The Points Guy's Credit Card

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Credit Cards

Credit cards are the number one way to accrue miles and points. Period.

You should be earning points and miles on every single dollar you spend.

Not all points are created equal.

Today’s Topics

3 Main Types of Rewards Cards

Transferable

Co-Branded

Fixed-Value

Top Current Credit Card Offers

Spending Bonuses

Redemption Rally

Transferable Point Programs

American Express Membership Rewards

Pros:

16 airline partners

4 hotel partners

Transfer bonuses – Delta, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic

Transfers post instantaneously (mostly), transfer to anyone

Buy points at 2.5 cents each, up to 500,000 per year

Has added partners like British Airways, Virgin America (bad ratio)

Cons:

Losing transfer partners – Continental, Southwest, Airtran, Priority Club

Excise fee for US airline transfers, $6 per 10,000 up to $99 per transfer

Earning portal shut down

American Express Membership Rewards

Star Alliance• Aeroplan 1:1• All Nippon Airways 1:1• Singapore Airlines 1:1

OneWorld• British Airways 1:1• Iberia 1:1• Asia Miles 1:1

Skyteam• Aeromexico 1:1• Alitalia Airlines 1:1• Delta 1:1• Air France/KLM 1:1

Other• El Al 50:1• Frontier 1:1• Hawaiian 1:1

Airline Transfer Partners

JetBlue 1.25:1Virgin America 2:1 Virgin Atlantic 1:1

American Express Membership Rewards

• Best Western 1:1• Choice Privileges

1:1• Hilton HHonors

1:1.5• Jumeirah Hotels and Resorts

23:1• Starpoints

3:1

Hotel Transfer Partners

Chase Ultimate Rewards

Pros:

Adding partners (Most recently Virgin Atlantic)

Most transfers are instantaneous

No transfer fees

Transfer points to anyone else, combine points with anyone else (Note: Chase has started to crack down)

Points post right after statement closes

Good customer service

Cons:

Limited number of partners

No transfer bonuses

Chase Ultimate Rewards Transfer Partners

•British Airways 1:1•Korean Air 1:1•Southwest 1:1•United 1:1•Virgin Atlantic 1:1

Airline

•Hyatt 1:1•Priority Club 1:1•Marriott 1:1•The Ritz Carlton 1:1

Hotel

•Amtrak 1:1Other

Starwood Preferred Guest

Pros:

Over 1,100 properties

Cash & Points

Reward stays count toward elite status

30 airline partners

5,000 point bonus on transfers of 20,000 points

Cons:

Member can only transfer to their own accounts (technically)

Posting times vary greatly

No shopping portal

Starwood Preferred Guest

Airline Transfer PartnersAeroplan

1:1Air Berlin

1:1Air China

1:1Air New Zealand

65:1Alaska Airlines

1:1Alitalia 1:1

ANA 1:1

American Airlines 1:1

Asia Miles 1:1

Asiana Airlines 1:1

British Airways 1:1

China Eastern 1:1

China Southern 1:1

Delta 1:1

Emirates 1:1

Etihad Airways 1:1

Flying Blue 1:1

Hawaiian 1:1

Japan Airlines 1:1

King Club 1:1

Other

Amtrak 1:1

Starwood Preferred GuestAirline Transfer Time In Days

Delta 1

Aeroplan 3

Air Berlin 4

ANA 4

Virgin Atlantic 6

American Airlines 8

US Airways 8

Alaska Airlines 8

British Airways 9

LAN 9

United 11

Asia Miles 15

Asiana N/A

Flying Blue N/A

Co-Branded Credit Cards

Pros

Mileage and Points Bonuses

Non-points perks like free checked bags, elite status, club

Cons

Generally not transferable

Not a good way to diversify your points

Many perks are the same as elite perks

Examples:

• American Express: Delta and Starwood

• Chase: United MileagePlus Explorer and Hyatt Visa

• Citi: American AAdvantage cards, Hilton Reserve

Airline Co-Branded Credit Card Elite Perks

Delta Platinum Amex- 10,000 MQM’s after $25,000, additional 10,000 MQM’s after $50,000

Delta Reserve 15,000 MQM’s after $30,000, additional 15,000 MQM’s after $60,000.

Citi Executive AAdvantage- American 10,000 EQM’s after 40,000 in spending

US Airways Premier World Mastercard - 10,000 after 25,000 in spending

Reduced Price Awards (US Airways)

Hotel Co-Branded Credit Card Perks

Starwood: 2 stays/ 5 nights toward elite status; Starwood Gold after $30,000 in spending

Hyatt: 2 stays/ 5 night after spending $20,000; An additional 3 stay/5 night credits after spending $40,000 a year.One free night at Category 1-4 property annually

Hilton Reserve- One free weekend night annually after spending $10,000, Comp Gold Status; Diamond Status after $40,000 in spending

Marriott Visa- 1 Free Night Towards Elite Status for every $3,000; annual free night stay

Club Carlson Premier Visa- Club Carlson Gold Status

Fixed-Value CardsFixed-value can be redeemed for travel, cash back or merchandise at a fixed rate that is usually around 1-2 cents each depending on what you want to redeem them for.

