Your two main cards..

[Anonymous]

My main cards within the USA are:
AmEx EDP- 4.5x on Groceries, 3x on Gas and 1.5 on everything else is awesome.
Citi Prestige - 4.6% on Airfare/hotels, 3.2% on restaurants (if redeemed on AA)
Discover - 5% on Amazon this half of the year and 10% on Apple Pay (this card will hit top spot today when Discover is working with apple pay)
Venture - 2%

Abroad:
AmEx Platinum - no ftf
Citi Prestige - no ftf and above reasons
Venture no ftf and 2%

[CreditScholar]

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@Open123 wrote:

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@CreditScholar wrote:

Mine still hasn't changed:

1. CSP - All dining, travel and UR Mall purchases

2. UA Club - Everything else after minimum spends have been met on other cards

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Still extremely effiicent.

Mine has changed, no longer default every spend to my SPG.

1.  PRG - All dining & Airfare 

2.  EDP -  All general spending after minimum spends have been met on other cards, e.g. JPM Ritz, bonus spending and now 10% IT Apple pay.

For Business, except for quarterly taxes, it's all SPG & Inks, nothing else.

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I wish I could use the EDP, but acceptance issues and FTF prevent me from really benefitting from this card.

How do you personally value MR vs SPG? You've obviously changed from SPG to EDP for a reason.

Also you mentioned that you put dining on the PRG. Do do you still have the CSP? Most people I've spoken to put UR > MR on a point-per-point basis.

[Open123]

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@CreditScholar wrote:

I wish I could use the EDP, but acceptance issues and FTF prevent me from really benefitting from this card.

How do you personally value MR vs SPG? You've obviously changed from SPG to EDP for a reason.

Also you mentioned that you put dining on the PRG. Do do you still have the CSP? Most people I've spoken to put UR > MR on a point-per-point basis.

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All things being equal, I still value SPG points higher than MRs, but with the EDP's 1.5% general spend, it's not as clear cut.  I struggled when comparing and contrasting 1.5 MR vs 1 SPG, and was unable to reach a definitive conclusion, either way.  Now, since Amex has enabled the no-forex (finally) feature on the SPG allowing for charges abroad, I've decided just to balance my points earning, and use the EDP for domestic general expenditures.  Also, from over the years, though I have nearly equal amounts of both, it's more cost effective to burn MRs for premium cabin flights, in my view.  Somehow, it feels less egregious than allocating SPG points, which I still prefer for "cash + points" redemptions at certain properties, especially now since forex is no longer an issue.

However, all things equal, I still value SPG > UR > MR.

When Chase had implemented the 24 month per bonus rule, I closed my CSP to start the time clock for another bonus.  Some things never change!  LOL  Also, since I have the Chase Ink Cash, it confers 2% on dining, and my Ink Plus confers full UR transferability.  Otherwise, I'd likely have kept the CSP, since there are still far too many places I frequent outside the US where Amex isn't accepted.  The *only* reason I'm using the PRG is...well...I got it for the sign-up bonus!  All the major dining goes onto my Ink Cash, until $25K; then, it's all PRG.  

I'm about 2 weeks from qualifying for and eligible for another CSP bonus!  Of course, I'm going to app, and the CSP will once again replace my PRG for personal dining, which is due for cancellation before the annual fee, and hopefully after utilzing the Airline credit.

Hard to explain, but it's still a thrill reaping these lump sum bonuses.  Sometimes, I have more fun harvesting these points than actually using them, if that makes any sense.

[CreditScholar]

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@Open123 wrote:

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@CreditScholar wrote:

I wish I could use the EDP, but acceptance issues and FTF prevent me from really benefitting from this card.

How do you personally value MR vs SPG? You've obviously changed from SPG to EDP for a reason.

Also you mentioned that you put dining on the PRG. Do do you still have the CSP? Most people I've spoken to put UR > MR on a point-per-point basis.

---

All things being equal, I still value SPG points higher than MRs, but with the EDP's 1.5% general spend, it's not as clear cut.  I struggled when comparing and contrasting 1.5 MR vs 1 SPG, and was unable to reach a definitive conclusion, either way.  Now, since Amex has enabled the no-forex (finally) feature on the SPG allowing for charges abroad, I've decided just to balance my points earning, and use the EDP for domestic general expenditures.  Also, from over the years, though I have nearly equal amounts of both, it's more cost effective to burn MRs for premium cabin flights, in my view.  Somehow, it feels less egregious than allocating SPG points, which I still prefer for "cash + points" redemptions at certain properties, especially now since forex is no longer an issue.

