CSP vs Explorer as daily
 

I applied and was approved for both of these cards yesterday. I had been thinking that I would use the CSP primarily for Food and Travel and the Explorer card for most everything else up to $25K to get the 10K point bonus each year. At that point I would shift primarily to the CSP card. I know I have more reward options with the CSP but I guess I was thinking the 10K bonus each year was suprior. Looking for feedback on this and if I am thinking about this incorrectly? Thanks all.

Why not just get the Freedom Unlimited and spend the $25K there instead? You get back 37500 UR points instead of 35000 United miles. And you don't have to spend exactly $25K.. can stop early or go past that.

I am not following with your comment on getting back 37500 UR points by using the Freedom Unlimited instead? Also why would I pick the Freedom Unlimited over the normal Freedom? I do agree with having the more flexible UR points vs the United miles.


As a side note my previous go to card has always been my AMEX blue cash preferred but I am looking to obviously start playing the points game so will be moving off this card. I sure do appreciate the reply!

EDIT: I see where you got the points from...

Also, I guess I am going to need to wait the 30 days before I try to get the freedom unlimited card since I just got the other 2 chase cards yesterday.

Are you currently an UA elite member and an U.S. resident (for UA purpose)?

If no, then it is a waste to spend on the M+ Explorer.

Thanks for the replies guys. I was looking at all of this again last night. I think this is what I am going to do below...

CSP - Use for specific purchases
Explorer - Shelve once reaching min for rewards then possibly cancel 12M

Sapphire - Have had this card since 2010, change into a Freedom card and use.

This should still keep me at 2/24 with Chase. I also have a BoA card I rarely use and keep around due to it being my oldest card.

After I hit the minimum's for the new CSP and Explorer I will look into my next card, possibly an Ink card.

Yes. That is what I'd recommend as well. I now have all 3 of those cards and I only use the CSP for travel and dining.
The United will get all spend until spend needed it hit.
Freedom gets all my everyday spend and especially bonus category spend.

I guess my Sapphire was older than I thought, I went ahead and converted that into the Freedom Unlimited card. Need to decide what to do with BoA and AMEX and if I should keep them for history or not. Not sure if loosing BoA history would matter since the Chase card is over 10 years as well. Thoughts?

http://i.imgur.com/QKhMGyB.png

What kind of spend per year are we talking? I ask because I face a similar dilemma. Although I have the Club card which doesn't give 1.4 only on 25K spend. After 5 months and 42K spend, I'm at 63K M+ miles (total spend only as some of it is UA-based which is 2x). If I charged that on the Explorer, it would be 52K if my math is right. That doesn't make up for the huge difference in the annual fee but over the next 7 months, I'm hopeful that I'll realize enough for it to be worth it.

The fly in the ointment is the Freedom Unlimited which is 1.5x UR for a $0 annual fee card provided I have the CSP. This destroys the Club card in almost every way except benefits and UA spend. I now have 8 months to see if I'll stay with this course or come up with a mishmash of others cards to accomplish a similar outcome.