@Mike_B03 wrote:I just got an offer in the mail from AMEX for their "Green Card" which is actually a charge card and not a credit card (have to pay it in full every month). I don't mind that, but it seems that you get 1% back, so 25,000 points is worth $250. That would mean it would take roughly $125,000 - $150,000 spent to get a $1250 - $1500 ticket to Europe, which is horrible. The United Mileage card was $55,000 spent.
The Amex Green offers a terrible reward structure. You'd be much better off getting a Premier Rewards Gold that offers a 50k MR points bonus, has bonus categories, and has point transfer partners.
@Open123 wrote:Also, never realized this before, but BofA's Alaska Airlines is actually an excellent card.
I was taking a look at their $99 companion fare and find it better than anyone else's without the usual litany of restrictions. I recally last year seeing a sign-up bonus of about 40,000 miles during Q4.
The Alaska Airlines card has easily the best companion ticket. The three things that aren't too great about this card is that the first year's annual fee is not waived, that it doesn't waive checked bag fees, and that the sign-up bonus is rather moderate: the 40k bonus requires you to spend $7.5k
@lg8302ch wrote:Many of the nice travel rewards card are issued by Chase. CSP and UA explorer would be the best cards for me but since issued by Chase for the moment a no go. My recent credit extention is getting Chase very nervous
So I got Barclays Arrival instead and like the card so far. But this card does not offer the same possibilities as the CSP. If you travel internationally do not get the Citi AAdvantage..this card is killing me for the FTF and I stopped using it. Would be a great card for only domestic travel but useless on international travel unless they remove the FTF. I have still hopes that this will happen one day
The Citi AA are good for the sign up bonuses (especially getting multiple card types, though the ability to do this has been curtailed), retention offers and sometimes limited time rewards offers (e.g. 3x on groceries, up to 2,500 points). . But not a great card for every day spend, and as you point out, still has the FTF so don't use abroad.
@longtimelurker wrote:
@lg8302ch wrote:Many of the nice travel rewards card are issued by Chase. CSP and UA explorer would be the best cards for me but since issued by Chase for the moment a no go. My recent credit extention is getting Chase very nervous
The Citi AA are good for the sign up bonuses (especially getting multiple card types, though the ability to do this has been curtailed), retention offers and sometimes limited time rewards offers (e.g. 3x on groceries, up to 2,500 points). . But not a great card for every day spend, and as you point out, still has the FTF so don't use abroad.
No airlines rewards cards are great for everyday spend really except for the transferable points type such as Chase Sapphire Preferred and American Express Premier Rewards Gold. Most standard airlines rewards cards offer 2 miles per dollar spent on the airline and 1 mile elsewhere.
I think the best option right now is to get a Citi AA and a Barclays US Airways; after the merge the mileage programs will be merged as well, and you will have a boatload of miles in the largest airline in the world.
@Mike_B03 wrote:
Is there a time frame for when I may be able to apply with Chase again? I had a few charge offs with them 7-8 years ago. I also bank with Chase and asked my banker about a line of credit and he was like "Yea that's not going to happen for a loong loong time due to your history with Chase).
I had some CO's with Chase from '05 and was able to get a United MP Club card a few months ago. YMMV
