Spending Strategies Time

[Anonymous]

It's time to get some insight on my spending strategies with my new babies (Credit Cards):

Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite

AMEX Hilton Ascend

Chase Sapphire Preferred

AMEX Platinum

AMEX Gold

Here is my current strategy - This topic is really coming to a head and is going to boil down to UR's vs MR's I think.

Citi AAdvantage - Everyday spender (2x Miles/$1)

AMEX Hilton Ascend - Hotels (12x HHonors/$1), Gas, Groceries (6x HHonors/$1)

CSP - Costco, Random Spends (e.g. Restaurants) - 2x UR's/$1)

AMEX Platinum - Travel Perks /discussion : )

AMEX Gold - Restaurants, Groceries (4x MR's/$1)

There is some obvious overlap across the Ascend and Gold but they are manageable IMO (Ascend could go full time gas card and is obviously the hotel card already). The CSP is obviously my Visa and therein lies its major benefit, downgrading (if it ever comes to that) is possible. 

So now that you read this, is this becoming a Chase UR vs AMEX MR thing? Travel rewards are my goal, not cash back! AA is my primary carrier and hub so no brainer there! Hilton is my network as well so again, makes sense! 

If I cut back on CSP spend and continue leveraging AMEX Gold then CSP could quickly lose its value for me...just looking for any other angles I could be missing here in terms of maximizing spend/rewards across my collection.

[kerplunk]

It looks like you're more invested in MR points than UR points.

I don't understand the purpose of your Citi AAdvantage card. 

In your shoes, I would stick with AmEx Platinum/Gold, product change CSP to Freedom (5% categories), product change AAdvantage to Double Cash (if possible).

Freedom and Double Cash become solid cards to keep your credit length healthy (or to use for categories that aren't travel, restaurants, or grocieres).

[wasCB14]

Citi AA Platinum Select generally earns:

2x gas

2x restaurants

2x AA purchases

1x on everything else

Are you sure you're getting 2x on everything? That would be a heck of a promo, and even then there would presumably be some sort of dollar limit.

A true 2x AA uncapped would probably be getting a lot more discussion online.

[NRB525]

It seems like the CSP is distracting from your main two programs: AA and MR / Hilton. 

The CSP is useful for dining, hotel, airline and rental cars, but it has an outright AF, so I think you should consider:

1) Change Hilton to Aspire, for rental cars, Hilton, and potentially other airlines (earning points) into Hilton. Platinum for non-AA airlines as well. 

2) Gold for restaurant that codes that way, AA for other restaurant situations. 

3) AA for gasoline 

4) AA for AA flights (obviously)

5) ditch (or downgrade) CSP unless you have to have the rental car features

The situation where you stay at another hotel brand would not earn quite so well, but with minimal AF, that can be better. 

Having said that, my own efforts to really reduce number of cards are not as advanced as yours. Kudos for staying focused.  

[Anonymous]

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@wasCB14 wrote:

Citi AA Platinum Select generally earns:

2x gas

2x restaurants

2x AA purchases

1x on everything else

Are you sure you're getting 2x on everything? That would be a heck of a promo, and even then there would presumably be some sort of dollar limit.

A true 2x AA uncapped would probably be getting a lot more discussion online.

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To be clear it's 2x on Gas, Restaurants and AA flights. 1pt for every $1 on everything else so yes you are spot on! However even that was a special that went into affect right as I applied so got lucky, it was 2x AA purchases and 1x on everything else.

[Anonymous]

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@kerplunk wrote:

It looks like you're more invested in MR points than UR points.

I don't understand the purpose of your Citi AAdvantage card. 

In your shoes, I would stick with AmEx Platinum/Gold, product change CSP to Freedom (5% categories), product change AAdvantage to Double Cash (if possible).

Freedom and Double Cash become solid cards to keep your credit length healthy (or to use for categories that aren't travel, restaurants, or grocieres).

---

The Citi AAdvantage is quite obvious, I exclusively fly AA and want to maximize my miles earnings so that has been great. For me, that is its sole purpose while the other cards can augment that in varying ways (travel perks, hotels, points that I can leverage transfer partnerships with). 

I actually did not pull the trigger on the AMEX Gold, had it ready before I typed this thread but held off. Need some more time to think if its worth it for me (need to determine how valuable MR's are for me personally, how I can leverage them etc.)

