Parents are spending $20k on patio. What cards should they use for bonuses?
Nov 22, 2012, 5:47 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: The place where it gets so hot in the summer some planes can't take off.
Programs: Marriott LT Titanium, WoH Globalist, National EE, United Platinum
Posts: 1,451
Parents are spending $20k on patio. What cards should they use for bonuses?
Any recommendations on what cards my parents should apply for to pay for a $20k bulk purchase?
My dad already has a Chase Sapphire he received in October (I finally convinced him that this game was worthwhile) and he also got the Amex Hilton (not surpass) with my mom as an authorized user.
I told him about this crazy website and how he could get multiple cards and spread the bulk spend across all of them for the sign up bonuses.
Any suggestions? They mainly fly southwest since they stick to domestic, so any of the other airlines would work fine for them. They would like to go to Costa Rica in February and then start branching out to Asia/Europe over the next couple of years. I assumed this purchase can at least cover the Costa Rica trip since they already have a decent amount of Hilton points, but they would need airfare and possibly more HHonors points to stay in a higher end hotel.
Thanks in advance
My dad already has a Chase Sapphire he received in October (I finally convinced him that this game was worthwhile) and he also got the Amex Hilton (not surpass) with my mom as an authorized user.
I told him about this crazy website and how he could get multiple cards and spread the bulk spend across all of them for the sign up bonuses.
Any suggestions? They mainly fly southwest since they stick to domestic, so any of the other airlines would work fine for them. They would like to go to Costa Rica in February and then start branching out to Asia/Europe over the next couple of years. I assumed this purchase can at least cover the Costa Rica trip since they already have a decent amount of Hilton points, but they would need airfare and possibly more HHonors points to stay in a higher end hotel.
Thanks in advance
Nov 22, 2012, 5:55 pm
#2
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: ECP
Programs: DL Diamond
Posts: 1,658
2 cards each?
For sure, I'd say Chase Ink Plus/Bold (one each) for 100k UR after $10k of the spend
then...
SPG? No the bonus isn't great, but you could get 1 each or one person could get a personal and a biz and with $10k spend that's 50k SPG which would be a nice balance if they use the UR on air. The spend for the SPG is (relatively) high, so this would be a good chance to knock it out with regular 1x spend.
They could also BOTH do the HH 2 browser trick for a total of 4 cards and tons of HH points.
For sure, I'd say Chase Ink Plus/Bold (one each) for 100k UR after $10k of the spend
then...
SPG? No the bonus isn't great, but you could get 1 each or one person could get a personal and a biz and with $10k spend that's 50k SPG which would be a nice balance if they use the UR on air. The spend for the SPG is (relatively) high, so this would be a good chance to knock it out with regular 1x spend.
They could also BOTH do the HH 2 browser trick for a total of 4 cards and tons of HH points.
Nov 22, 2012, 6:00 pm
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Does he have the Chase Sapphire or the Sapphire Preferred with UR points?
Is his LOC $20K or more?
The SWA card currently is giving 50K points right now. That's 100K if your Mom gets one too. Or, Dad can apply for the Business & the Personal cards and get 100K. Then with $10K in spend he'll have enough for a free companion pass.
See discussion on MilesBuzz! or SWA forums.
Is his LOC $20K or more?
The SWA card currently is giving 50K points right now. That's 100K if your Mom gets one too. Or, Dad can apply for the Business & the Personal cards and get 100K. Then with $10K in spend he'll have enough for a free companion pass.
See discussion on MilesBuzz! or SWA forums.
Nov 22, 2012, 7:07 pm
#4
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: YVR - Vancouver, with most winter weekends in Whistler.
Programs: Aeroplan 35K, Alaska MVP, Marriott Titanium / Lifetime Platinum, Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 4,612
Any BA Avios card where you can get a Companion Voucher (2 for 1).
In Canada, this is offered with RBC Visa with a minimum $30,000 spend.
I suspect Chase will offer this in the USA. Not sure what the minimum spend is, but with $20,000 purchase you'll be we'll on your way.
In Canada, this is offered with RBC Visa with a minimum $30,000 spend.
I suspect Chase will offer this in the USA. Not sure what the minimum spend is, but with $20,000 purchase you'll be we'll on your way.
Nov 23, 2012, 7:23 am
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: The place where it gets so hot in the summer some planes can't take off.
