Chase vs Capital One travel card

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Platinum would probably only earn around 120k to 160k points on the exact same spending since most purchases only earn 1x.

Yeah the Amex Plat is an absolute s-it card for everyday spending after you hit the bonus. Anyone using it for daily spending is a fool, especially when you can get the category bonuses like PP mentioned on the Gold, or just a flat 2x on the Blue Business Plus.

We use a Platinum for 5x on flights and hotels, Gold for 4x on groceries and dining out, and a BBP for 2x on all else. Simple and works for us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Platinum would probably only earn around 120k to 160k points on the exact same spending since most purchases only earn 1x.

Yeah the Amex Plat is an absolute s-it card for everyday spending after you hit the bonus. Anyone using it for daily spending is a fool, especially when you can get the category bonuses like PP mentioned on the Gold, or just a flat 2x on the Blue Business Plus.

We use a Platinum for 5x on flights and hotels, Gold for 4x on groceries and dining out, and a BBP for 2x on all else. Simple and works for us.

I have the same setup but have added Green for all travel expenses since Platinum only gives x5 for hotels booked through Amex. You are correct that Platinum is not a daily spending card.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Platinum would probably only earn around 120k to 160k points on the exact same spending since most purchases only earn 1x.

Yeah the Amex Plat is an absolute s-it card for everyday spending after you hit the bonus. Anyone using it for daily spending is a fool, especially when you can get the category bonuses like PP mentioned on the Gold, or just a flat 2x on the Blue Business Plus.

We use a Platinum for 5x on flights and hotels, Gold for 4x on groceries and dining out, and a BBP for 2x on all else. Simple and works for us.

Do you manage to offset the $895 and $325 fees?

[Anonymous]

Does one American Express point have the same value as one Chase Sapphire point?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I used to be all about the VentureX card, but after they started charging guests and family members for lounge access, it was no longer worth it.

For Chase, be careful, I am stuck with the Sapphire even though I want to get a United card because they will only let you open one at a time.

Can you share why you prefer the united card? I’m also considering opening a travel card.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does one American Express point have the same value as one Chase Sapphire point?

Yes, depending on which partner you value most.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does one American Express point have the same value as one Chase Sapphire point?

Yes, depending on which partner you value most.

So similar value if transferring to partner. Got it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I used to be all about the VentureX card, but after they started charging guests and family members for lounge access, it was no longer worth it.

For Chase, be careful, I am stuck with the Sapphire even though I want to get a United card because they will only let you open one at a time.

Can you share why you prefer the united card? I’m also considering opening a travel card.

Do you usually fly United or prefer it for a particular reason?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Platinum would probably only earn around 120k to 160k points on the exact same spending since most purchases only earn 1x.

Yeah the Amex Plat is an absolute s-it card for everyday spending after you hit the bonus. Anyone using it for daily spending is a fool, especially when you can get the category bonuses like PP mentioned on the Gold, or just a flat 2x on the Blue Business Plus.

We use a Platinum for 5x on flights and hotels, Gold for 4x on groceries and dining out, and a BBP for 2x on all else. Simple and works for us.

Do you manage to offset the $895 and $325 fees?

I’d say I view it as offsetting the majority of the fee through credits. The remaining amount is more than offset by my earning points through the card.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For DC area, I think the Chase Sapphire Preferred is the best overall card in terms of ongoing value. With United and Southwest as exclusive transfer partners that gives you access to a ton of nonstops out of IAD and BWI, along with the other transfer partners that are more common with other cards.

The travel delay insurance and rental car coverage is excellent and easily worth the $95 annual fee.

I love the Capital One lounge at IAD and the Landing at DCA so I vote Capital One.

OP--as you can see, there is not a best card. It depends on how you travel and what benefits you're looking for.

Yes, the main reason for me to get these cards is for lounges. And I LOVE Capital One for the lounges. About the same as American Express for a much lower fee.

I believe you don’t get lounge access with Sapphire Preferred, only Reserve.

[Anonymous]

For airline credit cards, maybe 3 might make sense in metro DC/Baltimore:

BWI is a Southwest Airlines hub
DCA is majority American Airlines
IAD is a United hub & Star Alliance hub

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For DC area, I think the Chase Sapphire Preferred is the best overall card in terms of ongoing value. With United and Southwest as exclusive transfer partners that gives you access to a ton of nonstops out of IAD and BWI, along with the other transfer partners that are more common with other cards.

The travel delay insurance and rental car coverage is excellent and easily worth the $95 annual fee.

I love the Capital One lounge at IAD and the Landing at DCA so I vote Capital One.

OP--as you can see, there is not a best card. It depends on how you travel and what benefits you're looking for.

