Depending on size of the SUB, it can help offset some of the cost, but you'd have to put quite a bit of spend to really make them worth it. If you're just a casual traveler and can't capitalize on the point multipliers, it may not be worth it. A basic example from my own trip plans:
New Orleans marriott: 3 night weekend stay 140k Bonvoy points. Amex Bonvoy sub is 75k with $5k spend. Mix of cash would be $570 + 69k points. Paying cash would be $687. If youre unable to spend enough on the card to earn the remaining balance of 65k points, you could add a transfer partner. The sub on Amex gold or platinum would get you the rest of the way, but you'd have to spend an additional $3-5k to earn it. Plus, you'll also have to pay the annual fees up front for both cards which would be $800 or $1100 depending on which you choose. In my case, I have 100k MRs banked, so apping for Bonvoy will save me $137 if I choose to use them here instead of on flights.
Flights would be a similar dance. You can use card features like TSA pre✓ to offset the annual fee, but there's still the up front costs. Now, some of the gurus here can show you how to squeeze the maximum value out of points and transfer partners. The question will really boil down to can you afford the up front spend and whether there's enough of a long term value to even bother.
@Wrigley2172 wrote:
@Brian_Earl_Spilner wrote:Depending on size of the SUB, it can help offset some of the cost, but you'd have to put quite a bit of spend to really make them worth it. If you're just a casual traveler and can't capitalize on the point multipliers, it may not be worth it. A basic example from my own trip plans:
New Orleans marriott: 3 night weekend stay 140k Bonvoy points. Amex Bonvoy sub is 75k with $5k spend. Mix of cash would be $570 + 69k points. Paying cash would be $687. If youre unable to spend enough on the card to earn the remaining balance of 65k points, you could add a transfer partner. The sub on Amex gold or platinum would get you the rest of the way, but you'd have to spend an additional $3-5k to earn it. Plus, you'll also have to pay the annual fees up front for both cards which would be $800 or $1100 depending on which you choose. In my case, I have 100k MRs banked, so apping for Bonvoy will save me $137 if I choose to use them here instead of on flights.
Flights would be a similar dance. You can use card features like TSA pre✓ to offset the annual fee, but there's still the up front costs. Now, some of the gurus here can show you how to squeeze the maximum value out of points and transfer partners. The question will really boil down to can you afford the up front spend and whether there's enough of a long term value to even bother.
I appreciate the example, I think for us the points will likely be used on the flight as booking through the onsite hotels give a decent package with park passes and so forth as @CommanderCody said. Im wondering if something like the CSP would work if i did choose a card or would it would it not be worth it for just the one trip with no real steady travel planned moving forward
The only thing you can do is crunch the numbers and see if the savings outweigh the AF. Personally, I don't think they will for a trip like that, but if one of the experts comes in here and shows how you can squeeze every last cent out of the points, it might be. Good luck with it.
I would agree with some of the advice upthread, @Wrigley2172, that an AF travel card like CSP or CSR may not really be a good longer-term fit with your lifestyle, travel habits, and spending. Regardless of meeting the SUB spend (which is an important question in and of itself), it appears that you are an infrequent and casual traveler. There are some great no-AF general-purpose (or no-AF travel cards) that might be more useful to you overall.
For example, if you have black star offers on CSP/CSR, Chase would likely approve you for their other cards. Both the Freedom and Freedom Flex come with a $200 SUB right now for spending only $500 in the first three months. They both also give you a 5% return on travel if you book it through the Chase UR portal and 3% on dining and drugstores, all uncapped. The Freedom Unlimited would give you 1.5% on everything (although you have that with your BCU card.) The Freedom would give you only 1% on everything but you'd earn 5% on the quarterly rotating categories, up to $1500. Either of those Chase cards seem a better overall fit to me.
Another useful travel card, if you could qualify for Navy FCU, membership is the Flagship Rewards. I wouldn't apply for it as a first card since some members have been denied without more relationship, but the card pays 2% on everything and 3% on travel with a $49 AF, half the price of the CSP AF and possibly more useful to you day-to-day with the 2% overall uncategorized and uncapped return.
Or another option would be to just upgrade to one of the many no-AF 2% to 3% cards, all uncapped and uncategorized. They aren't "travel cards" and may not offer SUBs but the longer term rewards in your case might outweigh the value of a travel card SUB. Short list would include the AOD FCU Visa Signature (3%), Citi Double Cash, Synchrony PayPal Mastercard, or PenFed Power Cash Rewards. See this thread for more suggestions:
https://ficoforums.myfico.com/t5/Credit-Cards/2-3-Cashback-CB-Credit-Card-CC-List/td-p/6197473