[Anonymous]

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@Anonymous wrote:

It's time to get some insight on my spending strategies with my new babies (Credit Cards):

Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite

AMEX Hilton Ascend

Chase Sapphire Preferred

AMEX Platinum

AMEX Gold

Here is my current strategy - This topic is really coming to a head and is going to boil down to UR's vs MR's I think.

Citi AAdvantage - Everyday spender (2x Miles/$1)

AMEX Hilton Ascend - Hotels (12x HHonors/$1), Gas, Groceries (6x HHonors/$1)

CSP - Costco, Random Spends (e.g. Restaurants) - 2x UR's/$1)

AMEX Platinum - Travel Perks /discussion : )

AMEX Gold - Restaurants, Groceries (4x MR's/$1)

There is some obvious overlap across the Ascend and Gold but they are manageable IMO (Ascend could go full time gas card and is obviously the hotel card already). The CSP is obviously my Visa and therein lies its major benefit, downgrading (if it ever comes to that) is possible. 

So now that you read this, is this becoming a Chase UR vs AMEX MR thing? Travel rewards are my goal, not cash back! AA is my primary carrier and hub so no brainer there! Hilton is my network as well so again, makes sense! 

If I cut back on CSP spend and continue leveraging AMEX Gold then CSP could quickly lose its value for me...just looking for any other angles I could be missing here in terms of maximizing spend/rewards across my collection.

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Based on what cards you have this is how I think you could best maximize earnings

Amex Gold - Restaurants and Groceries for 4x MRs

Amex Plat - non AA flights for 5x MRs and all other perks.

CSP - Costco and for other travel such as non aa flights and Hilton hotels. However I think you should downgrade this to the freedom since I don’t think this card would get much use. Unless you really need some of the protections I think this card is a waste based on how you currently use it. Maybe look into getting the Costco Visa from Citi.

Citi AA - AA flights, Gas and all other non category spend. Also use this for backup for restaurants when Gold isn’t accepted. 

Hilton Ascend - Hilton hotels. You could throw gas on here too instead of the AA just depends on your goals. Remember you can always transfer MRs to Hilton if you desired at a 1:2 ratio. Therefore, it wouldn’t make any sense to put restaurant and grocery spend on this card when you have the Gold that can produce 2 more Hilton points per 1$ (4 MRs=8 Hhonors points). You should maybe look into the Aspire as well. The 500$ Credits offset the AF and it also comes with a free night every year including your 1st as well.

I think this setup would work best for you. Allows you to effectively maximize the earnings of AA miles as well as Hilton points (if you choose to use MRs in that way).

My setup is pretty similar with a few differences when I’m not reaching a SUB:

Amex Gold - Restaurants, Groceries and some flights

Citi Premier - Gas, Travel and Restaurants when gold isn’t accepted.

BBP -  Non category spend 

Citi Rewards+ - non category spend below 5$. In other words, it would primarily be used for vending machine purchases and other small purchases to maximize the rounding up feature. I’m considering going all in on TY points as I hate how restrictive AMEX credits are for the Gold.

Hilton Aspire - Hilton hotels only.

[redpat]

OP, make sure you sign up for the AA & Hilton dining programs, if you don’t have Ebates get it w/ a MR reward card to earn MRs, shop the AA portal and lastly always look at Rocketmiles for hotel stays for MRs and AA miles where you can get up to 20x.  Just leverage your per dollar spent into more rewards.

+1, Mrsuave, don’t use your Hilton card for grocery, use your gold card for 4x. That’s 8x Hilton for a transfer plus Amex runs 40% and 50% transfer bonus offers.  5x airline w/ plat gets my spend.

[NRB525]

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@kerplunk wrote:

It looks like you're more invested in MR points than UR points.

I don't understand the purpose of your Citi AAdvantage card. 

In your shoes, I would stick with AmEx Platinum/Gold, product change CSP to Freedom (5% categories), product change AAdvantage to Double Cash (if possible).

Freedom and Double Cash become solid cards to keep your credit length healthy (or to use for categories that aren't travel, restaurants, or grocieres).

---

The Citi AAdvantage is quite obvious, I exclusively fly AA and want to maximize my miles earnings so that has been great. For me, that is its sole purpose while the other cards can augment that in varying ways (travel perks, hotels, points that I can leverage transfer partnerships with). 

