Originally Posted by
Mr. Burrito
You are still paying for the miles...you are just using the Spark profits to do it. Depending on how you value United Miles, either the UA card or Spark produces higher profit per transaction and should be used exclusively. The only advantage to using both would be to avoid spending thresholds which could get you shut down.
Be that as it may, Burrito, I have to look at this from my point of view. I value United miles, because I can visit my family, while getting Free Beer in 1st class. Don't judge, that is my goal. And I want to do it often. And I want to buy tickets for my parents, and family to visit me. My parents have never bought a 1st class ticket in their life. It would be a great experience for them. And I dont want to drive 4k miles round trip as I did Last Year, LOL to visit them.
Your goals may be different. However, I dont enjoy United miles so much, that I am willing to invest my Money into it (if I dont have to). If I use exclusively United Card, without the offset, Im Paying into it. Yes, with my method, Im giving up Spark Profits to do it, but if I just buy 8, $500 VGC's with Spark, I earn $40. If I buy 4, & 4, like I described above, I earn 6k miles, for free. I think 6k miles, without Expense, is worth over $40 Bucks.
But by all means, everyone must do whats best for them. For me, anyway, this scheme costs me next to nothing. If anything, I Pay $2.80, for 4 MO's, but I could easily offset That too, buy simply buying 1 More VGC with Spark.