What are some of your go-to travel cards?

[K-in-Boston]

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@iced wrote:

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@K-in-Boston wrote:

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@imaximous wrote:

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@K-in-Boston Curious as to how you're planning to use Air France/KLM and Virgin Atlantic credit cards. 

I'd been thinking about the Virgin Atlantic card a few months ago when they had an elevated SUB, but ended up not pulling the trigger because I wasn't too convinced that I'd be using it after getting the SUB. 

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SUBs.  Virgin status wouldn't make sense to me since I get almost everything a top-tier VS elite gets as a DL Platinum anyway, and it's unlikely I would move $25k+ of spend to it for the companion ticket since you need to be VS Gold to use it on an Upper Class ticket.  I've done the math before, and there's no way that FlyingBlue status is happening instead of Delta.  Because their earnings chart is based on fare class and international vs domestic, a hypothetical grueling flight from Hawaii to Puerto Rico earns only 1/3 as much as a 30 minute flight from Brussels to Amsterdam.  Or a $500 Y flight from Boston to LA earns 1/15th of the XP needed for elite status as a $500 J flight from London to Paris.    So yeah, SUB again.

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There's a lot of reasons to not bother with JetBlue, this among them. I tried them once and I won't again unless it's my only option or there's a Mint option on my route. Even then, I've found Mint is hard to schedule for - BOS-LAS for instance, only the very first flight in the morning (besides, I hate the breakfast offerings typically offered on flights) or the red-eye are Mint. I'll just take the DL barcolounger on that route and leave at a reasonable time.

Also, hypothetical or otherwise, I'd love to see a $500 J to CDG (or anything translatlanitc that isn't some trainwreck with a connection in KEF or DUB).

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FlyingBlue = KLM, Air France

TrueBlue = JetBlue

But I agree with what you're saying.  😉 

The $500 hypothetical was Paris to London, much more likely.  I don't even think I've found BOS-KEF that cheap up front!

[imaximous]

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@K-in-Boston wrote:

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@imaximous wrote:

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@K-in-Boston Curious as to how you're planning to use Air France/KLM and Virgin Atlantic credit cards. 

I'd been thinking about the Virgin Atlantic card a few months ago when they had an elevated SUB, but ended up not pulling the trigger because I wasn't too convinced that I'd be using it after getting the SUB. 

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SUBs.  Virgin status wouldn't make sense to me since I get almost everything a top-tier VS elite gets as a DL Platinum anyway, and it's unlikely I would move $25k+ of spend to it for the companion ticket since you need to be VS Gold to use it on an Upper Class ticket.  I've done the math before, and there's no way that FlyingBlue status is happening instead of Delta.  Because their earnings chart is based on fare class and international vs domestic, a hypothetical grueling flight from Hawaii to Puerto Rico earns only 1/3 as much as a 30 minute flight from Brussels to Amsterdam.  Or a $500 Y flight from Boston to LA earns 1/15th of the XP needed for elite status as a $500 J flight from London to Paris.    So yeah, SUB again.

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Ok. That's what I figured, but I thought you'd come back with some type of secret sauce. 😉

I've circled around the two cards for some time now -- particularly VS, but I couldn't figure out how to make it work after running numbers. Even by maxing out the $5k monthly spend for 50 tier points, I'd only get to Silver, but still 400 points short to make Gold. At Silver level, you can still get a companion ticket in Premium Class, I guess. Not too bad except for the fees. I haven't looked at using that for other destinations. That'd be the only way I could make it work probably, but I'd have to charge $40k on the card to make Silver. I'll have to do some more math to see if that's worth considering.

[iced]

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@K-in-Boston wrote:

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FlyingBlue = KLM, Air France

TrueBlue = JetBlue

But I agree with what you're saying.  😉 

The $500 hypothetical was Paris to London, much more likely.  I don't even think I've found BOS-KEF that cheap up front!

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Ohhh, I completely read that too fast and saw TrueBlue in my mind. Was wondering why we were even talking about JetBlue when it comes to international flying (oh right, but their lolpartnerships).

Point makes more sense now. That and KLM/Air France you're basically stuck with connecting in AMS all the time, because friends don't let friends connect in CDG.

[imaximous]

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@K-in-Boston wrote:

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@imaximous wrote:

...The award fees to UK are so bad, it almost seems like you're paying for the ticket out of pocket on top of the miles. Depending on the dates or flash sales, you may be better off transferring to Delta and booking your UK trip that way.

