Question: which new card for upcoming vacation?

[Anonymous]

I'll be in Asia for 6 weeks and am thinking about grabbing a signup bonus or two with the spending that will happen.

Main conders are as follows, but I would love suggestions for any other cards you think i should look at.

1. Chase Marriott business. Pros: business card so no dings to credit from a potentially large balance reporting until I come home, can combine points into my SPG account, Visa for better acceptance. Cons: no 0% APR period so I need to pay it in full, but that's not really a bad thing.

2. JPM Ritz-Carlton. Pros: can move the limit over to CSP and FU when done with it. 3 nights at high end property would be nice for end of summer getaway. Visa for better acceptance. Ego boost from sexy card. Cons: upfront $450 AF, large spend requirement (i don't imagine that I'll spend 5k during my 6 week vacation but definitely will over the first 3 months of card membership), personal card so my vacation balance will be a temporary slight ding to credit scores.

3. Merril-Lynch Visa. Pros: Nice bonus minimum $500 if used as cash back or $1k for two $500 flights, Visa for better acceptance, foot in the door with Bank of America. Cons: personal credit ding, useless after bonus.

4. CapitalOne Venture. Pros - decent bonus, visa, can combine limit into QS later. Cons: triple pull, personal credit ding, CapitalOne.

5. Bank of America Travel Rewards. Pros: ok bonus, foot in the door with Bank of America, visa, 12 months 0% APR if needed. Cons: personal ding, not really sure what to do with it after the bonus or APR period, bonus not as valuable as the others.
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What do you guys think? Anything else i should consider?

Thanks in advance!

[redpat]

Use your new Amex Bus. Blue, 2k @ 10x for meals and 2.3x on all other spend.  You can end up w/ a boat load of MR points without taking a HP.

You started off w/ 10k out of the gate.

[Anonymous]

You can go in branch for the CSR for 100k sign up bonus. Ritz Carlton is nice for 3 day stay if you can still find a 3 day link.

[fltireguy]

Remember some rewards are only on US purchases

[Anonymous]

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@redpat wrote:

@Use your new Amex Bus. Blue, 2k @ 10x for meals and 2.3x on all other spend.  You can end up w/ a boat load of MR points without taking a HP.

You started off w/ 10k out of the gate.

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Haha yeah if it didn't have the standard Amex 2.7% FTF i would  

[Anonymous]

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@Anonymous wrote:

You can go in branch for the CSR for 100k sign up bonus. Ritz Carlton is nice for 3 day stay if you can still find a 3 day link.

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Ah I tried for CSR but I'm so far away from being under 5/24 there is no hope.  I did find a working Ritz 3 day link, not sure how long it will be up but I won't be applying until the first week of next month. 

[Anonymous]

Not sure which is best in terms of rewards but be cautious about foreign transaction fees.  Seems like a fair number of cards have them and they can add up quickly.

[redpat]

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@redpat wrote:

@Use your new Amex Bus. Blue, 2k @ 10x for meals and 2.3x on all other spend.  You can end up w/ a boat load of MR points without taking a HP.

You started off w/ 10k out of the gate.

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Haha yeah if it didn't have the standard Amex 2.7% FTF i would  

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Oops, sorry my mistake I didn't know about FTF.  I should have looked that one up.

I'll have to punt on this one!

[redpat]

What about citi AA personal or bus, 60k offer is out there.

[sillykitty1]

I'd say the Merrill+ ... $1K bonus for $3K is pretty hard to beat