0limits

I have a legacy Marriott personal card from 2016, my 15 elite night credit posted to my Marriott account 2 days after my anniversary date of card approval (note: I did not get instant approval on that card, there was a 25 day delay from my application to approval and Marriott/Chase counts my anniversary date from the day it was approved, not applied for). 15 nights credited in May this year.

GoPhils

I guess anything is possible but the details for the new card clearly state the 15 night credit is "coming in 2019"

linsj

The upgrade offer is back. The link in the email I received today is:
https://www.chase.com/chasegreatrewa...;lk=1000280442

JBord

I'm still offered a measly 10k points to upgrade.

Eujeanie

Us too. Don't you think that if you offer someone 10K points half a dozen times, and they continue to ignore you, that you'd sweeten the pot instead of offering 10K yet again?

GetawaysRus

If we upgrade, does Chase charge the $95 annual fee right away?

I figure that Marriott points are worth about 1/2 a cent per point/ So 10K to upgrade doesn't justify a $95 annual fee charge in my mind.

dsquared37

I hadn't noticed that. Thanks.

JBord

Good question on the timing of the charge. I might assume that it's not until either January 1 or March 1, since that's when they will now credit the 15 nights, but that's a huge assumption (aka guess). But I wouldn't want to be charged twice in 1 year so there must be some delay.

I think your increase is only $10, if you're paying $85/year currently like I am.

I might be looking at it too simply, but it seems to boil down to this for your $10:
- 10,000 bonus points (means nothing)
- More points per purchase on the new card (this could be significant depending on your spend)
- Free night cert is one level higher on the new card (low importance to me)
- Lose the elite night per each $3,000 spent (this could be significant depending on your spend)

For me, I'd likely never make 75+ nights without the 15 free + 1 per $3000. My work trips tend to be one night at a time, so they just don't add up that way. Those extra 7-10 nights I get for the spend put me over the top. The extra points on the new card are nice, and once I'm certain of my LT status, I may switch to the new card, or just scrap the Marriott card completely and find a new one that's more meaningful to me.

swag

The elite nights post by March 1, but it posts for cardmembers who held the card as of 12/31: https://creditcards.chase.com/travel...4R8&iCELL=6C1Y
So if the fee were tied to the elite nights, it would be charged in Dec or Jan. But that's not how card fees usually work, they post on or around the card anniversary date.

In any case, I think the concern isn't over a $10 increase, it's whether you would pay both the old $85 fee and the new $95 fee if you upgrade shortly after your old anniversary date.

In my case, my old card anniversary is in November, and I'll likely need the 15 2018 nights to qualify for plat, so I have to wait until late November or December to upgrade. But I have to upgrade before 12/31 or I'll miss out on the 15 nights for 2019. Will I have to pay $180 total over those few weeks? Or is a prorated portion of the old fee rebated when you upgrade?

JBord

Yes, I believe this is the real question. I'm also a November anniversary, but don't see any reason to switch. I suppose you could switch cards after your anniversary and then ask for a refund of the $85. However, a case could be made that we are paying for the elite nights and the room cert. So if you get those benefits in November and again in March, you should pay both fees. I don't agree with this, especially since the new card doesn't seem like an upgrade to me, but it could happen.

I'm fairly certain I'll be LT Plat early next year anyway (depends on how many years they count for me), so the credit card simply becomes a point generator -- something to think about if you are close to achieving LT, those Chase elite nights may not mean as much.

GetawaysRus

Here's my experience. My old Chase Marriott Premier (personal) card had an anniversary in early April. I received the "free" night certificate and promptly applied it to an upcoming stay in Bangkok in late 2018. I paid the $85 annual fee.

My upgrade offer for the new Premier Plus card was zip, nada, and zero points.

So in late May, I decided to cancel my old Premier card, wait a bit, and then apply for the 100K offer for a new Premier Plus personal card. When I canceled the old card, I was both surprised and pleased that Chase refunded the $85 annual fee. I didn't have to ask - the phone rep told me that I would receive a check in the mail.

Thinking back about the dates, when I closed the old account, I may have been just within 30 days after the statement closing date for the April statement that contained my $85 annual fee.

JBord

Did you pay the new $95 fee immediately (first month's bill) when you got the new card?

Good point though...if I do stick with the Marriott card, I'm more likely to cancel and take the 100k offer. Unfortunately, I'll have a lot of auto-pays to unwind from the current card. Another reason I don't see a lot of value in switching.

GoPhils

I'd imagine there is reason to believe that if the 100k offer is not extended, that it will probably come back in the near future (such as in August when the programs officially combine), right?

GetawaysRus

Haven't received my first bill yet. (I canceled the old card in late May, then I applied for the new card in the latter half of June. I got the "we'll let you know" message when I submitted my app online, so I called in a few days later to obtain approval for the new card. Working on the minimum spend and expecting my first bill at the very end of this month or maybe early August.)

JBord

I suppose it depends on what kind of uptake they get on switches and new applications. Regardless, there's always going to be some kind of sign up offer that's more substantial that the ridiculous 10k points they're offering for switching cards now.