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. Jimmy the Saint

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

    The annual value I get out of the CSR far exceeds taking a $100 haircut.
     
    Menelaus, EMAW FC, marcus and 2 others like this.
  2. Sportfan

    Sportfan From Six to Dumptime
    San Antonio SpursHouston TexansNew Mexico State AggiesTexas AandM Aggies

    Looks like the SW personal cards are pretty easy to get 75,000 points on now

    40,000 for $1k in first 3 months. 35,000 more for $5k in first 6.
     
    SP1, Lipp and marcus like this.
  3. Zebbie

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

    where’d you see that? The public offers on Chase’s site don’t mention anything about the 35k more for $5k spend in the first 6 months.

    Edit: NM, I checked Doctor of Credit & saw the post on there about it
     
  4. EMAW FC

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

    This is the biggest thing for me and keeps me faithful to CSR. Fills in the cracks for boutique hotels when there isn’t a solid Marriott option
     
    Baseballman86 likes this.
  5. ohhaithur

    ohhaithur e-Batman
    Donor

    Just got a $25 savings on a CSR offer for something I was buying anyway. There's a quarter of the AF increase already
     
  6. Baseballman86

    Baseballman86 Well-Known Member
    Alabama Crimson TideAtlanta BravesAtlanta Falcons

    Yep. I’m in that mode of 2-3 “nice” trips a year right now and a lot of our favorite spots are boutique or independent hotels, so I’m using UR and stock piling airline and hotel miles for big trips in the (hopefully) near future.
     
  7. Lyrtch

    Lyrtch My second favorite meat is hamburger
    Staff Donor

    international rates for the CC's might be in part what gets me to keep the CSR

    at least I think it still gets 3x when the amex's lose theirs (plus are substantially harder to use)
     
    PAHokie likes this.
  8. Dale Doback

    Dale Doback Well-Known Member
    Donor

    I am thinking i am going to use up all my points for our 5 year anniversary which will be March 2021. By that time, i should have roughly 200,000 UR points and 90,000 Marriott Points. I would like to do some sort of European trip, probably Paris. Would it be best to transfer points to Hyatt? Or is there some good points method for Europe i dont know about?
     
  9. 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

    Get the World of Hyatt card if you don’t have it. Wife and I just did 3 ights at the Park Mallorca and 3 at a Small Luxury Hotel affiliate for free.99 with Hyatt points and minimal supplement from UR.
     
    #12009 WC, Jan 10, 2020
    Last edited: Jan 10, 2020
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  10. Uncle Tupelo

    Uncle Tupelo Well-Known Member
    Donor
    Ohio State BuckeyesCincinnati RedsCleveland Browns

    100% Hyatt. We stayed in the Park Hyatt in Paris for insane value by transferring out UR points. Easily the nicest hotel I've stayed in.

    As far as flights, look at transferring to avios or flying blue before you look at the portal IMO.
     
    Dale Doback and WC like this.
  11. 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

    Referral if needed


    https://www.referyourchasecard.com/205a/ZHWP6XYDAK
     
    ohhaithur likes this.
  12. EMAW FC

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

    I won a couple Delta Comfort + roundtrip certificates to anywhere in the contiguous U.S. or Canada. Doing a PNW trip this summer with the wife. Flying into Vancouver, staying 5 nights, then taking the Cascadia amtrak to Seattle for 4 nights there.

    I'll have two free night certificates + ~70k in Marriott points towards booking the 4 nights necessary to get the 5th night free in Vancouver. Will a hotel allow a mixed redemption of certificates and points to qualify for that 5th free night? Or do the 4 award nights need to be the same redemption type?
     
  13. pianoman

    pianoman my drinks are free
    Donor TMB OG
    Michigan WolverinesChicago CubsDetroit Red Wings

    Can’t speak for Marriott but I know Hilton must be all points to get the fifth night free. I would imagine that’s standard in the industry.
     
    EMAW FC likes this.
  14. ohhaithur

    ohhaithur e-Batman
    Donor

    Compare portal price to transfer price

    If hyatt says a hotel is 12,000 points per night and you look on the portal and comparable hotels are 18,000 transfer to Hyatt and book. If they're 9,000, likely book that portal hotel

    I will always say that's it's not necessarily always the cheaper the better. When close I choose transfer so I'm treated better by the hotel. Status, qualifying rates, customer service, etc have value. Chase portal is an OTA and hotels dislike OTAs
     
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  15. ohhaithur

    ohhaithur e-Batman
    Donor

    ASU Knight just saying I didn't forget this, just got a little busier this week than expected
     
  16. Dale Doback

    Dale Doback Well-Known Member
    Donor

    Can you use points to get upgraded rooms? im just playing around right now and i can only figure out how to use points on the basic room?
     