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UK fees are difficult to avoid.  Keep in mind that LHR charges an even higher additional fee for First/Upper Class.  Even booking through Delta you'll still likely see a few hundred dollars in fees per passenger.  If you're budget-conscious and have some flexibility, it's always possible to fly into CDG or AMS instead and take the Eurostar (or a cheap flight) to London.  (RER from CDG to Gare du Nord is about 30 minutes; Eurostar from Gare du Nord in Paris to St Pancras in London is about 2 hours.)

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I'm not necessarily budget-conscious, but I actually like looking for deals as long as they don't compromise my comfort or schedule.

I don't mind a few hundred Dollars in fees on top of miles, but when I see $1,500 in fees plus a ton of miles, I'll certainly go with a different option. I used Delta as an example because we were talking VS, and $1,500 can be $300 just by switching sites.

I have enough points to travel with my family for the next few years, but I don't like to waste unnecessarily. I prefer to give my points away or take more family with us if I can nail better redemptions. Then, there are times I have no flexibility and just pay the price.  

[imaximous]

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@wasCB14 wrote:

You're right about recent Atlantic promos. I got +30%, not +40%.

Most of my travel is domestic. I would definitely avoid (or at least keep in mind) the punitive award fees on US-UK flights.

I'll think about getting a BofA Business card. As of now I don't have direct control over $100k of liquid business assets, and my understanding is that personal Platinum Honors status doesn't cross over to business cards. And even if I did move someplace else and get a mortgage, I'm not sure I'd want to use a true business card (for the real estate rental business which has real liabilities) for personal spend. It's a bit different with BBP where a "corporate veil" isn't a concern.

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Yes. You have to qualify separately --business and personal-- for Preferred Rewards. If it doesn't make sense to you, then it's all good. But, if you're ever thinking about it, it's actually easier to move up Preferred Rewards with a business account. BofA offers to bump you up to the corresponding tier based on your deposits during the first 30 days from account opening. So, if you were to move $100k within 30 days, you'll qualify right away for Platinum Honors. You don't have to wait for the average of 3 months like the personal version. Then, you already know that you stay at that level for a full year even if you balance drops. That works for any level -- Gold, Platinum or PH.

[notmyrealname23]

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@imaximous wrote:

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So, for you, it's basically just getting a SUB? You wouldn't see any other reason to use the card? 

I tend to avoid getting cards that don't have any purpose other than a SUB unless they also have a benefit(s) that make the card valuable, like Alaska Airlines for the companion fare and free bags, Hyatt for free nights and status from spending, etc. 

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I won't do that because if I am getting a card for a SUB I am in effect buying miles or points for the opportunity cost of putting that spend on a 2% cashback card (which is what I would default to). Recently did this for a Synchrony Cathay Pacific card that I did NOT list as a "go-to" travel card because it's trash outside the SUB: weak spend multipliers (2x for Cathay flights, 1.5x for dining and international spend), plus a year of Marco Polo Green (which is a "whoopty doo" status). It makes the Delta AMEX cards look positively generous. My AMEX Green literally blows it away for ongoing spend that I can transfer to AsiaMiles (3x dining/travel, including 3x if I were to buy a Cathay ticket on the card). Even my CapitalOne Venture blows it away for unbonused spend (1.5 AsiaMiles on a transfer vs. 1 on the Cathay card).

I would buy 42,000-43,000 AsiaMiles for $495 ALL DAY were AsiaMiles to offer that to me somehow on their website. That's literally a round the world trip business class with multiple stopovers in places like  Hong Kong, Sydney, London, NYC for $2000 of miles or so (add in a few hundred for taxes and fees). First class it's $3000. If you accumulate smaller amounts of AsiaMiles you're still able to get a one-way in Cathay business or first class for a lot less than retail price (plus JAL, British Airways). 

I'm not keeping the CapitalOne Venture either if they charge an AF when I renew in July, because while it was nice to get it to wedge my foot in the door for premium travel cards, it loses a showdown to AMEX Green or (eventual) Gold in terms of benefits/multipliers vs. AF. 2:1.5 on transfers (C1) vs 1:1 with frequent bonuses (AMEX)? AMEX Green actually gives me a useful benefit ($100 off CLEAR)? Capital One Venture doesn't? Can't justify it, I'll swap the CL over to a no-AF, no-FTF Quicksilver.

