here mentioned Mariott's free night per year...that has an AF of $85 but you'd be hard-pressed to find a nice room for cheaper...I am also considering this one. FNBO has it's cons but definitely has its perks...you could use its $100 to get into a Centurion lounge and still have $50 for stuff on the flight...or you could simply not fly and nothing bad happens either. I can't apply now even if I wanted...I hear they're new account sensetive and I just got a home loan, a HELOC, and a new credit card in the past couple of months.
Must garden until 2/1/2022 to hit my goal AAOA. 
@wasCB14 wrote:I'm pretty sure the $50 Cent admission fee is only for Amex - issued cards...and not just any Amex network card.
Just verified this with a chat. The rep was completely unaware that regular Amex cardholders could even gain access for $50...so I don't completely believe him...but he eventually agreed that I could gain one-day access for $50 with my Amex BCE...but not with Travelite.
So why does it list lounge access as something the credit could be applied to if nobody seems to accept this card as payment? Certain airlines require certain ticket types (first class, business, etc)...I would like to know if anyone has successfully used this lol. Thank you for pointing that out wasCB14. I've learned a lot in this thread.
@SecretAzure wrote:
@wasCB14 wrote:I'm pretty sure the $50 Cent admission fee is only for Amex - issued cards...and not just any Amex network card.
Just verified this with a chat. The rep was completely unaware that regular Amex cardholders could even gain access for $50...so I don't completely believe him...but he eventually agreed that I could gain one-day access for $50 with my Amex BCE...but not with Travelite.
So why does it list lounge access as something the credit could be applied to if nobody seems to accept this card as payment? Certain airlines require certain ticket types (first class, business, etc)...I would like to know if anyone has successfully used this lol. Thank you for pointing that out wasCB14. I've learned a lot in this thread.
The Centurion Lounge, to my understanding, requires the AMEX Platinum to get in. You cannot buy your way in with any other card, even for a day fee on a PRG or BCE.
The Travelite could likely be used to buy into a Delta lounge, and other lounge networks will let you buy in in certain cases, just not the few Centurion lounges.
@NRB525 wrote:
@SecretAzure wrote:
@wasCB14 wrote:I'm pretty sure the $50 Cent admission fee is only for Amex - issued cards...and not just any Amex network card.
Just verified this with a chat. The rep was completely unaware that regular Amex cardholders could even gain access for $50...so I don't completely believe him...but he eventually agreed that I could gain one-day access for $50 with my Amex BCE...but not with Travelite.
So why does it list lounge access as something the credit could be applied to if nobody seems to accept this card as payment? Certain airlines require certain ticket types (first class, business, etc)...I would like to know if anyone has successfully used this lol. Thank you for pointing that out wasCB14. I've learned a lot in this thread.
The Centurion Lounge, to my understanding, requires the AMEX Platinum to get in. You cannot buy your way in with any other card, even for a day fee on a PRG or BCE.
The Travelite could likely be used to buy into a Delta lounge, and other lounge networks will let you buy in in certain cases, just not the few Centurion lounges.
I can't speak from personal experience, but I did find this:
Also, specifically regarding non-Centurion bank Amex cards:
@UncleB wrote:
@NRB525 wrote:
@SecretAzure wrote:
@wasCB14 wrote:I'm pretty sure the $50 Cent admission fee is only for Amex - issued cards...and not just any Amex network card.
Just verified this with a chat. The rep was completely unaware that regular Amex cardholders could even gain access for $50...so I don't completely believe him...but he eventually agreed that I could gain one-day access for $50 with my Amex BCE...but not with Travelite.
So why does it list lounge access as something the credit could be applied to if nobody seems to accept this card as payment? Certain airlines require certain ticket types (first class, business, etc)...I would like to know if anyone has successfully used this lol. Thank you for pointing that out wasCB14. I've learned a lot in this thread.
The Centurion Lounge, to my understanding, requires the AMEX Platinum to get in. You cannot buy your way in with any other card, even for a day fee on a PRG or BCE.
The Travelite could likely be used to buy into a Delta lounge, and other lounge networks will let you buy in in certain cases, just not the few Centurion lounges.
I can't speak from personal experience, but I did find this:
Also, specifically regarding non-Centurion bank Amex cards:
Thanks UncleB...so make sure you take a printed copy of this and you'd be good to go! Fantastic! I had guessed as much because to me Amex not only encompasses the credit card issuer but also the "Visa Signature" or "World Elite" statuses. This is the same as saying that you get the benefit of being able to buy into a Centurion lounge as is extended warranty protection on Signature, regardless of which Visa card.