However, all things equal, I still value SPG > UR > MR.

When Chase had implemented the 24 month per bonus rule, I closed my CSP to start the time clock for another bonus.  Some things never change!  LOL  Also, since I have the Chase Ink Cash, it confers 2% on dining, and my Ink Plus confers full UR transferability.  Otherwise, I'd likely have kept the CSP, since there are still far too many places I frequent outside the US where Amex isn't accepted.  The *only* reason I'm using the PRG is...well...I got it for the sign-up bonus!  All the major dining goes onto my Ink Cash, until $25K; then, it's all PRG.  

I'm about 2 weeks from qualifying for and eligible for another CSP bonus!  Of course, I'm going to app, and the CSP will once again replace my PRG for personal dining, which is due for cancellation before the annual fee, and hopefully after utilzing the Airline credit.

Hard to explain, but it's still a thrill reaping these lump sum bonuses.  Sometimes, I have more fun harvesting these points than actually using them, if that makes any sense.

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I think I know what you mean. I never used to be one to grab sign-up bonuses, but after trying it a couple of times I'm wondering why I didn't do it sooner.

I grabbed the Amex Plat for the signup bonus, and then my next set of apps will likely include the Prestige, PRG, and perhaps the Virgin Atlantic from BofA if there's a 90k offer floating around at that time. That should be early next year or so.

The removal of forex charges on the SPG seems to have solved half of the equation for me, however the issue of non-acceptance at many locations abroad remains. It seems like more than half of the places I go to simply do not take Amex at all.

It also feels as if the value of the UR has decreased as of late, even if just slightly. The removal of the Friday 3x dining bonus, the elimination of the 7% dividend come 2016, the likely upcoming loss of Amtrak as a transfer partner, etc. all make me wonder if Chase has lost its hunger, and perhaps has become a bit complacent after taking so much marketshare away from their competitors. Citi on the other hand, has been quite aggressive with their offers and as a result, has seen more of my business this year.

[zerbherb]

Discover 750 cl

daily driver gets main usage

united mileage plus exploror (from parentals)

stuff for them and things i don't need to pay for with my money.

[Open123]

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@CreditScholar wrote:

It also feels as if the value of the UR has decreased as of late, even if just slightly. The removal of the Friday 3x dining bonus, the elimination of the 7% dividend come 2016, the likely upcoming loss of Amtrak as a transfer partner, etc. all make me wonder if Chase has lost its hunger, and perhaps has become a bit complacent after taking so much marketshare away from their competitors. Citi on the other hand, has been quite aggressive with their offers and as a result, has seen more of my business this year.

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At its inception, the UR program offered such compelling value, especially to its peer group (then, TY was only a fledgling program), that a gradual tapering of its value was bound to occur.  In addition, the vast amount of UR points used for client acquisition combined with MS perk abuse created such an influx of currency, eventual inflation was the inevitable conclusion.  Initially, the value proposition for UA and Hyatt transfers, especially considering the bonuses and many ways to earn extra points on spending, offered some of the most compelling value I had ever seen.  For those of us who fly the SE Asian route, the addition of SQ was a welcomed addition.  Though SQ transfers aren't the best value per se, when combined with the potential consolidation from TY & MR, potentially offers a tremendous opportunity for some excellent premium cabin redemptions.  

Re Citi:  Agreed.  Citi's TY has improved leaps and bounds from several years ago.  I recall a time when their program was a "joke," not unlike a certain faux-Amex Black card.  Recently, I app'ed for the Citi Premier for the 60K bonus.  From my perspective, the ability to transfer TYs to SQ and even Hilton to round up redemptions makes TY a viable third rewards program.  My next card will be the Prestige, and hopefully for another bonus promo, should Citi deem it fitting.  Some of the benefits associated with the Prestige appear "best in class" and well worth the its annual fee.

Since we're unable predict the future and are subject to the whims of each Issuer's and Partner's devaluation, prudence dictates we hedge with earning rewards from several programs, as opposed to the past, when a single one would suffice.