I'm looking for ideas/advice on my next card. Focused on chase because I am under 5/24.
I am 4/24 so I can pickup a chase card. I am strongly considering the aeroplan card for the sub and because have currencies that can be moved to that program for redemptions and it gives some status. Anyone have thoughts about this card?
Note: I am on lockout for sapphire cards and have all the freedom cards. The current spend of 15k required of ink cards is making picking up another ink seem not worth it. I don't really use IHG & SW. I will use marriott but I think the amex marriott high end card is probably a better value proposition for me if I go that route and they share a lockout.
I don't think the hyatt card SUB is anything amazing. I actually have a hyatt card that is currently open with an AF due in Jan. I could close it and reapply since its been more than 2 years but the SUB seems very weak.
For United I think the explorer card lockout is coming to an end because I picked one up like two years ago. I'm not sure I am really into the current explore SUB. Also I have the quest card currently open. The AF just hit so I am wondering if people think this is a card worth hanging on to? Should it be downgraded to explorer or just closed all together? I have a fair amount of united miles and will probably be making some award redemptions with them so I'm thinking I may hold on to the quest card. I suppose I could go for the united business card which I haven't had before, but its 75k miles for 5k spend vs 70k miles for 3k spend with aeroplan. Yes I could get 150k united miles if I spend 20k in six months but I don't think I want to divert that much spend solely to united.
I looked at BA but similiar issue to above. its 5k spend for 75k miles and then an additional 25k miles if I spend a total of 20k over the course of 12 months. Easy enough to do but I think my spend could be better placed elsewhere.
Any thoughts about my analysis? Playing it all out it seems like the aeroplan card may be a pretty decent choice, but I'm always open to hearing opinions/options I haven't thought of. I redeem for longhaul premium internationa travel and higher end hotel properties.
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I think picking cards based on SUBs is a poor card setup strategy. Branded cards with proprietary points systems require more effort to use than I am willing to put into them - even with SUBs. And I think jugling multiple branded points systems makes the likelyhood of coming out ahead less likely. But if chasing SUBs get's you excited, and you normally operate in all those points systems anyway, then go for it. Looks like you've probably already analyzed it enough to click apply ...
13Oct22 Exp F8: 812
@Anonymous wrote:For high spend, high travel, thick file individuals it can work out fine.
Agreed
@calisig wrote:I think picking cards based on SUBs is a poor card setup strategy. Branded cards with proprietary points systems require more effort to use than I am willing to put into them - even with SUBs. And I think jugling multiple branded points systems makes the likelyhood of coming out ahead less likely. But if chasing SUBs get's you excited, and you normally operate in all those points systems anyway, then go for it. Looks like you've probably already analyzed it enough to click apply ...
Actually for me the strategy works incredibly well and I pretty much always come out ahead. Some redemptions are much stronger than others but I've been doing it long enough to know how to maximize my awards.
@ptatohed wrote:OP, it sounds like you are looking to get a new card just because you can? Unless I missed it, I didn't see any main criteria that you are looking for with your next card. What cards do you have now and what card benefit are you currently missing but hope to gain?
Looking to get a new card because I want to. Really the only reason I need. The main criteria is what card has the best SUB and whether my assessment of the offerings with Chase are sound among the products I am considering. Focused on chase because I am under 5/24, so I need to pick up a chase card first and then can look at other lenders in the future without being locked out. Also, the SUBs fluctuate so I am trying to get a sense of what bonuses are on the higher end of their usual offerings and whether or not the offers are worthwhile. There can be a high point offer but if those points are known to be worthless then it isn't really worth my time, so I always like to ask in case someone knows about recent devaluations or particular flaws in a program that won't be readily apparent.
@Anonymous wrote:
@calisig wrote:I think picking cards based on SUBs is a poor card setup strategy. Branded cards with proprietary points systems require more effort to use than I am willing to put into them - even with SUBs. And I think jugling multiple branded points systems makes the likelyhood of coming out ahead less likely. But if chasing SUBs get's you excited, and you normally operate in all those points systems anyway, then go for it. Looks like you've probably already analyzed it enough to click apply ...
For high spend, high travel, thick file individuals it can work out fine. It sounds like @red259 has no obvious gaps, is limited in getting some SUBs because of waiting periods, but now at 4/24 OP is basically asking "Is there a good chase card to get?" where good is a mixture of SUB and potential usefulness.
I don't have opinions about the various cards one way or the other, except to point out that BA offer is somewhat low. Recently you could get 100K Avios after $5K spend in three months. This is much less attractive!
Thanks. Good point about the BA card.