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

Discussion in 'The Mainboard' started by blind dog, Apr 10, 2015.

  1. ohhaithur

    ohhaithur e-Batman
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    Did you self refer at least?
     
  2. ohhaithur

    ohhaithur e-Batman
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    "In an interview with Financial Times Citiground Chief Executive Office Mike Corbat has stated that Citigroup plans to replace tens of thousands of people working in call centers with machines and that these machines will “radically change or improve” customers experience and also cut costs. It looks like to begin with they will be trying to replace humans with robots/AI when it comes to common customer queries such as replacing cards and ordering bank statements."

    :roll:

    Can't wait
     
  3. stangd

    stangd I love scotch. Scotchy, scotch, scotch
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  4. Zebbie

    Zebbie Hey Mike, guess what I have in my underwear?
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    That should go smoothly
     
  5. Lyrtch

    Lyrtch My second favorite meat is hamburger
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    the phone trees are only going to get more convoluted aren't they
     
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  6. laxjoe

    laxjoe Well-Known Member
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    San Diego State AztecsSan Diego Padres

    just upgraded to blue cash preferred with the new offer for $200 back after spending $2000 in the first 3 months. from what i can tell having had the blue cash everyday and now the preferred, there's no difference in using rewards for cash back vs any other redemption option (i only see Cash, Gift Cards, Shopping). Everything appears to be $1 for $1 reward. am i missing something? am i losing $ if I just take the statement credit on the blue cash preferred?
     
  7. Uncle Tupelo

    Uncle Tupelo Well-Known Member
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    I've seen special deals on amex gift cards now and again (like $10 off $200), but yeah essentially its the same thing. Just cash out for statement credit.
     
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  8. pratyk

    pratyk Arsenal FC, Rutgers Scarlet Knights
    Rutgers Scarlet KnightsArsenal

    Anyone on here signup for a Delta Amex card recently? Today's the last day for the targeted offers (no life time language on the offer I got) - 75K miles on spending 3k & 200$ statement credit for spending 1000$ with Delta.

    I am thinking about going for it but the only hesitation is that the sign up fee isn't waived for the first year on the gold card.
     
  9. rezy

    rezy Member
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    Still worth it, just get 4 $50 delta gift cards and you profit
     
  10. pratyk

    pratyk Arsenal FC, Rutgers Scarlet Knights
    Rutgers Scarlet KnightsArsenal

    the 200$ SC is upon spending 1,000$ at Delta in first 6 months :( At this point, it doesn't look like i will be flying Delta that many times.
     
  11. BrickTamland

    BrickTamland You're not Ron...
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    Florida State Seminoles

    I get it now.

    Didn’t realize it’s not the “SPG Luxury” card anymore :( whatever, Lux hipster checking in.
     
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  12. laxjoe

    laxjoe Well-Known Member
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    San Diego State AztecsSan Diego Padres

    for the hilton aspire card - what qualifies for the $250 airline credit? going to select southwest since that's what we fly, but the girlfriend also just got the companion pass, so i won't necessarily be paying for much in the next 10 months. do gift cards count?
     
  13. Det. Frank Bullitt

    Det. Frank Bullitt God Bless Texas
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    Texas LonghornsManchester United

    as of early Jan 2019, it was.
     
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  14. ohhaithur

    ohhaithur e-Batman
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  15. rezy

    rezy Member
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    You can use 2 of them on a one way ticket, so you just buy 2 1 ways which delta usually prices the same as a round trip ticket
     
  16. Todd Bonzales

    Todd Bonzales Sex with old ladies for money aaaand bear traps.
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    Order a $250 gift card directly from Southwest. You should be good.
     
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  17. Baseballman86

    Baseballman86 Well-Known Member
    Alabama Crimson TideAtlanta BravesAtlanta Falcons

    An upgrade offer still counts as a “welcome bonus”, right? Trying to determine when I’ll be eligible for Marriott Business intro offer
     
  18. Det. Frank Bullitt

    Det. Frank Bullitt God Bless Texas
    Donor TMB OG
    Texas LonghornsManchester United

    Conrad Bora Bora itinerary/booking complete

    Ended up finding standard room availability over 5 nights and have a 3 pronged upgrade approach to this room type.

    [​IMG]

    6 nights for 709,000 Hilton Points. Got 5th night free, and the free weeknight reward cert was returned back to me. Worst case scenario is 5 nights in standard room, but since 6th night is in the above room type, I think I'll get upgraded.

    Now onto planning the Moorea Leg. Deciding between the Hilton or the Intercontinental

    Edit: 95% of points transferred from Amex Plat. The lowest cash rate I qualified for, including current 25% markdown - was $5002 for these 6 nights.
     
    #9618 Det. Frank Bullitt, Feb 20, 2019
    Last edited: Feb 20, 2019
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  19. LSU90

    LSU90 Well-Known Member


    How does one acquire 709k Hilton points...
     
