Card Selection Advice
May 29, 2014 | 11:26 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 21
Card Selection Advice
Hi There,
In the market for a new card and looking to confirm what I have read on the forums.
Current Card (I only have 1):
Virgin America Platinum
Current Flyer Status:
Gold Status on VX
I only have one card and I'd like to expand this to two in the near future. I've been reading the forums and a lot of people suggest the SPG Amex and Chase Preferred.
My Habits:
-I fly out of SFO which means I stick exclusively to VX for flights (NYC, LAX, IAD)
-Do not have a hotel preference (I AirBnB a lot)
-around 100k/year spend on my current card
Current Thought Process:
-The VX card allows you to buy earn status points up to $30k + bonuses for each flight
-I'd like to cap my spending at 30k on this card (plus my VX flights) and pool the points to another card for other offerings on INT flights and hotels (no need for anything domestic)
-I'd have no problem being loyal to a certain brand of card (Hilton AMEX for example) if I could use my points to buy partial status like VX does
What I Am Looking For:
-Points for international flights (Singapore, Lufthansa, Emirates, Air NZ, Qatar)
-Points for hotels (no preference)
Just wondering if the SPG is the right card for me, and if so, are there any bonus sign up offers?
-Will
In the market for a new card and looking to confirm what I have read on the forums.
Current Card (I only have 1):
Virgin America Platinum
Current Flyer Status:
Gold Status on VX
I only have one card and I'd like to expand this to two in the near future. I've been reading the forums and a lot of people suggest the SPG Amex and Chase Preferred.
My Habits:
-I fly out of SFO which means I stick exclusively to VX for flights (NYC, LAX, IAD)
-Do not have a hotel preference (I AirBnB a lot)
-around 100k/year spend on my current card
Current Thought Process:
-The VX card allows you to buy earn status points up to $30k + bonuses for each flight
-I'd like to cap my spending at 30k on this card (plus my VX flights) and pool the points to another card for other offerings on INT flights and hotels (no need for anything domestic)
-I'd have no problem being loyal to a certain brand of card (Hilton AMEX for example) if I could use my points to buy partial status like VX does
What I Am Looking For:
-Points for international flights (Singapore, Lufthansa, Emirates, Air NZ, Qatar)
-Points for hotels (no preference)
Just wondering if the SPG is the right card for me, and if so, are there any bonus sign up offers?
-Will
May 29, 2014 | 11:53 pm
#2
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: CMH
Posts: 231
Card Selection Advice
The past 2 years SPG has increased their sign up bonus to 30k in August. There is nothing to suggest they will offer it again, but if you're going for SPG you might as well wait a few months and see if they'll three-peat
May 30, 2014 | 4:59 am
#3
Join Date: Dec 2010
Programs: Hilton Diamond, Marriott Titanium, Radisson Gold, Hyatt Globalist, M life Gold, IHG Diamond
Posts: 923
Let me mention to the OP that Virgin America points transfer to Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Australia, so depending on where you want to go, you already have international flights covered.
Pretty much all the major brands, hotel and airline, now have a cc product that gives some type of loyalty bonus to big spenders. It's probably better to decide who you want to go with first, and then look at their product. You mentioned Starwood. SPG starpoints do have an advantage because they transfer to so many different airlines, but status doesn't transfer with the points.
(Note to the mods: this is the 4th new "my next card" thread in a day and a half. Consolidation?)
Pretty much all the major brands, hotel and airline, now have a cc product that gives some type of loyalty bonus to big spenders. It's probably better to decide who you want to go with first, and then look at their product. You mentioned Starwood. SPG starpoints do have an advantage because they transfer to so many different airlines, but status doesn't transfer with the points.
(Note to the mods: this is the 4th new "my next card" thread in a day and a half. Consolidation?)