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Brian Fellows
May 29, 2003
I'm Brian Fellows

xie posted:

How is 100k miles not enough for a R/T ticket to Europe? I think you misread my post. US is offering 50k that convert to American at the end of the year. American is also offering 50k.

Oh OK yeah that makes more sense, 100K total. Your post was reading to me like you were talking about getting one card or the other.

So my other points still stand - no guarantee you'll find award availability at the 100K level for where/when you want to go, and I don't think US Airways and AA miles are going to be merged until the second quarter of 2015, so you're not going to have much time to book that award.

So fundamentally you've got everything right, the timing just might not work out for you. This IS your best bet, however, to get your trip using miles. I would go forward with your plan but assume you're going to have to book tickets with cash.

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Pompous Rhombus
Mar 11, 2007

Brian Fellows posted:

I don't think US Airways and AA miles are going to be merged until the second quarter of 2015, so you're not going to have much time to book that award.

Aww crap, that blows. Wanted to fly in June, even right now the outbound leg options (for economy) are already drying up. Got 20k with AA and need 70k, was thinking that US Airways thing would work out for me.

Lelorox
Jul 28, 2013

BFC SLACKER 2014
Has anyone had any luck getting annual fees comped by calling the credit card company.

I ask because I currently use a BoA starter card (I had no credit history prior to 2013,) which offers no rewards and has a $39 dollar annual fee. There is literally no reason I should be paying that much just for the "right" to use BoA's credit card service with no incentives. I pay off my bill in full each month, and think I've built up enough credit over the last 10 months to move onto my next card.

Bisty Q.
Jul 22, 2008

Lelorox posted:

Has anyone had any luck getting annual fees comped by calling the credit card company.

I ask because I currently use a BoA starter card (I had no credit history prior to 2013,) which offers no rewards and has a $39 dollar annual fee. There is literally no reason I should be paying that much just for the "right" to use BoA's credit card service with no incentives. I pay off my bill in full each month, and think I've built up enough credit over the last 10 months to move onto my next card.

Probably you can get it waived, but just call and ask for a 'product change' to a no-AF, rewards card, like their Travel Rewards card. That will help maintain your average account age, as well, instead of stopping it now.

Shrimpy
May 18, 2004

Sir, I'm going to need to see your ticket.
Has anyone had any luck with getting American Express to give you your credit card number before actually receiving the card?

Long story short, I've got a large purchase I'd like to put on the card before the end of the year and both Amex and Citi are telling me that, best case scenario it's going to take 7-10 days to receive a card. Amex won't overnight a card on a new account (despite me having two other Amex cards), but I'm wondering if anyone's had any luck getting the number (or a working, temporary number) before getting the card in their hands.

Xandu
Feb 19, 2006


It's hard to be humble when you're as great as I am.
Hmm, you could ask. Does the card show up online?

Shrimpy
May 18, 2004

Sir, I'm going to need to see your ticket.

Xandu posted:

Hmm, you could ask. Does the card show up online?

Amex gave me a number to call and ask, but it's closed for Christmas. Figured someone here might have experience.

I haven't actually applied for the card yet, but the person I talked to said they'd be able to answer regardless.

asur
Dec 28, 2012
As far as I can tell Amex doesn't show the entire card number online. You may have better luck with Citi as they have an online option for a temporary card number for use for online transactions.

PittPanther
Sep 6, 2006

Shrimpy posted:

Has anyone had any luck with getting American Express to give you your credit card number before actually receiving the card?

Long story short, I've got a large purchase I'd like to put on the card before the end of the year and both Amex and Citi are telling me that, best case scenario it's going to take 7-10 days to receive a card. Amex won't overnight a card on a new account (despite me having two other Amex cards), but I'm wondering if anyone's had any luck getting the number (or a working, temporary number) before getting the card in their hands.

When I applied online for Amex Platinum, I received the number immediately online and was able to use it for online purchases several days before physically receiving the card.

Cacafuego
Jul 22, 2007

I'm looking for a good airline/travel rewards card. I recently went on a US Air flight and they were pushing their US Air mastercard pretty hard. I really like the free first bag (I would take advantage of this) and the 50,000 upfront miles. I don't necessarily like the $89 annual fee, but that'd be essentially cancelled if I took 2 round trip flights with a bag per year, which I will probably do ($25/bag each way). Reviews I'm reading aren't very good for this card though.