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  20. Baseballman86

    Baseballman86 Well-Known Member
    Alabama Crimson TideAtlanta BravesAtlanta Falcons

    Amex points right? ,that’s even more impressive though I think as Hilton can earn 50x+ per dollar on hotels in some scenarios
     
  21. Todd Bonzales

    Todd Bonzales Sex with old ladies for money aaaand bear traps.
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    Easy, you earn 100,000 for every stay Lololololol #HiltonYen

    But honestly, he may have had a lot of paid work stays and that shit adds up QUICKLY with the aspire.
     
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  22. pianoman

    pianoman my drinks are free
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    Work travel. My company has me traveling at least twice a month and we only stay in Hilton branded hotels so I get nearly 50,000 Hilton points a month.
     
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  23. LSU90

    LSU90 Well-Known Member

    Makes sense.
     
  24. NoNatty

    NoNatty Keyboard Cowboy
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    Oregon DucksPortland Trail BlazersSan Francisco 49'ersManchester UnitedPortland Timbers

    Starting to look into using my Alaska miles (wife and I have around 200k combined). Not married to any destination, just want to maximize value. What are are the best partners to transfer to?
     
  25. Det. Frank Bullitt

    Det. Frank Bullitt God Bless Texas
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    Texas LonghornsManchester United

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  26. colonel_forbin

    colonel_forbin Well-Known Member
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    What's the verdict for the new Marriott Bonvoy cards, both Business and Brilliant?

    The business card looks legit if I can get approved. I rent a room in my house and make about $6k off that a year, and I have an 800+ credit score. I got the Chase Business Ink in 2018, so I'm wondering if my odds for the Bonvoy Business are good?
     
  27. ohhaithur

    ohhaithur e-Batman
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    They are the same cards except worse than they were a month ago. The Business is the same card but $26 more expensive per year.

    You should get any of the cards with that portfolio but you probably can do better than them. What are you looking for?
     
  28. colonel_forbin

    colonel_forbin Well-Known Member
    Donor

    Highest bonus return, but leaning more towards a hotel card due to only flying 1-2 times a year. I got Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, and Chase Business Ink cards in 2018. Also have a Reserve, Freedom, and United card, but I need to cancel the United.
     
  29. ohhaithur

    ohhaithur e-Batman
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    Let me dig up my trusty hotel decision tree brb
     
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  30. ohhaithur

    ohhaithur e-Batman
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    colonel_forbin

    Do you prefer high-end redemptions or do you just need a bed? If you prefer high-end redemptions, give Hyatt personal 2 points and Bonvoy Brilliant 1. If you prefer beds, give Hilton and Bonvoy Brilliant both 1

    Do you travel to obscure places? If yes give, Bonvoy Brilliant and Hilton Aspire 2 points each

    Do you care about status? If yes, give Hilton Aspire 2 points and Bonvoy Brilliant 1 point

    Do you have paid stays at hotels a lot: If yes, give Hilton Aspire and Bonvoy Brilliant 2 point each

    Do big annual fees (even though they're mostly offset) scare you? If yes, give Hyatt personal 1 point

    Are you under 5/24 and plan on attacking more cards in the future? If yes, give Hyatt personal 5 points

    What is your score?

    My referrals should you want them:
    Marriott: www.tinyurl.com/ohhsspg
    Aspire: www.tinyurl.com/ohhsaspire
    Hyatt: https://www.referyourchasecard.com/m/205/6L5/FVXR/1543766811
     
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  31. colonel_forbin

    colonel_forbin Well-Known Member
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    I definitely fucked up by not going with Hyatt back when it was 40k for $3k minimum spend.
     
  32. Lyrtch

    Lyrtch My second favorite meat is hamburger
    Staff Donor

    Hyatt continues to be the undisputed champ imo if you can deal with not ALWAYS staying at one due to their smaller supply of hotels than Hilton/Marriott.

    But I also don't have paid stays that often at this point, and if I do it's because i'm somewhere like Hoi An where local hotels are dirt cheap and better located or I don't want to stay in the hotel centers of cities so end up at AirBnB's.
     
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  33. ohhaithur

    ohhaithur e-Batman
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    What were you directed towards based on my chart?

    PS Lots of people have used my chart, has anyone regretted it or thought of adjustments?
     
  34. Lyrtch

    Lyrtch My second favorite meat is hamburger
    Staff Donor

    still have this spg lux but not sure i'll keep it after annual fee hits
     
  35. ohhaithur

    ohhaithur e-Batman
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    It's tight for me. I have $300 in paid stays through work easily so it's $150 for a 50,000 night and then a higher earning rate. It's worth it to me but only just
     
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  36. Uncle Tupelo

    Uncle Tupelo Well-Known Member
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    Selection has gotten better with hyatt too since they added the small luxury hotel collection. Staying at one in Rome with > 3 cpp value.
     
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  37. colonel_forbin

    colonel_forbin Well-Known Member
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    Hyatt because of the 5/24 rule. Everything was tied at 1 before that.

    Next question: Should I cancel my United Explorer card before applying?
     
