Think it's getting about that time for me to join this thread. Looking at about a $20k expense with it likely being from Blue Nile.

I've got the portal angle covered (at the moment looks like I can decide between 5% on TopCashBack with a $7500 max so $375 or 5pts/mile with BA so 37500 - leaning towards the latter which I think I can redeem for more than $375 with short-hop AA flights since AA has good point to point from RDU).

Just trying to think through the CC angle - primarily whether it's worth trying to grab a new card to hit a spend bonus.

The cards I'm considering opening for this:

1) Chase BA (since it's not subject to the 5/24). Thought process is $20k get's me 100k miles with the current signup bonus and if i push through the extra $10k by the end of the year I get a 2-4-1. Plus the 37500 miles referenced above plus the 30k miles through spend and I'm looking at 167500 plus a 2-4-1. Downside is no BA flights from RDU so to use the 2-4-1 we'd have to position (plus of course the surcharges).

2) Citi AA Platinum Select. 60k bonus plus 20k from spend plus I have ~30k miles in the account right now so that's 110k AA miles. Plus I'd pair this with opening a Barclays Aviator Red (I have one grandfathered in from US Airways but it seems that I can open another one and get the 50k despite this per reports). With that I'd be looking at 160k AA miles

3) A wildcard but the Virgin Atlantic BofA card I have is the the Alaska so this would be new. Looks like I would hit something around 75k bonus miles (with all their escalator bonuses) plus 20k from the actual spend so about 95k miles. Upside is I could transfer in some MR and there are some hidden value props in that award chart (like the NH J/F awards, DL D1 awards at 100k vs. DL's 140k). Downside is huge fuel surcharges even on the DL award flights

If I don't open something my choice would basically be between the SPG Amex (which would earn 20k SPG so basically 25k miles for some airline) or more likely the Chase Freedom Unlimited which would give me 30k UR plus in both cases the 37.5k BA from the (current) portal bonus. DL Platinum AMEX is the only other one to consider because this would easily hit the MQD waiver and give me 10k MQM which would give me ~25k MQM for the year but I'm not sure that having DL Silver is worth more than these other options (I do fly DL the most these days but when I'm flying for corporate we have free access to Exit Row and C+ upgrade list and SPG Platinum gets me on the upgrade list for personal travel so Silver doesn't offer much beyond just slightly higher priority).

Am I missing anything? Any thoughts? Main goal is to maximize points with an eye towards future trips and flexibility. Too early to commit to honeymoon though Bora Bora, Maldives, etc., are early favorites on the list. Also short to medium term goals to go to Australia and Italy though I can manage both with my current miles balances though the 2-4-1 could be an attractive option for Italy to replace the UA/DL miles I'm planning to use.

I know that Blue Nile will allow you to pay bank draft and reduce by 1.5% but I view all these options as a >1.5% return making that option not worth it.

In all cases card would be paid off immediately so no credit float at issue here though I may need to re-allocate credit for the new cards or "pre-pay" depending on what credit limit they give me.