I already have a Pentagon Federal credit union platinum signature visa with the chip/pin and no foreign transaction fees, so I'm really only interested in this other one for perks and airline mileage.

I have a Wells Fargo platinum visa that I never use ($0 balance) and the pen fed card that I use for grocery/gas purchases and pretty much everything else I buy (paid off in full every month, $0 balance). When I applied for a car loan, I got the lowest rate and they told me my credit score was excellent at 784. I feel confident I could get whichever card I want, it's just knowing which one is best.

Creditkarma.com is recommending the Chase Sapphire Preferred (I don't like the $95 annual fee) and the Barclaycard Arrival World master card. It mentions 20,000 miles after $1,000 in purchases within 90 days, but are these usable with any airline?

Small White Dragon
Nov 23, 2007

No relation.

Cacafuego posted:

I'm looking for a good airline/travel rewards card. I recently went on a US Air flight and they were pushing their US Air mastercard pretty hard. I really like the free first bag (I would take advantage of this) and the 50,000 upfront miles. I don't necessarily like the $89 annual fee, but that'd be essentially cancelled if I took 2 round trip flights with a bag per year, which I will probably do ($25/bag each way). Reviews I'm reading aren't very good for this card though.
Right now, the US Airways mastercard also includes two companion flight passes (good for a $99 companion inside the continental US) and a lounge day pass. Very soon, the US Airways master card will become an American Airlines card, and those two benefits will stop being offered; instead, you'll get 10% of your redeemed miles back, capped at 10K miles back per year.

That said, Barclays customer service is often bad.

Cacafuego posted:

Creditkarma.com is recommending the Chase Sapphire Preferred (I don't like the $95 annual fee) and the Barclaycard Arrival World master card. It mentions 20,000 miles after $1,000 in purchases within 90 days, but are these usable with any airline?
Both of these cards are popular amongst both novices and travel experts.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred gives 2x miles and dining and travel, and those points can be redeemed towards airfare (at a fixed rate of 1.25 cents per mile) or transferred (in 1000 mile increments) to several hotel and airline programs.

The Barclay Arrival "miles" are actually not traditional airline miles, but rather you can use them for statement credits towards travel expenses. Each Arrival "mile" is worth 1 cent towards a travel expense (minimum of 2500), plus you get 10% back.


Anyway, this guy has some detailed reviews of each card:
http://www.drcreditcard.net/barclays-us-airways.html
http://www.drcreditcard.net/chase-sapphire-preferred.html
http://www.drcreditcard.net/barclays-arrival.html

It's hard to say what might work best for you without knowing some specifics, but I'm familiar with all three of these cards if you have any questions.

SpelledBackwards
Jan 7, 2001

I found this image on the Internet, perhaps you've heard of it? It's been around for a while I hear.

How do merchants report cash-like portions of a purchase? Is it split out?

Say I have a 2% groceries cash back reward and at the local grocery store I get $100 in groceries and a $100 Amazon gift card all on one receipt. I'd only earn $2 in rewards points and not $4, correct?

Grumpwagon
May 6, 2007
I am a giant assfuck who needs to harden the fuck up.

SpelledBackwards posted:

How do merchants report cash-like portions of a purchase? Is it split out?

Say I have a 2% groceries cash back reward and at the local grocery store I get $100 in groceries and a $100 Amazon gift card all on one receipt. I'd only earn $2 in rewards points and not $4, correct?

I'm no expert, but I'd guess you'd get $4. From what I've seen, it seems to be handled on the merchant level. That's why bookstore cards give you cash back from amazon, regardless of what you bought there.

asur
Dec 28, 2012

SpelledBackwards posted:

How do merchants report cash-like portions of a purchase? Is it split out?

Say I have a 2% groceries cash back reward and at the local grocery store I get $100 in groceries and a $100 Amazon gift card all on one receipt. I'd only earn $2 in rewards points and not $4, correct?

You earn $4. Merchants don't report what is in the transaction.

Bisty Q.
Jul 22, 2008

asur posted:

You earn $4. Merchants don't report what is in the transaction.