  38. ohhaithur

    ohhaithur e-Batman
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    You're under 5/24 right? Are your lines of credit super high compared to your income?

    If your lines of credit are under 50% of your income I'd say keep the card until after you apply. If you're on a lot of credit, I'd say the opposite. Obviously there are other factors but I can't tell without your whole credit history. Just giving you a rule of thumb
     
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  39. colonel_forbin

    colonel_forbin Well-Known Member
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    Current line of credit is about 77% of annual income. Canceling would reduce it to about 66%.
     
  40. ohhaithur

    ohhaithur e-Batman
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    You should cancel it and chop down some other card you don't use much. Your utilization won't be hurt too much
     
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  41. tjosu

    tjosu This is kind of like the breakfast club, huh?
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    Here's a different twist on a question for you. One of my friends is obsessed with the idea of credit cards and points, but is also extremely frugal. Anytime they go anywhere, he insists on booking hotels through the Priceline Express Deals since those can be pretty cheap. He can't be convinced that a hotel credit card makes sense, and says it'll never be worth it since he never books hotels directly. He also dismisses how I've said the most value is in the sign up bonuses, but that it's also of great value to book directly and get the 9 points per dollar at Hyatt, for example. Is there a differently angle that I can explain this to appeal to someone like this?

    I say he likes the idea of points because him and his gf got the CSR and other Chase cards, yet have never redeemed any points because they also aren't really into international travel or redeeming for hotels/flights on the trips they have taken in the US. They're sitting on something like 400k UR points and it hurts my heart
     
  42. ohhaithur

    ohhaithur e-Batman
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    I have found those who are happily misinformed enjoy staying that way. About everything in the world. If I were you I would wait until you find a can't-miss gold opportunity to prove that UR->Hyatt would save him money. He finds a nice Priceline Express deal, show him that for free he can get a Park Hyatt. Wait for a cpp larger than 2 to drive it home. It might be months, it might be years, but a big one like that should change his view. Or nothing will

    The other thing I always do to break down the math on sign up bonuses. A family that spends $5,000 a year on travel/restaurants and $20,000 a year on everything else will finish the year with 50,000 UR per year if they maximize every transaction between the CFU and CSR. Tight. With that they can't get a single direct flight from XX to XX (pick your location to a desirable location that costs over $750 to get to...like say Argentina). In one bonus last year I spent $3,000 to get 75,000 AA miles, which flew me to Argentina RT with one-way being business....then I could've put the other $22,000 on my Chase cards and still had 47,000 UR. But please, guy, tell me more about how bonuses don't matter.
     
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  43. Smuggy

    Smuggy Well-Known Member
    Alabama Crimson Tide

    Stay in one of the Hilton Moorea overwater bungalows. Rooms 97-109 on the western-most side can’t be beat (call beforehand and request one). Everyone I talked to that has done Moorea and Bora Bora prefer Moorea hands-down.
     
  44. Todd Bonzales

    Todd Bonzales Sex with old ladies for money aaaand bear traps.
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    Ehhhhhhh, they’re different experiences. More to do and see on Mo’orea, but as far as beauty and relaxation, Bora Bora wins hands down. We loved both, but the latter was incredible for us.
     
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  45. Smuggy

    Smuggy Well-Known Member
    Alabama Crimson Tide

    upload_2019-2-23_23-0-50.jpeg
    We floated a few hours a day with this view, not sure how Bora Bora could top it in either beauty or relaxation. We’re gonna return in a couple of years and I’m looking forward to comparing the two.
     
  46. Todd Bonzales

    Todd Bonzales Sex with old ladies for money aaaand bear traps.
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    Different strokes :respek:
     
  47. Jimmy the Saint

    Jimmy the Saint The future is a benevolent black hole
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    My gf works in hotels, a lot of times if you find a third party deal they'll match it if you call them since it's more money and less headaches for them that way and you get a direct booking. Although that might be more of the boutiques and less of the major chains because we recently booked at the Hyatt Regency in New Orleans. We were going to Airbnb but found a Priceline deal through Kayak for $100/night. She called them and they wouldn't directly match the deal. So fuck 'em.
     
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  48. ohhaithur

    ohhaithur e-Batman
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    etihad leaving AA and joining United

    Big hit to those of us hoarding AA points, nice for those on a lot of UR. Don't think I was ever going to fly them but people are still upset

    *edit* wrong airline
     
    #9648 ohhaithur, Feb 24, 2019
    Last edited: Feb 24, 2019
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  49. Beanh8er

    Beanh8er Get the cock out of your ear, Dumbfuck.
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    Florida State SeminolesMiami Dolphins

    Got AA mailers coming in left and right for my fish that I signed up in September
     
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  50. pratyk

    pratyk Arsenal FC, Rutgers Scarlet Knights
    Rutgers Scarlet KnightsArsenal

    It's worse - it's Etihad. While it was a pain in the ass to book, I've had a good redemption in business to London and about 100$ orso in airline fees