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
    Donor

    Guess? You did it in a regular browser window instead of incognito or another browser
     
    Baseballman86 likes this.
  2. Baseballman86

    Baseballman86 Well-Known Member
    Alabama Crimson TideAtlanta BravesAtlanta Falcons

    I did it in incognito for sure, but I had generated the referral link from the same computer in a standard chrome window like 15 mins before. Wonder if that triggered something.
     
  3. Baseballman86

    Baseballman86 Well-Known Member
    Alabama Crimson TideAtlanta BravesAtlanta Falcons

    I’m assuming that means she is likely flagged or something on that card and not to just try again later?
     
  4. ohhaithur

    ohhaithur e-Batman
    Donor

    Yeah, separate the referral, any device you've logged into amex on, and the application as much as possible
     
  5. JacobPalmer

    Donor
    Nebraska CornhuskersGreen Bay PackersPoker

    ELI5: How do I go about changing my American Airlines/Citi and United Airlines/Chase cards to something within Citi/Chase with no annual fee?

    Question 2: Will this show up as new accounts with new hard pulls when dealing with my credit score?

    Question 3: Will the credit limits be significantly less on the new no annual fee cards?
     
  6. Zebbie

    Zebbie Hey Mike, guess what I have in my underwear?
    Donor
    Texas Tech Red RaidersTexas RangersChicago CubsDallas StarsTexas Tech Red Raiders alt

    Not sure about Citi, but pretty sure you’ll have to outright cancel the Chase United card unless there’s a no fee United card offered by Chase
     
    JacobPalmer likes this.
  7. ohhaithur

    ohhaithur e-Batman
    Donor

    You call or chat or private messaging and just ask after your annual fee posts but within 30 days

    No hard pull. No new account. Same credit

    It's easy peasy
     
    JacobPalmer likes this.
  8. tjosu

    tjosu This is kind of like the breakfast club, huh?
    Donor
    Oklahoma State CowboysHouston AstrosHouston TexansTiger Woods

    There used to be a no fee United card that Chase just didn’t advertise, no clue if that’s still around or not. The two club passes you get each year exceed the value of the annual fee though imo if you can use them
     
    JacobPalmer and tjsblue like this.
  9. MA

    MA Surprisingly normal looking
    Donor TMB OG
    Alabama Crimson TideSan Antonio SpursWashington CapitalsManchester UnitedAtlanta United

    Am here for the second time in as many weeks. Have gotten $112 of use out of it this year and probably have two more trips through it left this year.
     
  10. Rusty Shackleford

    Rusty Shackleford Dale 1 - Rats 0
    Donor
    Auburn TigersSan Antonio Spurs

    Alright I want to run something by the group before I try and execute it.

    My annual fee for the CSR/CSP double dip hit on 8/1. I want to downgrade the CSP because I don't really get a ton of value for the extra annual fee. I will likely keep the CSP. So lets run through my plan to make sure I am on the right track.

    1. I am going to call chase and downgrade the CSR to one of the no annual fee freedom cards.
    2. Before I do that I want to try and cash in on the $300 annual travel credit. My plan was to buy one of the refundable southwest flights have it post and then get a refund to the card.
    3. Do I need to transfer any of the remaining points to another card?
     
  11. GoodForAnother

    GoodForAnother I’d rather be down the allotment
    Staff Donor TMB OG
    Kansas State WildcatsKansas City RoyalsKansas City ChiefsSporting Kansas CityTottenham HotspurBig 8 ConferenceBig 12 ConferenceCoors LightFormula 1

    I don’t know this for sure but I’m going to assume chase is smarter than this
     
    PAHokie likes this.
  12. Rusty Shackleford

    Rusty Shackleford Dale 1 - Rats 0
    Donor
    Auburn TigersSan Antonio Spurs

    Post was from late last year on Reddit but that was their recommendation. IDK. If it is one of the refundable fares I am willing to give it a shot.
     
  13. GoodForAnother

    GoodForAnother I’d rather be down the allotment
    Staff Donor TMB OG
    Kansas State WildcatsKansas City RoyalsKansas City ChiefsSporting Kansas CityTottenham HotspurBig 8 ConferenceBig 12 ConferenceCoors LightFormula 1

    I have no idea. If they say it works it very well might I’m not an expert
     
  14. Rusty Shackleford

    Rusty Shackleford Dale 1 - Rats 0
    Donor
    Auburn TigersSan Antonio Spurs

    Honestly I was just looking at where the best place to get gift cards and saw that idea. I guess the worst that happens is the travel credit gets refunded too and then I get gift cards. Even if I am not able to use the travel credit again I’m not worried about it. I have gotten really good value out of that card.
     