Well, some do. Google "Level 3 data". Office supply stores and airlines, especially, report this. But yeah, for the posed question, you're fine. Buy all the gift cards you want, just try not to make purchases of exactly gift card amounts excessively or risk some fun questioning from your credit card.


Cacafuego posted:

I'm looking for a good airline/travel rewards card.

Using your miles for domestic travel generally does not make a miles-earning card worthwhile. You probably want a straight cashback card that you can then spend the points on other stuff. The Citi Double Cash is probably the best choice for that; 2% on all your purchases which you can then use to buy whatever you want, including your flights.

If you plan on international travel, then miles cards may become more worthwhile for the signup bonuses, but if not, especially American/US's domestic award charts are not worth getting the miles card given the cheap prices of domestic flights, IMO.

Bisty Q. fucked around with this message at 16:02 on Jan 2, 2015

SpelledBackwards
Jan 7, 2001

I found this image on the Internet, perhaps you've heard of it? It's been around for a while I hear.

Bisty Q. posted:

Well, some do. Google "Level 3 data". Office supply stores and airlines, especially, report this. But yeah, for the posed question, you're fine. Buy all the gift cards you want, just try not to make purchases of exactly gift card amounts excessively or risk some fun questioning from your credit card.

It seems too easy to game then that it really surprises me if they don't split it out. My Chase Freedom did 5% Amazon in Q4 last year and is doing grocery stores now, so that's an opportunity to stock up (up to $1500 quarterly max spending) vs. my 3% Amazon Visa.

On the subject of reward points, do consumers really ever shop for merchandise in those dumb "Rewards Mall" storefronts using points to purchase actual stuff vs. statement credits, cash back, gift cards, travel, and charity? Those items all seem so hilariously overpriced that I can't believe these companies spend time and money keeping them posted.

nickutz
Feb 3, 2004

Put blue and red chicken in mouth plz
People definitely use those and get terrible value for their points, it might be the most "profitable" point redemption for the card issuer.

Lelorox
Jul 28, 2013

BFC SLACKER 2014

Bisty Q. posted:

Probably you can get it waived, but just call and ask for a 'product change' to a no-AF, rewards card, like their Travel Rewards card. That will help maintain your average account age, as well, instead of stopping it now.

Ah thanks for this advice. I was wondering how this works.

asur
Dec 28, 2012

SpelledBackwards posted:

It seems too easy to game then that it really surprises me if they don't split it out. My Chase Freedom did 5% Amazon in Q4 last year and is doing grocery stores now, so that's an opportunity to stock up (up to $1500 quarterly max spending) vs. my 3% Amazon Visa.

On the subject of reward points, do consumers really ever shop for merchandise in those dumb "Rewards Mall" storefronts using points to purchase actual stuff vs. statement credits, cash back, gift cards, travel, and charity? Those items all seem so hilariously overpriced that I can't believe these companies spend time and money keeping them posted.

It's one of the reasons why they have the spending limits.

Space Gopher
Jul 31, 2006

BLITHERING IDIOT AND HARDCORE DURIAN APOLOGIST. LET ME TELL YOU WHY THIS SHIT DON'T STINK EVEN THOUGH WE ALL KNOW IT DOES BECAUSE I'M SUPER CULTURED.

SpelledBackwards posted:

It seems too easy to game then that it really surprises me if they don't split it out. My Chase Freedom did 5% Amazon in Q4 last year and is doing grocery stores now, so that's an opportunity to stock up (up to $1500 quarterly max spending) vs. my 3% Amazon Visa.

You can game them for $75 in a quarter, and they get some of that back with merchant fees. ~$25 a month is a tiny drop in the bucket compared to what they make charging interest to folks who carry a balance.

Also, if you do find something that looks like a way to bust the system wide open, retailers will cut you off from gift card purchases when you buy a lot of them. Screwing around with near-cash products on a scale that's worth a bank's notice looks a lot like money laundering.

The Leck
Feb 27, 2001

SpelledBackwards posted:

It seems too easy to game then that it really surprises me if they don't split it out. My Chase Freedom did 5% Amazon in Q4 last year and is doing grocery stores now, so that's an opportunity to stock up (up to $1500 quarterly max spending) vs. my 3% Amazon Visa.
If you look at some of the crazier credit card blogs, they're all about this sort of thing to create excess spending. It seems like more trouble than it's worth to go to those lengths, but I've picked up an Amazon card from the grocery store a couple of times and gotten the 6% back from my credit card with no trouble.

