Newbie needs help deciding which cards
Jan 8, 2013 | 2:57 pm
#17
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 221
Hey, nice to met someone with in similar situation! I'm not in PHX either, 2.5hr drive away in N.Az.
To answer your questions:
-Typically spend $1,000-1,500 per month on cards, but plan on using some tricks i'm learning on here to make up the difference
-I have a capitol one that I have had for a while, no annual fee. I just applied for and was approved for the Amex Plat card for me and wife, gives 100k MR pts after $3000 in 3 months
-I pulled my vantage score and it is 857
Other question since you fly out of PHX. What's the best option for flights to Europe for us?
To answer your questions:
-Typically spend $1,000-1,500 per month on cards, but plan on using some tricks i'm learning on here to make up the difference
-I have a capitol one that I have had for a while, no annual fee. I just applied for and was approved for the Amex Plat card for me and wife, gives 100k MR pts after $3000 in 3 months
-I pulled my vantage score and it is 857
Other question since you fly out of PHX. What's the best option for flights to Europe for us?
For paid fares British Airways PHX-London Heathrow is great but I'm not paying huge surcharges on award tickets. Not worth hundreds of dollars to save a few hours. For my next European trip using miles I'll happily connect through Houston (United), Charlotte/Philly (USAir), DFW (American) or others.
Jan 8, 2013 | 10:39 pm
#18
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Dallas, TX
Programs: AA, UA, DL, SPG gold, PC Plat, CC gold
Posts: 196
I applied for chase southwest RR personal and ink plus on same day in 2nd week of november. These apps resulted in only 1 experian enquiry.
Jan 8, 2013 | 10:48 pm
#19
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Dallas, TX
Programs: AA, UA, DL, SPG gold, PC Plat, CC gold
Posts: 196
Here is what I am looking at adding:
Citi AA Amex
Citi AA Visa
Chase Ink Bold
Chase UA Mileage Exploredr
US Airways Card
Delta Amex
Any thoughts? Is it better to stagger these apps out over a few months so the credit hits aren't all at once? I keep reading about these app-o-rama's where people apply for a bunch at the same time, is there a reason why that is good?
Citi AA Amex
Citi AA Visa
Chase Ink Bold
Chase UA Mileage Exploredr
US Airways Card
Delta Amex
Any thoughts? Is it better to stagger these apps out over a few months so the credit hits aren't all at once? I keep reading about these app-o-rama's where people apply for a bunch at the same time, is there a reason why that is good?
Jan 8, 2013 | 10:50 pm
#20
Moderator: Chase Ultimate Rewards
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 2P, MR LT Plat, IHG Plat, BW Dia, HH Au, Avis PC
Posts: 5,664
Jan 9, 2013 | 12:07 am
#21
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Phoenix
Posts: 48
I'd recommend USAir card (no minimum just make sure you get right link for no annual fee) for each of you today since you already applied for Plats today. Then take it easy and learn here on FT for 3 months. The $6K spend in 3 months for both of your Platinums will be doable but this is a marathon not a sprint. Adding in thousands more in minimum spend could get hectic right off the bat.
For paid fares British Airways PHX-London Heathrow is great but I'm not paying huge surcharges on award tickets. Not worth hundreds of dollars to save a few hours. For my next European trip using miles I'll happily connect through Houston (United), Charlotte/Philly (USAir), DFW (American) or others.
For paid fares British Airways PHX-London Heathrow is great but I'm not paying huge surcharges on award tickets. Not worth hundreds of dollars to save a few hours. For my next European trip using miles I'll happily connect through Houston (United), Charlotte/Philly (USAir), DFW (American) or others.
So now I have the American Express Platinum and the US Airways card for both of us. I guess that's a good start for the first day of applying. I think I will take your advice and wait a little to apply for more.
I'd like to get those AA cards with the two browser trick, but gotta work on the $6,000 in 3 months required on the AMEX cards first.
Jan 10, 2013 | 2:39 pm
#22
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Phoenix
Posts: 48
I really wanted to get those AA cards using the two browser trick but I think I need to wait because of the spend requirements. I have $6k in spend to make in the next 3 months on these AMEX Plat Cards.
Guess its time to visit some of the threads on GC's, PPal, and Amazon.
Guess its time to visit some of the threads on GC's, PPal, and Amazon.
Jan 10, 2013 | 3:03 pm
#23
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Phoenix
Posts: 48
I've started to realize that I need to be working toward a goal. I guess my goal right now is really to try and get to Europe this summer. I'm pretty flexible on where we fly into, b/c we are planning on backpacking around and visiting a lot of countries once there.
We, my wife and I, are going to be getting 100,000MR points each from Amex.
Also, we will be getting 40,000 each on Us Air.
We already have (this is update from OP, I was going of memory then):
Me
AA 66,000
Delta 58,700
United 12,400
Wife
Delta 35,000
Any suggestions on the best options for a trip to Europe? I'm not real sure on the best way to use those 100k MR points we will be getting.
We, my wife and I, are going to be getting 100,000MR points each from Amex.
Also, we will be getting 40,000 each on Us Air.
We already have (this is update from OP, I was going of memory then):
Me
AA 66,000
Delta 58,700
United 12,400
Wife
Delta 35,000
Any suggestions on the best options for a trip to Europe? I'm not real sure on the best way to use those 100k MR points we will be getting.
Jan 10, 2013 | 3:16 pm
#24
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 221
http://boardingarea.com/blogs/onemil...region-europe/
Jan 13, 2013 | 8:36 am
#26
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 366
I've started to realize that I need to be working toward a goal. I guess my goal right now is really to try and get to Europe this summer. I'm pretty flexible on where we fly into, b/c we are planning on backpacking around and visiting a lot of countries once there.
We, my wife and I, are going to be getting 100,000MR points each from Amex.
Also, we will be getting 40,000 each on Us Air.
We already have (this is update from OP, I was going of memory then):
Me
AA 66,000
Delta 58,700
United 12,400
Wife
Delta 35,000
Any suggestions on the best options for a trip to Europe? I'm not real sure on the best way to use those 100k MR points we will be getting.
We, my wife and I, are going to be getting 100,000MR points each from Amex.
Also, we will be getting 40,000 each on Us Air.
We already have (this is update from OP, I was going of memory then):
Me
AA 66,000
Delta 58,700
United 12,400
Wife
Delta 35,000
Any suggestions on the best options for a trip to Europe? I'm not real sure on the best way to use those 100k MR points we will be getting.
Jan 16, 2013 | 12:14 pm
#28
Moderator: Chase Ultimate Rewards
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 2P, MR LT Plat, IHG Plat, BW Dia, HH Au, Avis PC
Posts: 5,664
Jan 18, 2013 | 2:40 pm
#29
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 366
Delta holds your flights, so you can transfer your MR but it's almost instant anyway. My experience with Avios is the same - instant - but they don't hold tickets from my experience.