Classic CSR vs CSP...for my particular situation

[CBartowski]

Is the CSR worth it or will CSP/a different travel card be more well suited for my situation?

Details:

-monthly short travel (200-300$ round trip) typically on frontier as it's reimbursed by the gov and have to keep things cheap, but theoretically free travel points

-monthly rental car

-I dabble in occasional domestic personal travel (prefer SW but really more an "anyone but United" mentality), international eventually but not for a while

-Currently have Uber Visa and will be getting PenFed Pathfinder 

-Hoping for primary car rental coverage and travel points to rack up to travel back and forth to see the folks (also short travel)

Is the CSR worth it for these short hops? Other similar cards to look at? I've looked what feels like all of them. I am very much torn, any insight is appreciated!

[wingennis]

Hi Patriot,

Please excuse me for answering your question with questions.  Your Uber gives you great return on restaurants and good return on travel/Uber.  The PenFed Pathfinder will give you 4x on travel.  Both of these cards have no annual fee.  What draws you to the CSP/CSR in addition to the cards you mentioned?  If accumulation of points is your goal, it might be beneficial to stick with one type of rewards system.  With three distinctly different rewards cards, you will have your rewards spread out across three programs.  

That being said, UR points are said to be valuable (and transferrable) and the CSP has a $95 annual fee which is waived the first year.  You could certainly give it a try and see if it fits your plans over the next year.  Safe travels whatever you decide!

[CBartowski]

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@wingennis wrote:

Hi Patriot,

Please excuse me for answering your question with questions.  Your Uber gives you great return on restaurants and good return on travel/Uber.  The PenFed Pathfinder will give you 4x on travel.  Both of these cards have no annual fee.  What draws you to the CSP/CSR in addition to the cards you mentioned?  If accumulation of points is your goal, it might be beneficial to stick with one type of rewards system.  With three distinctly different rewards cards, you will have your rewards spread out across three programs.  

That being said, UR points are said to be valuable (and transferrable) and the CSP has a $95 annual fee which is waived the first year.  You could certainly give it a try and see if it fits your plans over the next year.  Safe travels whatever you decide!

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Wingennis, you make good points, thanks for replying! The idea of having too many irons in the fire, as it were, has been in the back of my mind. I already have a Freedom and was considering just using the Chase, after rolling all of mr UR points together, and Uber for most of my spending. PenFed frankly started as my next travel card but with more research I do (should have done before) it sounds like the redemtion really isn't that great and actually charges a fee to book travel thru their system. So PenFed will be used for 100$ annual incidental credit and keeping utilization ratios down and accounts open for the "gardening".

The logic of starting with CSP to see if it works makes good sense. It is my understanding that an upgrade to CSR should be fairly easy.

Thanks again!

[wingennis]

Good luck  I've never had much luck with Chase but their rewards program seems hard to beat.  I skipped the Pathfinder because I am invested in Amex MR.  It seems like a good "one card" fits call for travel for all those who aren't interested in an annual fee.  Maybe one day USAA will step upo to the travel rewards plate.

[CBartowski]

Hey folks, quick update: I was about to apply for CSR and Chase has now apparently deemed me worthy of a pre approval for CSP and now they've launched 80k points (50k at sign up and 30k if you spend $30k in the first year).

Question: get CSP and get the full 80k points with an upgrade to CSR at the year mark OR go straight CSR get the 50K and continue life. I still have some analysis to do of my spending the past year or 2 to make sure I can actually make $30k of spending but am looking for opinions.

Thanks all. 

[coldfusion]

If you know you can take full advantage of the $300 yearly travel credit and the Global Entry benefit this year I'd definitely lean toward getting the CSR now.

If you're truly undecided, consider applying for the CSP since the $95 fee is waived for the 1st year and in 12 months you have the option to upgrade to the CSR. 

[CBartowski]

Makes sense. The 300$ travel credit will be gone in a month. I do like the waived fee for a year

I'm trying to see if it's worth passing the CSR for a year for the extra 30k points offered on the CSP. I'm honestly not a terribly patient person, sadly.

[UpperNwGuy]

The CSR beats the CSP in rewards at every spending level after you have earned the $300 travel credit on the CSR.  The net annual fee for the CSR (after the travel credit) is only $150, only $55 higher than the $95 annual fee on the CSP.  The 3x points for travel and dining on the CSR quickly earns back that $55, and after a few months it will earn back the waived $95 fee on the CSP.  Do the math.