  15. ohhaithur

    ohhaithur e-Batman
    Donor

    If you get it refunded to the card you will lose the credit. You need to refund it as travel credit. Essentially you're stealing a $300 gift card
     
  16. Rusty Shackleford

    Rusty Shackleford Dale 1 - Rats 0
    Donor
    Auburn TigersSan Antonio Spurs

    So my understanding was that you made the purchase, it pushes through as a travel related purchase then the statement credit is added separately. I could then go through the process of getting the ticket refunded and the statement credit would stay on there.

    From your explanation it sounds like the best bet is to just use the statement credit on something else like the gift cards and then downgrade the card.
     
  17. tjosu

    tjosu This is kind of like the breakfast club, huh?
    Donor
    Oklahoma State CowboysHouston AstrosHouston TexansTiger Woods

    If you'll use the Southwest credit, you could book flights to get the $300 reimbursed from Chase then just cancel the flights. Southwest will issue travel credit instead of a refund to the card and Chase will not see that you didn't take those flights
     
  18. ohhaithur

    ohhaithur e-Batman
    Donor

    Tj is right

    Also I can't believe you don't get enough out of csr to justify keeping it over csp
     
  19. Rusty Shackleford

    Rusty Shackleford Dale 1 - Rats 0
    Donor
    Auburn TigersSan Antonio Spurs

    Maybe I am reading it wrong. With the travel credit you are looking at 95 vs 150 on the fee. My TSA precheck is up to date and lounge access goes through my wife’s Amex. You get a slight bump in points redemption and points earned but I don’t know if it justifies the 65 dollars. Travel protection. Etc is covered on the CSP. Am I missing something on the CSR.
     
  20. ohhaithur

    ohhaithur e-Batman
    Donor

    Restaurants are 4.5% instead of 2.5%. Lounge restaurants. Trip delay. Purchase protection

    Purchase protection alone justified 5 years of fee. Restaurants pay the fee five times over
     
  21. Dex

    Dex Well-Known Member
    Clemson TigersCarolina Panthers

    Didn’t see this in the first post but know it’s been covered before (searched with no result)

    Currently have CSP, spend about $8-10k a month on it and carry no balance. Wife books work travel through a 3rd party site but pays on our card. We currently have about 100,000 ultimate reward points.

    At this point, looking chase reserve or Amex platinum. Don’t think I’m eligible for chase bonus because of existing card, so leaning Amex.

    Any thing to consider that “thepointsguy.com” doesn’t cover?
     
  22. ohhaithur

    ohhaithur e-Batman
    Donor

    The OP
     
    NoNatty likes this.
  23. Lyrtch

    Lyrtch My second favorite meat is hamburger
    Staff Donor

    if you can use the uber credits and airline credits the amex makes a lot of sense, plus the lounges. not worth keeping spend on after bonus though imo. saks credit too but I don't get any use out of that really.

    check cardmatch to see if you get the 100k points offer

    if not let me refer you :diddydatass:
     
  24. ohhaithur

    ohhaithur e-Batman
    Donor

    and basically any other source. Tpg is the worst

    And you're correct about the reserve
     
    The_Baumer likes this.
  25. Dex

    Dex Well-Known Member
    Clemson TigersCarolina Panthers

    Read it. Prefer Chas Edie the 5/24 rule.

    I’ve had 3 different cards in 15 years. Went from capitol one to chase preferred.

    If I go chase reserve, it’ll be an upgrade so
    Points stay.

    If I go Amex, I’ll downgrade preferred and spend/transfer points. Eventually only have 1 card
     
  26. NoNatty

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

    are you opposed to business cards? Ink preferred has a 80k UR bonus.
     
  27. WC

    WC Bad Company, ‘til the day I die.
    Donor TMB OG
    North Carolina State WolfpackAtlanta BravesCarolina PanthersCarolina HurricanesUnited States Men's National Soccer Team

  28. ohhaithur

    ohhaithur e-Batman
    Donor

    I'd rather have the reserve than the platinum if I only had one card but I would rather have the platinum's bonus then no bonus

    if you want to stick to one card what I would do is open the platinum and get the bonus and spend the bonus and then downgrade that card and then get the reserve. When did you get the preferred?
     
    Lyrtch likes this.
  29. Dex

    Dex Well-Known Member
    Clemson TigersCarolina Panthers

    I’m not exactly sure-2 years? I called maybe six months ago and wasn’t eligible. Maybe I am now.
     
