Chase Freedom 2018, 1st Q, Bonus Categories
Feb 21, 2018, 5:21 pm
#151
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: EWR/PHL/BWI
Posts: 4,412
Huh? 
Don't all of the people who "love" (as opposed to just liking) gasoline quarters ones who use them for gift cards? That's what I sense from the posts here. Those people who use them for gas, it's usually never enough to come anywhere close to maxing out a quarter.
I like having a gas category, but I by no means "love" it. Not being particularly into buying gift cards, I come a little closer to "loving" the internet/phone this quarter because in March I will be able to prepay a bunch of months (since I don't have a card with those in a non-rotating category), and thus get more than one quarter's worth of internet/phone bills at 5x.
Don't all of the people who "love" (as opposed to just liking) gasoline quarters ones who use them for gift cards? That's what I sense from the posts here. Those people who use them for gas, it's usually never enough to come anywhere close to maxing out a quarter.I like having a gas category, but I by no means "love" it. Not being particularly into buying gift cards, I come a little closer to "loving" the internet/phone this quarter because in March I will be able to prepay a bunch of months (since I don't have a card with those in a non-rotating category), and thus get more than one quarter's worth of internet/phone bills at 5x.
What happens if I have 2 or 3 Freedom cards? I can't buy $4,500/quarter gift cards. There are not many gift cards to choose at gas stations....
Feb 22, 2018, 4:48 am
#152
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 790
I don't have my Chase Freedom on me right now as I am away on a long trip, but recently had some opportunities to use Apple Pay in Hong Kong as it is readily accepted there. I was excited to be able to meet some of the $1,500 spend for the 5% that I forgot one small fact: the Chase Freedom has foreign transaction fees...
Ugh. Almost all of my cards have no FX fees so I got lulled to sleep and forgot. Luckily the spend I did, which will be levied a 3% fee on, still earns 5x points.
Ugh. Almost all of my cards have no FX fees so I got lulled to sleep and forgot. Luckily the spend I did, which will be levied a 3% fee on, still earns 5x points.
Feb 24, 2018, 1:48 pm
#153
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: JZRO
Posts: 9,169
Amazon GCs I load onto my account and dispose of. So too some retail store GCs. But restaurant GCs stack up. On the other hand, maxing out a quarter on three cards means 22,500 URs. ^ Of course, none of this broaches what Chase would think about my buying 44 $100 GCs in a quarter.
Feb 28, 2018, 10:03 am
#154
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: HPN
Programs: not anymore! I'm FREE!
Posts: 3,459
Well, if you drive something that sips fuel as delicately as a Bugatti Chiron (9 mpg), of *course* you won't spend much on gas. You should switch to something a bit less fuel efficient, such as an M1 Abrams tank (0.6 mpg), or perhaps, if you're in a more nautical mood, an Arleigh-Burke class destroyer (1000 gallons per hour). Maybe these are not as much fun to drive, but what's more important, quick acceleration and delightful road feel, or UR points? I'd go with the latter any day.
Feb 28, 2018, 1:47 pm
#155
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,932
Well, if you drive something that sips fuel as delicately as a Bugatti Chiron (9 mpg), of *course* you won't spend much on gas. You should switch to something a bit less fuel efficient, such as an M1 Abrams tank (0.6 mpg), or perhaps, if you're in a more nautical mood, an Arleigh-Burke class destroyer (1000 gallons per hour). Maybe these are not as much fun to drive, but what's more important, quick acceleration and delightful road feel, or UR points? I'd go with the latter any day.
So it seems to me rather than buying a gas-guzzling car, you should rent one for the quarter.
But where can one rent the vehicles you mentioned? (And what card do you use when renting them?)
Feb 28, 2018, 2:44 pm
#156
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: SEA/NYC/IAD
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Titanium, Hyatt Explorist
Posts: 1,915
Except it's not very practical to switch vehicles for just one quarter. Yet what will needing more gas do you in April when there's no longer a 5x bonus on Freedom for gas?
So it seems to me rather than buying a gas-guzzling car, you should rent one for the quarter. But where can one rent the vehicles you mentioned? (And what card do you use when renting them?)
