Chase Ink [Master thread]
 

I just got a letter from Chase telling me that my Chase Flexible Rewards Select Business Card has been "upgraded" to Ink Plus with Ultimate Rewards.

I'm guessing this isn't good news.

Some rewards are the same, supposedly, but all you see are checkboxes - no real details.

What I always use is the 1.5% cash back via check. I hope this remains.

They are adding PriorityPass for free, so that's something.

Has anyone gotten the real details here? My paperwork is very superficial.

Just got off the phone with someone at Chase.

As the customer service rep pointed out to me, in the fine print on the letter, it states "The $50 bonus when redeeming 10,000 points for cash back will no longer be available. Checks will now start at $50 for 5,000 points."

I didn't realize I was getting a "bonus" because that's not at all the way the website for redemptions is worded, but apparently, that's what I was getting. So it's gone.

So this card will be going from 1.5% to 1%.

Help! I need a new business card before my statement closes next month!

Points have to be redeemed before 6/30/09 to get the higher ratio. So, effectively, your statement closing date in June is your last chance to get 1.5% cash back on this card.

Chase is calling their new business card "Ink?" Yikes!

Here is a thread with some general "maximize" info across personal and business cards:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/other...-earnings.html

If you specifically want a business card, and only one, there aren't many great cash options out there. There are category accelerators, like Citi's AT&T business card (5X and 3X by category, 1X all other) and discount accelerators, like AX Open cards (and cash acceleration on SimplyCash). An AX SimplyCash may get you closest, but depending on your vendor mix, you may have acceptance issues.

Good luck and let us know if you switch, and to which product!

My business charges are all over the map, and I'm pretty sure no category would really work for me.

I don't need a business card per se, but I'd like it to be backed up by my business, not by me personally. Is there any way to do that?

I called Schwab: personal cards only.

If you want a card backed solely by the business and without personal liability, it must be a "corporate guarantee" account - not "joint and several." Few banks issue these in the small business segment. You will need to ask for it specifically and, if the issuer will take an application, they will require business financial statements, etc. If your business has solid cashflow and has been established for a while, it is possible that you can get this type of account. But keep in mind that the line may not be as high as an account with joint liability.

That's the kind of card I have now, and I had another (MBNA at the time) before this. Frankly, I don't even mind backing it up personally, I guess.

What I really want here is great cash back. I think I might need to get another Schwab for my wife, get an additional card for me, and then use that as our personal card and use my current Schwab card as the business card since it has a decent credit limit.

Just spoke to four people at CapitolOne about potentially getting a card from them. Four!

None knew how their rewards program would potentially work - even the rewards desk - without me already having an account.

No one could tell me what cashback ratio I'd get until the account was open.

People really apply for these accounts having no idea what they'll get as rewards?

It seems from their website that they only have 1 cashback card for small business and that it gives 1.25% Cashback. Is there something I'm missing here?

http://www.capitalone.com/smallbusiness/cards/

The "double no hassle miles" card says: Redeem miles for travel, cash back, merchandise and more. So, given double miles, I wanted to know how many of those miles it takes to get each dollar of cash back. Didn't seem like an unreasonable request to me.

The double no hassle miles card that you can currently apply for on their website gives .5 cents per mile, so effectively 1% Cashback. If you want Cash it is better to go with the straight 1.25% Cashback card.

OK - thanks for the clarity here.

I'll find something better somewhere. 1% or even 1.25% seems pretty small - Amex Membership Rewards points would be more valuable to me. I'll either do that or a Schwab card.

Chase Ink
 

Chase is launching a series of VISA business cards, including Ink Bold a charge card linked to Ultimate Rewards. Chase asserts that this is the first pay-in-full charge card from any Mastercard or VISA issuer, but this is inaccurate. Citi's Diners Club Mastercard is a charge card.

Article here...

http://www.reuters.com/article/funds...36445620090923

Press release here...

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/s...o,970964.shtml

Website here...

http://www.inkfromchase.com/

Diners was first, but is moving over the the Discover brand next week.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/diner...1-october.html

Interesting.

Their their point boosts are at 25K, 50k and 100K in spend (varies by ink product).

They are also using the "Blueprint" feature on the other ink cards.

They are going after Amex's T+E market in a big way.

This does not affect the Diners Club Mastercards issued by Citi in the USA and Canada. The change is for visitors to North America whose Diners Club cards are issued elsewhere.