  30. Lyrtch

    Lyrtch My second favorite meat is hamburger
    Staff Donor

    team this

    having an amex as primary card is just kind of a nuisance, plus CSR is a better overall card
     
  31. ohhaithur

    ohhaithur e-Batman
    Donor

    You need it to be four years
     
  32. Dex

    Dex Well-Known Member
    Clemson TigersCarolina Panthers

    Just called. Dec will be four years. Will wait to do reserve then
     
    ohhaithur and CoastalOrange like this.
  33. ohhaithur

    ohhaithur e-Batman
    Donor

    To be cautious I would consider downgrading your CSP to a Freedom or Freedom Unlimited a month before applying
     
  34. TAS

    TAS 20_ _ TMB Poster of the Year
    Donor

    Chase IHG card just bumped up to 125k sign up offer
     
  35. ohhaithur

    ohhaithur e-Batman
    Donor

    I see what you're saying but all I see is "IHG announces fourth devaluation in five years in 2020"
     
    TAS likes this.
  36. TAS

    TAS 20_ _ TMB Poster of the Year
    Donor

    I'll cross that bridge when I get there
     
  37. The_Baumer

    The_Baumer Go Mordecai!
    Donor

    Dammit. Just got this card for Player 2. Odds that I can talk them into giving me this offer?
     
    TAS likes this.
  38. TAS

    TAS 20_ _ TMB Poster of the Year
    Donor

    Chase has matched newer offers in the past. Send a secure message with the details and see if they'll honor the newer offer
     
    The_Baumer likes this.
  39. The_Baumer

    The_Baumer Go Mordecai!
    Donor

  40. The_Baumer

    The_Baumer Go Mordecai!
    Donor

    I sent a message this morning and they agreed to apply the terms of the new offer once the min spend is met. Thanks, Chase.
     
    ohhaithur and TAS like this.
  41. Baseballman86

    Baseballman86 Well-Known Member
    Alabama Crimson TideAtlanta BravesAtlanta Falcons

    How do we feel about Capital One Miles? Any good at all or basically just worth 1 cent cash redemption a piece?
     
  42. Todd Bonzales

    Todd Bonzales Sex with old ladies for money aaaand bear traps.
    Donor
    Ohio State BuckeyesCleveland BrownsUSA RugbyTiger WoodsOhio BobcatsCleveland CavaliersCleveland IndiansOlympics

    The Hilton Surpass offer right now is pretty legit at 130,000 points + a free weekend night. That’s pretty legit value if you play the weekend card right and don’t waste it on a Hampton Inn. Offer expires on 8/28. I actually found this super cool, helpful link:

    http://refer.amex.us/MICHAPG5kr?XL=MIMCP

    (Scroll to the bottom to explore other cards)

    upload_2019-8-14_17-17-38.gif
     
    #11242 Todd Bonzales, Aug 14, 2019
    Last edited: Aug 14, 2019
    laxjoe and i am a bammer like this.
  43. pratyk

    pratyk Arsenal FC, Rutgers Scarlet Knights
    Rutgers Scarlet KnightsArsenal

    Nice try, Marcus.

    On a serious note - it's a pretty solid offer. Just don't self refer to amex.
     
    marcus likes this.
  44. ohhaithur

    ohhaithur e-Batman
    Donor

    RIP Marriott points (what little value they had)

    Team Hyatt
     
    Lyrtch and marcus like this.
  45. WC

    WC Bad Company, ‘til the day I die.
    Donor TMB OG
    North Carolina State WolfpackAtlanta BravesCarolina PanthersCarolina HurricanesUnited States Men's National Soccer Team

    Hello I am HyattBoi
     
    ohhaithur likes this.
  46. ohhaithur

    ohhaithur e-Batman
    Donor

    Whoever your credit card is should get a raise
     
  47. CoastalOrange

    CoastalOrange Well-Known Member
    Donor
    Clemson TigersTennessee VolunteersBarcelonaUnited States Men's National Soccer TeamLiverpool

    They devalue them again?
     
  48. ohhaithur

    ohhaithur e-Batman
    Donor

    Worst one yet

    Peak pricing starting 9/14. Book anything you can now
     
    CoastalOrange likes this.
  49. Lyrtch

    Lyrtch My second favorite meat is hamburger
    Staff Donor

    Glad I used all mine in Korea. Transferred the last few out to virgin Atlantic I think

    Points game starting to not be as easy or valuable. If Hyatt devalues I'll really stop point hunting beyond the easy stuff.
     
    ohhaithur likes this.
  50. pratyk

    pratyk Arsenal FC, Rutgers Scarlet Knights
    Rutgers Scarlet KnightsArsenal

    Damn... I'm glad i used up the last 150K points I had on Cat 6 hotels for my Amsterdam/Swiss trip.
     
    ohhaithur likes this.