Bank of America Travel Rewards + Preferred Rewards = Up to 2.775% everywhere card?
Apr 5, 2015, 7:43 am
#46
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: CAN, LAX, TPE
Programs: AA, AS, CI, DL, UA
Posts: 2,898
I got a 20K offer through my online portal. Is this the highest offer you can get with this card? I am currently still a Platinum Privileges customer, not sure if I want to switch to Preferred Rewards yet, anyone got any idea on the differences between the two?
Apr 5, 2015, 7:50 am
#47
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: BWI
Programs: Everyone!
Posts: 1,024
I haven't seen 20K being offered before - I just joined at 10K.
From what they publish, looks to me like Platinum Rewards is better, if not just for the bonus rewards:
https://www.bankofamerica.com/prefer...-comparison.go
From what they publish, looks to me like Platinum Rewards is better, if not just for the bonus rewards:
https://www.bankofamerica.com/prefer...-comparison.go
Apr 5, 2015, 8:01 am
#48
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: CAN, LAX, TPE
Programs: AA, AS, CI, DL, UA
Posts: 2,898
I haven't seen 20K being offered before - I just joined at 10K.
From what they publish, looks to me like Platinum Rewards is better, if not just for the bonus rewards:
https://www.bankofamerica.com/prefer...-comparison.go
From what they publish, looks to me like Platinum Rewards is better, if not just for the bonus rewards:
https://www.bankofamerica.com/prefer...-comparison.go
1. One will need $200k in Merrill Edge (then withdraw $100k after 90 days) to take advantage of $600 from Merrill Edge (heard there's $1k somewhere before but not offered right now), or else $250 for just Platinum Honors. Cause putting $100k in Bank of America is just brain dead.
2. An eligible Bank of America personal checking account.
3. 3-month average combined balances of $20,000 or more. Apply Preferred Rewards after qualifies.
4. Then apply for the credit card so the 10k or 20k points bonus will also apply the 75% bonus.
Apr 5, 2015, 8:42 am
#49
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: BWI
Programs: Everyone!
Posts: 1,024
That sounds about right, I don't believe you receive bonus points on the 10k/20k bonus if you get the travel rewards card, only the cash card.....also, you can wait 90 days before opening the BOA account if you want - the time / balance in Merrill counts towards your preferred status and can be instantly awarded if applicable when you open a BOA account.
Pretty long discussion of these accounts in Fat Wallet
http://www.fatwallet.com/forums/fina...073/?start=360
Pretty long discussion of these accounts in Fat Wallet
http://www.fatwallet.com/forums/fina...073/?start=360
Apr 5, 2015, 12:08 pm
#50
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: CAN, LAX, TPE
Programs: AA, AS, CI, DL, UA
Posts: 2,898
That sounds about right, I don't believe you receive bonus points on the 10k/20k bonus if you get the travel rewards card, only the cash card.....also, you can wait 90 days before opening the BOA account if you want - the time / balance in Merrill counts towards your preferred status and can be instantly awarded if applicable when you open a BOA account.
Pretty long discussion of these accounts in Fat Wallet
http://www.fatwallet.com/forums/fina...073/?start=360
Pretty long discussion of these accounts in Fat Wallet
http://www.fatwallet.com/forums/fina...073/?start=360
Apr 7, 2015, 1:45 pm
#51
Join Date: Jun 1999
Location: NYC/LA
Programs: DL Plat, AA Plat Pro, Marriott Titanium, IHG Diamond Amb
Posts: 7,487
Out of curiosity, where did this offer pop up for you? It's certainly better than any public offer I've seen for this card product.
Apr 7, 2015, 2:02 pm
#52
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BOS
Posts: 15,027
I am a Preferred Rewards Platinum Honors Client. Recently, $105.47 in rewards from my BankAmericard Cash Rewards was automatically redeemed and deposited in my checking account for $184.58. Ratio: $184.58/$105.47 = 1.75. The "1.75" is the 75% reward bonus for being a plat client plus the regular 1x for regular clients.
