Finally got a CSP through a referral from my mom.

Is it worthwhile to cancel my one AmEx card, a Blue with a very low limit (won't hurt my overall available credit much, CSP was approved with a limit 21.5x as high), to hopefully get a better targeted AmEx offer in the future? I'm guessing there's no downside?

I don't think cancelling your card will help you get targeted. You should check if you have marked you're okay for advertising offers and stuff.

I don't get many offers from Amex as it is, but you can still typically get some decent offers by reading blogs and getting higher offer links.

I do get offers (Gold 50k), but I'd want the good Platinum offer. There's some speculation that not having any cards from Amex makes them want to rope you in more.

Thanks for posting, I've never seen this before. I have a real business so I shouldn't have any problems. I sent a secure message and they came back with 7 days. I will call now

I'd keep the Amex and get a line increase. Typically, Amex will triple your credit line if you request it 61+ days after opening, and triple it again after another 6 months... but if you request more than 25k, be prepared to submit a 4506-t (not guaranteed to happen, but possible.) If you're being honest about your income, there's nothing to fear with a 4506-t, but good to bear in mind if you want to avoid the hassle. It's good to have bigger lines because they beget bigger opening lines on new cards, and having tons of available credit allows you to utilize some of it without taking a hit to your score.

Most issuers spend less on stamps for you once they've won your business, but that doesn't mean you can't get their cards. Conversely, you can get all kinds of mail from an issuer and get shot down when you apply. If your FICO is in the mid 700s and you haven't opened or applied for anything in 6+ months, you can get just about any card. (Edit: Well, save for chase and their new quirky rules. And most issuers will only give you a certain # of their products. As always, YMMV, do your research.)

So the signup bonus on the IHG didn't count towards Spire Elite. So, with IHG I am Platinum Elite, Marriott I'm Silver, and Hilton I'm Gold.

Any ideas on how to get free/ cheap top-tier status at IHG, Hilton, or Marriott? Also, anyone that has the higher levels, is it worth much to you? I've got a few two day stays booked throughout the next few months, but they're spread out with those three properties (all booked with points), so I won't get a ton of value out of one, but I will try and match statuses if any promos pop up...

I've looked into MSing to hit Diamond and others, but the cost just doesn't seem worth it, unless I value the points higher than I do.

anyone profiting off the AMEX ticketcity.com offer? it is spending $250 get $75 back, seems like some opportunity here.

Not credit card but WF is offering a pretty easy $150 bonus for 10 debit card and 2 mobile purchases

Is that for new customers only? Link?

https://bonusoffer.wf.com/get150/

Everyday Checking is the only eligible account for the offer.
You cannot be:
A current owner on a Wells Fargo consumer checking account
A Wells Fargo team member
A recipient of a consumer checking bonus in the past 12 months (limit 1 bonus per customer)

Right now I'm:

Hilton Diamond
Marriott Platinum
Starwood Platinum

Carlson Gold (from CC, since cancelled but status seems to persist for another year)
IHG Platinum (from CC)
Hyatt Discoverist (from CC)


I got top tier hilton status by a match opportunity last year - matched my then Spire Elite and got it for all 2016 & 2017 (link)

I got Marriott Platinum free with 0 stays through my sister who had a relationship with a Marriott sales rep. This also got me SPG Platinum when the merger started.

I narrowly (<24hrs) missed the Hyatt Diamond match which was way more generous than they intended over the weekend before they could straighten it out to only match SPG platinums (link)

Of the statuses you have, obviously the best is Hilton Gold due to the breakfast perk. In all honesty, I haven't found any of these top tier statuses to be super helpful, but the markets I travel for work are not where you'd have Conrads or St. Regis etc, and I tend to stay at lower tier hotels. I do get upgrades to improved rooms (rarely suites) pretty often. The biggest benefit to me is the improved points earning on SPG in general, and on Hilton especially during times like the current promo (2x for members, 3x for diamond - I'm earning 40+/$ at the moment). Carlson Gold has actually secured me upgrades in Europe - no idea what it would be like in the US as I typically wouldn't find myself staying at their portfolio domestically.

Keep an eye out for status match or challenge opportunities if it makes sense for your travel, and sometimes they just throw out a match to top tier for seemingly no reason, like hilton did last year.

anyone know how long u can apply for Citi AA card past the mailer deadline?

