I love credit cards so much! v6.0 - 2023 (see first page for add'l details)

[becauseimnew]

we ha

have tons of AA miles and they haven't been worth using yet so holding on them! such first world problems

so jealous, AA miles are my favorite for international travel and with 4 of us we go through them really fast.

 

[Duckbug.Ducktales]

So much talk of AA miles has me wondering if there are ways of earning them that I haven't thought of.
My understanding is that currently there are two Citi personal and one biz AA card. Then there's the Red Aviator card from Barclays. Bilt has ended AA transfers. So that's it as far as CCs, right?

Then there's a savings account that I keep getting mailers for to net 20K AA miles for a $10K deposit, and it goes up from there. Then there's the shopping portal and the dining program, both of which I use when possible.

Lastly, there are sometimes sales on miles. Last Thanksgiving there was a particularly good one that I wish I had jumped on because I do find AA miles very valuable for international travel and occasional super saver domestic award travel. Are there any other ways to earn them? (I mean, I could get 2x miles by using the personal Citi card for dining but I'd rather work on a SUB or use a 3x+ card, lol).

 

[becauseimnew]

Hi All! I'm a long-time lurker, very infrequent poster in the CC threads. We're planning a couple of domestic trips this year (including a trip to Disney) and a month-long trip to Europe summer 2025.

I just applied and was approved for an Amex Platinum card...yes, yes, I know, I broke the cardinal rule of asking first, but I could not pass up the 150K offer. Apologies!

I need advice on what to do with my other cards, whether to get an additional Platinum card for DH (or let him apply for his own), how to best reach the $8K spend required, and how to maximize those points once I get them.

I've had these cards for 15-20 years:
BOA Customized Cash World Mastercard
CITI Custom Cash Card
Barclay's Banana Republic rewards
AMEX Macy's Star rewards
AMEX Blue cash Everyday

These are more recent:
06/17 - CHASE Disney Premier Visa -- Should I downgrade since I don't use it much?
03/20 - AMEX Delta Skymiles Gold -- Should I downgrade since I don't use it much?
11/22- CHASE Freedom Flex
06/23 - CHASE Sapphire Preferred -- this one and FF are the cards I use regularly
04/24 - AMEX Platinum

My DH has:
?? - BOA Unlimited Cash Rewards
2017 - CHASE Disney Visa
2019 - CHASE Slate
05/23 - CHASE Sapphire Preferred

• What amount of spend would you put on a card monthly? We put all our expenses on our cards, except housing, car payments, and school tuition
• Do you currently payoff your CCs in full every month or do you carry any balances/pay any interest? We pay all cards in full every month
• What airport(s) do you typically fly out of? ATL / FLL / MIA
• Do you have a preference of Frequent Flyer program? Have been a loyal Delta costumer for many years, but not as much anymore, still have some Skymiles saved
• Does SOUTHWEST Airline service your airport? Yes
• Do you have a Hotel Rewards program preference? World of Hyatt
• Do you currently have travel points or miles in any program? Yes, about 100K URP combined
• What at your specific goals for churning credit cards? domestic and international travel mentioned above
• When do you plan to take these trips? Disney trip in May (already mostly covered with gift cards), trip to west coast in October, trip to Europe in 2025
• Who does your travel party consist of? me, DH, DD (9), and DS (11).

Thanks for your help!

With a 2025 Europe trip I would focus airline miles. For ATL I would focus on Flying Blue miles - URs or MRs will transfer to Flying Blue. I know the Delta has a hub in ATL but they usually require a lot more miles per flight. You could fly to Paris for 20K miles (one-way).
For FLL & MIA you could use AA miles. I just did a quick search FLL to FCO (Rome) would be 19K miles (one-way).

I would start with the Amex Gold card - the SUB is 90K MRs. And also the Citi AA Advantage card 75K AA miles, AF waived the first year.