Last edited by Dieuwer; Apr 7, 2015 at 2:11 pm
Apr 7, 2015, 11:48 pm
#53
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 699
i've seen it pop up after logging into b of a and sometimes also on the left hand side when you're looking at the accounts summary page. sadly not everyone gets offered the 20K for the travel rewards card - my promo is only 10K but 2 family members had the 20K versions (all platinum honors accounts).
Apr 8, 2015, 5:12 am
#54
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: CAN, LAX, TPE
Programs: AA, AS, CI, DL, UA
Posts: 2,898
i've seen it pop up after logging into b of a and sometimes also on the left hand side when you're looking at the accounts summary page. sadly not everyone gets offered the 20K for the travel rewards card - my promo is only 10K but 2 family members had the 20K versions (all platinum honors accounts).
Both the Travel and Cash Rewards are 20,000.
Apr 8, 2015, 12:00 pm
#55
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 3
Can anyone comment on how tolerable it is to use the BOA "Travel Center"?
According to the terms, you earn "3 points per dollar (consisting of 1.5 bonus points and 1.5 base points) for the first $6,000 in airline purchases (up to 9,000 bonus points) made at the Bank of America Travel Center each calendar year. All other purchases made at the Travel Center, excluding insurance purchases, will receive 3 points per dollar with no limit on bonus points."
So I assume for a Platinum Honors level person...this would equate to 4.125% points return? Can anyone confirm if they apply the bonus to the full 3 or just the 1.5 base?
According to the terms, you earn "3 points per dollar (consisting of 1.5 bonus points and 1.5 base points) for the first $6,000 in airline purchases (up to 9,000 bonus points) made at the Bank of America Travel Center each calendar year. All other purchases made at the Travel Center, excluding insurance purchases, will receive 3 points per dollar with no limit on bonus points."
So I assume for a Platinum Honors level person...this would equate to 4.125% points return? Can anyone confirm if they apply the bonus to the full 3 or just the 1.5 base?
I use it regularly and have accumulated a decent bonus-point balance like this. Fair warning, just like the Ultimate Rewards Mall, shopping from Bank of America's Rewards Shopping Mall relies on cookies and doesn't seem to work 100% of the time.
Overall I'm very pleased with this card. No annual fee, chip, pretty decent exchange rates on foreign transactions, high 2.2%+ rewards on all purchases and very easy to redeem points.
Last edited by whereami22; Apr 8, 2015 at 12:06 pm
Apr 30, 2015, 10:11 pm
#57
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: BWI
Programs: Everyone!
Posts: 1,024
Been doing some math on this one (based off also having a BOA Travel Rewards card) .....and unless you have a big equities balance already getting you a high preferred status or.....unless you are a heavy spender ($9K or more per month, excluding BOA travel center purchases) or a heavy stock trader (31-100 trades per month)...or some combination thereof.....it will NEVER pay to be higher than Gold Preferred status based on cash balance alone when you can get 1% interest in regular online savings accounts (Platinum Honors, the top rate, is currently a miserly .1%) and 2% on the free Citibank Double Cash.
May 1, 2015, 7:40 am
#58
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: NYC
Posts: 557
Been doing some math on this one (based off also having a BOA Travel Rewards card) .....and unless you have a big equities balance already getting you a high preferred status or.....unless you are a heavy spender ($9K or more per month, excluding BOA travel center purchases) or a heavy stock trader (31-100 trades per month)...or some combination thereof.....it will NEVER pay to be higher than Gold Preferred status based on cash balance alone when you can get 1% interest in regular online savings accounts (Platinum Honors, the top rate, is currently a miserly .1%) and 2% on the free Citibank Double Cash.
May 2, 2015, 2:58 pm
#59
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 197
Been doing some math on this one (based off also having a BOA Travel Rewards card) .....and unless you have a big equities balance already getting you a high preferred status or.....unless you are a heavy spender ($9K or more per month, excluding BOA travel center purchases) or a heavy stock trader (31-100 trades per month)...or some combination thereof.....it will NEVER pay to be higher than Gold Preferred status based on cash balance alone when you can get 1% interest in regular online savings accounts (Platinum Honors, the top rate, is currently a miserly .1%) and 2% on the free Citibank Double Cash.