Right now, I have the SPG Amex (primary card) and an MBNA University of Illinois MasterCard.

The MC doesn't do anything for me, but has no annual fee and was the first credit card I got, so I want to keep it. I'll put it in a drawer and not use it much.

I don't think I really need a mileage card (though I'll consider one). I'd like an MC or Visa in case Amex isn't taken at a place.

I'm thinking of either the UA Mileage Plus Visa or the PenFed Visa with 5% cash back on gas and a 0.25% bonus on foreign transactions. Any other ideas? I suppose I lean to the PenFed.

A MC is always useful - have you looked at the BoA website and thought of a card you might want to convert that line into that will allow you to carry that card more often? You might want to do that and then think about a third card.

My first credit card was an "AT&T Universal Card for Students", which was ubiquitously advertised at college campuses in the early 1990s. After the buy-out of AT&T Universal and 4 or 5 other changes, it's now a Platinum Select Citi card . . .

Interesting angle. I'm planning on keeping this MC no matter what - I just will keep it in a drawer or something and use it when I lose my wallet or whatever. I did look at the BoA website, but none of the cards really speaks to me. I put virtually all my spend on the SPG Amex, so this is just a backup of a backup.

Unless someone has a good idea about a new card paradigm (geared to travel rewards), I'll probably just get the PenFed card. That way I can use it when I travel, as well as for gas.

Can you give your fellow FTers an idea of how much you expect to spend internationally a year on the credit card?

I just added a second mileage card because I know I can always - even with the recent dilutions - redeem a mile for at least 6 cents of airfare. I carry a DL AmEx (primary, and most of my purchases get double miles) and a AA MC (secondary).

In order to carry a Visa, I did accept a branded debit card from BoA - it's only used for promotions that are effectively large rebates; some examples are the old "get a $X gas card for using a Visa" at Holiday Inn, "get a $25 voucher for buying a $100 gift card" at Southwest, or "triple points for using a Visa".

It's probably not too much - I usually go on one or two international trips (for fun) a year. I've never had to do international business travel, and don't see it coming up any time soon. So probably in the neighborhood of $3000/yr international.

I like my SPG Amex (though I don't like that they raised the annual fee from $30 to $45). I'm starting a new job soon, which will involve a fair amount of domestic travel, though I think I'll get an Amex corporate card for that. TBD.

I've always had the Chase UA Visa (initially the standard one, then upgraded to the Platinum one last year before cancelling it when I moved to NY). Then I moved back to Chicago, and here we are. I hate UA, but my miles and status are with them, so here I am.

Have you looked into Citi Platinum Amex Card? There is a long thread titled Citi Platinum Amex has been upgraded. Take a look at it. Gives you 3 thank you points for all purchases except gas, groceries and drug stores 5 thank you points. 20,000 points can be redeemed for a domestic flight up to $399 before taxes. First year is free. Also it provides 3 visits to Priority Pass lounges and free identity monitor from city.


PS: cannot provide links. Posting from my Treo.

IMHO there are very few interesting MBNA / BofA cards. However, you should always keep your oldest credit card. It increases your credit score over time. You could convert it to a BofA WorldMastercard or Visa Signature. On rare occasion those cards have useful benefits.

If you need a Visa/Mastercard to backup SPG, some interesting cards are:

Citi Professional Card - No annual fee; 3 ThankYou points for gas/rental cards/office supplies
Merrill+ Card - No annual fee; AA status match at $20k; AA or DL club at $50k
Diners Club - Transfers to many travel partners; but has a $95 annual fee

You could also convert your MBNA / BofA card to a BankAmericard Visa.

Thanks for the ideas, awake. I just don't know if I'll use the card that much - it's a backup to my SPG Amex. So I'll probably charge around $5k/yr on it. Are ThankYou points worth that much to make getting a ThankYou card worth it?

I'm also still considering the PenFed Visa.

Some think so - there's a long thread here about "fixed point" redemptions. The upper limit is a value of 3 cents per point for business-class seats but the tickets earn miles (among other features).

I really like ThankYou points for several reasons:

a. Many of the cards have large sign-up bonuses and you can sign-up for several of them
b. You can earn up to 1200 TY points free per month cwith a Citibank checking account
c. With SOME TY cards you can get a plane ticket for up to $400 for 20,000 points + fees. (Every $50 is an additional 5,000 points)
d. When you buy plane tickets with TY points, they are just like tickets that you buy from the airline. You can earn miles and get upgraded.
e. Given that you can earn >1 point per $, redemption for a gift certificate at 10,000 points for $100 is a decent value.

Financial Diversification is key in this nutty market. Getting a card that is not tied to a major credit card company is very smart. Penfed is an excellent choice.

Yeah, I think I'm going to go with the Penfed one. Thanks all!