Originally Posted by
jft3
Chase doesn't really care what you think.
They put the $300 credit in knowing that most people won't use it, and those that don't subsidize those people that do. If too many people start abusing it, then they'll make it harder and harder to get until it balances out. Pretty simple economics at play here.
At the same time, they need to compete with the other cards that offer a similar benefit with a card at a similar price point ($400 - $500 AF). It is this card vs Citi Prestige vs Amex Plat. Most people are only going to carry one such card. Right now the Citi Presige has by far the best travel benefit, because it is automatic and airfare counts. Anyone who travels and uses the card will just get it. The question is, is their target market aware of this? Citi should probably do a better job of advertising it.
I suggested the Citi card to my friend because he flies a few times a year, plays a lot of golf, and stays at extremely expensive hotels (and pays out of pocket) so the 4th night free is a huge benefit for him. On his last trip to Hawaii he stayed at 2 different hotels, and, in one of them, he was paying $2200 a night for his suite and stayed for more than 4 days. That would have payed for several years of AFs in one trip. On the other hand, I would never suggest the RC card to him because it's not really worth anything. There is no way he is going to take the time to call in every time he has a $25 baggage fee.
Remember that their target market for this card is charging 6 figures a year to it. So while it is true that they don't want people to abuse the $300 travel credit, they also do not want to lose high-end customers to other cards. There is a balancing act there. Chase seems to be choosing the nickel-and-dime route over the make-it-easy-for-the-customer route. IMO, with this strategy, they will alienate the customers that they want (and the customers that they don't want will find ways to abuse the system anyway)