Which Hotel Credit Cards are worth MSing?
Apr 4, 2015, 5:31 pm
#166
Join Date: Oct 2014
Programs: All of them
Posts: 1,664
Also, all hotel points MS must be compared against a 2% cashback card to see if it's worth it, assuming you don't maximize the cashback MS already and have excess capacity left.
So with that said, a $10k spend for top tier Radisson night could mean giving up $200 cashback. In most cities, I can get a very comfortable lower end hotel for well below $200 so my MS on the CC card will be down to a minimum.
Hilton MS is still worth it at 6x for low tier hotels, which are very nice in Asia.
Apr 4, 2015, 6:52 pm
#168
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Posts: 1,139
No eligible Target near me, at least the last time I checked.
I load the Bluebird 5K per month of course, with either debit cards or the UFB Direct debit card. But 5K per month just is not very much.
I did this for a long time with the 5% Blue Cash until that card got cancelled, and now I am in the last month of the Wells Fargo 5%. While doing that, I would pick up some extra prepaid cards to get some Radisson and Arrival points since it took little additional effort. When the 5% deals go away, I think I am out of the game (other than minimum spend for new card bonuses, which are getting more scarce), other than loading the Bluebird for 5K a month.
Fun while it lasted, just like the extra night on the Club Carlson card.
I load the Bluebird 5K per month of course, with either debit cards or the UFB Direct debit card. But 5K per month just is not very much.
I did this for a long time with the 5% Blue Cash until that card got cancelled, and now I am in the last month of the Wells Fargo 5%. While doing that, I would pick up some extra prepaid cards to get some Radisson and Arrival points since it took little additional effort. When the 5% deals go away, I think I am out of the game (other than minimum spend for new card bonuses, which are getting more scarce), other than loading the Bluebird for 5K a month.
Fun while it lasted, just like the extra night on the Club Carlson card.
Apr 4, 2015, 7:07 pm
#169
Join Date: Oct 2014
Programs: All of them
Posts: 1,664
No eligible Target near me, at least the last time I checked.
I load the Bluebird 5K per month of course, with either debit cards or the UFB Direct debit card. But 5K per month just is not very much.
I did this for a long time with the 5% Blue Cash until that card got cancelled, and now I am in the last month of the Wells Fargo 5%. While doing that, I would pick up some extra prepaid cards to get some Radisson and Arrival points since it took little additional effort. When the 5% deals go away, I think I am out of the game (other than minimum spend for new card bonuses, which are getting more scarce), other than loading the Bluebird for 5K a month.
Fun while it lasted, just like the extra night on the Club Carlson card.
I load the Bluebird 5K per month of course, with either debit cards or the UFB Direct debit card. But 5K per month just is not very much.
I did this for a long time with the 5% Blue Cash until that card got cancelled, and now I am in the last month of the Wells Fargo 5%. While doing that, I would pick up some extra prepaid cards to get some Radisson and Arrival points since it took little additional effort. When the 5% deals go away, I think I am out of the game (other than minimum spend for new card bonuses, which are getting more scarce), other than loading the Bluebird for 5K a month.
Fun while it lasted, just like the extra night on the Club Carlson card.
US Bank is also notorious with fraud lockdowns for the RB loads.
Apr 4, 2015, 8:48 pm
#170
Join Date: Jul 2001
Programs: Marriott LT Tit; Hyatt Explorist; Hilton CC Gold; IHG CC Plt; Hertz (MR) 5 star
Posts: 5,536
No eligible Target near me, at least the last time I checked.
I load the Bluebird 5K per month of course, with either debit cards or the UFB Direct debit card. But 5K per month just is not very much.
I did this for a long time with the 5% Blue Cash until that card got cancelled, and now I am in the last month of the Wells Fargo 5%. While doing that, I would pick up some extra prepaid cards to get some Radisson and Arrival points since it took little additional effort. When the 5% deals go away, I think I am out of the game (other than minimum spend for new card bonuses, which are getting more scarce), other than loading the Bluebird for 5K a month.
Fun while it lasted, just like the extra night on the Club Carlson card.
I load the Bluebird 5K per month of course, with either debit cards or the UFB Direct debit card. But 5K per month just is not very much.
I did this for a long time with the 5% Blue Cash until that card got cancelled, and now I am in the last month of the Wells Fargo 5%. While doing that, I would pick up some extra prepaid cards to get some Radisson and Arrival points since it took little additional effort. When the 5% deals go away, I think I am out of the game (other than minimum spend for new card bonuses, which are getting more scarce), other than loading the Bluebird for 5K a month.
Fun while it lasted, just like the extra night on the Club Carlson card.
I had my daughter pick up a RB for me and have been using that for my MSing. I'm considering having her get me a second card to build up some SPG points.
Now, if you're in North Carolina, forget it. RB hasn't been working in North Carolina.
I initially had that problem with Chase. Since switching to odd numbers instead of $1K, $750, $500, $250, etc, I haven't had any fraud alerts.
Apr 4, 2015, 10:14 pm
#171
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 908
I only MSed the Marriott card to get enough points to get me lifetime plat. I have since cancelled the card, as the program's moved so many properties into cat 6+ that the annual cat 1-5 cert's not worth keeping the card.
At 1pt/$ for MS and the 'estimated' value of Marriott points being .8 cents/pt, it's not worth it.
In order to get Gold status, you would need an additional 35 nights in addition to the 15 night annual credit from the card. At $3K/night credit, it will take $105K of MSing to get you to Gold status.