Lelorox
Jul 28, 2013

BFC SLACKER 2014

Lelorox posted:

Ah thanks for this advice. I was wondering how this works.

Well that was fairly simple. Called BoA this morning and maybe was on the phone for half an hour. Got switched over to cash rewards and increased my limit without any hassle except for the rep trying to tell me that I would still have a 39 dollar fee which I insisted wasn't the case. So he waived the fee and got me my new card.

Thanks for the advice.

Bragon
Apr 7, 2010

Is it super duper bad for your credit rating to run a 0 balance on a card you aren't using? I got a Freedom last year but hardly used it, since my amex BCP and Sapphire Preferred do everything I need them to. If it is, should I close it or just make 1 purchase a month on it or something?

Space Gopher
Jul 31, 2006

BLITHERING IDIOT AND HARDCORE DURIAN APOLOGIST. LET ME TELL YOU WHY THIS SHIT DON'T STINK EVEN THOUGH WE ALL KNOW IT DOES BECAUSE I'M SUPER CULTURED.

Bragon posted:

Is it super duper bad for your credit rating to run a 0 balance on a card you aren't using? I got a Freedom last year but hardly used it, since my amex BCP and Sapphire Preferred do everything I need them to. If it is, should I close it or just make 1 purchase a month on it or something?

Not at all - it's slightly better to keep an unused card open, to help your utilization. If you're still trying to establish credit, it's slightly better to have a "paid on time" note for each month than nothing, but that effect is close to microscopic if you've got other cards you're paying regularly.

Blinkman987
Jul 10, 2008

Gender roles guilt me into being fat.

Shrimpy posted:

Has anyone had any luck with getting American Express to give you your credit card number before actually receiving the card?

Long story short, I've got a large purchase I'd like to put on the card before the end of the year and both Amex and Citi are telling me that, best case scenario it's going to take 7-10 days to receive a card. Amex won't overnight a card on a new account (despite me having two other Amex cards), but I'm wondering if anyone's had any luck getting the number (or a working, temporary number) before getting the card in their hands.

In case anybody runs into this problem in the future, you have to have pop-ups and ad blocks disabled when you apply. They only show you the number once online-- at the very end of the application, and it's not in the email-- until you get your card, and I had those enabled so I didn't get to see the number. Had to wait until the card came in, as they would not provide me the number over the phone.

Vox Nihili
May 28, 2008
Looks like there's an offer available for the Discover It credit card that includes $150 cashback after $750 spent in three months. I have never seen a sign-up bonus available for this card before. The offer doesn't appear to be available on the main page, so I think you need to use that link to get to it.

It appeared to work for me today, and the sign-up bonus showed up in the contract information and such when I applied.

Edit: Deal no longer available.

Vox Nihili fucked around with this message at 05:25 on Feb 9, 2015

100 HOGS AGREE
Oct 13, 2007
Grimey Drawer
Argh I just got a Discover It a couple days ago.

THF13
Sep 26, 2007

Keep an adversary in the dark about what you're capable of, and he has to assume the worst.

100 HOGS AGREE posted:

Argh I just got a Discover It a couple days ago.

The offer has been going for at least the last month and is open to anyone so you should be able to get the bonus. Call/chat/send a message to discover and say you meant to sign up for the $175 bonus. The worse that can happen is they say no.

100 HOGS AGREE
Oct 13, 2007
Grimey Drawer

THF13 posted:

The offer has been going for at least the last month and is open to anyone so you should be able to get the bonus. Call/chat/send a message to discover and say you meant to sign up for the $175 bonus. The worse that can happen is they say no.

Yeah they said no. Oh well, it can't be helped.

Shadowhand00
Jan 23, 2006

Golden Bear is ever watching; day by day he prowls, and when he hears the tread of lowly Stanfurd red,from his Lair he fiercely growls.
Toilet Rascal

Bisty Q. posted:

Delta is pretty much the worst one. The 'pro' thing to do is to transfer them to British Airways when there's a transfer bonus in effect, then use those Avios to book trips on American. If you mostly take short-hauls (to the midwest or shorter), you'll come out way ahead this way, since Avios redemptions start at 7500 miles each way (yep, you read that right) and you book on regular American flights.

