What award charts :confused:

Don't know about AA, but DL did away with "mileage award" charts eons ago, and UA did a few years ago.

I think the best you can do these days is look at award availability online these days, and it can be pretty dynamic :rolleyes:

I speak from experience when it comes to UA from my last flight :(

But I do agree with mia that you need to look at actual dates, and if time permits see how quickly seats disappear on earlier dates.

Watch out for higher cash components if you redeem either AA miles or BA Avios for travel on BA. As this screenshot shows, you'll be paying about an extra $250 cash per person if you travel on BA because of BA's "carrier surcharges."

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...05249a19c5.png

Behind the scenes at least, DL and UA still have some award charts they use for determining award pricing floors (and even award pricing ceilings).

I have been looking at specific flight dates - the problem is that the dates I'm looking at are too far out for many airlines. I'm looking at mid-late June - but most airlines aren't booking past the first week of June.
I also expect that mid-late June is the beginning of PEAK for most airlines, so the dates before hand in May will probably not reflect the miles/points needed for mid/late June.
Should I just look at dates for right now, summer 2022 to get an idea of points/miles during peak and make an assumption that is what will be needed in summer peak 2023?

Also, guv1976 - how can I tell which cc's redeem points for cash at airlines? Do you have an example?

Starting to do a little thinking about my premium credit cards come early 2023. I'm planning on picking up the IHG Premier later this year and then finish out with Chase with the World of Hyatt card in January to get me to 5/24.

I currently have the CSR (Jan renewal) and the Venture X (March renewal). Also have the CFF/CFU, Bonvoy Boundless, and Southwest Priority with Chase. I'll hit 4 years from my Sapphire bonus in another year (March 2024).

I think that sometime in 2023, I'm going to pick up the Amex Platinum for the sign up bonus whenever there's a good offer. With all the overlapping benefits, I'm guessing one of these premium cards probably has to go......or is there a case for keeping all 3 of these cards around?

CSR - need to keep one of the Sapphire cards open since Hyatt is my #1 transfer partner by far so I would need to keep the Preferred around at a minimum. I loved the CSR for pay yourself back during the pandemic and the simplicity that there's just 2 credits I need to think about ($300 travel credit/$5 monthly DoorDash credit), but with Lyft Pink going away and the Peloton credit going away (and no real replacement), it's getting harder for me to justify the $250 annual fee remaining after the $300 travel credit.

VX - honestly while this card pays for itself, I don't really use it because the multipliers are sort of meh being just a base 2% . On the other hand, it seems that Capital One has been agressively adding perks and making the card more valuable. Is it worth spending the $300 on the travel portal each year to keep this open to see what Capital One decides to do going forward since they're clearly on an upward trend right now?

Amex Plat - honestly was pretty dismissive of this card at first but thinking of it, it actually could make sense for me as a long term card since I use enough of the credits to bring it down to $55 annual just alone on items that I already spend money on each year/month. I fly Delta when I'm not flying Southwest so Delta Sky Club access would be cool and it just be a catch all card for credit card travel perks (also plan on getting the Amex Gold card at some point since Chase doesn't have a good card with a groceries category)

Thoughts on what you would do in this scenario going forward? Is there really a case for holding a VX + CSP + Amex Platinum? (or would you bail on one of those cards? Assuming no retention offers)

See, for example:

https://www.americanexpress.com/en-u...y-with-points/

https://thepointsguy.com/guide/ultim...travel-portal/

https://www.capitalone.com/credit-cards/venture-x/

https://www.usbank.com/credit-cards/...ard.html#12312

Which Credit Card(s) make sense for my new job?
 

For the first time in my career, I am in a job where I am using my personal card, rather than a corporate card, for business travel. There are two main caveats here:

1. Airfare is excluded. The company has a booking tool and they pay for airfare directly on my behalf.
2. I have to use the company booking tool for Airfare and Hotel reservations. While Airfare never hits my credit card (see above), Hotels do, I just need to make the reservation through the company's Concur tool. This is important to mention because many cards, like the Venture X or even AmEx only give you the massive multipliers of 5x or 10x points when you use THEIR booking tool.

Frequency is probably important here, and unfortunately I'm just not sure having only been in this job a couple weeks. I expect two flights to Europe annually (probably via Star Alliance partners, but if there's some massive reasoning to add hours of layover to my travel to focus on OneWorld or SkyTeam, that is a possibility).

Other thoughts:

1. I have Gold status with American Airlines, but it seems based on the routes I'll be most likely moving to United/Star Alliance airlines.
2. I have Globalist with Hyatt, but Hyatt seems like it'll be largely "out of policy" with this company - they have preferred rates with Hilton and Marriott, and I have status with neither. My understanding is Marriott deeply devalued their points recently, but I'm honestly more focused on non-award night perks anyway (upgrades, etc... things that help me when I'm on business travel and the company is paying).

Would appreciate any advice on which cards might make sense for me. Otherwise my everyday is Chase Sapp Preferred, but don't want to miss an opportunity to jumpstart perks with these new chains.

Where is your home airport?
Do you know your recurring travel destinations?

Assuming US-based, if you're likely to be booked at Hiltons and paying at checkout, the Aspire or Surpass is a no-brainer. Aspire's annual fee is $450 with a $250 airline incidental credit (see the relevant threads in the AmEx forum: on many airlines (definitely DL and I believe UA) it's possible to use the credit for buying tickets)) and other credits that might make it a zero or negative net AF for Diamond status and a minimally restricted free night certificate. Surpass is a $95 AF with arguably better/non-travel spending categories ("suburban parent" is probably the best description) for Gold status (since Hilton is, IINM continuing to count these points for status, it can also accelerate Diamond qualification) and a minimally restricted certificate after $15k of spend. Especially in the US there's not a huge difference between Gold and Diamond.

That said, many if not most companies that negotiate rates globally with Hilton will make you automatic Silver and Gold/Diamond with dramatically reduced thresholds.

Which CC should I apply to get points to travel?
 

Which CC should apply to get points to travel? With devaluing of points, CC miles are hard to keep.

Had chase sapphire and used them all. Does not know of any other Chase cards with sign on bonus?
My chase freedom is doing grocery shopping to try and earn some points.

I could have applied southwest - I might still do.
Anything else more rewarding?

What are your intended redemptions? Origin? Destination? Class of service?

This offer from Barclays for AA miles is one of the better ones out there:

https://www.applyaviator.com/

Thanks & Liked.
- Speaking of AA, I have some plans for international trips, Germany, far east like Sri Lanka - devaluation pushed me into inadequate status. Basic fare redemption will do
- Otherwise, just domestic flight needs to take care of family and friends. Just basic fare redemption will do.
- Origin is SFO/SJC/OAK
- Me & Spouse have only applied for 3 cards in the last 2yrs - one is an AA Mileup.

Is this Barclays card considered a churn or keeper? Its hard for me to spend that much on it!

If you want AA miles, there is no reason why the two of you cannot each apply for the Barclays card.

You can also earn AA miles from AAdvantage Dining, the AAdvantage shopping portal, etc.

SFO-CMB, when available, would cost 40K AA miles one way in Economy, plus a small cash component, as long as you avoid travel on BA.

As to whether you should keep the Barclays card, that depends -- in part -- on whether you will fly AA often enough with checked baggage for the free-checked-bag benefit to offset the annual fee.

That's brilliant - they have direct flight from FRA and CMB on AA!
Unsure whether return still has to be via FRA!