Not worth it.
I currently don't recommend the Hyatt card for MSing unless you will have at least 20 stays or 40 nights at Hyatts. For $40K of MSing, you can get 5 stay and 10 night credit toward Diamond status.
It is a better card to MS than Marriott because you get the same 1 HGP/$ MSing, but each HGP is worth ~2.5 cents/pt.
If you're looking for another hotel card beyond a Hilton card for higher end hotels, the only recommendation that I have would be the SPG AmEx.
At 1pt/$ for MS and the 'estimated' value of Marriott points being .8 cents/pt, it's not worth it.
In order to get Gold status, you would need an additional 35 nights in addition to the 15 night annual credit from the card. At $3K/night credit, it will take $105K of MSing to get you to Gold status.
Not worth it.
I currently don't recommend the Hyatt card for MSing unless you will have at least 20 stays or 40 nights at Hyatts. For $40K of MSing, you can get 5 stay and 10 night credit toward Diamond status.
It is a better card to MS than Marriott because you get the same 1 HGP/$ MSing, but each HGP is worth ~2.5 cents/pt.
If you're looking for another hotel card beyond a Hilton card for higher end hotels, the only recommendation that I have would be the SPG AmEx.
My friend said that is one of the nicest hotel there.
Apr 5, 2015, 12:02 am
#172
Join Date: Jul 2001
Programs: Marriott LT Tit; Hyatt Explorist; Hilton CC Gold; IHG CC Plt; Hertz (MR) 5 star
Posts: 5,536
We did an almost monthlong trip last summer of China, Thailand, and Tibet. No plans for Asia for the next few years; we've got several places higher on our list.
Apr 5, 2015, 12:19 am
#173
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Madison, WI, USA
Posts: 14,162
The Hyatt Regency Danang Resort is only 12K/night, 15K for an ocean view.
Apr 5, 2015, 7:55 am
#175
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: SAN
Programs: Delta Gold. Hilton Diamond. Hyatt Explorist.
Posts: 1,675
I have the IHG card for the free night and 10% off benefit, and just got both versions of Marriott due to the increased bonus. I have no interest in the Hyatt card unless the rumored 50k offer finally comes out vs the 2 free nights bonus. I don't value Park Hyatts and the restricted timeline that comes with redeeming free night certificates.
Also, all hotel points MS must be compared against a 2% cashback card to see if it's worth it, assuming you don't maximize the cashback MS already and have excess capacity left.
So with that said, a $10k spend for top tier Radisson night could mean giving up $200 cashback. In most cities, I can get a very comfortable lower end hotel for well below $200 so my MS on the CC card will be down to a minimum.
Hilton MS is still worth it at 6x for low tier hotels, which are very nice in Asia.
Also, all hotel points MS must be compared against a 2% cashback card to see if it's worth it, assuming you don't maximize the cashback MS already and have excess capacity left.
So with that said, a $10k spend for top tier Radisson night could mean giving up $200 cashback. In most cities, I can get a very comfortable lower end hotel for well below $200 so my MS on the CC card will be down to a minimum.
Hilton MS is still worth it at 6x for low tier hotels, which are very nice in Asia.
Apr 5, 2015, 8:10 am
#176
Join Date: Oct 2014
Programs: All of them
Posts: 1,664
As an example, if there's a good IHG property in the same area that's ~$200 or less, I'd rather take the cash, stack a bunch of IHG promos and clean up with points earned on that paid stay.
The free night is only valid in the US, where decent Radissons are few and far between, and I have zero plans to use it in the next 3-4 years of travel. It's almost like they're admitting their US portfolio is garbage, and so they freely give away this "perk".
Apr 5, 2015, 8:15 am
#177
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Posts: 1,139
I try to get 30k spend on SPG from non-MSing, but I have never been able to get the math to work at all on that card with respect to typical MSing costs. Thanks to the other poster for pointing out that Redbird can be obtained online, and I can see MSing on the SPG when it is free on Redbird. But for the typical MS transactions that have a 1 percent to 1.25 percent cost (especially if mileage costs are incurred), I have just never been able to get the math to work for SPG in comparison to just working on getting traditional hotel discounts.
Apr 5, 2015, 8:18 am
#178
Join Date: Oct 2014
Programs: All of them
Posts: 1,664
I try to get 30k spend on SPG from non-MSing, but I have never been able to get the math to work at all on that card with respect to typical MSing costs. Thanks to the other poster for pointing out that Redbird can be obtained online, and I can see MSing on the SPG when it is free on Redbird. But for the typical MS transactions that have a 1 percent to 1.25 percent cost (especially if mileage costs are incurred), I have just never been able to get the math to work for SPG in comparison to just working on getting traditional hotel discounts.
Apr 5, 2015, 10:13 am
#180
Join Date: Jul 2001
Programs: Marriott LT Tit; Hyatt Explorist; Hilton CC Gold; IHG CC Plt; Hertz (MR) 5 star
Posts: 5,536
I try to get 30k spend on SPG from non-MSing, but I have never been able to get the math to work at all on that card with respect to typical MSing costs. Thanks to the other poster for pointing out that Redbird can be obtained online, and I can see MSing on the SPG when it is free on Redbird. But for the typical MS transactions that have a 1 percent to 1.25 percent cost (especially if mileage costs are incurred), I have just never been able to get the math to work for SPG in comparison to just working on getting traditional hotel discounts.
I haven't seen restrictive reports posted from CA yet, but the card is hard to find there.