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. soulfly

    soulfly Well-Known Member
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    Barcelona’s kit sponsor. Duh
     
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  2. letan

    letan Just looking for the gator board
    Donor
    Real MadridJacksonville JaguarsFlorida GatorsTampa Bay Rays

    anecdotally I’ve personally found fast food workers to be most impressed

    how do you get 5-8 cpp on first class or business class flights? I’ll have a honeymoon to book next year and this would be great
     
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  3. Lyrtch

    Lyrtch My second favorite meat is hamburger
    Staff Donor

    theres certain redemptions that you can get wild value

    like booking ANA with Virgin Atlantic Points in first class, used to be booking Delta business with virgin too but they kneecapped that to asia

    but I'm not sure anyone here is actually going to pay $ for a 12-20k flight so the CPP values aren't totally apples to apples
     
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  4. RWisoursavior

    RWisoursavior Formerly DannyObrienIsOurSatan

    Hello folks, I am looking for some good ole fashioned advice. Excuse any ignorance, I have tried to read this thread but don't have the background experience to be fluent in all the credit card talk.

    I have taken my credit score from 560 to 713 (I lived abroad and had student loan payments default) over the past year and a half and am now looking to do some adulting with my credit cards.

    I have read this thread but want to get some specific advice. I am 3/24 (Capital One Quicksilver 08/19, Discover 03/20 and Amazon Chase 12/20) Should I just close these once I hit the 2 year mark? Or keep them because I am still building credit.

    My 713 (All scores are in the low 710 range) seems to qualify me for the Amex Platinum but maybe I should wait to get a 100k offer from reading this thread. ($550 is a helluva number for an annual fee but it seems well worth it).

    CSP seems to be my best choice but it seems I should wait for 720 to be guaranteed the card then work my way up to CSR.

    Right now my plan from reading this thread is open up an Amex Platinum spend the 5k in 6 months build to a 720-725 then as soon as I hit the intro bonuses open up a CSP. Is that reasonable?

    I'll use some referrals from you all as well.
     
  5. DuffandMuff

    DuffandMuff Well-Known Member
    Tampa Bay LightningSan Diego Padres

    First off, congrats on building your credit back up. If the three credit cards you listed above don't have an AF, then keep them. The longer you keep your oldest cards open, the better your score will be. My first cards were Discover and Chase Freedom and although I rarely use them, I still keep them open and never plan to close.

    I'd love to refer you, but you would only get 60,000 bonus points plus the 10x points back at gas stations and grocery stores. You should definitely look for something better than a 60,000 sign up bonus.

    If you do go forward with Amex Plat, make sure to sign up and link your account to a Rakuten account. I described the process a few posts back. It's an easy way to earn extra MRs.
     
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  6. Lyrtch

    Lyrtch My second favorite meat is hamburger
    Staff Donor

    i've been waiting on a 100k offer for like two years to get my wife an amex plat and our scores are 800+

    i'm about to just stop waiting, it seems very random how its targeted
     
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  7. DuffandMuff

    DuffandMuff Well-Known Member
    Tampa Bay LightningSan Diego Padres

    I wonder if it has anything to do with the person already having a lower end Amex card? I feel like I've heard of the 125k bonus coming by mail.

    RWisoursavior make sure you're in incognito mode when you go looking for Amex Plat sign up links
     
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  8. DuffandMuff

    DuffandMuff Well-Known Member
    Tampa Bay LightningSan Diego Padres

    Rakuten is offering 15-20% cash back at Saks Fifth. That could be 1,000 free points just for using the $50 Saks Fifth credit.
     
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  9. RWisoursavior

    RWisoursavior Formerly DannyObrienIsOurSatan

    It seems I can signup today and get 75k, seems worth it rather than waiting around for a possible 25k more, no?

    Odd referrals net less rewards than just signing up on their website.

    It also says check to see if you pre-qualify for 125k signup bonus (checked in incognito). Most likely I wouldn't qualify for the 125k it seems.
     
  10. DuffandMuff

    DuffandMuff Well-Known Member
    Tampa Bay LightningSan Diego Padres

    lolol you can't make this up. I literally just received a 100K + 10% grocery/gas sign up bonus in the mail. You'd think their system would know not to send it to someone who already has the Plat.
     
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  11. Lyrtch

    Lyrtch My second favorite meat is hamburger
    Staff Donor

    this lets me know that myself having a plat but the wife not isn't the impediment
     
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  12. laxjoe

    laxjoe Well-Known Member
    Donor
    San Diego State AztecsSan Diego Padres

    Yeah I got a mailer last week as well :laugh:
     
  13. RWisoursavior

    RWisoursavior Formerly DannyObrienIsOurSatan

    Go fuck yourself

    that's what I'm suppose to say, right?

    Went with CSP (got approved with a 713) and will hit those bonuses then add amex platinum in 6 months.
     
