Which possibly new cards likely to be launched in 2018?
 

Amex really set the tone this year with Amex Aspire. The question is, which new cards do people here expect will be launched this year. From all the surveys I have taken and even credit card product managers I have met at events, this is my speculative list:

* Chase IHG premium card with higher fees and better benefits than the current Chase card
* Amex SPG premium card that competes with Amex Aspire
* Alaska Airlines premium card that would allow AS lounge access and ability to ear EQM/MQM

Highly doubtful. There is little incentive for IHG or Alaska since they already offer a good value as it is.

As for the second point, Amex SPG will be no more after Marriott fully merges the program. But this one is most likely have tiered offering to compete with with Hilton.

One thing to keep in mind is that offering more tiered cards dilutes the value of the miles/pts for everyone.

I'm still waiting for Amex to add a dining bonus on the Platinum card.
Same could be said for the SPG card to compete with the Hilton card. The Ascend card's Priority Pass with 10 free visits is quite nice but SPG points currently hold a much higher value particularly for airline transfer.

I'd expect a new $1,000 AF Amex Platinum card (dare I say it's called the Amex Diamond Card!) That includes lounge access to all 3 of the US3 and offers 1:1 transfers to UA, AA and DL. Along with an unlimited airline fee credit :)

SPG as a program is going away after this year, so forget that one. But in the replacement program, yes, it's a already been announced:

We already have had announcement about two from Amex and two from Chase (though it's not absolutely clear whether they'll be launched in 2018 or very early 2019, and it's also not clear if one of them will be all that different from the current Chase Marriott Premier card):

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...-jpmorgan.html

Meanwhile, quit believing that what's in surveys means what's coming. Chase has been sending out surveys about changes to the IHG card lineup for a decade or more, and nothing has changed in a decade or more (other than the shift from Visa to MC). Why should it suddenly change because of an survey that they did this year? :confused:

Meanwhile, what better benefits could an IHG premium card actually have? The IHG program itself hardly gives any defined benefits no matter what your elite status, so giving Spire rather than just Platinum would not be that much of a benefit IMHO.

BMO has this new BMO Rewards Business MasterCard. Just launched. Does anyone have any experience with it?