Anniversary trip next summer - best rewards credit card to get NOW?

[DK82]

Hi all,
Long time reader of the blog, and somehow just discovered the forum in the past week or so.  I feel like I could literally spend this entire weekend reading all the threads.  But my wife might get mad and my kids would miss me.  Anyways...

We're planning to take a 5 year anniversary trip somewhere (destination TBD) next summer.  We currently have the 2% cash back Citi credit card which we use for most purchases, however we want to take advantage of a "sign up for new credit card, get XXX points/dollars" offer to get free flights and/or hotels.  I know they all have stipulations around what to spend in what time frame and when you get the rewards -- we'd be able to spend $10k within a couple months but would probably need to have the rewards available by March 1st at the latest. 

Any suggestions on credit cards to look into? 

Edit: looks like I posted this thread four times.  Kept getting an error message and was afraid of that.  Everyone laugh at the new guy!  Mods, please delete the other threads?  MOD EDIT: Done! Welcome! :)

[JustGettingStarted1980]

Sign up for two Southwest cards (plus and premier).  There is a thread on this. Get 50000 points for each card. Get "companion pass". Travel anywhere in north America or Caribbean. You are welcome.

JGS

[JoJo]

I think Alaska is also doing the companion pass.

Summer is a busy time - it may take lots of miles to book the trip you want.  Typically the earlier you book the less miles you need, especially for popular travel dates.

[DK82]

Sign up for two Southwest cards (plus and premier).  There is a thread on this. Get 50000 points for each card. Get "companion pass". Travel anywhere in north America or Caribbean. You are welcome.

JGS

Thanks for the reply.  I'm not a 50k point offer, however.  I read the thread I believe you're referring to and looks like each card is 40k points however I'd have to pay their annual fees of $99 and $69.  So basically I'm paying $170 in order to get these points.  Is there a point to dollar ratio of some sort so I can know how much value I'm getting from this $170 payment?  Note, I'm basing this post off of the following two links (found in that thread):

https://www.referyourchasecard.com/223/F3ZW8H140N
https://www.referyourchasecard.com/224/DPWVQZ3Z6B

[Catbert]

If you go on the Southwest website look at a flight you might be interested in and change from"cash" to "points" to get an idea.  I flew round trip from San Diego to San Francisco for 6000 points if that gives you an idea.

[JustGettingStarted1980]

Sign up for two Southwest cards (plus and premier).  There is a thread on this. Get 50000 points for each card. Get "companion pass". Travel anywhere in north America or Caribbean. You are welcome.

JGS

Thanks for the reply.  I'm not a 50k point offer, however.  I read the thread I believe you're referring to and looks like each card is 40k points however I'd have to pay their annual fees of $99 and $69.  So basically I'm paying $170 in order to get these points.  Is there a point to dollar ratio of some sort so I can know how much value I'm getting from this $170 payment?  Note, I'm basing this post off of the following two links (found in that thread):

https://www.referyourchasecard.com/223/F3ZW8H140N
https://www.referyourchasecard.com/224/DPWVQZ3Z6B

Hello again,

Yes, you have to pay Annual Fees (for the first year), but after you get the companion pass, you don't need to pay those the second year, and should cancel the card (but keep the points).

the points guy makes a record of card to card per dollar comparisons

https://thepointsguy.com/2017/11/november-2017-monthly-valuations/

[DK82]

Thank you once again.  SW is fantastic however their international options are very limited.  Are there any similar in value cards to look into that can be used for international flights (specifically, thinking Iceland as a likely destination)?  Thanks again! 

[dandarc]

The SW points + companion pass are worth about $3,000 if you and your companion take all of the trips together.

Now, if you want to go to Europe or Asia or something, SW is only useful to get you to a larger city if that's needed.

Really, decide where you want to go, then find out which airline you're most likely to get there with on points, then target the cards that will get you that airline's points.  Keep in mind, you could fly to another city on points from the US, and find a cheap fare to get where you want to go from there.

Sounds like Iceland - looks like Delta flies there.  https://millionmilesecrets.com/2015/08/17/flying-to-iceland-heres-how-to-get-there/

[ketchup]

Thank you once again.  SW is fantastic however their international options are very limited.  Are there any similar in value cards to look into that can be used for international flights (specifically, thinking Iceland as a likely destination)?  Thanks again!

"Unfortunately" Iceland specifically is cheap enough to travel to that points redemptions are pretty bad value.  So you probably will not find advice specific to Iceland.

(My dad went to Iceland earlier this year, and got round trip airfare from Chicago plus a week in a hotel for $800 total.  Granted, he went in January.)

[katsiki]

For international, you might want to focus on Chase ultimate rewards points.  We just booked 3 round-trip tickets to Athens for 180K points.  We had acculumated those points with Chase Sapphire Reserved and Sapphire Preferred.  You can transfer 1:1 from UR to United.  You still pay taxes and fees but that was not too bad considering what the flights really cost cash.