Hi all,

I think I'm experiencing churner's block. I keep reading the list of available cards, but can't figure out a creative next step.

Using both my name and my wife's, we've both maxed out Chase's 24/5 rule (with more Chase cards than I feel like writing out...), We've got the Citi AAdvantage Platinum and Gold, and even began dipping into some of those AMEX once in a lifetime cards (not to mention hotel cards).

Any ideas on where to go next? I'd prefer not to get cards like British Airways that charge fuel surcharges, and I'd rather wait for targeted offers on the AMEX cards. I travel internationally all the time (though almost never domestically) and feel this strange sense of inefficiency when I'm not working towards a minimum spend.

I've read UA Fan's masterlist about 50 times and clicked all the dead links, but can't get past the block. Any creative ideas out there to get the juices flowing?

There are no fuel surcharges if you redeem BA points for travel within North America on flights operated by AA or AS. There are similar no or low fee options on many other routes.

"Churner's block" sounds like a physical condition, like you need a churner's enema.

Huh?

I read it as a parallel to "writer's block", which is a mental state where you're trying to write but having problems thinking of something to write. (t's a term used by fiction writers, songwriters, and others.)

Have you not heard of the term "writer's block"?

Writing is one thing, where unless you're not going to Plagiarize someone else's work you do have to think for yourself.


Churners block should never occur because if you can find your way to FT or almost anywhere on the Internet, there are plenty of tutorials on how, what, and when to apply and reapply for cards.

You yourself are a good example of a ready enabler

~ Moderator note ~

OK gang, let's keep this civil .....

Sound like you need to pause what you are doing, rather than continue.

Try to make not every purchase count toward a minimum spend, that way you stretch out your minimum spend longer.

For example, domestically most months I try to get to my "20" with mostly groceries on my Amex Everyday card, since I get 2.4x MR points that way. And I use my hotel cards for stays in those hotel programs, and my Citi TYP Premier card for stays at hotels for which I don't have specific cards as well as for gas and parking (since I get 3x TYP points that way). I then can stretch $750 and $1k and $2k minimum spends out longer, so I don't "feel" like I've run out of minimum spend situations even if I'm not applying for cards as fast as I might have before (or not applying for cards with as big minimum spends as I did before).

This helps transition me from a world where I was applying for $3k minimum spend cards left and right to a world where on average I'm applying for more $1k minimum spend cards and fewer $3k minimum spend cards per year.

Once you're happy enough to have 3 or 4 rounds of a $1k minimum spend card a year from a "secondary" bank (if you consider just Chase, Citi, and Amex the "primary" points/miles card banks), you can look at BofA's:

I think this is a good point: I need to evolve from only making minimum spends to thinking about 2-3% redemption cards as worth it in and of themselves.

You and MIA both pointed out great cards for domestic/North America flights. Unfortunately, I fly almost exclusively to Asia and Europe (and occasionally Dubai), otherwise I would be able to put off this sense of dissatisfaction with all non-minimum spend charges for at least another year.

And yes, churner's block is from writer's block, but I'll leave the discussion for the constipated and isolationists among us for another place . Thanks EmailKid.

The juices are beginning to flow...

One more idea that was suggested to me offline: using several 0% intro interest, $0 balance transfer cards on short term investments that pay out before you run out of cards to transfer balances to. But this gets oh so complicated...

Do some flexible travel redemption cards like the BOA Travel Rewards or Cap One Venture?

Or Hawaiian or Alaska? If you only have Chase and Citi, there are a bunch of other options. Not sure why you're having so much trouble.

Do you have the Starwood personal and biz AMEX points? If not, I'd start with one, then refer your wife and get the 5K points bonus for doing so. Rinse and repeat with the business card if you have a legitimate business. You can use the points for hotel stays or you can move them to airlines. For example, right now SPG and AA have a promo running where you can move 20K SPG points to AA, get the usual 5K bonus, and get a 20% bonus on top of that. It results in 30K AA miles. Starwood points can be used to top up a broad range of airline programs to get to a needed award level.

Have you got AS cards? There are 30K AS point bonuses. They have a lot of attractive airline partners and you can get the card every 3 months or so.

American Express is not even slightly interested in whether or not you have a business, but they are very interested in whether your spending is in line with your verifiable income.

You seem to be confused about miles programs.

Alaska miles can be used to fly to Asia and Europe. Although they are not part of an alliance, and although they do not fly across oceans themselves, they have lots of foreign airline partners.

So you need to stop thinking you need a card for an airline that flies its own planes where you want to go.

For example, I've used United miles a couple times in recent years for redemptions to Europe, but not flying United itself. I've flown Lufthansa, SAS, Air Canada, etc. Similarly, my next longhaul international flight is to South Africa, but it was booked with AA miles for flying Qatar Airlines.

That's what I've done as I've slowed down my churning in response to banks tightening their rules. I've switched from a mindset of "There is always a new card!" to splitting spend between the cards I already have and the smaller number of new cards I now open.

With my existing cards the worst case value I need to accept is 2% cash; I can get that on any purchase, no limits, from Citi DC. Where other cards pay 3%, 4%, or even 5% (love Chase Freedom!) on specific categories I'll use them for those categories of expenditure. So generally it's just the 2%-er type expenses I put onto my new cards... except when they have attractive bonus categories, too. Sorry, Citi DC. (At least you'll be with me for a long time to come!)

Curious about this Mia... are there many reports of AmEx shutting down people for spending largely in excess of stated income? I went through (with no adverse action) an AmEx FR back in February, when I did a large amount of spending on two new business charge cards with high min. spend requirements for the bonus. Since then I've ramped up and MS several times my monthly income on SPG and EDP cards. Should I be worried about getting shutdown? Obviously, nothing is without risk, but I haven't seen many reports of AmEx shutting people down for MS.