Hey guys, wondering if you could lend me your expertise yet again. I'm new to all this and recently just received the Citi/AA cards. I'll be applying for the business card in 3 months, however, I want to know what cards you would recommend as an everyday card for me. Here is my ideal:

- No foreign transaction fees. I'm living in Japan right now, so this is of main importance.

- A low minimum spending limit (something under 4k in 6 months).

- A good sign up bonus.

- A good rate of miles per each dollar spent.

- A low, or waived, yearly fee.

From all my research here, I've seen alot of good things about the Chase Sapphire 50K card and the SPG Amex. Right now I believe the sign up bonuses are 50k for the Chase and 30k for SPG. Should I wait, or are these unlikely to go up?

SPG will go down, won't come up for a year.

Chase...hard to say. My guess is that it will go down before going up.


Two good choices btw

I think the SPG is a great deal. Last year they offered the same card with the same bonus, but the spending requirement was less. It depends on if you need hotel points or airfare points. It expires on the 22nd of August.

The Sapphire Preferred is great because it gives you Continental (United) miles. The spending requirement is also $1500 less.

www.worldwanderlusting.com

Im new to this too and would seriously consider the Chase Sapphire Preferred because:

1. Transfer to hotels [for me hyatt is best hotel program]
2. Transfer to airlines [continental and BA]
3. Get from 1-3 points per dollar
4. From TPG, combine with Chase freedom card and you can get 20k bonus with 500 spend and can get up to 5 points per dollar
5. SPG is hard to get points and easy to spend in my opinion and get good hotels with hyattt at top notch hotels in paris and maldives.

Just my 2 cents

I live in Japan too...
Get the SPG card, it's excellent, although if you can afford it, the Amex Platinum is my main choice.

usagishouse,

Does the SPG or the AmEx platinum have aforeign transaction fee attached to them? Is the first year fee waived for the AmEx platinum? I know it is for the AmEx Gold.

I think I can help with these questions.
1. The AMEX Platinum is the only AMEX card that does not charge a foreign transaction fee. All others pay 2.7%, including the SPG card.
2. The $450/yr Platinum fee (in the U.S.) is never waived (some have reported success negotiating a lower fee, but don't count on it unless you have a strong relationship with AMEX, and even then it won't be easy).

I don't think there are any great bonuses after the 100k venturemiles, but I think CapOne covers FX fees too..

if you are looking for a card for everyday use then it has to be the spg card. each point is worth at least 2.5 cents minimum in redemption and can easily give you 10 cents plus per point with cash and points hotel redemptions.

For the best bonus right now considering you have a Citi AA card with 75k sign up, I'd go with the chase sapphire preferred card at 50k sign up bonus. lots of transfer options, no foreign transaction fees, now paying 2 points per dollar on dining, hotels and???? can't remember the third category. Fantastic live customer service reps as well.

Two great choices and remember the limited time bonus on the sweeter SPG card sign up and lower minimum spend ends on 8/22/11. that would be my number 1 pick.

The SPG card has a 2.7% forex fee, which makes it a lousy card for everyday spending in Japan. But it is good for the sign-up bonus.

Otherwise, the Chase Sapphire may be the best bet since you can transfer it to a few airlines and hotels and it doesn't have a forex fee.

Mase, I'd love to see the CapOne come back. Unfortunately, I was too new to the game when it came out and didn't have any miles in any accounts, making it useless. But yes, CapOne cards don't have FX fees, a huge bonus!

Ingy, thanks for the advice. I like the SPG but because I'm living in Japan currently, and will be doing most of my spending abroad, the Chase looks like the card for me. I'd love to have been able to get the 50k bump, but looks like that is out.

I've been reading your blog for a few months now and appreciate all the great, informative posts on there and on FT. I've gone from a total newbie to a pretty well informed individual thanks to you and many others. I'll surely be using your links on the blog for the sign ups to show my appreciation.

One last question on sign ups: What's the max amount of pulls I can have in a certain time period before I should stop applying? Recently, I've had two pulls for the Personal CitiBank/AA cards (not sure why they pulled twice), one for the Alaskan Airlines card, and I'm also considering getting the Chase Sapphire and the AmEx Premiere Gold. As soon as 90 days are up, I'll be applying for the AA Business Visa. That is 6 pulls in a 4 month time period. Is that too much?



I agree. Since CapOne is not running a promotion, it looks like either the Chase Sapphire or the AmEx Platinum if I want no FX fees. I'd love the Platinum, but not sure if I want to swallow the annual fee.

priority club visa
$49 annual fee
10% rebate on reward redemption
60k public offer, 80k targeted to priority club members.
1 free hotel night/year
no foreign transaction fees.


I am a fan of this card here myself. For a few reasons
1) it is a powerful visa card. how many visa cards have this many good things going for it
2) it pays for itself, even if you can't get the annual fee waived...you get a free hotel night per year
3) variable point system isn't that bad.


Nights starting at 5k in select locations. More commonly found for 15k it seems though. Figure the sign-on is worth 5-7 nights stay. (Don't forget you get 6k or 8k in reward redemption points).

6 pulls in four months is not too many if your scores are high enough, they are not all with the same credit reporting agency and all within the last month.

too many recent inquiries seems to be a problem for me if within the last 3 months, that's one of the reasons I wait 90 days between churns.