I'm a few months away from applying for a new card, however the next two cards on my radar are the Chase Freedom Unlimited and Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless. I'll likely apply for one of them around November/December. December will be 6 months from opening my last three cards, including my CSP.
I stay at Mariott exclusively unless they don't have a hotel in the area i'm at. So i will use the anniversary free night every year, and it'll help me acrue points at Marriott faster, as i'll use the card exclusively for Marriott hotel charges (after the SUB, of course).
I'm looking at the Freedom Unlimited as well, to compliment my CSP. I won't have a problem hitting $20k spend in the first year, for the 3% SUB as i'll shelf my CSP and use the CFU as my daily until i hit $20k, then switch back to CSP for travel/dining and CFU for anything and everything else.
Originally i was going to apply for the CFU first, but i'm rethinking that applying for the Boundless first and using it as my daily to hit SUB makes more sense. Then once i've hit the $3k minimum spend for the SUB, i can apply for the CFU and then switch to using it as my daily until the $20k minimum spend for 3% return.
Also, i'll likely hit $3k minimum spend on the Boundless before the required 3 months. So, would it be wise to still wait 3 months to apply for the CFU after the Boundless? Or, could i apply earlier than that?
@Anonymous wrote:Depends on which one holds more value in the immediate future.
Also, 5/24 numbers matter since you added 3 cards already in the last 6 months as all Chase cards are restricted by 5/24 these days. Definitely a YMMV though when bypassing the restriction. Getting a pre-approval in branch though seems to work well if you're not being too aggressive with new cards.
Right, I meant to mention that i'm currently at 3/24 so that's why i'll be going for the Marriott boundless and CFU before any additional cards in my "future list".
Both cards hold value, especially since 2020 is when i'll get the most use of both cards and i'll be getting married next year(date not yet set). So, i may be able to use the marriott points on our honeymoon, as well as the UR points from the CFU added to my CSP points for honeymoon travels as well.
I just was thinking logically about using the Boundless card first to hit $3k spend, then CFU for $20k spend at 3% after. After thinking about it, it doesn't really make sense to get the CFU, use it a few months, then apply for Boundless and have to switch to it as my daily for $3k spend, then back to CFU as my daily. In the end it doesn't matter, i guess, as long as both minimum spends are hit before their required timeframes expire...
@wasCB14 wrote:The Brilliant from Amex has a better renewal night (50k vs. 35k). And it sounds like you'd have no difficulty using the $300 credit.
I looked at that card as well. But if i don't travel one year then i lose the $300 credit, and am stuck with $450 annual fee. Whereas with the Boundless $95 fee, i can easily use the free night to cover the fee. We travel at minimum twice yearly, however sometimes we will travel where there is no Marriott so i won't be able to offset the AF.
I live in Houston, and worst case scenario we can use it to stay one night downtown at the Marriott Marquis with the Texas shaped lazy river just for a one night local get away. Or, take a short weekend trip to San Antonio to stay at the riverwalk and use that trip to cover the AF.
@Anonymous wrote:Austin would be more appealing than SA. Venture down to the Barton Springs or wander around the lake on the path.
Been to the riverwalk a bunch. My Fiancé loves Austin since she went to Texas State and partied there a lot in college, so i may have to take your advice and hit up that area for our next weekend trip.
We just went to Fredericksburg a few weekends ago, for the first time. Didn't stay at Marriott, however we loved that area. And the wine.
The CFU bonus structure may stay how it is, or revert to a traditional SUB.
Your app horizon is a ways out there. You can do a general plan, but the CC market and offers can change.
The advantage with the AMEX is that adds Priority Pass, and a TSA credit if your air travel will expand.
What is that US Bank Corp travel card? Do you travel for work?
@NRB525 wrote:The CFU bonus structure may stay how it is, or revert to a traditional SUB.
Your app horizon is a ways out there. You can do a general plan, but the CC market and offers can change.
The advantage with the AMEX is that adds Priority Pass, and a TSA credit if your air travel will expand.
What is that US Bank Corp travel card? Do you travel for work?
I would actually prefer a traditional SUB on the CFU, so if that changes then i'd be fine with that. I also hope that the Marriott card brings back the 100k SUB.
Amex platinum is on the horizon, however i plan to delay applying for it since our Q1 ski trip has been axed until 2021.
The US Bank card is my company CC. I do travel for work, however everything is booked via my corporate and is thrown on that card so unfortunately there is no way for me to accrue points. I wish.