I'm very happy to churn some cards and keep some cards... which is why I asked OP this back originally.

[redpat]

The travel card subject is very subjective because one size doesn't fit everyone.  
Do you fly FC or coach?
A budget traveler or premium one when it comes to hotels and car rentals?
Do you travel for business or is your travel just personal?
Do you also have business spend?

There are so many scenarios and factors that come into play when discussing travel cards and your travel habits that a thread cannot answer.  Each individual should do their own research and find what fits them best.  There is a lot of info here and elsewhere to determine which cards and best travel options you have based on you travel habits and spend.

Free travel takes a lot of spend and once your SUBs are done it can take awhile for your next free airline ticket or hotel stay.

[imaximous]

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@notmyrealname23 wrote:

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@imaximous wrote:

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So, for you, it's basically just getting a SUB? You wouldn't see any other reason to use the card? 

I tend to avoid getting cards that don't have any purpose other than a SUB unless they also have a benefit(s) that make the card valuable, like Alaska Airlines for the companion fare and free bags, Hyatt for free nights and status from spending, etc. 

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I won't do that because if I am getting a card for a SUB I am in effect buying miles or points for the opportunity cost of putting that spend on a 2% cashback card (which is what I would default to). Recently did this for a Synchrony Cathay Pacific card that I did NOT list as a "go-to" travel card because it's trash outside the SUB: weak spend multipliers (2x for Cathay flights, 1.5x for dining and international spend), plus a year of Marco Polo Green (which is a "whoopty doo" status). It makes the Delta AMEX cards look positively generous. My AMEX Green literally blows it away for ongoing spend that I can transfer to AsiaMiles (3x dining/travel, including 3x if I were to buy a Cathay ticket on the card). Even my CapitalOne Venture blows it away for unbonused spend (1.5 AsiaMiles on a transfer vs. 1 on the Cathay card).

I would buy 42,000-43,000 AsiaMiles for $495 ALL DAY were AsiaMiles to offer that to me somehow on their website. That's literally a round the world trip business class with multiple stopovers in places like  Hong Kong, Sydney, London, NYC for $2000 of miles or so (add in a few hundred for taxes and fees). First class it's $3000. If you accumulate smaller amounts of AsiaMiles you're still able to get a one-way in Cathay business or first class for a lot less than retail price (plus JAL, British Airways). 

I'm not keeping the CapitalOne Venture either if they charge an AF when I renew in July, because while it was nice to get it to wedge my foot in the door for premium travel cards, it loses a showdown to AMEX Green or (eventual) Gold in terms of benefits/multipliers vs. AF. 2:1.5 on transfers (C1) vs 1:1 with frequent bonuses (AMEX)? AMEX Green actually gives me a useful benefit ($100 off CLEAR)? Capital One Venture doesn't? Can't justify it, I'll swap the CL over to a no-AF, no-FTF Quicksilver.

I'm very happy to churn some cards and keep some cards... which is why I asked OP this back originally.

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@notmyrealname23 Just to be clear, I wasn't critizing wasCB14 or anyone for chasing SUBs with that statement. Maybe it kinda looks that way now that I'm re-reading that paragraph. But, I was legitimately asking if there wasn't any other reason to keep or use the card to gain something from it. I've been curious for some time whether it'd be worth getting the VS card and it came up in this thread.

Having said that, I do prefer to apply for cards that I consider keepers for a reason or two. Have I chased SUBs too? Sure! I've done that in the past to replenish my points, but luckily, my situation is different now and I can accumulate more than enough rewards from spend alone. That is why I'm looking for some interesting travel cards that offer more unique benefits even if they require a good amount of spend. Still, those cards have to make some sense because the bulk of my spend goes on different cards that get me between 4.5% and 5%, and I'd only be getting 1% or 1.5% on the same purchases. My math kinda goes like this, if I were to "sacrifice" $100k of my spend where I'd get 5% or $5k in cashback. Then, the 1% or 1.5% must get me an even better overall value. It's kinda hard to give up $5k in instant cash unless the points and benefits are worth a LOT more -- especially right now. So, I'm still researching...

[notmyrealname23]

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@imaximous wrote:

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. My math kinda goes like this, if I were to "sacrifice" $100k of my spend where I'd get 5% or $5k in cashback. Then, the 1% or 1.5% must get me an even better overall value. It's kinda hard to give up $5k in instant cash unless the points and benefits are worth a LOT more -- especially right now. So, I'm still researching...

