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rcpratt

Lifer
Jul 2, 2009
10,433
110
116
I just applied for and was approved for the Chase Ink Business Preferred. It's 80k for 5k spent in 3 months. While it's not as good as our CSR cards, it's still 80k in "free" points. I already have the Freedom Unlimited, so I guess I have the trifecta for Chase? I didn't even know this was a thing until I googled it after your comment.

I have an Amex Platinum and the concierge service has been very good to us in the past. The yearly fee has gone up over the years and it's expensive, so use the benefits as much as possible.
You can always open the Ink Cash and Ink Unlimited for another 50k points each. Neither has a fee.
 

RossMAN

Grand Nagus
Feb 24, 2000
78,794
266
116
I just applied for and was approved for the Chase Ink Business Preferred. It's 80k for 5k spent in 3 months. While it's not as good as our CSR cards, it's still 80k in "free" points. I already have the Freedom Unlimited, so I guess I have the trifecta for Chase? I didn't even know this was a thing until I googled it after your comment.

I have an Amex Platinum and the concierge service has been very good to us in the past. The yearly fee has gone up over the years and it's expensive, so use the benefits as much as possible.

First of all congratulations on your CIBP approval, I wish I could get a Chase card, any of them. Since I'm at LOL/24 it will take a while. Edit, OK I just figured out my 5/24 status and it's July 2020 but for a credit card churner that is an eternity. I can't decide what I value more initial sign up bonus or spend categories, I think it's the latter of the two. I will probably go for the Chase Ink Cash which earns 5x on cell/cable bills, offer to pay bills for a few family members and they'll reimburse me directly, it will be around $500/mo x 5 = 2,500 CUR for basically paying bills we'd pay anyway. If I didn't already have a CSR I'd probably go for a premium business card but I'm already paying $$$ in annual fees for several premium cards, I don't need anymore. Speaking of CUR, although they're worth 1.5 cents each I prefer to transfer them to airline partners for aspirational airline tickets in first or business class.

I don't have the traditional Chase trifecta because I only have 2 of the 3 cards but it's good enough for my needs. Unfortunately I haven't really been able to maximize it lately because the Chase Freedom quarterly categories have sucked, my favorites are restaurants and grocery stores. I'm so close to the Amex trifecta just missing the Platinum card however I'm waiting and waiting and waiting for the elusive 100k offer, yes I've already tried the CardMatch and Amex prequalified offers links - nothing yet. About a year ago CardMatch showed 100k offer I didn't apply at the time and obviously I regret it to this day.

Most of my everyday spend goes on Amex Gold, CSR or CBP.

Amex Trifecta VS Chase Trifecta: Best Credit Card Combination??

Amex Trifecta VS Chase Trifecta Pt. 2: Personal Cards

https://www.reddit.com/r/CreditCard...amex_vs_chase_trifecta_which_one_is_best_for/
 

Exterous

Super Moderator
Jun 20, 2006
20,348
3,426
126
I'm so close to the Amex trifecta just missing the Platinum card however I'm waiting and waiting and waiting for the elusive 100k offer, yes I've already tried the CardMatch and Amex prequalified offers links - nothing yet. About a year ago CardMatch showed 100k offer I didn't apply at the time and obviously I regret it to this day.

Did you try misspelling your name or using an old address in an incognito browser? I haven't tried it but I've seen people say that works
 
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rcpratt

Lifer
Jul 2, 2009
10,433
110
116
I can't justify another fee for a premium card, but I get mailers with 100k offers from AmEx all the time. Make sure you chcek those too.
 

ponyo

Lifer
Feb 14, 2002
19,689
2,811
126
What kind of fees are you guys paying on "free" airfare booked using airline points? I'm assuming most of you who transfer Chase UR or Amex points are using it to fly international routes. Korean Air wanted $400 in fees per person to fly to Japan. I find that absurd when I can buy discounted economy flights to Japan for under $1k without using any points.
 

deadlyapp

Diamond Member
Apr 25, 2004
6,582
698
126
What kind of fees are you guys paying on "free" airfare booked using airline points? I'm assuming most of you who transfer Chase UR or Amex points are using it to fly international routes. Korean Air wanted $400 in fees per person to fly to Japan. I find that absurd when I can buy discounted economy flights to Japan for under $1k without using any points.
That's the benefit of using the Chase travel portal is to avoid some of those crazy fees. I booked travel to Switzerland using the portal rather than transferring to United after a bunch of comparison shopping
 

purbeast0

No Lifer
Sep 13, 2001
52,834
5,713
126
What kind of fees are you guys paying on "free" airfare booked using airline points? I'm assuming most of you who transfer Chase UR or Amex points are using it to fly international routes. Korean Air wanted $400 in fees per person to fly to Japan. I find that absurd when I can buy discounted economy flights to Japan for under $1k without using any points.
All my trips on SW to the Caribbean are usually like $75-$95 per person. And then I use points for 2 tickets and my wife flies free with companion pass.