Pros

No award blackouts

You earn elite status when using them

Easy to get 1-2.2% in value back

Cons

Expensive tickets cost a lot of points

Fixed-Value Cards

Best for people who want to redeem them for the following:

If you don’t have flexible travel dates and need to travel at peak times

If you want to earn elite miles on every flight to retain status

People who don’t like surprises or uncertainty when it comes to the value of their points

Travelers who redeem for inexpensive flights

Fixed Value Cards• Barclaycard Arrival (annual fee)

• Earn: 2 miles per $1

• Redeem: 2.2% for travel, 0.5% for statement credits

• Capital One Venture

• Earn: 2 miles per $1

• Redeem: 1 cent per mile

• US Bank FlexPerks Travel Rewards Visa

• Earn: 1-3 points per dollar

• Redeem: 1.33-2 cents per point

• Citi ThankYou Premier

• Earn: Bonus categories earn 1.2 points per $1

• Redeem: 1.33 cents per point for travel

Category Bonuses

Amex Premier Rewards Gold: 3x airfare, 2x gas and groceries

Amex Business Gold 3x airfare, 2x advertising, gas, and shipping

Chase Ink: 5x office, wireless, phone, cable, 2X gas and dining

Chase Sapphire: 2x travel and dining

Chase Freedom: 5x rotating each quarter

Citi Forward: 5x restaurants, books, movies, music

Hilton Amex- May 1 -5x restaurants, gas, and supermarkets

Spend BonusesCOMPANION TICKETS

British Airways Visa: Travel Together Ticket after $30,000 spent in 1 year

Delta Reserve: Free Reserve Companion Certificate each year, valid for domestic routings

Southwest Rapid Rewards Visa: Fly 100 one-way flights within a calendar year or accrue 110,000 points in a calendar year.

US Airways Premier World MasterCard: Companion certificate valid for two $99 companion tickets each year

Alaska Airlines Visa Signature: $99 companion fare upon approval and on every subsequent anniversary

Citi ThankYou Premier: Annual complimentary domestic companion ticket valid for continental USA

BONUS POINTS/MILES

American Express Premier Rewards Gold: 15,000 points after $30,000 spent in 1 year

US Bank FlexPerks Visa: 3,500 points after $24,000 per cardmember year

Virgin Atlantic American Express: 15,000 miles on cardmember anniversary after $25,000 spent in the year

United Mileage Plus Explorer: 10,000 miles after $25,000 spent each year

ELITE MILES AND PERKS

Platinum Delta SkyMiles: 10,000 MQM’s after $25,000 spent in 1 year. Spend $50,000 and get 10,000 more MQM’s.

Delta Reserve: 15,000 MQM’s when you spend $30,000, and another 15,000 MQM’s at $60,000.

Citi Executive AAdvantage World Elite MasterCard: 10,000 EQM’s after $40,000 in a calendar year.

US Airways Premier World MasterCard: Offers up to 10,000 Preferred miles with $25,000 in a year.

Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Premier: 1,500 Tier Qualifying Points for every $10,000 spent

Citi Platinum Select AAdvantage: $100 AA flight discount every year after $30,000 spent

Citi Hilton HHonors Reserve: Free weekend night after $10,000 spent and Diamond status after $40,000 or more in purchases each year

Marriott Rewards Premier: 1 elite night credit for every $3,000 spent

American Express Hilton HHonors Surpass: HHonors Diamond Elite status after $40,000 or more spent in a year

Chase Hyatt Visa: Up to 10 night credits per year by spending $40,0000

Spend Bonuses

Redemption Rally

Vote on Top 3 Cards

3 Teams of 3 - Each team will work together on one lap top

Maximize 100,000 points/miles

Come up with the highest retail value for your redemption

Vote for your Top Credit Cardemail ryan@thepointsguy.com

Business Gold Rewards from American Express: 50,000 points after $5,000 in 3 months

Ink Bold/Plus: 50,000 points after $5,000 in 3 months

Mercedes-Benz Platinum from American Express: 50,000 points after $1,000 in 3 months

Sapphire Preferred: 40,000 points after $3,000 in 3 months

Barclay Arrival: 40,000 miles after $1,000 in 90 days

British Airways Visa: 50,000 Avios after $1,000 in 3 months

Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Premier: 2 Round Trip Flights after $2,000 in 3 months

Starwood Preferred Guest from American Express: 25,000 points after $5,000 in 6 months

Citi Hilton HHonors Reserve: 2 weekend night certificates after $2,500 in 4 months

Club Carlson Premier Rewards: 85,000 points after $2,500 in 90 days