Which travel points program/credit cards do you use?

[Anonymous]

If you are UMC or higher and like high end travel, it may be worth it to get the Marriott Bonvoy Card, Hilton Aspire, and the Ritz Chase (requires a product change from another Chase card as no longer offered otherwise). The reason is that the Marriott and Ritz come with an annual 85K certificate that you can top off up to 100k. It makes the annuals worth it because you are basically buying an free night for much less than you would spend paying direct.

We don't put much spend on these cards but DH and have 1 of each. We spent 4 nights at the Ritz Naples for spring break where the rate was $1200/night. We effectively paid $350/night (Marriott card) and $150/night (Ritz card).

The Hilton Aspire card also works out to $150/night. We stayed at the Conrad NY where rates were $800ish using the free night award.

Again, we're paying a lot in annual fees, but you are basically prepaying for high end hotel stays. Plus each card comes with other benefits like airline credits, dining credits, etc that we always use.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:After doing a lot of research on the Chase Sapphire, I am still trying to understand if it's more beneficial than just getting a United credit card if that is the airline we use most often. Also we usually stay in Marriott properties and it seems Chase Sapphire is only worth it when booking/transferring points to Hyatt.

Its not an either/or. Its a "get both and many others."

PP here with the numbered response. Agreed, but a lot of people don't want to get and manage multiple cards. In my experience most people might be okay with 2 regular use cards.

Correct we do not want multiple cards. Everyone says you get points from the sign up bonus. But those points are not enough to cover miles or hotel for a family of four. So I get that you might save some money but I still don’t get how people are going on all these trips for much cheaper. At least with the miles CC, you get perks like early boarding.

There is so much wrong with your post but it sounds like you are not really interested. But in short, sign up bonuses literally are the game. It’s all about the sign up bonuses. I’ll leave it there - there is tons of info online.

What is wrong with my post? I’m trying to understand the “game.” Even with the sign up bonus-how much of that would cover a trip for a family?

Because you don’t just get one sign up bonus. You get many each year. And your spouse does too. And yes people are completely paying flights and hotels for a week for a family of 4 just on sign up bonuses. And then repeating.

[Anonymous]

Card points don’t get you the highest status on airlines . I don’t care about points/miles, using points/miles hinders me getting status.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Card points don’t get you the highest status on airlines . I don’t care about points/miles, using points/miles hinders me getting status.

Status makes zero difference if you just pay for the perks to begin with.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you are UMC or higher and like high end travel, it may be worth it to get the Marriott Bonvoy Card, Hilton Aspire, and the Ritz Chase (requires a product change from another Chase card as no longer offered otherwise).

Why do you have to be UMC or higher? What does that have to do with this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you are UMC or higher and like high end travel, it may be worth it to get the Marriott Bonvoy Card, Hilton Aspire, and the Ritz Chase (requires a product change from another Chase card as no longer offered otherwise).

Why do you have to be UMC or higher? What does that have to do with this?

Well, the Marriott card annual fee is $650, Ritz and Hilton are $450 each, multiply that by 2 for cards for spouse and most middle class families probably don't have it in their budget to pay so much in annual fees even if they are pre-paying in a way for luxury hotels.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Card points don’t get you the highest status on airlines . I don’t care about points/miles, using points/miles hinders me getting status.

Status makes zero difference if you just pay for the perks to begin with.

What are you talking about?

I only fly the highest class available, so I am paying for the perks “to begin with” and I still get plenty of benefits that make status worth it. I am not talking about the advertised benefits.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Card points don’t get you the highest status on airlines . I don’t care about points/miles, using points/miles hinders me getting status.

Status makes zero difference if you just pay for the perks to begin with.

What are you talking about?

I only fly the highest class available, so I am paying for the perks “to begin with” and I still get plenty of benefits that make status worth it. I am not talking about the advertised benefits.

What are you talking about?

If I’m buying international business, I’m getting just about everything I want from my travels. Priority boarding, free bags, lounge access, etc. The added benefits of status are negligible if you don’t care about mileage earning or redemption and I say this as Global Services with United. Sure, status definitely helps with irrops or anything out of the ordinary but the discussion here is about making the most of your points earning capabilities. For most of the people on this board, that means free bags, better seating and redeeming miles.

[Anonymous]

We are new to this world of maximizing credit cards for travel points and could really use some advice. I've looked at several old posts and websites but still on the fence as my husband would like to get a small business credit card and we are trying to find the one that might be ideal for us.

In short-- I have a Hilton Amex and Chase Sapphire reserve and think we are generally good with maximizing hotel/lounge options. However, would love a small business card for my husband that might allow us to try and maximize airline redemptions. We've travelled a lot on United in the past and I have United Silver status for his year so I am considering a United card. However, have also read that the Capital One Venture X or Chase Business Ink might be good options as well. We're certainly not committed to flying a certain airline but trying to see if we can defray any expenses for summer airline tickets.

Thanks for any advice!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:After doing a lot of research on the Chase Sapphire, I am still trying to understand if it's more beneficial than just getting a United credit card if that is the airline we use most often. Also we usually stay in Marriott properties and it seems Chase Sapphire is only worth it when booking/transferring points to Hyatt.

Its not an either/or. Its a "get both and many others."

PP here with the numbered response. Agreed, but a lot of people don't want to get and manage multiple cards. In my experience most people might be okay with 2 regular use cards.

Correct we do not want multiple cards. Everyone says you get points from the sign up bonus. But those points are not enough to cover miles or hotel for a family of four. So I get that you might save some money but I still don’t get how people are going on all these trips for much cheaper. At least with the miles CC, you get perks like early boarding.

You sign up for many cards, approx one new one every 3 months. You refer your partner, which adds a referral bonus. You fulfill your spend required for a sign up bonus, and put the card in the sock drawer. Rinse and repeat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:After doing a lot of research on the Chase Sapphire, I am still trying to understand if it's more beneficial than just getting a United credit card if that is the airline we use most often. Also we usually stay in Marriott properties and it seems Chase Sapphire is only worth it when booking/transferring points to Hyatt.

Its not an either/or. Its a "get both and many others."

PP here with the numbered response. Agreed, but a lot of people don't want to get and manage multiple cards. In my experience most people might be okay with 2 regular use cards.

Correct we do not want multiple cards. Everyone says you get points from the sign up bonus. But those points are not enough to cover miles or hotel for a family of four. So I get that you might save some money but I still don’t get how people are going on all these trips for much cheaper. At least with the miles CC, you get perks like early boarding.

You sign up for many cards, approx one new one every 3 months. You refer your partner, which adds a referral bonus. You fulfill your spend required for a sign up bonus, and put the card in the sock drawer. Rinse and repeat.

Yep, get them all when they are offering a good sign up bonus. Then close them, and most of them you can sign up again for the bonus in two years. We cycle through all of them and only keep them if they offer something we need often, like free bags or lounges that we frequent. I'm all about the Venture X lounge at DCA now so I keep that card.