  14. DuffandMuff

    DuffandMuff Well-Known Member
    Tampa Bay LightningSan Diego Padres

    I got the Plat less than two years ago and only received a 70,000 SUB, so it kinda hurts me too.
     
  15. Baseballman86

    Baseballman86 Well-Known Member
    Alabama Crimson TideAtlanta BravesAtlanta Falcons

    Early last year I booked a flight for me, my son and my wife with her ticket being my Amex companion pass. Due to covid, we cancelled the trip and got vouchers. We are finally going to use those and I login today and realize that mine and my son's ticket vouchers are still valid, but my wife's companion pass ticket expired on its usual expiration date. Seems like a pretty shitty "gotcha" considering the pandemic. Has anybody had a similar issue and had any luck negotiating with Amex?
     
  16. Lyrtch

    Lyrtch My second favorite meat is hamburger
    Staff Donor

    call and ask if you haven't

    mine was in a similar spot and they just reopened it
     
  17. Baseballman86

    Baseballman86 Well-Known Member
    Alabama Crimson TideAtlanta BravesAtlanta Falcons

    That's good to hear, I'll call today. I had forgotten this until just now but I downgraded my Delta Plat to Gold last year since I figured we wouldn't be traveling for a while with pandemic and new baby. I wonder if that will affect their answer?
     
  18. Oranjello

    Oranjello Well-Known Member
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    Green Bay PackersNew Orleans SaintsGrateful DeadMississippi Rebels

    Anecdotally, I just used the CardMatch thing on creditcards.com and got the 125,000 MR targeted offer for Amex Platinum
     
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  19. Lyrtch

    Lyrtch My second favorite meat is hamburger
    Staff Donor

    i h8 u
     
  20. Oranjello

    Oranjello Well-Known Member
    Donor
    Green Bay PackersNew Orleans SaintsGrateful DeadMississippi Rebels

    Haven't signed up for a new CC since buying a house nearly 2 years ago... I imagine those 2 factors played a part in it
     
  21. MA

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

    :loldog: Hit it in three, what a dumbass I am.
     
  22. kinghill

    kinghill Cool American Flavour
    Donor
    Miami HurricanesMiami MarlinsMiami DolphinsMiami HeatPoker

    Thanks I set this up this week because of this thread.

    Previously I had just set it to make an automatic minimum payment... but... that just results in more work for me to remember to go in and make the full payment, often something I'd be doing needlessly multiple times per month just to be cautious.
     
  23. comrade static

    comrade static i love french fries
    Donor
    Oklahoma City ThunderPhiladelphia EaglesOklahoma SoonersBarAndGrillBig 8 Conference

    Remind me again how to break even on the $450 annual fee for the Hilton Aspire? $250 resort fee credit seems easy if you plan on going each year. Then at least $100 at minimum for annual free weekend night.
     
  24. tjosu

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

    $250 airline credit, I chose United and club passes trigger the credit. Also there’s an offer to add to the card for this calendar year where you get $20 cash back per month when you spend that at restaurants
     
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  25. laxjoe

    laxjoe Well-Known Member
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    San Diego State AztecsSan Diego Padres

    Did not know club passes triggered the credit. That’s good to know
     
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  26. Lyrtch

    Lyrtch My second favorite meat is hamburger
    Staff Donor

    not directly related but if Amex ever made its travel credit on the plat easy to use it'd be the best card

    but they've also kept it just valuable enough i can never cancel it, so maybe they're winning
     
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  27. DuffandMuff

    DuffandMuff Well-Known Member
    Tampa Bay LightningSan Diego Padres

    The platinums airline credit is definitely the worst aspect.
     
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  28. Lyrtch

    Lyrtch My second favorite meat is hamburger
    Staff Donor

    Last year I used it with some weird use a gift card for part of your fight tricking Amex into thinking it's ancillary purchases

    Unsure if that works still and there were weird dollar thresholds too
     
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  29. DuffandMuff

    DuffandMuff Well-Known Member
    Tampa Bay LightningSan Diego Padres

    You can buy United Travel Bank credit I believe. I’m fortunate and am on a buddy pass with United, so have never tried it. I usually end up buying wifi, booze on the plane or lounge passes with the credit.

    https://www.doctorofcredit.com/unit...er-works-for-american-express-airline-credit/
     
  30. Lyrtch

    Lyrtch My second favorite meat is hamburger
    Staff Donor

  31. colonel_forbin

    colonel_forbin Well-Known Member
    Donor

    It also works for Delta lounge entry fee reimbursement
     
  32. Det. Frank Bullitt

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

    I used $92 of my Plat credit on an AA upgrade this weekend into First.

    I think I'll continue to use them this way, but i'd probably downgrade the value of that perk since the AA gift card loophole was closed (in 2020?).
     