Programs: Marriott LT Titanium, WoH Globalist, National EE, United Platinum
Posts: 1,451
Does he have the Chase Sapphire or the Sapphire Preferred with UR points?
Is his LOC $20K or more?
The SWA card currently is giving 50K points right now. That's 100K if your Mom gets one too. Or, Dad can apply for the Business & the Personal cards and get 100K. Then with $10K in spend he'll have enough for a free companion pass. See discussion on MilesBuzz! or SWA forums.
Is his LOC $20K or more?
The SWA card currently is giving 50K points right now. That's 100K if your Mom gets one too. Or, Dad can apply for the Business & the Personal cards and get 100K. Then with $10K in spend he'll have enough for a free companion pass.
See discussion on MilesBuzz! or SWA forums.Is the two browser Hilton trick with the citi cards or Hawaiian airlines (I just did that).
Nov 23, 2012, 9:29 am
#6
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: DFW
Programs: Marriott Lifetime Titanium, HH Gold, AA Lifetime Gold, United Silver, BA Gold
Posts: 864
Any BA Avios card where you can get a Companion Voucher (2 for 1).
In Canada, this is offered with RBC Visa with a minimum $30,000 spend.
I suspect Chase will offer this in the USA. Not sure what the minimum spend is, but with $20,000 purchase you'll be we'll on your way.
In Canada, this is offered with RBC Visa with a minimum $30,000 spend.
I suspect Chase will offer this in the USA. Not sure what the minimum spend is, but with $20,000 purchase you'll be we'll on your way.
Nov 23, 2012, 10:25 am
#7
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: YVR - Vancouver, with most winter weekends in Whistler.
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Although a valid point, I still see value in paying taxes and fees of $1,000 per person for a BA First ticket.
Many tickets in AC's Aeroplan have taxes and fees for YQ around this amount. It's likely only a matter of time before US FFP's end up this way too since the industry is trending that way.
Many tickets in AC's Aeroplan have taxes and fees for YQ around this amount. It's likely only a matter of time before US FFP's end up this way too since the industry is trending that way.
Nov 23, 2012, 4:23 pm
#8
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Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.1030 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)
Where are the OP's parents based? That might be an important factor in deciding which airline's miles should be accumulated. The parents could easily end up with over 100K AA miles each, using the 50K bonus link, and getting two Citi/AA cards each. But are AA miles the best for them? Hard to say, without knowing more.
Where are the OP's parents based? That might be an important factor in deciding which airline's miles should be accumulated. The parents could easily end up with over 100K AA miles each, using the 50K bonus link, and getting two Citi/AA cards each. But are AA miles the best for them? Hard to say, without knowing more.
Nov 24, 2012, 3:14 pm
#9
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Brooklyn
Programs: AMEX Plat, AAdvantage Gold, UA, SPG Gold, HHonors Gold
Posts: 963
Might help to think where they are spending it. If they are buying a chunk of materials out of that 20K from a store like Home Depot etc then they could, if they wanted to get fruity, buy HD Giftcards from an office supply store on an ink bold, then buy products from HD online through UR portal for more...
Say its 10KUSD, that is 50K UR from Office Depot, and another 50K from Home Depot (5x through UR mall, or you could get 5% cashback through Big Crumbs) that is without signup bonus.. so just 10K spend could get you 150K UR points with the bold at 50K right now...
It it is pure materials double the above and you are looking at 250K UR pts which is not too shabby at all.
Say its 10KUSD, that is 50K UR from Office Depot, and another 50K from Home Depot (5x through UR mall, or you could get 5% cashback through Big Crumbs) that is without signup bonus.. so just 10K spend could get you 150K UR points with the bold at 50K right now...
It it is pure materials double the above and you are looking at 250K UR pts which is not too shabby at all.
Nov 24, 2012, 3:25 pm
#10
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 221
The patio costs $20K but how much of that can they run through credit cards?
Does that include contractor fees? Most contractors I know don't take credit cards.
In that case they could use Bluebird to write a check.
Mostly I point this out to say: figure out how much they can run through credit cards before figuring out which cards to apply for.
Does that include contractor fees? Most contractors I know don't take credit cards.
In that case they could use Bluebird to write a check.
Mostly I point this out to say: figure out how much they can run through credit cards before figuring out which cards to apply for.