Is the British Airways 40% promo the best its going to get? Have there been any other promos?

Small White Dragon
Nov 23, 2007

No relation.
Those transfer bonuses used to be frequent, not so much anymore.

Elysium
Aug 21, 2003
It is by will alone I set my mind in motion.
I picked up the Barclaycard World Plus for the 40k mile bonus since I was planning an expensive ski trip. I just activated the bonus (plus earned miles) for $450 off my flight plus another 4500 miles for redeeming. Pretty nice. Also it seems that you can get a bunch of free miles just posting in their stupid travel forum (which seems to only exist to harvest travel data... no one is actually browsing it for travel ideas). 500 miles for signing up and 150 miles every time you post a trip (50 words and a picture) and 10 miles for every "like" you get. I'll probably downgrade it after my free year is up, but thanks for the $500+ barclaycard!

ilkhan
Oct 7, 2004

I LOVE Musk and his pro-first-amendment ways. X is the future.
Citi double cash is going to be about as good as it gets for a general usage card, right?
amazon / random-shopping / gas are my biggest categories. Don't carry a balance, not worried about miles, just cash back.

spwrozek
Sep 4, 2006

Sail when it's windy

ilkhan posted:

Citi double cash is going to be about as good as it gets for a general usage card, right?
amazon / random-shopping / gas are my biggest categories. Don't carry a balance, not worried about miles, just cash back.

That plus a chase freedom card. Freedom card is 5% on groceries right now, 3rd quarter is 5% on gas, and 4th quarter is 5% on amazon. But general straight up no hassle the citi card is pretty good.

ETB
Nov 8, 2009

Yeah, I'm that guy.
Just for the sheer lack of hassle, the Citi card wins.

Doghouse
Oct 22, 2004

I was playing Harvest Moon 64 with this kid who lived on my street and my cows were not doing well and I got so raged up and frustrated that my eyes welled up with tears and my friend was like are you crying dude. Are you crying because of the cows. I didn't understand the feeding mechanic.
How does the Sallie Mae mastercard work with Amazon, do you get 5% back on any Amazon purchase or just books?

Sonata Mused
Feb 19, 2013

I'll show you... a nightmare...
Well, apparently my credit sucks enough that I can't get any cash back cards. Guess I'm stuck with this super low ceiling one. Sigh...

Pompous Rhombus
Mar 11, 2007
I was just approved for a US Airways Dividend Miles World MC, which should work out nicely when AA and US Airways merge their frequent flyer miles (already have ~24k in an AA account) later this year.

I've also got an AAdvantage Mastercard I received almost a year ago (going to cancel it soon, before the annual fee hits). Is it worth my time to apply for another AAdvantage card soon after (or just before), or are they likely to reject me? FWIW my credit score is a bit over 800, although the weakest area was having too few accounts.

Also, if anyone has recommendations on a VISA or Mastercard with high-ish minimum spends (up to ~$8-9k) that has good mileage rewards, do tell. I can pay my university tuition with them at no additional fee (assuming the card has no foreign transaction fees, most of the travel-oriented ones seem not to), figured I ought to leverage that rather than paying with straight up cash.

hbf
Jul 26, 2003
No Dice.

Doghouse posted:

How does the Sallie Mae mastercard work with Amazon, do you get 5% back on any Amazon purchase or just books?

Anything that is billed as "amazon". Amazon is a bookstore according to them. They don't see any sort of itemized purchase.

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Blinkman987
Jul 10, 2008

Gender roles guilt me into being fat.
If Visa Signature is meant to compete with mid-level Amex on a product level, it failed the first test. Delta Amex deposited bonus miles as soon as I hit my spending threshold. Southwest Visa Signature waits until the billing cycle, then 4-6 weeks. It's like, you get every piece of financial data on me instantly, can respond within minutes of any suspicious purchase like a Jack in the Box meal buy 40 miles from my home, and you have all the control of my financial future with a credit score-- but you need over a month to process and apply a few hundred dollars worth of airline miles? What do you think my scam to get HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS from a financial institution is, and how will one month delay stop it?

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