Credit Card Thread - Now with a Beginner's Guide to free travel/FAQ

I will hit the spending for the lounge limitations so was thinking is a something like a regular AMEX Platinum a better option with extended benefits outside of Delta specific stuff.

 

Anyone with an S Corp/small business - do you have a traditional p card or small biz card? We are looking to switch, and our bank is heavily suggesting a P card, but I'm not sure its necessary given our size/spend. Seems like you lose out on a lot of the rewards for the security of 100% corporate liability. But I guess that's the point...

 

You definitely get more perks on the Amex Platinum than on the Delta Reserve. But the Amex Platinum is a very inefficient card to use for daily spend

 

New centurion lounge in Atl is fantastic compared to others here. For at least today, I'm happy I didn't cancel the Amex platinum (yet)

 

ohhaithur Is the churning breakdown in the OP still good? Have there been any big changes in the last 6 years? Mrs. Scorpio is finally warming up to the idea that I've been trying to push for what seems like forever.

 

What do you mean by P? Personal card? platinum? I have 3 corp cards I keep just for business expenses, one amex plat, and 2 chase ink, and then for personal a csr, amex gold and IHG. I keep my business expenses fully separate from personal just because its easier for bookkeeping reasons. Most of the personal cards you can get have similar business ones so you can mix and match to get what benefits/returns you are looking for.

 

Purchasing cards. It's like a true, "corporate card", that is in the name of the company. You can set restrictions, limits, etc. We have 12 employees so have a couple cards that aren't just for me. So, I think it's a liability thing in that the band underwrites fraud. Whereas a corp card in your name, aren't you still personally liable?

 

Oh, yeah I don't do this. Only person who would ever need my card is the office manager and she just has a photo copy of it, but if I was in your position and had multiple employees with regular spend that needed a physical card, I would probably go the purchase card way.

 

E. Near E11

 

cliffs?

 

Too many people have the perks, so the perks themselves become worse.

 

Ok, so I lived in a Marriott for about 2 years circa 2012-2014. That was good enough to get me lifetime gold status, but I'd like to get better. If I switched my AMEX to the Marriott Bonvoy, would that help the cause? I know points/year used to matter, but judging by what I'm seeing on their website, it seems like only nights/year matter. Anyone up to date on the Marriott status game?

 

Andddd I was too cocky. Didn’t get the credit on March 1st. Did leap year screw me over? I may have to look for a second to supplement that loss in income.

 

They seem to vary a great deal. Some are small, some are massive and above the terminal. The ones in A and I think C and then the one in E are all big and spacious.

 

Just got a new Amex Platinum referral offer for 150,000 points for whoever needs it!

Apply for an American Express Card with this link. With your new Card, you could earn a welcome bonus and your friend could earn a referral bonus. Terms Apply. https://americanexpress.com/en-us/referral/JOHNMv0Y7?XLINK=MYCP

 

Correct, only nights per year matter.
The cobranded cards can kickstart your annual earning, with as much as 40 nights if you hold the right personal and business cards simultaneously. An important thing to note is that you cannot get elite nights from multiple consumer cards.

 

Oh man the new Centurion lounge in ATL is elite. Sitting out on the terrace having a coffee right now. Quite nice

 

As of May, AMEX is dropping SiriusXM from the digital entertainment credit

 

Well that sucks. That credit has been getting me Sirius for free for the past year.

 

Teach me about the delta platinum.

I see that it has $350 annual fee. $120 resy credit (no help for me since I’m rural) $120 rideshare (don’t have that here either. Might use it 3-5 times per year when traveling out of town). But you get a free companion pass after the first year? Can you use that on first class?

what else is there?

my airport is Tulsa so southwest and American are heavy here but delta is possible depending on where I go

And I assume I should do the business card instead of personal since I can deduct those fees as legit expenses?

Lyrtch i think you have this card, yes?

 

but essentially I just need to fly once with the person whom I’m related to by marriage to at worst break even, no?

planning on heading to Tampa later this year which we can fly delta. Maybe puerto Vallarta around new years

 

Fair point. Because of the need of childcare, we typically schedule things with a decent amount of advanced planning - nothing over 7 months out usually though.

I now see a $200 delta stays credit also which I presume to be their generic hotel booking feature like Chase has. I reckon the prices might be a touch higher than if I booked direct but that could essentially be free money if flight companion is used to get there.

I’m intrigued.

 

I wish American Airlines had a card worth a shit other than a sign up bonus. Fucking citi.

 

.

 

Got hit with the 550 fee for the Hilton aspire card. First time since I got it I’m seriously thinking of downgrading. We still use IT and still stay in Hiltons but man, that’s a tough one this year after the changes they made to the rewards

 

It's definitely worth the train ride from whatever terminal your flight is departing from. I got there a little early on Monday just to spend some extra time there. Top notch

 

Data point of one but I've always had this card for the reasons you listed above. I take at least one flight with kids or spouse a year so it "paid for itself". However, this year when I went to use it, the only eligible flights from LAX or SNA to ATL were overnight red eyes. We eventually found one through ONT that worked, but the fare class on the companion certs is definitely becoming a "gotcha"

 

Any one know if AMEX will refund/transfer a card fee if switching between AMEX cards? I am going to look to move from Delta Reserve over to AMEX Platinum. Card fee was charged in January 2024 so wondering if they would trasnfer that fee over to the new card or am i out of luck?

 

how far out were you trying to book those flights?

 

About a month when I first looked. Not far enough

 

I'm in the same place. I have about 450k points to burn on a trip, then I think I'm getting rid of it. Don't care for the clear credit or the airline credit changes.

 

steamengine

what’s your beef with aa? I don’t fly a ton but when I do it has mostly been with them. Knock on wood, I’ve never had a poor experience that was within their control.

flying to Wyoming this summer so I can’t wait to see what bullshit happens now haha

 

Any can't miss sign up bonuses right now outside of premium cards? Seems like the current highest are Amex Delta Gold at 70k, Capital One Venture at 75k, and Citi AA at 75k. I'm maxed out in the Chase Universe and have an Amex Platinum. I usually connect through Atlanta if Delta (1 hour flight) or Charlotte if AA (1.5 hour flight).

We're about to buy a shitload of furniture so I could also get my wife a card to double up.

 

Delta Amex Reserve is 100k miles.

I **think** you get a companion pass year one, but I'm not totally sure. I Think you did on Platinum, but remember some weird stuff with Reserve. Not sure if that is still the case

 

Anyone using the new resy credits at all?

I'm seeing some ppl just buying gift cards to restaurants (at the restaurant or online) and then just stacking them.

 

Yeah but I don’t need that annual fee and this would be more of a two year card than a forever card.

 

Delta Amex gold is 70k no AF for first year

 

I’ve done zero research outside of reading this tweet.

 

Wife claimed the 200k mailer offer for Amex Biz Platinum. $30k spend is wild but will be very easy with the project she is working on. Likely will get a CIP after that round of spend to get another bonus. Plan is to fund a 10 day Italy trip next year.

 

I’ve just generally had a way disproportionate number of bad experiences with them.

 

Same tweet popped up for me this morning so dropped into the thread to see what people were saying about it

 

I did not get the companion pass for the Biz reserve which was an unwelcome surprise