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Credit Cards

Discussion in 'Non-Vegas Chat' started by Imperial_Palace_King, May 4, 2015.

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  1. Imperial_Palace_King

    Imperial_Palace_King High-Roller

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    Thinking about getting another credit card. I currently have only one and it's the venture one visa card through capital one. No annual fees, no foreign transaction fees etc. I'm thinking about maybe getting an airline card. I don't charge a crazy amount. Maybe only about 15-17k a year on the card if that. I'm considering the SWA credit card which has a 50,000 mile bonus offer. Anyone have the SWA card? Also considering the american airlines card or the united card. Are the airline cards worth paying the annual fee? Any tips on these cards or others that I should consider would be appreciated.
     
  2. VegasGroove

    VegasGroove VIP Whale

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    I guess for the airline card, you pick the carrier you would fly the most. I love my SW Visa (though Chase Bank). Points through purchases and partner purchases add up quickly. And if they are offering the 50K points, that should cover 2 tickets. I don't mind the $99 annual fee, its just another charge to me. And besides, I pay it off each month, so no interest charges.
     
  3. shifter

    shifter Degenerate Gambler

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    Do you fly all those different airlines?

    Miles you never use aren't very useful.
     
  4. Hobofrank

    Hobofrank Prime Minister of Idiocracy

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    this I have the same card as you for the same reason, just BUR to LAS
     
  5. Packer

    Packer VIP Whale

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    Me too. I fly 12-17 round trips a year to different destinations. Works for me.
     
  6. Catzilla

    Catzilla VIP Whale

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    Same thing I have. I love those $11.20 RT flights!

    So long as SW does not drastically devalue their points, drop any more direct routes that I want to fly, or change their awesome cancellation policy, I'll stick with the card. It's a good deal.
     
  7. IWannaBeInVegas

    IWannaBeInVegas VIP Whale

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    Check the new discover travel rewards card
     
  8. BigGTMike

    BigGTMike Low-Roller

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    Considered upgrading from venture one to venture? Other good general option is chase sapphire preferred. Can pair it with chase freedom too. I don't think you want to go with a specific airline card unless you are hardcore committed to that brand
     
  9. IWannaBeInVegas

    IWannaBeInVegas VIP Whale

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  10. Imperial_Palace_King

    Imperial_Palace_King High-Roller

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    Those are the airlines I fly the most. Usually just book whatever is cheapest.
     
  11. wanker751

    wanker751 Dutch Rudder Enthusiast

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    I have SWA card as well... I have not paid for a flight for my wife and I and now my son since 2012... though we used my wife's introductory offers for some. That is 13 RT flights total.

    There is a chase Sapphire card that transfers 1:1 to SWA.... check that out too.
     
  12. Imperial_Palace_King

    Imperial_Palace_King High-Roller

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    Thanks for all the replies. Might end up with the SWA card.
     
  13. Imperial_Palace_King

    Imperial_Palace_King High-Roller

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    Getting the southwest card. Already applied and approved. The annual fee actually cancels out with the 6000 anniversary miles they give you each year. I'm going to try and call to get my card number early. Need to book a flight on SWA asap. To vegas of course.
     
  14. BayouBengal

    BayouBengal VIP Whale

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    The SWA card made the most sense for me. For years I was an AMEX Blue person but all I was redeeming with points was stuff like iTunes credit, home depot cards and OpenTable gift cards. In the end the value per point was pretty close for the things I would redeem for between the two cards. Also the nice thing about booking on points with SWA is that they're fully refundable. With cash they convert it credit unless you have the more expensive select fare. Wanna Getaway for the win!
     
  15. shifter

    shifter Degenerate Gambler

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    That card sucks just like the Barclays travel card. The miles are fake, it's really just cash back.
     
  16. Hobofrank

    Hobofrank Prime Minister of Idiocracy

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    totally worth it
     
  17. Joe

    Joe VIP Whale

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    Drives my wife nuts but we have 6 charge cards and use them according to rewards. She has had to put sticky labels on the cards to keep them straight.
    This quarter:
    Amex Blue Prefered: 6% at grocery stores.
    This is all the time up to $6,000 in charges. ($75). Plus after we spent $1,000 in the first 3 months they gave us $150 cash back and Amazon Prime for an entire year. My wife is loving the Prime. 2 day delivery on most things. They even delivered a package this last Sunday! Plus, we get the Amazon streaming service for music and movies.

    Chase Freedom: 5% at restaurants this quarter. (Fee free)

    BOA: 3% at gas stations. (Fee free)

    AARP: 3% at restaurants, but not while the Freedom is paying 5% this quarter. (Fee free)

    Costco AMEX for Costco obviously, but for all electronic purchases because they extend the manufacturer's warranty. ($~50) This will end in 2016 since Costco has dropped AMEX as the only card they will accept. Some other card company is going to get the exclusive rights.

    SWA for everything else ($99) 6,000 points annual reward and most importantly, 4 drink tickets once a year. :beer:

    A note on the SWA card. I am on my 3rd card and 3rd, 50,000 points reward. After I get a card, spend the $1,000 and get my reward, I cancel. I then wait and apply again. Their rules are you can only get a reward every 3 years, but they don't tell you that applies to the card level you just had. They have 3 different card levels so you can collect 50,000 on each one. I'm now at the Visa Signature level, the last level. I'm probably going to keep it.

    For 2014, we averaged ~$4,800 per month in charges on all the cards, about $3,500 of that went on the SWA card.
     
  18. Hobofrank

    Hobofrank Prime Minister of Idiocracy

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    can you expand/ explain how that "hit it and quit it" thing works on the SWA card?
     
  19. Joe

    Joe VIP Whale

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    Three different card levels and apparently applying for one, does not make you ineligible after cancelling to apply for another.
    Now I'm not eligible for any since I ran through all three levels, but here is what I did.

    I received the 50,000 points offer and applied for a Visa Signature I think that was the lowest annual fee. You had to charge ~$2,000 in 3 months, paid the annual fee of ~$50 and once you did that, they put 50,000 points in your SWA account. Once the points were in my account, I cancelled the card.

    I waited 6 months to a year and they would send me offers for the next level card and 50,000 points. Wash, rinse, repeat for the next two times. The annual fee went up for each card, but it is still under $100.

    We also did this twice with a card in my wife's name for 100,000 points. That one was cancelled in Sept, but so far she has not received a new mailer.
     
  20. ajp

    ajp High-Roller

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    FYI for Chase rewards cards you can reapply every 24 months, not 36 months for the same card.
     
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