  17. 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

    Are you trying to book through chase portal or through hyatt? Usually if they have upgraded rooms available the point or cash value is listed.
     
  18. pratyk

    pratyk Arsenal FC, Rutgers Scarlet Knights
    Rutgers Scarlet KnightsArsenal

    I was looking at hotels in Chicago a couple weeks from now and the cash rate is stupid cheap compared to points (absurd points req for Marriott).

    I ended up booking at Chicago Athletic for 110 a night.
     
    tjsblue and ohhaithur like this.
  19. Dale Doback

    Dale Doback Well-Known Member
    Donor

    I was doing on Hyatt and was only getting the option to select 30k point rooms.
     
  20. Uncle Tupelo

    Uncle Tupelo Well-Known Member
    Donor
    Ohio State BuckeyesCincinnati RedsCleveland Browns

    Only if it's available on the website. Of it's the Park Hyatt, the standard rooms are super nice though.
     
  21. seanofthedead86

    seanofthedead86 Well-Known Member
    Donor
    Tennessee VolunteersAtlanta BravesAtlanta FalconsAtlanta UnitedNavy Midshipmen

    I guess I'm gonna start churning. Wife and I are planning a trip to Belize this spring. I just signed up for the Chase Sapphire Preferred.
     
  22. ohhaithur

    ohhaithur e-Batman
    Donor

    Literally today?

    Can you afford to get the Reserve today too?
     
  23. seanofthedead86

    seanofthedead86 Well-Known Member
    Donor
    Tennessee VolunteersAtlanta BravesAtlanta FalconsAtlanta UnitedNavy Midshipmen

    I can't think of anything to hit the 4k mark in 3 months with 2 cards.
     
  24. ohhaithur

    ohhaithur e-Batman
    Donor

    Just making sure. Not sure if you were aware that you can now not get the CSR bonus for 4 years
     
  25. seanofthedead86

    seanofthedead86 Well-Known Member
    Donor
    Tennessee VolunteersAtlanta BravesAtlanta FalconsAtlanta UnitedNavy Midshipmen

    Was thinking about opening a Freedom card. I could hit the $500 in 3 months easily.
     
  26. ohhaithur

    ohhaithur e-Batman
    Donor

    There are much better bonuses out there but feel free to make your own plan

    The CSR/CSP thing is the only time-sensitive double. You either get one the same time you get the other or you never get the second one
     
  27. blotter

    blotter Aristocratic Bum
    Donor
    Florida State Seminoles

    Just buy a bunch of gift cards

    (And a fireproof safe)
     
  28. ohhaithur

    ohhaithur e-Batman
    Donor

    I can't endorse this message (although I have done it a few times) :yousoright:
     
    blotter likes this.
  29. blotter

    blotter Aristocratic Bum
    Donor
    Florida State Seminoles

    Just ftr I cant even be bothered to activate freedoms' categories most of the time let alone churn or manufacture spend because I just dont spend much money so the CC game is not for me

    Still find this thread fascinating
     
    Lipp, ohhaithur and NoNatty like this.
  30. Lyrtch

    Lyrtch My second favorite meat is hamburger
    Staff Donor

    i find much periphery points accumulation (like freedom categories) to be not worth the brain power for the benefit

    i just hunt bonuses and spend on good cards (everything on CSR except airfare on amex plat now that it has travel protection)
     
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  31. Mr Mortisay

    Mr Mortisay Well-Known Member
    Donor
    Arkansas Razorbacks

    Planning on doing a 2 or 3 week honeymoon to SE Asia in December or January. I have a lot of points to play with but with Korean Air going away as a chase transfer partner my plan to use 80k points each way for first class is ruined. Anybody have any other easy suggestions?

    I am a hyatt Globalist and was gifted AA exec platinum through them that’s good through January 2021. Between the two of us we have roughly 380k chase UR points, 250k Amex points, 130k hyatt points.

