Is there a better card line-up then Chase?

[Anonymous]

---

@redpat wrote:

---

@Anonymous wrote:

---

@Anonymous wrote:

I've been drinking the Chase Kool-Aid lately.  Once I'm outside of 5-24 next summer, I'm gunning for CSR, Ink+ and Unlimited to add to my current Freedom.  Shoving all those points to the CSR's 50% UR bump just seems unbeatable.  But is there a better line-up or strategy out there?  I can't see one, but would love to hear of some success that anyone has with a line-up. 

My plan for Chase FYI will be...

Ink+ -- Cell phone, cable and Office supply for 5% [7.5% on UR]

Freedom -- Quarterly categories 5% [7.5% on UR]

CSR -- Restaurants and travel for 3% [4.5% on UR]

Freedom Unlimited -- everything else 1.5% [2.25% on UR]

---

In terms of benefits and rewards, I think Citi can give them a run for their money. 

Chase doesn't offer a straight 2% (or 1% + 1%) cash back card with first late fee waiver, or a price rewind system. You'd have to combine two cards to get the most benefit out of chase rewards points. I know you can manually do price protection by calling and filling out a form, but Citi really does make it easier for their customers to get the price difference back. 

Citi also has a pair of $450 a year cards with nice benefits (even though one will be nerfed soon), and some HHonors cards plus Expedia and Costco... Overall a very solid lineup.  

---

Citi isn't even close to Chase or Amex after Prestige nerf.  Both Chase and Amex have better cards that have category spend than Citi.  Citi transfer partners are less desirable than both Chase and Amex.  Citi DC is straight cashback cards and travel cards will always give you a better return per dollar spent.

If you are talking cash back CSR will give you 3% travel and dining with a 1k sign-up bonus to boot, INK Cash will give you 5% on office supplies, cable, cell phone and telephone and Freedom has 5% categories so it looks like chase will be on top of citi w/ cashback cards.  Amex BCP is no slouch either.  Oops forgot about Chase AARP card.

---

What stand-alone Chase card with no annual fee has better rewards than the Citi Double Cash? You'd have to combine your Chase Freedom Unlimited with another card to get the additional benefits through their rewards program. I do think it's terrific that you can combine points and such through Chase's rewards program, though. 

I don't see any advantage to an AMEX unless you want their charge cards, or their $95 annual fee BCP or EDP.  Citi doesn't have a cash back card with an annual fee, but I think they should. Don't forget about the Citi Dividend which isn't open to new applicants, but some people still have it.  

As it is, I think Citi is better with cards with no annual fees, and Chase is better with their prestigious cards... Can't forget JP Morgan is a division of Chase too. 

If Citi isn't first, they're definitely #2. 

[nachoslibres]

---

@Anonymous wrote:

I've been drinking the Chase Kool-Aid lately.  Once I'm outside of 5-24 next summer, I'm gunning for CSR, Ink+ and Unlimited to add to my current Freedom.  Shoving all those points to the CSR's 50% UR bump just seems unbeatable.  But is there a better line-up or strategy out there?  I can't see one, but would love to hear of some success that anyone has with a line-up. 

My plan for Chase FYI will be...

Ink+ -- Cell phone, cable and Office supply for 5% [7.5% on UR]

Freedom -- Quarterly categories 5% [7.5% on UR]

CSR -- Restaurants and travel for 3% [4.5% on UR]

Freedom Unlimited -- everything else 1.5% [2.25% on UR]

---

I don't think so, I believe Chase has the best card line up but my main card is still my Citi Double Cash - just because I earn more UR's than I can normally spend (just burned 48,000 UR for airfare and hotel to take my wife on a last minute 3-day trip for a wedding for a friend and still have almost 350,000 UR left) so I use the DC for all non-bonused spending.

I will say, with your projected lineup with the CSR you don't need the Ink+ and can save $95/yr on the Ink Cash - unless you are going to put more than $25,000 a year on gas and $25,000 a year on office supplies.  I had the Ink+ myself and decided this past summer to apply for the Ink Cash and shut it down.

[Anonymous]

Absolutely Chase is the King in the Consumer Credit Card Business.

Second would probably be Citi.

Amex is on a dwindling spiral from the top to the bottom.

Bank of America and Wells Fargo don't even care about the Credit Card Business. They're irrelevant.

Everything I just posted is my opinion lol.

[Anonymous]

With no sign-up bonus (that I am aware of), it'll take 30k in spending at 2 percent before the Citi double cash overtakes the Chase freedom unlimited at 150 plus 1.5 percent. That's assuming you redeem for cashback. With a sapphire preferred or reserve redeeming for travel, the double cash falls even further behind

If the double cash earned 2x thank you points on every purchase, then maybe it's better, but 30k in spend is significant just to catch up!

[creditguy]

---

@Anonymous wrote:
Absolutely Chase is the King in the Consumer Credit Card Business.

Second would probably be Citi.