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You have cards where you can get 5% cashback on $100,000 (essentially unlimited) spend? Everyone here is drooling over a 3% AOD card and you've got 5% unbonused spend ones? This isn't some kind of MS play (and let's be frank, a 5% unbonused spend card would get smacked HARD on MS because for something like Plastiq, you're at over 2% cashback on top of what they charge)?

Talk about burying the lede... but yes, that would obviously change your math compared to mine if your baseline for unbonused spend is a 5% cashback card not a 2% cashback card.

If I had a 5% cashback card that could handle 100k of spend, I'd probably use it for everything and throw everything else away except for some sock drawer no-AF cards to keep my accounts alive (and in fear that this would get nerfed by MSers). As Homer Simpson put it, "Money can be exchanged for goods and services"- you can literally BUY Avios, United, Alaska and American miles, Southwest points, Hilton and Hyatt points with the proceeds of 5% cashback card unbonused spend and come out ahead of using their cobrand cards to accrue miles. You could occasionally pay for checked bags and come out ahead on a 2% cashback card. There are very few benefits (maybe rental insurance, trip insurance? Elite status if you have brand loyalty, though I think that is often seriously overrated?) that are worth passing up 5%.

[imaximous]

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@notmyrealname23 wrote:

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@imaximous wrote:

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. My math kinda goes like this, if I were to "sacrifice" $100k of my spend where I'd get 5% or $5k in cashback. Then, the 1% or 1.5% must get me an even better overall value. It's kinda hard to give up $5k in instant cash unless the points and benefits are worth a LOT more -- especially right now. So, I'm still researching...

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You have cards where you can get 5% cashback on $100,000 (essentially unlimited) spend? Everyone here is drooling over a 3% AOD card and you've got 5% unbonused spend ones? This isn't some kind of MS play (and let's be frank, a 5% unbonused spend card would get smacked HARD on MS because for something like Plastiq, you're at over 2% cashback on top of what they charge)?

Talk about burying the lede... but yes, that would obviously change your math compared to mine if your baseline for unbonused spend is a 5% cashback card not a 2% cashback card.

If I had a 5% cashback card that could handle 100k of spend, I'd probably use it for everything and throw everything else away except for some sock drawer no-AF cards to keep my accounts alive (and in fear that this would get nerfed by MSers). As Homer Simpson put it, "Money can be exchanged for goods and services"- you can literally BUY Avios, United, Alaska and American miles, Southwest points, Hilton and Hyatt points with the proceeds of 5% cashback card unbonused spend and come out ahead of using their cobrand cards to accrue miles. You could occasionally pay for checked bags and come out ahead on a 2% cashback card. There are very few benefits (maybe rental insurance, trip insurance? Elite status if you have brand loyalty, though I think that is often seriously overrated?) that are worth passing up 5%.

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@notmyrealname23 haha! No, I don't have any non-category 5% cards. I don't think I ever said that, but I have shared where I get my rewards from in other threads, and why I look for certain type of cards. To keep it simple, a good portion of my biz spend goes to Amazon, which is a very large amount every month. That's why I used $100k as an arbitrary number. It's much more than that. I use 3 Amazon cards: Chase, Amex and SYNCB if I run out of CL on the first two -- all 5% unlimited. I also spend a lot on my USB AR, which is basically 4.5% unlimited. 

I was reluctant to buy from Walmart for a long time, but I finally decided to get the card and that's 5% too. 

Almost forgot Chase Ink up to $25k, which is the only limited 5% card.

Then, I play around with travel cards. For instance, when I need airline miles and the redemption makes sense, I temporarily move spend to MR, UR or TY until I get enough points. If it doesn't make sense, I just pay for the tickets.

I don't transfer points to hotels except for Hyatt. When I stay at Hilton or Marriott, I just pay for the stays. I have no real loyalty or maybe I should say that I'm loyal to a bunch of brands? By no means am I well-off or anywhere close. Right now I'm just in a good place where I can do this and travel for free. 

ETA: Regarding Plastiq, I'm at 5.25% return only because I'm Plat Honors with BofA. So, a regular 3% card becomes 5.25% because there's a 75% bonus when you hit the highest tier. That's all. No tricks there either.