I actually did not pull the trigger on the AMEX Gold, had it ready before I typed this thread but held off. Need some more time to think if its worth it for me (need to determine how valuable MR's are for me personally, how I can leverage them etc.)

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Ah, no Gold. That card has changed everyone’s view to dining and grocery spend recently

That makes it better to stick with Ascend. 

An uncertain view to earning MR, and AA flying, makes sense to look carefully at MR value, since the points don’t transfer directly to AA. It also leads me to wonder where you see value with AMEX Platinum? Except for Centurion lounges, you could replace Platinum with Hilton Aspire, get Priority Pass lounge access ( no Delta lounges obviously ) and Hilton Diamond status for better points and upgrade leverage, and then add the no-AF Hilton card for groceries and gas to maintain many of the Ascend earning outside Hilton. 

Did you consider the AA Executive card for Admirals Club? Or do you not go to the Admirals Clubs?

[Anonymous]

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@Anonymous wrote:

It's time to get some insight on my spending strategies with my new babies (Credit Cards):

Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite

AMEX Hilton Ascend

Chase Sapphire Preferred

AMEX Platinum

AMEX Gold

Here is my current strategy - This topic is really coming to a head and is going to boil down to UR's vs MR's I think.

Citi AAdvantage - Everyday spender (2x Miles/$1)

AMEX Hilton Ascend - Hotels (12x HHonors/$1), Gas, Groceries (6x HHonors/$1)

CSP - Costco, Random Spends (e.g. Restaurants) - 2x UR's/$1)

AMEX Platinum - Travel Perks /discussion : )

AMEX Gold - Restaurants, Groceries (4x MR's/$1)

There is some obvious overlap across the Ascend and Gold but they are manageable IMO (Ascend could go full time gas card and is obviously the hotel card already). The CSP is obviously my Visa and therein lies its major benefit, downgrading (if it ever comes to that) is possible. 

So now that you read this, is this becoming a Chase UR vs AMEX MR thing? Travel rewards are my goal, not cash back! AA is my primary carrier and hub so no brainer there! Hilton is my network as well so again, makes sense! 

If I cut back on CSP spend and continue leveraging AMEX Gold then CSP could quickly lose its value for me...just looking for any other angles I could be missing here in terms of maximizing spend/rewards across my collection.

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Based on what cards you have this is how I think you could best maximize earnings

Amex Gold - Restaurants and Groceries for 4x MRs

Amex Plat - non AA flights for 5x MRs and all other perks.

CSP - Costco and for other travel such as non aa flights and Hilton hotels. However I think you should downgrade this to the freedom since I don’t think this card would get much use. Unless you really need some of the protections I think this card is a waste based on how you currently use it. Maybe look into getting the Costco Visa from Citi.

Citi AA - AA flights, Gas and all other non category spend. Also use this for backup for restaurants when Gold isn’t accepted. 

Hilton Ascend - Hilton hotels. You could throw gas on here too instead of the AA just depends on your goals. Remember you can always transfer MRs to Hilton if you desired at a 1:2 ratio. Therefore, it wouldn’t make any sense to put restaurant and grocery spend on this card when you have the Gold that can produce 2 more Hilton points per 1$ (4 MRs=8 Hhonors points). You should maybe look into the Aspire as well. The 500$ Credits offset the AF and it also comes with a free night every year including your 1st as well.

I think this setup would work best for you. Allows you to effectively maximize the earnings of AA miles as well as Hilton points (if you choose to use MRs in that way).

My setup is pretty similar with a few differences when I’m not reaching a SUB:

Amex Gold - Restaurants, Groceries and some flights

Citi Premier - Gas, Travel and Restaurants when gold isn’t accepted.

BBP -  Non category spend 

Citi Rewards+ - non category spend below 5$. In other words, it would primarily be used for vending machine purchases and other small purchases to maximize the rounding up feature. I’m considering going all in on TY points as I hate how restrictive AMEX credits are for the Gold.

Hilton Aspire - Hilton hotels only.

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Thanks for this, really solid advice and planning IMO. I cannot upgrade the Ascend for another 9-10 months (had it 2-3 months now I think?) BUT the AMEX Gold is a solid play for me to take advantage of the 4x and then transfer options to Hilton honors at 1MR->2HHonors Points.