$285 for a trip to Grand Cayman instead of $1800 is pretty f'ing good.

When I go to the Keys, it's $11 in fees per person. I went down there with a group of guys last month to do fishing and diving and they all paid like $260 for their tickets while I paid $11 in fees.
 

rcpratt

Lifer
Jul 2, 2009
10,433
110
116
Fee structure varies widely by airline. Just gotta look at the all-in cost and make the best value decision.

To deadly's point...this is definitely one of my favorite things about the CSR portal. Yeah, you can maybe get better than 1.5x value by transferring points. But the portal is so easy, you know what you're getting, plus they're revenue tickets so you still earn status/miles with the airline.
 

Exterous

Super Moderator
Jun 20, 2006
20,348
3,426
126
What kind of fees are you guys paying on "free" airfare booked using airline points? I'm assuming most of you who transfer Chase UR or Amex points are using it to fly international routes. Korean Air wanted $400 in fees per person to fly to Japan. I find that absurd when I can buy discounted economy flights to Japan for under $1k without using any points.

As noted it varies a lot by country\alliance\airline. There is a somewhat deep dive into it here. If just want to know what airlines don't charge fees beyond those imposed by governments you can jump here. The fact that United doesn't charge excessive fees is one of the reasons I have spent far more United miles on international flights than any other mile over the last 5 years.

Brief recap:
NZ - United - $63 pp One Way
NZ - AA - $46.06 pp One Way
Australia - United - $55.20 pp RT
Africa - United - $179.11pp RT
Numerous Domestic flights on SW: $5.60 per flight pp RT
Aruba - SW - $89.83 pp RT
Spain - AA - $54.67pp RT
SE Asia - United - $100.93 pp RT
Within Peru - BA - $8.50 pp One Way
Within Peru - BA - $5.72 pp One Way

Edit for clarity: Those aren't necessarily the airlines flow but the airline miles used
 
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ponyo

Lifer
Feb 14, 2002
19,689
2,811
126
Those fees on United are really reasonable. Leagues better than Korean Air $400 pp RT to Japan. It's too bad I absolutely hate flying United and avoid them at all cost.
 

RossMAN

Grand Nagus
Feb 24, 2000
78,794
266
116
Did you try misspelling your name or using an old address in an incognito browser? I haven't tried it but I've seen people say that works

Thanks for mentioning that, yep tried all those tricks although not recently. Tried slight misspelling first, last and both names, and slightly incorrect address. Also tried various cookies/cache, private incognito and VPN routes as well. Finally tried from work using their DNS network and even cell phone. No go.
 

Exterous

Super Moderator
Jun 20, 2006
20,348
3,426
126
Those fees on United are really reasonable. Leagues better than Korean Air $400 pp RT to Japan. It's too bad I absolutely hate flying United and avoid them at all cost.
Sorry - those were the airlines miles used not necessarily the airlines flown so most of those flights weren't on United just 'paid for' with United miles. The actual airlines flown\to be flown on those trips:
United
Air Canada
Lufthansa
Swiss
Austrian
Ethiopian
EVA
ANA
Thai

Star Alliance has a pretty robust network of airlines. IMO its the best mix of quality + availability + reasonable fees. YMMV based on where you live and want to fly though. So you'll have to take a United flight to a hub city if you don't live near one (or get there some other way) but you can usually find partners from there. Also - keep in mind that partner hub cities are not necessarily United hub cities. Seattle is probably the best example. No United international flights but AC, EVA, ANA, Ethiopian and Thai all operate international flights from there. Availability seems really good compared to LAX and SFO - I'm guessing because most United miles holders are used to booking flights through SFO and LAX so they don't search SEA

Thanks for mentioning that, yep tried all those tricks although not recently. Tried slight misspelling first, last and both names, and slightly incorrect address. Also tried various cookies/cache, private incognito and VPN routes as well. Finally tried from work using their DNS network and even cell phone. No go.

Thats a bummer. I got one of the 100k a while ago but I've been trying to get my wife one for a few years now. Haven't tried those tricks recently and was hopeful it might work after we finish up another card.
 

ponyo

Lifer
Feb 14, 2002
19,689
2,811
126
Booked Korean Air award nonstop flight from Atlanta to Seoul with open jaw to Taipai for next month. Fees and taxes ended up being $198 pp RT. With the money I saved on award ticket taxes and fees by adding Taiwan instead of Japan, I was able to book flight on Asiana airlines from Seoul to Jeju island for free. Well, technically it wasn't free since I paid $44 pp RT to Jeju but tax savings from doing the free open jaw to Taipai more than paid for out of pocket Jeju island airfare tickets.
 

