Credit cards are a big struggle for me right now.

I have:

Starwood AMEX
Hilton AMEX
Several BofA Alaska Airlines Cards
NWA
AA Citibank
Several UA cards

The smartest thing I have ever done with points is to transfer 120,000 Starwood points in exchange for 300,000 Qantas points which we used to book what might very well be the last Concorde award tickets on the planet. (Thank you very much for helping me with that Ozstamps)

Other than that, my all time favorite miles are my BofA Alaska Airline miles. You can use them on tons of airlines--Alaska, British, Continental, American, Northwest, KLM, Qantas, Hawaiian, Lan Chile, Horizon, ERA and Penair. Oh yeah, and Amtrack.

I keep NWA miles to upgrade, just in case I have to fly NWA.

Occasionaly when I want to stay in a really expensive Hilton, I'll use Hilton points for some of the nights and pay for a night so I get both the stay credit and still don't exceed my or my client's budget.

I have more UA miles than I would like to have right now, so I am in the process of switching to more AA credit cards. My idea is to get enough AA miles to have status before I ever fly them.

I pray fervently that none of them go Chapter 7. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/eek.gif

are there drawbacks to AA? I mean I don't undnerstand why everyone wouldn't focus all of their efforts on making 1 million on AA... ??

I think it depends where you live and what airlines fly where you want to go. AA is good for me in Chicago as it flies where where I want to go - west coast, east coast, mexico, Europe. However it is not a good choice for southeast, Florida as Delta and Continental seem to have the cheap fares in that part of the country. If I had to fly there frequently I'd be picking a different airline. So there are factors other than permanent status that come into play for people.

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Ms.DtG

SO if I fly LAX to NYC and Buffalo NBY, then I would be smart to choose AA? I've always gone wit CO and US but the lifetime status has me wondering... http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

CO flies into Newark, which is usually more expensive to get into NYC. I've also heard from many that it is hard to get an award ticket on CO, so I have moved my husband's and daughter's accounts elsewhere, and I have left the 34K I have with CO alone - just in case. If AA flies where you want to go, then I'd say go ahead and concentrate on AA. Lifetime status has been one ofthe pluses for me and I'm almost at lifetime platinum. But it would only make sense since I can fly where I want to go with all those miles I've collected with AA. Also, for the first time, I was able to take advantage of the reduced mileage bonus that comes with the Citibank platinum card. Every quarter, certain cities can be gotten at reduced mileage. With a citibank gold card - it is 5000 miles less, and with the platinum card it is 7500 miles less. So they had tickets to Toronto for 17,500 miles. Since my niece got married in Toronto last week-end, it was a no brainer to get 3 tickets ($24 tax) and fly. By booking (holding) online, each account will get 1000 miles. (Needing to hold, then call with the code for the reduced mileage award). It is another aadvantage of having an aadvantage citibank card. Only once before was I able to get a reduced award - to Orange county for 20K. MOre in the past than recently, AA has offerred alot of bonuses for flying particular routes. I have frequently benefited from that.

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Ms.DtG

dgordon, thanks for your insite. MAy I ask, are there any drawback is your opinion to having their card or choosing to fly american?

Is there a link on FT that explains what the perks are for reaching 1 million adn 2 million?

thank you for your help. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

I would go to the aa thread. There's lots on their program. fewmiles also has a web-site on their program which is very helpful to newcomers. For me, the AMEX starpoints card and the Citibank MC are a good combination. AMEX gives the 5K bonus AND flexibility to top off other accounts (I personally have not ever done that). They both have been used towards my goal of lifetime status. I have not experienced any drawbacks with this program. Just returned from a trip to Toronto. My cousin had a flight to NY at the same time as our departure. By have Gold status, she saw how we bypassed the long coach lines, checked in at business class, and saw the benefit of the perk. We were on an award ticket and it didn't matter. Once I reach lifetime platinum I will feel freer to use award tickets and might not fly enough on paid tickets to reach even Gold status (last year I did not fly enough to maintain platinum status. I would still be gold even if I didn't have lifetime gold. But if that happened again this year, next year I would have no status.I like knowing that no matter what, I will have status. You extra miles when you fly (25% with gold, 100% with platinum) 500 extra miles with IDine after 3 restaurant visits, etc. The extra room in coach really makes the trip more comfortable. And when I have had a problem, they have resolved it more times than not.

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Ms.DtG

I've gone to the AA thread a few times as well as the mastercard/visa and didn't really find much so I really do appreciate your opinions. I'm so conflicted over this stupid choice...I am so bad about making choices...I should just put them in a hat and pick one http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif lol

If you're buying a new house or are doing a lot of home improvement work, I think that one of the best deals is American Express' permanent double miles promotion for purchases at home improvement stores. A friend recently bought a new house and spent something like $10,000 at Home Depot - he has a round trip ticket on Delta to show for it, since he used his Delta Amex card for all the purchases.

Chau!
Allen

Prncs - You really can't go wrong trying the AMEX starpoints card - it is free the first year, and you will see how much you actually use it. As much as the double promo is great on the skymiles card, it limits you to Delta. I did the Delta card, and have flown them when flying to Savanah - so I have about 100K in Delta - as a back-up, but I cancelled it and prefer the AMEX. The fee is only $30 after the first free year as compared to $85 with the skymiles AMEX. Also look for a high bonus offer for the citibank card. There have been some as high as 10K. It is how I have ended up with so many citibank cards. My fee is waived through my citigold account at citibank. I think it is a leap of faith. I use my starpoints card first, then my citibank if AMEX is not accepted. Now that the US govt accepts it for buying US savings bonds, it is a great way to collect miles.

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Ms.DtG

No one has mentioned Southwest Airlines' VISA Card. I have found that to be the best deal (except during Delta double-miles promotions). Only $16,000 to charge to get a free ticket. My usage over the last year was enough to get me a companion pass as well, since that is based on getting 100 credits, no matter where they come from. Now I get two people flying on a free ticket so I get essentially two tickets for every $16,000 charged. Sure I don't get an assigned seat and they don't fly everywhere (come on SWA, fly to Denver!), but isn't the point just getting from one place to another?

Welcome to FlyerTalk, Thomas...

Hang around here long enough, and you will come to realise the ultimate truth that the point is getting from one place to another in a better class of travel than the one you paid for, accumulating 17 qualifying segments, with elite bonus miles, preferably while educating your travel agent on your airlines' fare codes and routing options.

SouthWest! Sorry, that is my least liked airline. I have flown them several times (always when somebody else made the choice and paid for the ticket) and all I do is stand in lines. Stand in line to check in the baggage. STand in line to get the little numbered pass to get onto the plan. STand in line to rush for seats when they let you into the plane. What a terrible way to treat customers.

Savings Bonds?????
 

I keep reading about buying savings bonds......is this something to look into?

You've hit on my current obsession. I'm now packing Starwood amex, Delta amex, Citi AA visa and Bank One BA visa , and Starwood is the only one I'm sure I'm going to keep.

I haveto do the math on the gas/grocery/etcetera double miles to see if the Delta card is going to continue to be worth it. I'm definitely bagging Citi (I can't deal with the foreign currency surcharge) and the BA card (too hard to get seats in the front of the plane.) I've been looking at the capitol one and mbna mastercards with no annual fee and no currency surcharge. MBNA has some nifty new baseball-themed cards. (Of course, I will have to choose between the Marlins and the Yanks if I go that route.)