Need Recommendation on new CC before holidays.

[younggunner]

hello all-

I have been reading some of the other threads discussing how others are able to cash in their points on vacations and get other perks from their credit card spending.  I am looking to get a new credit card before any holiday spending so that I can take advantage of good offers and eventually get points for airfare / hotels / vacation / etc.  There are such a wide variety of options and wanted some good feedback and recommendations on good CC's that others like. 

I currently have a VISA card through my bank, (same goes with my SO in her name).  We both pay for 99.9% of our items with our visas and then pay them off.  We enjoy our current card becuase of the convience of the app, ease of paying and viewing, etc.  We get I would estimate 1-3% cash back that we usually redeem around holiday season for gift cards and do christmas gifts with them.   It is worth noting that I did at one point get a walmart discover card that I havent used in 3-5 years and has a 0 balance.  I should probably cancel that upon opening a new one.  My SO is also considering getting a card as well so she can get similar points/deals.   I do a lot of traveling and subsequently a lot of hotels, eating out, etc. and would like to start earning all points for something bigger and better. 

We have been looking into some of the Chase brand cards and the Chase Sapphire Preferred card seems to keep coming up as it is good for Hotel points and Airline miles.

Thank you for your help

[arebelspy]

Yes, chase sapphire preferred. Hands down.

[younggunner]

Yes, chase sapphire preferred. Hands down.

Thanks for the reply!  Are there any drawback or cons to the Chase Sapphire card?   I also do intend to keep my Visa card open as well.   

[Dee18]

A second rec anyone?  I already have the Chase.  I have to pay DD's college spring room and board in Dec so that's a $4500 spend with no penalty for using a credit card...and then I get the money back from the 529 card. 

[arebelspy]

Yes, chase sapphire preferred. Hands down.

Thanks for the reply!  Are there any drawback or cons to the Chase Sapphire card?   I also do intend to keep my Visa card open as well.

No. 95 fee, but waived the first year, so downgrade it to the regular chase sapphire (non preferred) after a year, which has no fee.

[arebelspy]

A second rec anyone?  I already have the Chase.  I have to pay DD's college spring room and board in Dec so that's a $4500 spend with no penalty for using a credit card...and then I get the money back from the 529 card.

Depends on what you want/what you're looking for.

Minor cash back is meh, but if you're willing to sign up for the bonus, that's where the decent money is (like the chase sapphire that gives 500 cash, if you redeem the points for cash, or AmEx cards ditto).  Or do you want points for a particular airline, or use?

[younggunner]

I am a newb to the CC offers, but can you have too many CC's?  like where it may negatively affect credit.. (assuming no balances or charged fees, etc)

[younggunner]

more than likely I would like the credit card points to be redeemed for airline points (I would like hotel points as well but I already have free nights on my reward points)  It seems like Delta has the most flights (maybe not international) but probably something that I can redeem for delta points

[arebelspy]

I am a newb to the CC offers, but can you have too many CC's?  like where it may negatively affect credit.. (assuming no balances or charged fees, etc)

In theory, too much open credit could hurt, but from what I understand, that's  so rare as to not be an issue for 99% of people. Through the first 20-30 cards at least it should generally help your score.

[arebelspy]

more than likely I would like the credit card points to be redeemed for airline points (I would like hotel points as well but I already have free nights on my reward points)  It seems like Delta has the most flights (maybe not international) but probably something that I can redeem for delta points

Delta's Sky Miles are referred to as "Sky Pesos" because they're almost worthless.  They're really restrictive on when and how you can redeem them. They got a little better recently, but still suck.

The Chase UR points are great for redeeming for hotel or airlines, they transfer in to a ton of different partners.

[younggunner]

more than likely I would like the credit card points to be redeemed for airline points (I would like hotel points as well but I already have free nights on my reward points)  It seems like Delta has the most flights (maybe not international) but probably something that I can redeem for delta points

Delta's Sky Miles are referred to as "Sky Pesos" because they're almost worthless.  They're really restrictive on when and how you can redeem them. They got a little better recently, but still suck.

