I had one CX F redemption, which was amazing, but besides that, I've burned an *inordinate* amount of Avios on domestic JL. The flights are plentiful, availability wide open all days (except "convenient" flights around the holidays), and it's wicked for a quick getaway anytime you feel like it. I've explored more of Japan by plane than by train or car. Did you know there is a desert with camels, the world's oldest hotel (two of them, in fact), Easter Island statues, and a mini-Niagara, complete with the horseshoe-shaped vortex? There really IS *everything* in Japan.

band 3 range within HKG is pretty good. Still only double miles for business class, and that covers KUL, SIN, PEK, ICN, NRT

YVR-JFK on CX Y for 12500 non-stop is great value

right now I have a positioning flight booked LHR-ZRH because I needed a one-way only and paying for one-ways with cash is ridiculous.

I mainly use mine on Alaska - which won't do you much good living in the East...but if you can get out to SEA or LAX cheaply, 25K will get you to Hawaii and back! Best value I've gotten out of them!

I've heard a lot of people in the East get good value using their Avios on AA short haul flights...

applied for and was accepted for the best western card today.

Based on the BW *enhancements* I do not plan on signing up to this card. It will now be difficult to get real value out of this card....

When you say 'enhancements' are you referring to the loss of instant Platinum status (and only getting Gold upon first purchase)? I am not sure that was really worth much anyway, since I have that status and never seem to get any of the perks they advertise.

I think it's still worth a churn if they ever have a 50,000 sign-up again...

No I was referring that the amount of points required will be tailored and not set. I could be mistaken however I believe this will mean more points for more expensive properties...

Recommended Mastercard in Canada?
 

I'm investigating credit cards for friends.

They have a preference for MC - so I was thinking of Alaska Air and maybe even Westjet World Elite.

I'd like them to be fairly flexible with redemptions - Alaska Air seems ideal with CX and EK available. Westjet seemed okay as they are more likely to fly them vs. Alaska as they are in Toronto. Otherwise not sure about Westjet redemptions - if it applies to their partners AA and Delta or just for Westjet dollars?

Otherwise there is the BMO World Elite but that seems locked to their travel centre...not sure how much they would like that.


Any advice would be appreciated!

I applied for both the MBNA Alaska Airlines card and the Best Western Rewards card and was approved for both. I was wondering, if a hard pull has generated, I should be able to see it on my credit report immediately upon requesting a new report after the applications, right? When applying for these two cards it seemed that the MBNA system had pre-approved me for a credit limit raise from an existing card I had with them, and so automatically approved me for the Alaska card. I then called in and asked for some of the new credit given to me to be reallocated to the Best Western card that I told them I was also applying for. They agreed to do this and I successfully received both cards. In this case is it possible that a hard pull wasn't generated at all?

List of Credit Cards with Great Welcome bonuses (RFD version)

IMO, depends on their usage
If they don't fly much or redeem much, RBC WestJet isn't that useful
MBNA Alaska - only get it for the AS miles
The new CapitalOne Aspire may be interesting - 40K after 1st purchase, straight 2% redemption on Travel (allows partial redemption)..but $150/year fee though without annual 10K bonus


why are you so concerned about 1 or 2 pulls?
You applied for 2 cards = most likely 2 pulls. so if you only got 1, you're already ahead :)

Meh, I just signed up because I'm planning on spending a night in Chicago (two rooms) in December, and I looked up redemptions and there are some decent ones available. A free night is a free night. Especially with how bad our dollar is right now.

I'm trying to find the Best Western app with 40000 points/fyf. When I try the link at the top, it doesn't seem to connect and the one with MBNA is only 20000. Any thoughts? I would call in if I knew there was 40000 offer.

I just try the link up top and it does send me to the 40K sign-up bonus, so might be your PC issue.

My other laptop worked fine, thanks!
Went to apply online, then called in to see if they would just transfer some of my hefty Alaska cl, agent said no offered to do my app on the phone but said offer code was invalid, hung up when he put me hold and applied through link. Decision pending.

To me the biggest question with recommendations for friends is: are they willing to put in the effort to understand airline award systems, or do they just want something simple that reduces travel cost? The Alaska card will probably yield better value on aspirational stuff (e.g. premium class flights) than BMO World Elite or CapOne Aspire, but the latter two are super simple to understand and obtain value from, especially given the recent changes to the Aspire redemption scheme.

Note on BMO World Elite -- from my experience the points are easy to use. Hotel and flight selection and prices are essentially the same as Expedia. Light years ahead of CIBC Aventura which had a very clumsy interface and very limited hotel selection and info, and sometimes pretty bad value.

That said, neither BMO World Elite or CapOne Aspire are currently FYF and neither have a GCR cash back for application, but CapOne has the better welcome bonus: $400 worth vs. $300 for BMO... after the annual fee it's still $250 of free travel money for the cost of two hard pulls (IIRC CapOne pulls both EQ and TU). Other similar MC rewards cards are MBNA World Elite (FYF, same earn rate, 60$ GCR cash back, but small 10k bonus) and National Bank World Elite (FYF, lower earn rate except for purchases in foreign currencies, no GCR cash back, 20k bonus + 10k on second year, some extra perks). There's also the TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite (why only MC and not Visa?), earn rate is lesser than the others (except National Bank) but has $50 GCR cash back and a bonus worth $200 in travel. I would pick the CapOne Aspire despite the annual fee.

