2013 Plans
 

I have to admit, I'm kind of hooked on the points/miles thing. Trying to anticipate 2013 and looking for suggestions.

Helpful information (almost everything here applies equally to my wife, except as noted):

2012 got CSP, UA, DL, AA, US, and Hyatt. Also got Hawaiian and Marriott for myself (which I used for trade bait), and Amex Plat and biz gold for wife. Keeper cards are CSP and PRG (which I've had for years).

I had Amex Biz Gold and Plat, both cancelled in early 2012.

Not much interested in hotel rewards, or in domestic Y. Willing to pay Amex Plat fee if I get at least 50K signup bonus, as I can use the other benefits, but much prefer it to be in my wife's name for lounge access.

Goal is to have so many points that I can say "Let's go to Vegas for a long weekend" or for that matter "Let's go to Rome for a long weekend." Also burn 300K Amex points a year on Air Canada. I have had decent luck in booking biz/first awards to Europe on DL, but my biggest single pot of miles (350K) right now is on DL and I earn about 50K DL points a year from my credit card. CC spend is about $25K/yr plus additional manufactured spend from certain other sources.

Right now I am thinking about Amex Plat for myself, if I can get a 50K bonus, and Chase Ink Bold, from which I would buy vanilla GC's at office store and use those in place of CC's for my actual spend. If we each got Ink Bold and I got $10K in GC's for each of us, that would be a total of 250K points (50K Amex and 200K UR) which would have seemed great in the past, but after doing about 750K this year seems so paltry by comparison.

Suggestions from the crowd?

In view of your location and your interests, it might be wiser to earn your points from a credit card associated with UA or AA instead of Delta. UA is linked with AC, among others, and usually has saver awards to Europe available. AA also typically has better redemption availability than DL, at least if you can avoid the high fees associated with BA travel through London.

Thanks for the suggestion.

I do need a lot of Air Canada points though, which is where my Amex points go, and PRG gives a 15K bonus for spending $30K.

What would the benefits of the Amex platinum be over the Sapphire Preferred?

A simple google search showed me. ha

what did you google? (your question?)
and what was the answer?

I just googled the amex platinum and read what the benefits are... There appear to be many more than the CSP... Lounge access and a $200 airline incidentals credit to name a few. There is also companion ticket stuff also. But there is a $450 fee, so you better use all that!

Do not factor the companion ticket into your consideration of the Amex Platinum card. This is one benefit you almost certainly will not use.

2013 plans... wow, good question. Here's my history:

July 2011: Amex Plat
August 2011: CSP
September 2011: Citi AA 75kx2
November 2011: Chase CO
January 2012: Chase UA
February 2012: Amex PRG (Biz)
April 2012: Delta Plat (pers, biz), Barclays US, Citi AA (biz)
July 2012: Chase Ritz Carlton, Citi HHonors Reserve, SPG Amex (pers)
Aug 2012: SPG Amex (biz)

Red = canceled.

For my Fall 2012 round, I'm thinking Chase Hyatt, Chase Ink (biz; not sure which flavor yet), BOA/BOH Hawaiian.

On the horizon for 2013:

--Citi 50kx2 (fingers crossed that the offer still works come spring, when it will have been 18 months since the last round of apps).

--Amex Mercedes Benz 50k

--Amex Delta Reserve (pers, biz) (will probably need the MQMs).

--Barclays US

--Amex Hilton Surpass (for AXON awards)

--Chase Ink (whichever one I don't get this fall).

What do you think I should add to the list?

If you want Amex Plat benefits and a new signup bonus, consider the Benz card, which gives 50k MR points and similar benefits. The Ritz Carlton card also has $200 incidental reimbursement -- and you don't have to lock in to one airline! -- but a $395 fee (this summer there was a no fee version which may resurface).

do u plan on canceling us airways before u apply for the new one?

No, probably not. I've been following the thread about that card, and it seems that people have been able to get a second card without canceling. There are, however, some reports of Barclays tightening up whether it will give you a second card at all so I don't think it's a guarantee anymore.

I have indeed used the Amex Plat $200 fee credit. The lounge access is useful only when the card is in my wife's name.

Someone suggested SPG, which is a good suggestion, as this would at least allow me to get some points that could be transferred to AA.

Which airline lounge access do you get and what what can the $200 credit get someone?

Ok I'll jump in, even though I make top elite from segments and stays, I would like to increase my flexibility. So with that, in Jan of 2013 I plan my first App o rama, so I would like to hear from the experts.

Currently I have about 500K miles with UA, and roughly 100K miles with US, and 75K miles with AA. With that, I would like to expand my options when it comes to flying I would love to try CX and other airlines in other alliances, so which card/cards would give me the best flexibility to allow me to do this?

Thanks in advance..

FN

Lounge access:

USAir: Anytime
Delta, American: If traveling on them that day
Others: There are a lot of "independent" lounges that accept Priority Pass Plus (or is it Select, I forget which). For example, my wife uses the Platinum Plaza Lounge at YYZ, for which entry is free with her Priority Pass card, which she gets for free with her Amex Plat.

As for the $200 fee credit, note that you can use this on only one airline per year, but it is calendar year, so if you get your card in (say) April, you get $200 to use in April through December, then another $200 in the next calendar year. There is a list of what you can use it for on the Amex site, but mostly it covers all sorts of fees such as change fees, award ticket fees, seat fees, etc. Also covers in-flight food and drinks. Does not cover in-flight internet (although I think the corporate plat card now covers 10 Gogo sessions per year). Sometimes it covers gift cards, and some people have used their credit to buy gift cards and resell them, but this is a loophole that may have closed.

In my case, last year I used it on Delta for two economy comfort fees @$19 each, and an award ticket change fee @$150 (so I have $10 left). Last year I used it for award ticket fees.

If you want CX you should get AA miles, using the 2x50k deals that are discussed elsewhere. That will put you at 175k AA and give you enough for a long haul r/t on CX F.