  33. Det. Frank Bullitt

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

    Which was seat 1L on a 777-200ER, configured with lie flat seats.

    upload_2021-5-17_23-24-2.png
     
  34. Lip

    Lip Well-Known Member
    Donor
    Michigan State SpartansDetroit LionsGeorge Washington Colonials

    is this a quiz? What’s the other option?
     
  35. EMAW FC

    EMAW FC Proud Smucker
    Donor
    Kansas State WildcatsKansas City RoyalsKansas City ChiefsFulhamSporting Kansas CitySneakers

    Designated Alaska for the airline $250 credit. Doesn’t work on the fare, but works for upgrades to premium seating. Bumped myself up to premium (no middle seat, drinks included, priority boarding) for my round trip flight and used the remaining to upgrade the friends flying with me
     
  36. Det. Frank Bullitt

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

    It should have probably been conjoined in the above post into a single sentence. Poor composition.

    e.g. I used an upgrade....which was seat 1L....
     
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  37. wolfpck

    wolfpck haters gonna hate
    Donor
    North Carolina State Wolfpack

    Pay yourself back option still the best use of Chase UR points?
     
  38. DuffandMuff

    DuffandMuff Well-Known Member
    Tampa Bay LightningSan Diego Padres

    What was the flight itinerary?
     
  39. tjsblue

    tjsblue I was right at the time
    Donor

    Yep
     
  40. letan

    letan Just looking for the gator board
    Donor
    Real MadridJacksonville JaguarsFlorida GatorsTampa Bay Rays

    why would the pay yourself back option be the best when it’s worth 1.5 points when you can get better value on travel?
     
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  41. The_Baumer

    The_Baumer Go Mordecai!
    Donor

    This is why I’m holding onto my points.
     
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  42. tjsblue

    tjsblue I was right at the time
    Donor

    It is 1.5 points on travel as well and I’ve always found a “better” deal on paying $ than on the UR redemption options.. and I can take that cash and use it again to buy the travel and get points... again.
     
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  43. Jimmy the Saint

    Jimmy the Saint The future is a benevolent black hole
    Donor
    Penn State Nittany LionsGreen Bay PackersChelseaHartford WhalersPhoenix Rising

    I booked a $1,000/night Hyatt for 15k/night not long ago so there's definitely some incredible deals out there.

    At least pre-Covid United had solid redemptions to Europe and Asia that went well beyond 1.5x value.
     
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  44. LSU90

    LSU90 Well-Known Member

    I had/have a shit ton of UR points and I just dont know how or the best way to hunt for these amazing deals to transfer partners that people talk about so I ended up just using pay myself back. How do yall go about these deals without spending all kinds of time hunting them down?
     
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  45. The_Baumer

    The_Baumer Go Mordecai!
    Donor

    Dude, you gotta join a site with an eBook because if you’re going to travel internationally, you’re leaving a lot on the table.

    www.10xtravel.com
     
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  46. tjosu

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

    When I’ve redeemed Chase points in the with travel partners it’s not very painstaking to find good value, not many more steps than searching for good airfare/hotel deals. For United you just change your search to book with points instead and even though your exact dates may not have the good value you can check the calendar. Hyatt’s categories for points are some of the most straightforward of any of the hotels and they list hotels by category on their site.
     
  47. LSU90

    LSU90 Well-Known Member

    I have no idea what this is. Explain.
     
  48. TAS

    TAS 20_ _ TMB Poster of the Year
    Donor

    Like tjosu said, whenever you're searching for hotels/flights on an Chase travel partner website, just select points for the fare/rate. It's really about as simple as it gets. You can use Expedia as a starting point to see what options are in the area (although the availability for awards bookings won't be the same as what shows up on generic search engines).

    For me personally, it's less about searching for a great point redemption in a random location to maximize how many cents/pt I can squeeze out. Or booking 1st class/business class flights. It's more just looking in the cities I plan to travel to and seeing what is out there, then checking to see if a points booking makes more/less sense than an UR portal booking or even just paying cash.
     
  49. TAS

    TAS 20_ _ TMB Poster of the Year
    Donor

    And I've mentioned it before, but one of the best benefits with booking using points directly with the hotel, is you avoid paying taxes, resort fees (not always) and sometimes there will even be fees for 4th or 5th occupants, that you can avoid. In some cities, all that shit added together gets to expensive.
     
  50. Det. Frank Bullitt

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

    DFW>LAX at ~5:40am.

    Kinda surprised to find lie flat on that route, but w/e. That is the only reason I sprung for it on that flight. I have more AA segments coming up, including with my wife. I wouldn't have used it had it been say, an A321 first class seat.

    MCE or similar upgrades are usually $40+ anyways, so $92 made complete sense. I think between the two of us, we have $650 in AA credits this year via Amex.

    upload_2021-5-18_22-0-24.png
     
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