what is the best Mastercard for points?
May 30, 2004 | 2:48 pm
#16
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Cary, NC, USA - AA Plt 3mm/DL Dia 2mm, Hil/Dia Life, Bonvoy/Titanium Life, Spire
Posts: 3,261
Originally Posted by pinniped
I did not see that ad, but I recall an older version of that card offering a delayed-1% rebate.
You spend the money now, we give you a rebate once a year.
That only approaches a real one-percent rebate for the spending that takes place at the tail end of the "year".
But moreso that the (admittedly small) investment loss on that money, I just don't like the idea that I'm married to a card for any period of time waiting for an award. I don't trust banks to do anything correctly, especially if they are allowed time to think about it. That's why I like SPG Amex and the next-statement-rebaters like PerfectCard. If I decide I want out of that card, it only takes me a month or two to fully part ways with all of my rewards.
You spend the money now, we give you a rebate once a year.
That only approaches a real one-percent rebate for the spending that takes place at the tail end of the "year".
But moreso that the (admittedly small) investment loss on that money, I just don't like the idea that I'm married to a card for any period of time waiting for an award. I don't trust banks to do anything correctly, especially if they are allowed time to think about it. That's why I like SPG Amex and the next-statement-rebaters like PerfectCard. If I decide I want out of that card, it only takes me a month or two to fully part ways with all of my rewards.
May 31, 2004 | 2:26 pm
#17
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Los Angeles, CA, USA
Programs: AA Plat, BA, DL, Frontier, NWA, SWA, UA, HHonors Gold, Priority Club Plat, Choice Priv, BW, Diners
Posts: 1,554
Originally Posted by outoftown
For someone looking for a MasterCard, this looks like the best deal, for the next year anyhow. An ad I saw in the Parade section of the Sunday paper a few weeks ago...
AT&T Universal MasterCard
0% on Balance transfers until March 1, 2005
Full 5% cash back on purchases made at supermarkets, drugstores and gas stations until 6/1/05, full 1% cash back on all other purchases up to a maximum of $300 annually
No annual fee, no balance transfer fees
Limited time offer, must apply by 7/15/04, ph 1-800-506-8737
AT&T Universal MasterCard
0% on Balance transfers until March 1, 2005
Full 5% cash back on purchases made at supermarkets, drugstores and gas stations until 6/1/05, full 1% cash back on all other purchases up to a maximum of $300 annually
No annual fee, no balance transfer fees
Limited time offer, must apply by 7/15/04, ph 1-800-506-8737
Thus you should check carefully how and when you get the "cash back" before you assume that it's better than the Chase card.
Meanwhile, the two "hooks" in the offer you quoted don't make sense to do together. The 0% is on balance transfers only, and the cash back is on purchases only, and if you are carrying a balance, then your purchases are subject to an interest rate too (and MUCH bigger than 0%!!!), because I'm sure the card has a fine print clause which says something to the effect that monthly payments are applied in whatever order makes them the most money, ie, if you transferred $2000 and make $100 in purchases and pay $200, the $200 reduces your 0% rate $2000 to $1800 and your $100 at the HIGH interst rate gets added! Thus by mixing a 0% transfer and "cash back" purchases at the same time, you'll lose a lot more money in interest rates than you'll save with the "cash back".
Last edited by Stefan Daystrom; May 31, 2004 at 2:33 pm Reason: reworded for better clarity
Jun 2, 2004 | 11:07 pm
#19
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: MHT/BOS <--> World
Programs: AA Plat 2.8MM
Posts: 4,629
Stefan Daystrom, Your right - if someone is truly going to only spend a couple hundred $ a year on a card, your suggestion may be the best. But if they are really only going to spend a couple hundred a year, it really doesn't make a lot of difference which card they go for. $2 - yeah, its something, but not worth much of my time trying to figure out.
I guess I assume the OP would use the card enough to make it worth it. I would recomend the MBNA Amtrak card - if the OP does any significant spending internationally this alone will make it quite worthwhile. As gleff helpfully pointed out there are many ways to earn Amtrak points - getting to 5,000 is not that hard. But if the OP really is only going to use for $200 a year and not do anything else to earn Amtrak Points (for UA miles), your right, this is not a good option.
I guess I assume the OP would use the card enough to make it worth it. I would recomend the MBNA Amtrak card - if the OP does any significant spending internationally this alone will make it quite worthwhile. As gleff helpfully pointed out there are many ways to earn Amtrak points - getting to 5,000 is not that hard. But if the OP really is only going to use for $200 a year and not do anything else to earn Amtrak Points (for UA miles), your right, this is not a good option.
Originally Posted by Stefan Daystrom
In case you didn't notice, the poster of the original question (whom I was replying to) was specifically looking for a MasterCard (to use mostly for MC-specific promos), but all the programs he actively particpates in currently only partner with either Visa or Amex. If that weren't his case, my recommendation might be completely different (for example, a 1 mile/$2 no-annual-fee card for one of those FF programs).
Please explain to me how needing expensive tickets makes it worthwhile to subject yourself to a 90% devaluation by going through a points-transfer service or how earning a few hundred points a year on a card which has a 5000-point transfer threshold? (Because those seem to be the main point/mile-earning options he has right now with MasterCard relative to the FF programs he prefers.)
Please explain to me how needing expensive tickets makes it worthwhile to subject yourself to a 90% devaluation by going through a points-transfer service or how earning a few hundred points a year on a card which has a 5000-point transfer threshold? (Because those seem to be the main point/mile-earning options he has right now with MasterCard relative to the FF programs he prefers.)
Jun 3, 2004 | 7:53 am
#20
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Massachusetts, USA; AA 2.996MM & Plat Pro, DL 1MM, GM & Flying Colonel
Posts: 25,036
May not help the OP, who wasn't interested in AA miles, but if they work for you Citibank offers a few versions of MC with sign-up bonuses in the 10,000+ mile range and no fee for the first 6 to 12 months - so you can cancel it after you get the Hyatt bonus. More in the AA forums. One of the threads is here:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=325872
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=325872
Jun 3, 2004 | 2:58 pm
#21
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Posts: 2,513
Originally Posted by Efrem
May not help the OP, who wasn't interested in AA miles, but if they work for you Citibank offers a few versions of MC with sign-up bonuses in the 10,000+ mile range and no fee for the first 6 to 12 months - so you can cancel it after you get the Hyatt bonus. More in the AA forums. One of the threads is here:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=325872
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=325872