mdurette

I'm trying to determine if I should "upgrade" my Chase credit card? Anyone have any thoughts.

I only fly about 5 times a year - use awards/points for those flights.
I have a CP and in a month I should requalify for it.
The bulk of my points come from the credit card - then a small amount from partner purchases.

Is there a benefit to upgrade my chase credit card to a new one?

toomanybooks

With enough spend on the Premier, you get some points toward A-List. I think the difference in annual fee between the 2 cards is made up with the annual points bonus, so that should not be a consideration.

Will you be qualifying for the CP going forward? That would be the decision maker for me. I get about 12 CP flights a year and that roughly $2500-3000 value is the main thing keeping me with WN. You'll have to have a lot of spend for CP if you don't fly (110,000 points in a year, reduced by the partner points).

You should soon be locked in for CP through 12/31/12, so in a sense WN Visa spend this year is "wasted." I am shifting some toward Starwood Amex and AA MC (which has a 20% bonus going on for a year; gotta get to lifetime Gold).

If you only fly 5 times a year, the CP isn't worth much to you. You might want to look also at a cashback card like (depending on your spending patterns) the Amex Blue (5% on gas, groceries, pharmacy after you spend $6500; try to put people like parents and in-laws on there to really pump it up).

carraher

I have now qualified for both A list and Companion Pass through 2012 mostly from SWA credit card spend. I don't want to "waste" the credits for the rest of the year so will either use ChoicePrivileges or PriorityClub Visas until January when I will dump/transfer the points into my RR account. I don't know, however, whether these will be deemed tier qualifying points or regular ones that don't lead to an A list card or Companion Pass good through 2013.

ftnoob

A few problems, carraher:It would be interesting to calculate how much lost value you are giving up in those points transfers.

carraher

OK, I'll admit to being confused by your post. I qualify for A list via flights but rely on cc spend for CP. CP is good until 12/31/2012. But won't I have to begin accruing points beginning 1/1/2012 to earn a CP that is good from 1/1-12/31/13? In other words the accrual is done in the previous calendar year, no?

toomanybooks

If you are already CP-qualified through 12/31/12, do your transfers in Jan 2013 to be qualified through 12/31/14.

Almost 2 years' worth instead of 1+.

If anyone finds out FOR SURE that CC points transfers are CP-qualifying, a lot of folks would like to know that.

If the transfer does not so qualify, it will probably push me toward AAnother carrier.