 

[becauseimnew]

So much talk of AA miles has me wondering if there are ways of earning them that I haven't thought of.
My understanding is that currently there are two Citi personal and one biz AA card. Then there's the Red Aviator card from Barclays. Bilt has ended AA transfers. So that's it as far as CCs, right?

Then there's a savings account that I keep getting mailers for to net 20K AA miles for a $10K deposit, and it goes up from there. Then there's the shopping portal and the dining program, both of which I use when possible.

Lastly, there are sometimes sales on miles. Last Thanksgiving there was a particularly good one that I wish I had jumped on because I do find AA miles very valuable for international travel and occasional super saver domestic award travel. Are there any other ways to earn them? (I mean, I could get 2x miles by using the personal Citi card for dining but I'd rather work on a SUB or use a 3x+ card, lol).

That's pretty much it, I have managed to earn at least 30K points each year from the shopping portal - Loyalty Point Hunters on Facebook has been beneficial for earning the extra miles.

Another trick is that once you've made 10 purchases on the dining program you earn 5X miles. So some people will go to a restaurant and make 10 small charges to start earning the higher rate.

 

[elgerber]

I wish AA worked for me. I just had to extend our AA miles. They fly almost nowhere direct from here, and the connection times and costs are always ridiculous.

 

[Haley R]

Dh applied for the United business card and got the 7-10 day message. Today he was approved without having to speak to anyone. I’m not sure why it started at 7-10 but I’m glad it was approved. It was 100k for $5000 spend

 

[Duckbug.Ducktales]

That's pretty much it, I have managed to earn at least 30K points each year from the shopping portal - Loyalty Point Hunters on Facebook has been beneficial for earning the extra miles.

Another trick is that once you've made 10 purchases on the dining program you earn 5X miles. So some people will go to a restaurant and make 10 small charges to start earning the higher rate.

Good tips, I'm going to join that FB group!

 

[becauseimnew]

I wish AA worked for me. I just had to extend our AA miles. They fly almost nowhere direct from here, and the connection times and costs are always ridiculous.

We have to fly to a hub, no matter where we go so usually flying from our home airport to the HUB to final destination is the same or cheaper than flying out of the hub.

 

[LynnTH]

I've been to most places listed, land and river cruise. I'm thinking #3 because you should get more time in each city. Budapest and Vienna are wonderful as is Prague

Thank You. We keep going back and forth. Now looking at tours that are mostly Germany as on most of the tours you are only in one town... and there a bunch of things in Germany we would like to see. As well as everything else- if only I was retired and had lots of $$$... So, many cool places to go.

 

[4Hawks]

With a 2025 Europe trip I would focus airline miles. For ATL I would focus on Flying Blue miles - URs or MRs will transfer to Flying Blue. I know the Delta has a hub in ATL but they usually require a lot more miles per flight. You could fly to Paris for 20K miles (one-way).
For FLL & MIA you could use AA miles. I just did a quick search FLL to FCO (Rome) would be 19K miles (one-way).

I would start with the Amex Gold card - the SUB is 90K MRs. And also the Citi AA Advantage card 75K AA miles, AF waived the first year.

Thanks for the input!

We fly into and out of FLL/MIA a lot to visit family, but our home airport is ATL. I'm guessing flying directly from ATL on Air France/KLM will be cheaper? I'll check AA as well just in case.

 

[4Hawks]

….if you want a Platinum card for DH… have him apply for his own from your support link or the public offer whichever gives you the most points

As far as the other cards…
would downgrade the Disney to the no fee card since you don’t use it much
Not a Amex expert but I believe the gold is the lowest fee Delta card and there isn’t a no fee version so if you don’t use it for the free bags I’d cancel

Thank you!

I chatted with Amex and they said I could downgrade to a Delta Blue card, no annual fee, so I think I'm going to do that. The AMEX Platinum will cover up to $200 in baggage fees anyway.