    Some prelim ideas I’ve had: book business class AA to Hong Kong then use my confirmed system wide upgrades to get into first class, then Cathay pacific through Asia. Will plan on staying at the Hyatt Maldives at some point and I’m sure we’ll want to do Bali as well. Will be using confirmed suite upgrades.

    Anybody have any better suggestions for first class travel to Asia? If we could only use points that would be awesome but they’ve been closing sweet spots over the years.
     
  32. ohhaithur

    ohhaithur e-Batman
    Donor

    this is me
     
    Lyrtch likes this.
  33. ohhaithur

    ohhaithur e-Batman
    Donor

    MR to ANA

    or 4 AA cards (one each Barclays and Citi) for you and your SO
     
    Lyrtch likes this.
  34. Lyrtch

    Lyrtch My second favorite meat is hamburger
    Staff Donor

    Ana's new business class looks incredible
     
  35. The_Baumer

    The_Baumer Go Mordecai!
    Donor

    I flew to Tokyo from Chicago last month on ANA first class and we had the entire cabin to ourselves going and coming back. I didn’t want the plane to land.
     
  36. tjosu

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

    Fiancee got approved for the AmEx Hilton Surpass 150k offer so that we can pool our points for the honeymoon and now I'm itching for a new card for myself. I'm getting a 70k offer on the AmEx Plat or 50k for Gold, are any higher offers out there only targeted? I'm in good standing with Chase so I'm not really wanting to do anything down that route that could jeopardize anything. I'm also thinking one of either her or I will downgrade our CSR soon and eventually apply for CSP again, we got the cards early enough that I think the 4 year bonus timing doesn't impact us

    [​IMG]
     
  37. The_Baumer

    The_Baumer Go Mordecai!
    Donor

    Are you under 5/24? CIP is the play, IMO. Let me know if you’re going to apply and I’ll send a referral. Those AmEx offers can wait.
     
  38. tjosu

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

    Yep I am. I already have a CIP and I know several in here do self-referrals constantly but I'm a little wary of going that route
     
    The_Baumer likes this.
  39. ohhaithur

    ohhaithur e-Batman
    Donor

    You Hyatt yet brah? United?
     
    The_Baumer likes this.
  40. The_Baumer

    The_Baumer Go Mordecai!
    Donor

    Ok. Cool. You have a ton of options. Happy churning!
     
    tjosu likes this.
  41. tjosu

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

    Yes to both. Been thinking about downgrading my United so that I can get the Explorer bonus again. My ideal scenario would be for that rare United Club card sign up promo where they slash the annual fee for the first year. We travel to Denver frequently to see her family and will be going even more this year for the wedding so that would be very useful
     
  42. ohhaithur

    ohhaithur e-Batman
    Donor

    Love that United bonus. If you get too scared to refer yourself I'll refer you naturally
     
    tjosu likes this.
  43. tjosu

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

    Current cards: Freedom, Freedom Unlimited, CSR, United Explorer, Hyatt, CIP, AmEx Aspire, and a Discover that sits idly in my dresser
     
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  44. pianoman

    pianoman my drinks are free
    Donor TMB OG
    Michigan WolverinesChicago CubsDetroit Red Wings

    So I'm one of the few in this thread who doesn't have CSR or CSP yet. I just got into the game last year when I got a new position that I travel quite a bit so all my first cards were ones that got me hotel status and lounge access. Right now I have the Hilton Aspire, World of Hyatt, and Amex Platinum. I don't want to apply for either CSR or CSP right now as I'd like to double dip and don't think I can hit the necessary spend in the next couple months but I will be doing some major home projects this summer that will make it easy to hit. My question is will CIP affect 5/24? I'd like to get the CIP next month and then after hitting the minimum spend on that do the double dip this summer.
     
    The_Baumer likes this.
  45. ohhaithur

    ohhaithur e-Batman
    Donor

    Nope, business cards don't
     
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  46. Zebbie

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

    you need to be under 5/24 to get it, but it won’t count towards your 5/24 count
     
    ohhaithur likes this.
  47. TAS

    TAS 20_ _ TMB Poster of the Year
    Donor

  48. Zebbie

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

    How long until referral links usually work? Thinking about getting a SW biz & then waiting a few days so I can self refer for one of the personal cards.
     
  49. tjosu

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

  50. TAS

    TAS 20_ _ TMB Poster of the Year
    Donor

    Oh yeah. They sometimes offer that premium card with the AF waived?