Amex is on a dwindling spiral from the top to the bottom.

Bank of America and Wells Fargo don't even care about the Credit Card Business. They're irrelevant.

Everything I just posted is my opinion lol.

---

I think your pretty dead on in your opinion, but that's just my opinion. 

[Anonymous]

I can say I'm very happy with my lineup.. but if the Freedom Unlimited had come out prior to me getting the Double Cash (and I wasnt at 5/24), it would have been a tough choice.. Still contemplating adding it in the future and sock drawering my DC when im below 5/24.. That all said.. I dont have a CSP or CSR and dont see myself travelling enough to warrant either in the foreseeable future.. I do LOVE the simplicity of the Chase trifecta (or more)... but Im also loving the DC, and the diversity in my portfolio... I think Chase has the best 'combo' of cards that work together.. AMEX if you're a high spending frequent flyer (PRG + PLAT is a pretty good combo if the perks will TRULY offset the annual fee (ie you would buy the incidental expenses, loynge access passes, etc anyway)).. Beyond all that, there are some great cards out there from other banks depending on the person and their spending..

[Imperfectfuture]

---

@Anonymous wrote:

I've been drinking the Chase Kool-Aid lately.  Once I'm outside of 5-24 next summer, I'm gunning for CSR, Ink+ and Unlimited to add to my current Freedom.  Shoving all those points to the CSR's 50% UR bump just seems unbeatable.  But is there a better line-up or strategy out there?  I can't see one, but would love to hear of some success that anyone has with a line-up. 

My plan for Chase FYI will be...

Ink+ -- Cell phone, cable and Office supply for 5% [7.5% on UR]

Freedom -- Quarterly categories 5% [7.5% on UR]

CSR -- Restaurants and travel for 3% [4.5% on UR]

Freedom Unlimited -- everything else 1.5% [2.25% on UR]

---

My personal opinion, ink cash + CSR, or ink Plus only.  They do the same thing.  You might even not need the Unlimited if using ink cash with CSR.

[RaiseMyScoreASAP]

---

@redpat wrote:

Chase UR points are great and their cards make very easy to accumulate points.  I also like MR points from amex and found using two point reward systems beneficial to me.  

I especially like amex offers that they provide with their cards, you can get some great savings from them.

It all comes down to your spend and what you want to do with your rewards.

---

Putting all your eggs in one bank basket can lead to bad things. I love Chase, but what if they cancel all of your cards? So many horror stories on here about that. Yes, I know that sometimes the cancellations were justified, but I just like to have at least three banks just in case I do something that puts me in the dog house with one of them. So I do AMEX, Chase, Discover, Barclays and US Bank. The first two have me covered on points. The last three have me covered on cash back. Currently a points person. Would consider adding the Citi Thank You program as a hedge, but their transfer partners are not competitive. 

[driftless]

---

@RaiseMyScoreASAP wrote:

---

@redpat wrote:

Chase UR points are great and their cards make very easy to accumulate points.  I also like MR points from amex and found using two point reward systems beneficial to me.  

I especially like amex offers that they provide with their cards, you can get some great savings from them.

It all comes down to your spend and what you want to do with your rewards.

---

Putting all your eggs in one bank basket can lead to bad things. I love Chase, but what if they cancel all of your cards? So many horror stories on here about that. Yes, I know that sometimes the cancellations were justified, but I just like to have at least three banks just in case I do something that puts me in the dog house with one of them. So I do AMEX, Chase, Discover, Barclays and US Bank. The first two have me covered on points. The last three have me covered on cash back. Currently a points person. Would consider adding the Citi Thank You program as a hedge, but their transfer partners are not competitive. 

---

I always have cards from two banks on me. As much as I love Chase, I won't use them exclusively.

While I dont have a business card in my sig, I have an Ink+ but I have very little expensive compared to many. I only use it for true business expenses. I have been considering opening an Amex Simply Cash+ for the same reason.

[Anonymous]

I think for the comination Chase is clearly the best, but it's not always so cut and dry.

Ink+ is ok to churn but $95AF is really high unless you're pushing a high volume of office store spend through it. Other cards can replace many categories without AF @ 5% or very close.  Cash+ for cell phone (and others), Discover rotating cat's, Sallie (for people like me who have one) for gas/grocery/amazon.

I guess it really depends on  your spending profile.  It's surely simple to just go all chase.  I don't really think Ink+ belongs in the mix for most reasonable spend patterns. Ink Cash maybe but not the plus.  CSR/Freedom/FU is super solid combo.  CSR is worth it alone and combo'd with FreedomFU it's a monster, but don't sell your soul to Chase and lose sight of mixing in other great cash back cards.  Even my lowly Amex BCE issued by the literal devil (according to many on here) had a 10% bonus on gas over the past 3 months.  You're not beating 12% on summertime gas with any Chase card.

Also as others have mentioned you don't want to put all your eggs in one basket as far as issuers go.  Yes, use the awesome combo but stay diversified.