The Chase UR points are great for redeeming for hotel or airlines, they transfer in to a ton of different partners.

I assume all Chase cards have the same "UR points" ..  ??

[arebelspy]

Yes. Ultimate Rewards points.

[younggunner]

The Chase freedom appears to have better cash back, but the Chase preffered freedom seems to have the advantage of transferrable points to other program points like hotels and airlines.  Am i correct ?  it seems like the decision is between the two..

[arebelspy]

Look at the signup bonus, then calculate how long it would take you to earn that by normal spending.

For example, if you spend $2,000 per month on a credit card, at 1% back it would take you over two years to earn the 50k that you'd get just for signing up on one of them.  The sign up bonuses are the lucrative part, especially for a Mustachian that doesn't spend that much. The cash back stuff is secondary, and pretty minor.

[younggunner]

ya, good point!

[younggunner]

ok, I went with the Chase Sapphire Prefered!  Thanks for the Rec. arebelspy!

[arebelspy]

No problem.

[bacchi]

As an addendum, add an Authorized User (spouse, partner, parent, trusted roomie) for an additional 5000 UR points.

"Earn 5,000 bonus points after you add the first authorized user and make your first purchase in the first 3 months from account opening.*"


Eta: The AU may get a credit pull as well.

[Dee18]

I have a sabbatical coming for fall 2016.  Am just beginning travel planning but hope to do one trip to South Africa and one to either Italy or New Zealand, plus a fall foliage quick trip in New England.  I think United is a major airline to Africa, but I haven't checked on New Zealand.  Also planning g June trip to Pacific NW with Swest companion pass I have...will camp a little but could use some hotel points  there.

[kpd905]

As an addendum, add an Authorized User (spouse, partner, parent, trusted roomie) for an additional 5000 UR points.

"Earn 5,000 bonus points after you add the first authorized user and make your first purchase in the first 3 months from account opening.*"


Eta: The AU may get a credit pull as well.

No, they won't get a hard pull.

[bacchi]

As an addendum, add an Authorized User (spouse, partner, parent, trusted roomie) for an additional 5000 UR points.

"Earn 5,000 bonus points after you add the first authorized user and make your first purchase in the first 3 months from account opening.*"


Eta: The AU may get a credit pull as well.

No, they won't get a hard pull.

My mistake. While it does show up as an account, there was no pull.

[elaine amj]

more than likely I would like the credit card points to be redeemed for airline points (I would like hotel points as well but I already have free nights on my reward points)  It seems like Delta has the most flights (maybe not international) but probably something that I can redeem for delta points

Delta's Sky Miles are referred to as "Sky Pesos" because they're almost worthless.  They're really restrictive on when and how you can redeem them. They got a little better recently, but still suck.

The Chase UR points are great for redeeming for hotel or airlines, they transfer in to a ton of different partners.

And yet...it actually worked out for me to collect Delta SkyPesos. Yes, the redemption sucks compared to the other majors. but I live next to a Delta hub and they have the majority of the flights I needed at that time. (nonstop was important when vacation days were minimal and very precious). Nowadays, I deal with an additional stop and Southwest is my favorite and I have flown internationally with AA. But there are still times when the extra stops are not worth the hassle and I fall back to Delta.

I also heavily use the Choice hotels points system - not a popular one among bloggers. But I get a very decent return and the points are worth it to me. I like the free breakfast, easy availability in smaller towns for road trips, and the ability to get basic, decent hotels for just 8000 points. I also have IHG, Marriott, Hilton, and SPG - but still end up using Choice the most and keep my others for "aspirational" stays.

At the end of the day, I find it all depends on what YOU will use. Think about the end product. Are these points in a system that works for you?

e.g. I decided to keep our Hyatt CC to get the "free" anniversary night. I didn't have a clear plan when to use them. We ended up planning our Christmas vacation spot in part to "maximize" that free night. I had originally wanted to go to Tucson but ended up switching to Austin/San Antonio partly because I could use my free night at the Hyatt Regency Riverwalk for New Year's Eve.