Travel cards and how are you changing your spending?

[Anonymous]

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@imaximous wrote:

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@Remedios wrote:

Mine is next month.  I'm going to call them and find out if they have any way of taking the sting out of it.

I wont be making any statements about closing it if they cannot, because that's the furthest thing on my mind

I'm slightly surprised they havent felt the need to add anything "special" considering the scramble other lenders did. 

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@Remedios  I got 11k points when I called. Weird number, I know. I forget how we got there. I think they offered 5 or 6k first. Then, put me on hold and added the rest. Something like that.

I didn't say anything about closing my account. I simply asked if I had any offers due to current events. I told them I hadn't been able to use the card much or my points because all travel plans were canceled (this is also true). Now, they did tell me they weren't extending any specific offers in response to the pandemic, but they offered me those points anyway. I'm not sure exactly how they coded the points in their system -- whether retention or something else. I guess it doesn't matter, but I never said I was considering closing my card.

I ended up trading 35k points for my AF plus one AU = $475. After taking the 11k points, I basically paid 24k to renew my card plus AU fee, which is pretty much break even at 1.5x. Then, I still got the majority of my $300 travel credit to use hopefully some time before the end of the year.

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Guess that's something ($110 if you cannot travel!)  AR has been such a good card, but the value is predicated for me on getting the $325 travel credit.   Mine renews in Aug so hopefully at least by the end of Jul 2021 I should be able to use it!  But the CSR is much easier with parking and tolls being covered.

[redpat]

Our spending is down considerable.  About $1,500 a month in personal and biz dining, $40 - 50k in biz and personal travel this year, biz spend down at least 35% and other personal spend will be down 50%.  Savings are up and that will continue for the rest of the year, no baseball games, movies, Broadway shows, concerts, weekend day trips and other discretionary spend cut. 

Thank god for golf, my handicap is down to an 8 down from a 13.  DW might become a golf widow........Can't even spend dollars at the 19th hole, sad.

Can you imagine the amount of spend that will occur when a vaccine is available or even a therapeutic with 95% efficacy is available.  

[imaximous]

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@imaximous wrote:

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@Remedios wrote:

Mine is next month.  I'm going to call them and find out if they have any way of taking the sting out of it.

I wont be making any statements about closing it if they cannot, because that's the furthest thing on my mind

I'm slightly surprised they havent felt the need to add anything "special" considering the scramble other lenders did. 

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@Remedios  I got 11k points when I called. Weird number, I know. I forget how we got there. I think they offered 5 or 6k first. Then, put me on hold and added the rest. Something like that.

I didn't say anything about closing my account. I simply asked if I had any offers due to current events. I told them I hadn't been able to use the card much or my points because all travel plans were canceled (this is also true). Now, they did tell me they weren't extending any specific offers in response to the pandemic, but they offered me those points anyway. I'm not sure exactly how they coded the points in their system -- whether retention or something else. I guess it doesn't matter, but I never said I was considering closing my card.

I ended up trading 35k points for my AF plus one AU = $475. After taking the 11k points, I basically paid 24k to renew my card plus AU fee, which is pretty much break even at 1.5x. Then, I still got the majority of my $300 travel credit to use hopefully some time before the end of the year.

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Guess that's something ($110 if you cannot travel!)  AR has been such a good card, but the value is predicated for me on getting the $325 travel credit.   Mine renews in Aug so hopefully at least by the end of Jul 2021 I should be able to use it!  But the CSR is much easier with parking and tolls being covered.

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Definitely. 11k points more than covers the $75 remaining out-of-pocket fee. Then, the reason I burned AR points for my AF is that I'd already accumulated over 650k I wouldn't be able to use for a long time. They also told me I could add as many as 7 AUs to my account, and the cost using points would still be 35k. If you maximize it, that's $525 + $400 for 35K points. Not that I'll be adding AUs just for the heck of it, but it's something other cards don't offer.

CSR's credits are definitely easier to use, but we downgraded it a few weeks ago. Again, that was the case of having expensive cards and tons of points everywhere that can't be used for a while. The option to re-upgrade is always there anyway.

Aside from that, spending has definitely been impacted. Biz revenue and spending starting to come back gradually. But, I'm trying to save as much as possible for now because bonuses from my 9-5 job have decreased a good amount. Company has taken a big hit but at least they've kept me -- so far.

[Aim_High]

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@imaximous wrote:

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@Anonymous wrote:

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AR has been such a good card, but the value is predicated for me on getting the $325 travel credit ... But the CSR is much easier with parking and tolls being covered.

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CSR's credits are definitely easier to use, but we downgraded it a few weeks ago. Again, that was the case of having expensive cards and tons of points everywhere that can't be used for a while. The option to re-upgrade is always there anyway.

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This is one reason I selected CSR in the first place and still plan to keep it.  Credits are widely-defined, easy to achieve, and automatically applied.  Even with less travel during coronavirus, it still makes enough sense to keep the card.  I don't have other premium cards since my lifestyle and spend doesn't merit them, but I can see how this situation becomes problematic for those of you who are in the process of major changes.