You're only guaranteed the bonus up until the deadline. Big risk of getting nothing if it's after. Public offer right now is 60k points, with most people getting matched up to 65k with a SM. Personally, I'd rather take the guaranteed 60k points than risk not getting any.

JL, thanks for the reply about the statuses. I don't pay for travel often these days, so it's hard to do any challenges or get any status organically. Sounds like it's not really worth it to MS or work too hard to get any extra statuses at the moment.

Currently own a CSR. Read several things about the Hyatt Visa card. Saw how the free rooms with Hyatt can be applied to MGM hotels and you get the elevated Mlife tier due to the card.

Curious if anyone has the Hyatt Visa card? If so, do you redeem your free rooms at Hyatt or MGM properties? How have your results been from redeeming those rewards? Also I saw the free rooms are limited to basic rooms, for Hyatt properties tiered 1-4, but reading posts for something like Paris or Milan, it is nearly impossible to get a room for that day. Anyone experience that? Seems the Hyatt card has a bit more perks than just the Mlife mastercard.

Also on a random question, World of Hyatt is their rewards program. I got I over a 100k in CSR points. I know CSR points can transfer to your Hyatt account, but dumping that points balance into your Hyatt account, does that change your Hyatt tier level? So Im curious if it changes tier level or stays the same because you can only obtain Hyatt points based on direct stays or their direct Hyatt Visa card.

Any info anyone can provide is appreciated. Ty.

Yes I have the Hyatt card - never redeemed the free nights in vegas. used the 2 signup bonus nights at the Park Hyatt Tokyo, and use the yearly anniversary night in places like Monterey or Seattle.

I don't know if there are any category 4 or below hotels in those cities. You'd have to check.

No, only stays and nights count toward your status level, not points transferred in from ultimate rewards.

Looking for a new business card for my company and will add employees as authorized users. Main goal is flights to Hawaii from SD.
Anyone have an opinion of Alaska v AA Citi card?

The Chase Southwest cards have had their public offers raised to 60k points, thus you can get both and bank the companion pass no sweat. However, be advised that Chase is finicky about approvals... you need to have less than 5 new cards in the last 24 months, for starters.

Do few have plans in the near future to fly to Hawaii?

This is an amazing offer if you can take advantage of SW flights with a SO or travel buddy.

I'm starting to think that the Chase marketing and RAT team is just really good at their jobs and they now have eliminated xx% of non-profitable customers (aka churners) from being eligible for this offer because of 5/24, so why not bump it up to attract everyone else?

No.

Although they are expanding to Grand Cayman and Turks and Caicos this year.

Other international destinations that they already fly to include Aruba, Bahamas, Dominican Republic, Belize, Costa Rica, Cuba, Jamaica, and Mexico.

Keep in mind that the 2 free nights you get as signup bonus are redeemable at any Hyatt property, so to maximize you should look for the expensive category 6 and 7 properties. That's why all the blog sites suggest Paris, Milan, Tokyo etc. I redeemed mine at the Park Hyatt Milan which fortunately fit right into our vacation plans and it was fantastic. As mentioned, the anniversary free night you get every year can only be redeemed at category 1-4, but there are plenty of fairly expensive properties in the bigger US cities that fit into that. I personally feel that the Hyatt card is worth keeping longterm for that perk alone. I've never used the card at MGM properties so I can't comment on that.

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I've been thinking of using Mint to track my cards, income, bills and budget--but I'm balking at connecting accounts. Silly or smart?

Looking for some basic advice. I've browsed through the last couple months of this thread, but don't really have any other info to go from and would be happy to nail this next card I pick up.

Currently I only really have 1 card. That's a Chase Freedom unlimited. My mom also threw me a Citi Costco Anywhere Visa which I've been using for work expenses for a new job. But I'm not really in control of it so she gets the rewards.

I've just picked up a new job and the expenses are coming out to like 500 a month or so, at minimum. Sometimes I stay at hotels for the job, maybe a couple times a month, don't do a ton of flying. Just looking for one of these nice bonuses probably to make use of. Is there a recommended available right now to open up and get rewards for these work expenses, and do I need to receive an offer for it in the mail to have a chance? It sounded like there was an American Express option that might be good