We can't transfer amex points to alaska airmiles in Canada can we? I don't see it in the member transfer list in my online amex account. Is the only way to earn alaska miles with the alaska or spg credit cards?

Well, you can transfer Amex to SPG and then to Alaska, but it's questionable value. 40k MR = 20k SPG = 25K AS miles

Otherwise, correct for credit cards, yes.

FYI:

Scotiabank just bought JP Morgan Chase Canadian credit card business.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/scot...ions-1.3272534

This includes Marriott Visa.

mhmmm interesting. "don't kill it don't kill it don't kill it"

The press release only mentions Mastercard and private label card, and says nothing about Visas.

From the official press release (bolding mine):

The first part of the press release clearly states that it's only the mastercard and private label credit cards alng with the associated operations.

I guess we'll have to wait and see an official announcement from Chase Canada… ;)

That would really suck if the only cards with no FX fee end up being killed by Scotia (if indeed they are taking over the Chase Visa portfolio as well)

BOO BOO BOO BOO
What is going on in Canadian CC ?
MBNA is TD, Chase is Scotia
Tangerine is Scotia
Where are the davids in this world for competing on offering value against the goliaths?

How would they keep VISA without:
Oh I am so mad at Chase right now.

Milesbuzz: Canada
 

Right everyone panic.....

Highly skilled center? Seriously?

We barely used our Amazon.ca card yet they let a one way, few days out AC booking for 3 fraudsters to the middle east pass. $4700!!!!

But I hope they don't kill the no forex feature. Given the oligopoly of our banks I'm not hopeful.

The lack of a forex fee is the only reason I have the Amazon.ca Visa card....I will watch for changes, and I'm anticipating they will come before long.

On the other hand, I was so impressed with the way TDCanadaTrust handled my cancelling their First Class Visa card, it almost makes me want to get another of their cards to thank them for their good service ;)

I may be in the market for a new Visa card, it seems.

And to add insult to injury, the chance of a dreamed about Chase Canada United Airlines card is now pretty much nil.

CIBC sure make a fuss when you try to cancel a card, at least in my wife's case anyway.

Shop.ca 3000 points just showed up from the TD offer :)

After how long

Milesbuzz: Canada
 

Came up this morning. I purchased the items when the deal went live (3rd Sept)

Hoping some seasoned veterans can help me out here.

My current main card is the ScotiaBank Momentum Infinite VISA. Love the 4% return on groceries/gas, 2% on bills, and travel insurance is decent. Before this, I had the AMEX Platinum and LOVED IT(!) however the $699/year was a hard pill to swallow.

However, I moved to a new job where travelling is required and it's a reimbursement process, so I'm looking to maximize my personal return. So I need one with great travel insurance, good ratio on airline tickets primarily, and low/moderate annual fee.

I'm not picky on aligning myself to a bank but I don't like being limited to a certain alliance/airline so something with Aeroplan/WestJet are out. I wouldn't say no to Air Miles as I had good redemption through them before.

I did my due diligence and I found the following to fit me but I'm open to better cards or helping me pick which of the ones I gathered works best:

- SPG Amex: Love it because I love the Starwood product line and I have Gold with them. However it's 1:$1 ratio and might take a while to get some perks back.

- Marriott Rewards VISA by Chase: Love it because it has no added ForEx fee but I don't use the Marriott product line. Have no experience with them.

- AMEX Gold: Bread & butter with 2:$1 ratio for travel/gas, which will be the primary uses for the card but the $150/yr annual is on the high side. I *think* the insurance is up-to-par with the Scotia VISA I already own

- CapOne Aspire World Elite: 2:$1 on everything and bonus points galore. Unfamiliar with the CapitalOne redemption system though.

CapitalOne's redemption system is very easy. Every point is worth 1 cent (so the return is 2 cents on the dollar), and you can claim it against pretty much any travel purchase you make with the card, anywhere. The way it works is you buy your travel first, and as soon as it posts on your card, you can redeem points against that purchase to reduce the amount of the purchase. There are no minimums and you can make partial redemptions.

A combination of cards is a good choice. TD First Class Visa Infinite gives 4.5% CB on hotels AND flights. Downside is having to deal with Expedia CS and book through the Expedia portal, but I do that with >100 flights per year and it's been worth it for the savings. Good insurance coverage as well.

And then an Amex of your choosing. Either Plat for it's many associated perks, or the SPG for earning. The numbers only you can crunch.

Why dismiss Aeroplan so quickly? Sure it's far from perfect but it's easy to rack up a few hundred thousand miles with card churns. I've got some redemptions that are 8-10c a mile for J and F. You can also rack up MR miles even easier and instant transfer to AP if needed. I think using MR against travel is like a measly 1%?

I used the Aspire card when I needed to divert spend from AP cards, it's good at 2%.

I too have gotten some excellent returns using Aeroplan points for first class tickets to and from Europe, and I'd still be a supporter if it weren't for Rouge......that alone has devalued the points in my opinion. I'll still use them when I can for first class mainline travel, but it kills me to use them for the much lower value of flying Rouge. So I switched to Membership Rewards.

Same here, I have a LOT of MR thanks to the BizGold 55,000 per card. I have to admit they will probably end up at AP at some point. Avios isn't great for the long hauls we are doing lately. But plans might change.