RossMAN

Grand Nagus
Feb 24, 2000
78,794
266
116
Thats a bummer. I got one of the 100k a while ago but I've been trying to get my wife one for a few years now. Haven't tried those tricks recently and was hopeful it might work after we finish up another card.

Based on my /fail if she ever sees it, APPLY do not think about it, just apply. Since I'm (trying to) waiting to be under 5/24 I guess it's a blessing in disguise? Since we're infrequent travelers and usually fly economy, I'm not sure I would make full use of the card and it's perks. If Amex didn't close the airline credit loophole. I just cannot justify the annual fee, however if Amex emailed me an offer I would seriously consider it. What the hell if they dangled 100k in front of me, we all know I would bite like CasioTech snatching $200 jeans or TridenT eating fruit loops.

If the airline credit loophole wasn't fixed, I'd calculate the annual fee as $150 net (after Uber/airline).

 

ElFenix

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Mar 20, 2000
102,414
8,356
126
anyone use priority pass to access 2 different lounges/restaurants in the same airport back to back? thinking of hitting a restaurant and then going to a lounge if i've got time to kill.
 

Exterous

Super Moderator
Jun 20, 2006
20,348
3,426
126
anyone use priority pass to access 2 different lounges/restaurants in the same airport back to back? thinking of hitting a restaurant and then going to a lounge if i've got time to kill.

Yep. I've done the restaurant to lounge thing a couple of times and even restaurant to lounge to other lounge when the first lounge was crowded or sucked
 
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RossMAN

Grand Nagus
Feb 24, 2000
78,794
266
116
Speaking of Priority Pass, assuming you obtained it via CSR do you use physical cards or PP app?
 
Nov 8, 2012
20,828
4,777
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I'm still holding out hope that the Chase Sapphire Reserve goes back to 100k+ points...

I'm finally going to be under 5/24 at the end of this year =/

I've honestly gotten to the point where I don't even churn much right now because I just don't see much that is making me chase the carrot.
 
Nov 8, 2012
20,828
4,777
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Yep. I've done the restaurant to lounge thing a couple of times and even restaurant to lounge to other lounge when the first lounge was crowded or sucked

Didn't Priority Pass do away with the whole restaurant credit thing? I thought it was an amazingly good idea personally - but never had the chance to use it =[
 

ElFenix

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Mar 20, 2000
102,414
8,356
126
Didn't Priority Pass do away with the whole restaurant credit thing? I thought it was an amazingly good idea personally - but never had the chance to use it =[
cadillac bar and landry's still show up on the list. guess i'll find out in a couple of days.



Speaking of Priority Pass, assuming you obtained it via CSR do you use physical cards or PP app?
i've used both. can't always remember the priority pass password.
 

RossMAN

Grand Nagus
Feb 24, 2000
78,794
266
116
Didn't Priority Pass do away with the whole restaurant credit thing? I thought it was an amazingly good idea personally - but never had the chance to use it =[

Chase PP still offers some restaurants depending on the airport, perhaps you're thinking about Amex PP? I recently visited a restaurant who said Amex PP isn't working but Chase PP should work.
 
Nov 8, 2012
20,828
4,777
146
Chase PP still offers some restaurants depending on the airport, perhaps you're thinking about Amex PP? I recently visited a restaurant who said Amex PP isn't working but Chase PP should work.
Wait wait wait....

So your priority pass benefits depend on the credit card in which it comes from? Crap, news to me. As far as they make it out to be a priority pass is a priority pass...
 

RossMAN

Grand Nagus
Feb 24, 2000
78,794
266
116
Wait wait wait....

So your priority pass benefits depend on the credit card in which it comes from? Crap, news to me. As far as they make it out to be a priority pass is a priority pass...

Apparently yes, it was news to me. AFAIK none of my Amex cards offer PP but I could be wrong. Unless Chase does a significant devalue or makes significant changes I'll have the card forever because:

1) Generous credit limit.
2) 3x UR on restaurants and travel is a no brainer.
3) PP
4) Comprehensive travel insurance, I'm sure there are cards with better insurance coverage but I don't want or need another ultra premium credit card.

Anyway regarding Chase vs Amex PP you should read these:
 

Exterous

Super Moderator
Jun 20, 2006
20,348
3,426
126
Speaking of Priority Pass, assuming you obtained it via CSR do you use physical cards or PP app?

I ditched the card as soon as the app had the virtual card.

Wait wait wait....

So your priority pass benefits depend on the credit card in which it comes from? Crap, news to me. As far as they make it out to be a priority pass is a priority pass...

I was going to say "Yes" but Rossman covered it pretty dang well