Yes, the main reason for me to get these cards is for lounges. And I LOVE Capital One for the lounges. About the same as American Express for a much lower fee.

I believe you don’t get lounge access with Sapphire Preferred, only Reserve.

Correct- the Preferred has many of the fundamental basics as the Reserve, including the ability to transfer points to partners and good travel/rental car insurance, but the Reserve has many more perks/credits like lounge access to (potentially) justify it's annual fee.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Platinum would probably only earn around 120k to 160k points on the exact same spending since most purchases only earn 1x.

Yeah the Amex Plat is an absolute s-it card for everyday spending after you hit the bonus. Anyone using it for daily spending is a fool, especially when you can get the category bonuses like PP mentioned on the Gold, or just a flat 2x on the Blue Business Plus.

We use a Platinum for 5x on flights and hotels, Gold for 4x on groceries and dining out, and a BBP for 2x on all else. Simple and works for us.

Do you manage to offset the $895 and $325 fees?

The Gold card is easy to offset with x4 multiplier on groceries, it's a reliable point earner.

The Plat is a bit of a stretch past the first year. You have to value the benefits to keep it, and it's okay if you don't. The only real earner there is flights with a x5 multiplier. I fund the United Travel Bank (now have to find something else), I take biannual staycation girl nights with my daughter at either Hyatt or Salamander in DC (the only hotels with indoor pools), I use Uber credits for monthly takeout, I use streaming credits, I use Walmart + for delivery. Use Lululemon for odd gifts.

You can dip your toes if you want by getting a Platinum in mid-December. Benefits reset every calendar year so you can triple dip and then cancel mid-January 13 months later.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Platinum would probably only earn around 120k to 160k points on the exact same spending since most purchases only earn 1x.

Yeah the Amex Plat is an absolute s-it card for everyday spending after you hit the bonus. Anyone using it for daily spending is a fool, especially when you can get the category bonuses like PP mentioned on the Gold, or just a flat 2x on the Blue Business Plus.

We use a Platinum for 5x on flights and hotels, Gold for 4x on groceries and dining out, and a BBP for 2x on all else. Simple and works for us.

Do you manage to offset the $895 and $325 fees?

The Gold card is easy to offset with x4 multiplier on groceries, it's a reliable point earner.

The Plat is a bit of a stretch past the first year. You have to value the benefits to keep it, and it's okay if you don't. The only real earner there is flights with a x5 multiplier. I fund the United Travel Bank (now have to find something else), I take biannual staycation girl nights with my daughter at either Hyatt or Salamander in DC (the only hotels with indoor pools), I use Uber credits for monthly takeout, I use streaming credits, I use Walmart + for delivery. Use Lululemon for odd gifts.

You can dip your toes if you want by getting a Platinum in mid-December. Benefits reset every calendar year so you can triple dip and then cancel mid-January 13 months later.

But with the Gold Card, even if you spend $15,000 on groceries, wouldn’t you only net $275 after the annual fee vs $300 from using a no-fee Wells Fargo card with 2% cash back? Or do you value the Amex more highly than that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Platinum would probably only earn around 120k to 160k points on the exact same spending since most purchases only earn 1x.

Yeah the Amex Plat is an absolute s-it card for everyday spending after you hit the bonus. Anyone using it for daily spending is a fool, especially when you can get the category bonuses like PP mentioned on the Gold, or just a flat 2x on the Blue Business Plus.

We use a Platinum for 5x on flights and hotels, Gold for 4x on groceries and dining out, and a BBP for 2x on all else. Simple and works for us.

Do you manage to offset the $895 and $325 fees?

The Gold card is easy to offset with x4 multiplier on groceries, it's a reliable point earner.

The Plat is a bit of a stretch past the first year. You have to value the benefits to keep it, and it's okay if you don't. The only real earner there is flights with a x5 multiplier. I fund the United Travel Bank (now have to find something else), I take biannual staycation girl nights with my daughter at either Hyatt or Salamander in DC (the only hotels with indoor pools), I use Uber credits for monthly takeout, I use streaming credits, I use Walmart + for delivery. Use Lululemon for odd gifts.

You can dip your toes if you want by getting a Platinum in mid-December. Benefits reset every calendar year so you can triple dip and then cancel mid-January 13 months later.

But with the Gold Card, even if you spend $15,000 on groceries, wouldn’t you only net $275 after the annual fee vs $300 from using a no-fee Wells Fargo card with 2% cash back? Or do you value the Amex more highly than that?

$15k in groceries is 60k points, which is one roundtrip economy trip to Europe, at a minimum, and two round trips if you’re lucky. This beats cash back. But you have to value travel to see it this way.