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Help needed, restructuring my portfolio!

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WhiteCollar
Established Contributor

Re: Help needed, restructuring my portfolio!

I desire more travel benefits, an all incluisve travel card without an exuberant AF. Over the 5/24 rule so I do not quality for the CSP just yet.

Message 11 of 12
FormerCollegeDJ
Frequent Contributor

Re: Help needed, restructuring my portfolio!


@Reithe wrote:

@WhiteCollar wrote:

Hello All,

I'm currently restructuring my credit card portfolio. I have the Amex Delta Gold which no longer serves me. I want to either down grade or close it. I'm seeking a travel card that I can use for booking flights primarily and secondary for booking hotels. I'm preapproved for the Amex Platinum but the AF is a turn off. I'd also like a credit card I can use for dining but it's the last concern. I have the rose gold Amex and the Navy Fed flagship. I will never close the flagship however, I'm open for your suggestions.

 

Thank you!


@WhiteCollar I know a lot of people get up in arms over closing a line of credit but if it's not your oldest card and it no longer serves a purpose in your wallet then there's nothing wrong with closing it. Amex Green or CSP would be your best bet, as others have mentioned. Amex Green would at least keep you in the Amex ecosystem. You could also downgrade the Gold to the Green and grab the NFCU More Rewards Amex for a no annual fee dining card


The above might actually be the best approach; you'd still have a 3x points travel and dining card with the Amex Green, lower your annual fee, and keep your Amex MR points (which IMO are probably better than Chase UR points because they have more airline partners).  What you could then do is pick up a no annual fee, no foreign transaction fee Visa or Mastercard that offers a points or cash back multiplier on travel or dining or both as a backup card when traveling internationally if/when Amex is not accepted.  The impending Wells Fargo Autograph Visa (will be formally released on July 13th) will offer 3% cash back on both travel and dining (as well as gas, streaming services, and cell phone expenditures).

 

You could also try to get a no annual fee, no foreign transaction fee card that offers >3% on dining; the U.S. Bank Altitude Go (4% cash back on dining) could be an option, though there are limitations on applying for USB cards (usually 1/12 rule observed).  The USB Altitude Go's sibling card, the Elan Financial Services Everyday Rewards+ Visa or Mastercard (depending on the bank; many banks offer Elan Financial Services cards), could be a better alternative.

 

One other option if you stay at Hyatt Hotels relatively often is to get either the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Chase Sapphire Reserve, probably the former due to its lower annual fee.  Hyatt is a Chase UR partner, Chase has a favorable exchange rate with World of Hyatt points, and WOH points have high value.  Chase UR has other airline and hotel partners too, but its greatest value is probably at Hyatt, especially if you are already in the Amex MR ecosystem (which doesn't have Hyatt as a partner).

Playing the credit card rewards game since early May 2020.

Current credit cards:
American Express: Hilton Honors
Bank of America: Customized Cash Rewards Visa
Capital One: SavorOne MC
Chase: Amazon Visa, Freedom Unlimited Visa, Freedom Flex MC
Citi: Sears/ThankYou Rewards MC, My Best Buy Visa, Custom Cash MC
Comenity: AAA Travel Advantage Visa
Discover: Cash It
Elan: S&T Bank Max Cash Preferred Visa
FNBO: Amtrak Guest Rewards MC
PSECU: Founder's Visa
U.S. Bank: Cash+ Visa
Wells Fargo: Autograph Visa
Store cards: Kohl's

Next target credit cards: Wells Fargo Bilt Mastercard (probably), Truist Enjoy Travel Visa (maybe)
Message 12 of 12
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