[red259]

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@UpperNwGuy wrote:

I put my travel cards into the sock drawer two months ago.  All my spend has been on cash back cards since the second week of March.  I don't want to earn points and miles that will go unused when I can earn cold hard cash.  When the coronavirus crisis finally ends, probably in late 2021 or early 2022, I might consider points and miles once again.

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I'm still earning points. There is merit in your position, but I am hoping I could travel late summer fall or early fall (I understand this may not be feasible). The other thing that has been bothering me is how useful premium travel will be in the current climate. Yes you get the seat etc, but if they are cutting back on lounges/dining experiences etc I am not sure how much I value those premium redemptions would make J and F pretty similiar. Although I guess there is value for being in a more spaced out cabin compared to economy.   

[red259]

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@Aim_High wrote:

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@imaximous wrote:

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@Anonymous wrote:

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AR has been such a good card, but the value is predicated for me on getting the $325 travel credit ... But the CSR is much easier with parking and tolls being covered.

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CSR's credits are definitely easier to use, but we downgraded it a few weeks ago. Again, that was the case of having expensive cards and tons of points everywhere that can't be used for a while. The option to re-upgrade is always there anyway.

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This is one reason I selected CSR in the first place and still plan to keep it.  Credits are widely-defined, easy to achieve, and automatically applied.  Even with less travel during coronavirus, it still makes enough sense to keep the card.  I don't have other premium cards since my lifestyle and spend doesn't merit them, but I can see how this situation becomes problematic for those of you who are in the process of major changes.

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I would feel the same way if the CSR was my only premium card. Since the CSR was not my only premium card it ended up getting the chop. I didn't see the value when I had overlapping benefits from other cards. Before this situation I was going to hold on to it for another year, but with everything going on it just didn't make sense for me.

[MrDisco99]

I signed up for the Amex Cash Magnet in February because they were offering effective 5% cash back on first $10K spend in 6 months (now 9 months?).  I couldn't have gotten that offer at a better time.

Thanks to Chase Freedom doing 5% on groceries/streaming and the reduced spend overall, I'm still milking that SUB.  So I've been earning 5% on everything for the past few months... minus a couple utilities that don't do Amex going on my Citi DC as usual, though I'm not converting that cash to TY points like I was before... at least not yet.

It is a bit weird having my Amex Gold and BBP in the sock drawer.  But everything's been pretty weird lately.

I take that back... I did put the BBP in my wallet because they're offering 3x points at Lowes and 1K MR on a fill up at BP... whenever I get around to that.

Annual fees...

$49 for a free IHG night still makes sense.  I managed to use the one I got last year and I'm thinking I'll still get to use the next one before Aug 2021, so I'll renew that one.

$95 for Citi Premier I think still makes sense if only to keep my place in line for another SUB next year, assuming the 24-month rule doesn't change.

I'd already planned to call and ask for my $95 Savor fee to be waived or downgrade or cancel.  Don't have to worry about that one until November.

Id also planned to cancel the Hilton Biz card as soon as the fee hits next month.  That'll make room for another app.  I think I'll do the Amazon Biz card.  They have a decent spend bonus offer that'll help make the 5% on everything last a little longer.

And I really don't want to get rid of the Gold card, but I wil call and ask for a retention offer in September to try to offset the $250.  We'll see how things are looking at that time before I decide what my plan is if they don't give me one.

[MAZDA3]

After hitting the SUB on my NFCU Amex, i've switched all my spending onto my IHG $49AF card. 

Two reasons.

1. I will fall below 5/24 in March 2021.

2. I want to be able to use the spend to help influence Chase to approve me for the newer $89AF IHG card. I included Chase in BK in 2009 and would hope they view five figure spend on a $2000 limit card and paid off twice a month as responsible behavior.

[wasCB14]

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@MAZDA3 wrote:

After hitting the SUB on my NFCU Amex, i've switched all my spending onto my IHG $49AF card. 

Two reasons.

1. I will fall below 5/24 in March 2021.

2. I want to be able to use the spend to help influence Chase to approve me for the newer $89AF IHG card. I included Chase in BK in 2009 and would hope they view five figure spend on a $2000 limit card and paid off twice a month as responsible behavior.

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I have the $49 card and like it. Even if I lose a free night one year, I can use it for a $200 room another year. Not as good as when there was no category cap on the night, of course.

But the earn rate is just terrible, elite status rarely means anything with IHG, and you are already back in with Chase.

[MAZDA3]

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@wasCB14 wrote:

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@MAZDA3 wrote:

After hitting the SUB on my NFCU Amex, i've switched all my spending onto my IHG $49AF card. 

Two reasons.

1. I will fall below 5/24 in March 2021.

2. I want to be able to use the spend to help influence Chase to approve me for the newer $89AF IHG card. I included Chase in BK in 2009 and would hope they view five figure spend on a $2000 limit card and paid off twice a month as responsible behavior.

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But the earn rate is just terrible, elite status rarely means anything with IHG, and you are already back in with Chase.

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I'm not picky about upgrades. Yes, i'm already back in with Chase, but I don't want to give them the well you don't use the card you have so why should we approve you for another card excuse. It was a battle getting the $49AF card. I want a little something in my pocket to negotiate with, because i'm pretty sure it'll go to recon with the charge off in BK.