So it seems to me rather than buying a gas-guzzling car, you should rent one for the quarter.
But where can one rent the vehicles you mentioned? (And what card do you use when renting them?)
Feb 28, 2018, 6:36 pm
#158
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,932
Challenge Accepted! - Drive A Tank - Tank Driving, Car Crushing, Machine Gun Shooting
Also, to an FTer, their description is confusing. Every offer says I can drive the Starwood Preferred Guest program!
Last edited by sdsearch; Feb 28, 2018 at 6:43 pm
Mar 1, 2018, 10:01 pm
#159
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: SJC/SFO
Programs: WN A+ CP, UA 1MM/*A Gold, Mar LT Tit, IHG Plat, HH Dia
Posts: 6,284
Challenge Accepted! - Drive A Tank - Tank Driving, Car Crushing, Machine Gun Shooting
Mar 5, 2018, 12:07 pm
#160
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: JZRO
Posts: 9,169
You're right. But in my case―with three Freedom cards and less than $100 gasoline spend in a quarter―I would have to buy about $4,400 in GCs. And I don't sell them, so that's a considerably outlay on something that accumulates in my sock drawer. Amazon GCs I load onto my account and dispose of. So too some retail store GCs. But restaurant GCs stack up. On the other hand, maxing out a quarter on three cards means 22,500 URs. ^ Of course, none of this broaches what Chase would think about my buying 44 $100 GCs in a quarter.
Amazon GCs I load onto my account and dispose of. So too some retail store GCs. But restaurant GCs stack up. On the other hand, maxing out a quarter on three cards means 22,500 URs. ^ Of course, none of this broaches what Chase would think about my buying 44 $100 GCs in a quarter.RNE, lamenting that UR addiction is a cruel mistress.
Mar 5, 2018, 3:02 pm
#161
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Texas
Posts: 98
I got the 5x bonus for my Fi monthly payment.
Well, if you drive something that sips fuel as delicately as a Bugatti Chiron (9 mpg), of *course* you won't spend much on gas. You should switch to something a bit less fuel efficient, such as an M1 Abrams tank (0.6 mpg), or perhaps, if you're in a more nautical mood, an Arleigh-Burke class destroyer (1000 gallons per hour). Maybe these are not as much fun to drive, but what's more important, quick acceleration and delightful road feel, or UR points? I'd go with the latter any day.
Well, if you drive something that sips fuel as delicately as a Bugatti Chiron (9 mpg), of *course* you won't spend much on gas. You should switch to something a bit less fuel efficient, such as an M1 Abrams tank (0.6 mpg), or perhaps, if you're in a more nautical mood, an Arleigh-Burke class destroyer (1000 gallons per hour). Maybe these are not as much fun to drive, but what's more important, quick acceleration and delightful road feel, or UR points? I'd go with the latter any day.
Mar 5, 2018, 4:14 pm
#162
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: NYC
Programs: AA 2MM, Bonvoy LTT, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 14,635
Not sure if Chase operates the same way but when my AMEX was compromised, AMEX specifically indicated the ApplePay "card" remains fully active despite getting a new card#.
Mar 5, 2018, 6:30 pm
#163
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: SEA/NYC/IAD
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Titanium, Hyatt Explorist
Posts: 1,915
How does one activate the new card number though? Presumably you must receive the card to activate the card, in order to be able to use the card (in Apple Pay or anywhere else) no?
Mar 5, 2018, 6:39 pm
#164
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Truth or Consequences, NM
Programs: HH Diamond, Marriott Titanium, Hertz President's Circle, UA Silver, Mobile Passport Unobtanium
Posts: 6,192
Presumably, if Apple Pay does indeed stay active after a card is compromised, Apple/Chase keep that psuedo-account active (since it's verified by either your fingerprint or facial recognition) until you add the new card.
That's a theory, btw.
Mar 5, 2018, 6:50 pm
#165
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: NYC
Programs: AA 2MM, Bonvoy LTT, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 14,635
This would be AMEX ApplePay activated on the old card BEFORE you report it as compromised. That ApplePay “card” remains active even after you report the underlying card as compromised.