 

[Sheree]

That surprises me, AA miles have been huge for me this year. I've got my little airport to MCO for 12k RT. Cash price is $550. That's 4.5 cpp.

wow. phl is a hub, it's been pricey. united, jetblue have been better from newark

 

[Sheree]

Thank You. We keep going back and forth. Now looking at tours that are mostly Germany as on most of the tours you are only in one town... and there a bunch of things in Germany we would like to see. As well as everything else- if only I was retired and had lots of $$$... So, many cool places to go.

I put together a trip for myself and DS several years ago. EWR-London for 2 nights, flight to Budapest, 3 nights, flight to Prague 3 nights and flight to Paris 3 nights then home. travel was easy, stayed at mostly Hilton on points, got to see and do alot and not that cottly

 

[calypso726]

So much talk of AA miles has me wondering if there are ways of earning them that I haven't thought of.
My understanding is that currently there are two Citi personal and one biz AA card. Then there's the Red Aviator card from Barclays. Bilt has ended AA transfers. So that's it as far as CCs, right?

Then there's a savings account that I keep getting mailers for to net 20K AA miles for a $10K deposit, and it goes up from there. Then there's the shopping portal and the dining program, both of which I use when possible.

Lastly, there are sometimes sales on miles. Last Thanksgiving there was a particularly good one that I wish I had jumped on because I do find AA miles very valuable for international travel and occasional super saver domestic award travel. Are there any other ways to earn them? (I mean, I could get 2x miles by using the personal Citi card for dining but I'd rather work on a SUB or use a 3x+ card, lol).

AA and Shell have a Fuel rewards program as well. So you earn a few extra miles when you purchase gas at Shell.

 

[Duckbug.Ducktales]

AA and Shell have a Fuel rewards program as well. So you earn a few extra miles when you purchase gas at Shell.

Ah, good to know, thanks! I drive electric, but I might rope in my mother to do this for me when she gets gas.

 

[calypso726]

Ah, good to know, thanks! I drive electric, but I might rope in my mother to do this for me when she gets gas.

You’re welcome. I never have the rewards card to swipe so I use alternate ID and enter my cell phone number. It works every time and DH does the same using my cell number.

 

[calypso726]

Dh applied for the United business card and got the 7-10 day message. Today he was approved without having to speak to anyone. I’m not sure why it started at 7-10 but I’m glad it was approved. It was 100k for $5000 spend

I applied a few weeks ago over the weekend and got the 7-10 day message. I called in on Monday and they just said it was pending and there was nothing to do but wait. I wound up calling again on the following Friday and got grilled about my business etc. I was able to move some credit to open it up though.

 

[afan]

I finally called Virgin Atlantic yesterday about the miles not getting refunded when my flught was cancelled back in 2022 and said it was partly my fault for not checking sooner but when I got the fees back I thought it was ok.

She sent an email off and said to watch my account. The 90k miles are back!

Now to figure May 2025 out. I think I'm going to use these to fly their non stop from seat to London ans then transfer points and fly air France non stop home. I know there will be higher fees esp for biz but I'm ok with that.

 

[LynnTH]

I put together a trip for myself and DS several years ago. EWR-London for 2 nights, flight to Budapest, 3 nights, flight to Prague 3 nights and flight to Paris 3 nights then home. travel was easy, stayed at mostly Hilton on points, got to see and do alot and not that cottly

We thought about doing that (briefly...). Just like having it all planned out and include tours as those can get costly. And I get anxiety just thinking about how to get from point A to point B. I can do Disney and Cruises... Everything else, not so much.

 

[georgina]

Another amex question: can I downgrade the blue cash preferred to the regular AF free blue cash after a year?

ETA: reddit says yes

I have done this more than once. We don't spend enough on groceries to take full advantage so I buy a lot of grocery gift cards to use once I downgrade. They sometimes will send upgrade offers, with a cash bonus to upgrade back to the preferred. I think my card has been through a couple of cycles, with an offer to upgrade to Cash Magnet once in the middle!