Don't forget that there are many cash back cards that give you cash. If you're not flying enough to get elite status then elite status really doesn't matter much. If you spend a significant amount, it will pay for some long flights where you'll earn a ton of miles...probably enough for status.

Interesting stuff there about the credit cards, scores, etc.

Right now, I have none [by choice]. I want to start with an American Express - I want to be paying off the balance every month. I am still in school, btw.

I would prefer to not have the annual fee.. but would be willing to pay one.


At this point I am looking to go with a Gold or Classic Amex w/ Rewards.

Why would I be better off with the Hilton Cards, etc?

Thanks for the help.

Patrick

Oh.

Also interested in a Cash Back card... like BlueCash? Why that over a AmEx rewards card? Is a 1% or so cash back typically better than Rewards points?

If you had both cards you would only earn 20,000 status points for anything over $50,000 (split evenly between the 2 cards) spend as far as I know (ie its not 10,000 status points per $25,000 spent, just 10,000 once you reach $25,000).

Pre-boarding is a poorly promoted benefit of holding the US Airways Mastercard (and possibly the visa) - so its sort of Status-Lite in that sense (there is some restriction about having to have you Dividend Miles number on the ticket/boarding pass for this to work, and of course its US operated flights only).

This only applies to the higher of the Mastercards and Visa's for US Airways - not the lower ranked ones.

Depending on who you fly with there may be some other options to get pseudo status, ie;

• Qantas Club members (including lifetime members) get lounge access with Qantas, AA, and BA + a seperate checkin line for domestic Qantas flights.
• United lets you buy Economy Plus access for the year which gives you access to the more roomy economy seats but not pre-boarding or lounge access.

Some credit cards still give out an annual lounge pass so you can visit once. (US Airways cards and some Australian issued Qantas cards do, not sure who else might still)

As mentioned before Amex Centurion gives status on a couple of Airlines (Continental being one which gives you status on Northwest and Delta flights as well) but you need to have spent at least $250,000 on your other Amex cards in the year before you apply and then you pay $2500 per year for the card so I doubt it's a good deal for anyone who doesn't fly enough to earn status from flying (that's a lot of mileage runs after all).

(Oh and don't forget, whatever card you get - don't forget to use an online loyalty program shopping mall whenever possible - airline or cashback like virtualdiscountcard.com - to get even more rewards.

If you travel at all, you get better returns, usually, from a rewards card than you would from 1% cash back. For me, if a ticket is < 400, I'll just pay for it, so my most recent use of miles was for a $600+ ticket. At 25,000 miles, that's better than 1% return and the ticket has more flexibility. Similar for hotel points. If you use reward points judiciously, you can do much better than 1% and sometimes better than 2%. I'm pretty sure there's a discussion of this in the credit card forums.

Another CC with Elite-Lite benefits is the Continental Airlines Presidential Plus Card (http://www.firstusa.com/cgi-bin/webc...cont&mkid=674L which offers Presidents Club (& NW & DL) access & Priority Boarding ( CO only - but not complimentary upgrades like real CO elites). You also get Hyatt Platinum.

Annual fee is $395 so may be worth it IF you have a home airport with a CO/NW club in the terminal you fly from but you actually fly other airlines (access does not require travel on CO or its partners - if you can get to the club you can use it) but not clubs of your actual airlines. For example - I am based in AUS an airport with exactly 2 clubs, CO & AA - I can access both (via NW & QF memberships) - I can only access the AA club if I am flying AA but can access CO if I am flying anything else - including Southwest (which I have been forced to do for work some times). Even when I have been flying international first class on United I have used to CO club since UA makes no accommodation in AUS.

This is a specific case where this card MAY be useful - in a lot of larger airports their are either more clubs, or different terminals which limit access.

Thanks for all the info, a lot of good stuff here

This thread is about gaining status from using (heavily) credit cards .

What fatfrog said. Since your new line of questions is about credit card per se, you should revisit those relevant threads in Credit Card Programs/Partners and join the discussion there. You will find ongoing discussion of all Amex cards and other credit cards (including cashbacks). Posting your questions in the right fora will get you faster responses and keep our fora less scattered. Especially for a student FTer, there are TONs of useful info in the credit card fora for you to learn and benefit from.

Welcome to FT!

you might want to go read my latest entry on BoardingArea:
http://boardingarea.com/blogs/onthefly/

I hint at a new Delta credit card coming soon that actually will allow credit card spend to earn complete elite status and the EQMs can also be gifted. Of course you have to buy the Crown Room lounge membership to go along ....

Hope this helps answer the question.

This whole thing about the credit cards and status is a little strange eve if it comes very handy sometimes.

Like if someone on DL is Platinum anyways but can gift 25k EQM to lets say his wife/daughter in order to get her Silver and be at least a little protected that could be fine.

However if I buy a lounge membership then I intend to fly regulary on that airline so that I would most likely gain status anyways.

These days the airfares are so cheap that it's really worth to draw the value out of the other vacation factor: Hotels

The SPG AMEX is unbeatable because of the SPG points value. I hate AMEX though...

I am really starting to hate Delta and their endless spree of making MQM's so easy to earn.

How possible is an upgrade as GM right now when flying mainline DL ?

IMO, upgrades as a GM are great. I've only missed 3-4 since January 2007 and that's why I fly DL. I actually value these upgrades more than the miles I accrue, which is why I'm willing to fly DL (where miles are worth next to nothing, but I'll get upgraded) compared to AA/UA (where miles are greatly more valuable but upgrades are harder to come by/cost $). Once my upgrade % drops, there's no reason for me to stay.

Actually, this is open to anybody with a French bank account. If you don't already have Euros parked in France, it would be a pain to open a bank account and pay the CC.
But those who have a bank account in France can open the CC regardless of where they reside.

Acrtually, by virtue of having the BoA card, you can already board early, so Silver is totally worthless then - in this case