Alliant CU VISA, 3% cash 1st yr, then 2.5% (Capped). Fee waived 1st year.
Apr 1, 2019 | 11:40 pm
#151
Join Date: Apr 2018
Programs: Starwood, Marriott Rewards
Posts: 56
Wow, when did that change? Sure makes my decision easier.
Edit: You know, I take that back. Even at $99, 2.5% back is the highest return on a cash back card as far as I know, and if you're able to put a lot of bills and other miscellaneous spending on it, it might still be a decent deal.
Edit: You know, I take that back. Even at $99, 2.5% back is the highest return on a cash back card as far as I know, and if you're able to put a lot of bills and other miscellaneous spending on it, it might still be a decent deal.
Last edited by surfmonkey89; Apr 2, 2019 at 12:00 am
Apr 2, 2019 | 2:34 pm
#152
Join Date: Apr 2018
Programs: Starwood, Marriott Rewards
Posts: 56
I’m really torn between this and the Citi DC.
Seems like the Alliant's advantages are 3% with no AF that first year, plus no FTF. Also, it's a Visa vs MC (small advantage, but still). But, it goes down to 2.5% after that, with what is now a pretty substantial AF for a cash back card. I’m confident that I’d use it enough to return more overall than the DC, but that AF makes it a little more difficult.
The Citi DC has no AF, ever. And if price protection is as good as people say, it could save me a fair bit of cash. But it has a FTF, so I'd need another card for travel.
Am I missing something obvious from either of these cards that would help make the decision?
Seems like the Alliant's advantages are 3% with no AF that first year, plus no FTF. Also, it's a Visa vs MC (small advantage, but still). But, it goes down to 2.5% after that, with what is now a pretty substantial AF for a cash back card. I’m confident that I’d use it enough to return more overall than the DC, but that AF makes it a little more difficult.
The Citi DC has no AF, ever. And if price protection is as good as people say, it could save me a fair bit of cash. But it has a FTF, so I'd need another card for travel.
Am I missing something obvious from either of these cards that would help make the decision?
Apr 2, 2019 | 2:42 pm
#153
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 2,311
I’m really torn between this and the Citi DC.
Seems like the Alliant's advantages are 3% with no AF that first year, plus no FTF. Also, it's a Visa vs MC (small advantage, but still). But, it goes down to 2.5% after that, with what is now a pretty substantial AF for a cash back card. I’m confident that I’d use it enough to return more overall than the DC, but that AF makes it a little more difficult.
The Citi DC has no AF, ever. And if price protection is as good as people say, it could save me a fair bit of cash. But it has a FTF, so I'd need another card for travel.
Am I missing something obvious from either of these cards that would help make the decision?
Seems like the Alliant's advantages are 3% with no AF that first year, plus no FTF. Also, it's a Visa vs MC (small advantage, but still). But, it goes down to 2.5% after that, with what is now a pretty substantial AF for a cash back card. I’m confident that I’d use it enough to return more overall than the DC, but that AF makes it a little more difficult.
The Citi DC has no AF, ever. And if price protection is as good as people say, it could save me a fair bit of cash. But it has a FTF, so I'd need another card for travel.
Am I missing something obvious from either of these cards that would help make the decision?
I think it's pretty easy, if you're using it for well over $20,000, you keep this card (that's the point the 0.005% extra cash back is greater than $99). I say "well over" because it has to negate the negatives as you see it (price protection, etc.).
Apr 2, 2019 | 2:51 pm
#154
Join Date: Apr 2018
Programs: Starwood, Marriott Rewards
Posts: 56
The trick thing for me would be to balance spending $1650 per month on the card, along with hitting 30 transactions on my American Express Everyday Preferred to get the 1.5x bonus. I can probably do it if I stick some small, Spotify-type charges on the Amex.
That’s one heck of an increase in AF. I read it as “We told you this is for higher spenders, and we mean it”.
That’s one heck of an increase in AF. I read it as “We told you this is for higher spenders, and we mean it”.
Apr 3, 2019 | 7:42 am
#155
Flyertalk Posting Legend Moderator: Credit Card Programs, American Express, Capital One, Chase, Citi, Diners Club, Signatures.
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: HH & IHG Gold; Marriott & AA Perpetual Platinum
Posts: 49,512
Apr 3, 2019 | 12:44 pm
#157
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: SFO
Programs: AS 100K (OW), SK Silver (ST), UA (*A), UR, MR
Posts: 3,630
Apr 3, 2019 | 5:17 pm
#159
Flyertalk Posting Legend Moderator: Credit Card Programs, American Express, Capital One, Chase, Citi, Diners Club, Signatures.
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: HH & IHG Gold; Marriott & AA Perpetual Platinum
Posts: 49,512
Apr 15, 2019 | 4:00 am
#163
Join Date: Jul 2017
Programs: UR, Marriott, AA, WN, Chick Fil A Red
Posts: 182
I received the shutdown notice, which was scheduled to take effect several days from now. I elected to close my accounts preemptively, despite paying the AF in Feb. I doubt they would have given me a refund anyway. It wasnt all bad though, as I was about to still make it profitable despite paying the AF in the couple of months it covered (I put approx $80k on it, mostly MS, since paying the AF) and use them as an MO toilet. Anyway, the key seems to be to do in person transactions to avoid getting on radar. Dont go too hard, though. I used last year for the OD glitch (buying $400 of vgc for $325ish) when I needed to max CL between several cards. It went downhill from there. Between difficulty BPing them, slow release of CL after payment, mid-cycle reporting, their outdated website, and their recently increased AF, Im not too hurt to have them can me.
Apr 15, 2019 | 9:39 am
#164
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: U.S.
Programs: DL,HH,MR,Hertz
Posts: 36
Got the email about the increased annual fee. The subject line is "(Name), your Visa SIgnature card really pays." The body of the email just brags that if you spend 4,000 a month and get 2.5% cash back, you'll get $1,101 cash back per year ($1,200 - $99 fee). It doesn't try to give any reason for the increase.
In the footnotes, it says "Changes to terms and annual fee take effect on June 13, 2019. Your annual fee is charged on the 3rd business day of the month following your anniversary date."
The footnotes also say, "As described in the Alliant Cashback Visa Signature Card Program Terms & Conditions, certain categories of purchases such as cash advances and gift cards do not qualify to earn cash back. See the Alliant Cashback Visa Signature Card Disclosure for additional details. Cash back earnings on qualified purchases are unlimited."
I think they're sending a paper letter to say when the increased fee will specifically apply to each person. My anniversary is right around June 13th, so the increase will probably apply to me, but it would be nice to get another year at the old fee.
In the footnotes, it says "Changes to terms and annual fee take effect on June 13, 2019. Your annual fee is charged on the 3rd business day of the month following your anniversary date."
The footnotes also say, "As described in the Alliant Cashback Visa Signature Card Program Terms & Conditions, certain categories of purchases such as cash advances and gift cards do not qualify to earn cash back. See the Alliant Cashback Visa Signature Card Disclosure for additional details. Cash back earnings on qualified purchases are unlimited."
I think they're sending a paper letter to say when the increased fee will specifically apply to each person. My anniversary is right around June 13th, so the increase will probably apply to me, but it would be nice to get another year at the old fee.
Apr 16, 2019 | 12:33 pm
#165
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 103
I applied for the card right before the AF increased to $99. My first annual fee will liekly post in March 2020. If they charge me a $99 AF, then I was never charged the $59 AF which was advertised to me. It basically means they switched the terms and applied it to me without ever giving me the benefits of the terms that was advertised to me. I believe this will be bait and switch.
Last edited by Etp; Apr 16, 2019 at 8:57 pm