Which is the best card to use? *Master Thread*

[Dan]

It's pretty simple. AC says they will add YQ to any airline that collects it from their own members. They just haven't finished implementing them.


UA OTOH is determined to not charge YQ and I don't foresee further devaluations from them for a long time.

UA is a good all around program with no YQ. MR has lots of niche program but only AC is decent all around and it's not a program I'd invest in.

Hence my UR preference.
Hyatt is icing on the cake. MR should be embarrassed over their lack of hotel options.

[ilherman]

I opened a thread, lets wee what the DDF experts have to say.

I hope that now is not the wrong time to open a thread.....

[ilherman]

Thanks for the poll. As of now I am leading with a majority 

[NYHeel]

Just wanted to add that you shouldn't forget to use the Ultimate Rewards Mall when available. We were going to buy some school uniform clothes for my kids from Land's End. Being new to this game I realized that we should first buy a Land's End gift card from Staples online. I bought a $200 card (it annoyingly took almost all day to come via email) and used that towards my purchase to get the 5 points per dollar plus the 1% credit.

Anyway, I look at the UR mall and it's showing 4 bonus points per dollar at Land's End. However, it also says that you can't use any discount codes that don't show on the UR mall site and I'm going to use a 25% off code. So I figure I might as well try. Total purchase price on 8/7/2014 was $339.74 which included 25% savings of $113.26 (total original price was $453). I paid with the $200 gift card and put the rest on my Ink Plus card.

I didn't get the rewards from the UR mall at first but a few days ago I got an email that they gave me 1,812 points from the UR mall. So they actually gave me the 4 points on the full undiscounted amount and they gave me the points on the gift card piece. So I got 2,952 total points on a $339.74 purchase netting me 8.74 points per dollar (I reflected the 1% cash back). I could have had more if I bought another $125 in gift cards once I realized that the purchase price was going to be almost $340 but I didn't want to wait for staples to email the gift card (not sure why it can't be done within a few minutes). Had I gotten the additional $125 in gift cards I would have gotten another 500 points (125*5 less the 1 point per dollar I already got) which would have netted me 10.22 points per dollar.

The moral of the long story is to use the UR Mall.

[ckmk47]

Just wanted to add that you shouldn't forget to use the Ultimate Rewards Mall when available.


 So I got 2,952 total points on a $339.74 purchase netting me 8.74 points per dollar

The moral of the long story is to use the UR Mall.

WOW!  Good for you!

[Dan]

http://www.dansdeals.com/archives/50729

[@Yehuda]

http://www.dansdeals.com/archives/50729

Was that post supposed to be based just on current offers?
Because besides for describing which cards to use, you also discussed the bonuses from the cards and although they're at just 25K right now, 2 SW cards = CP is something to talk about.

[David R]

I know that AmEx OPEN cards have savings for FedEx shipping. What card is the best to use for UPS shipping?

[stbaum]

i need to refill my metrocard. under normal circumstances i would use my sp card. the thing is that i need to reach my spend (only $1k, but still) on my new delta card. i don't know the value (yet- i'm still learning) of ur vs delta points. which one should i use?

note- i can fill my threshold with gc/serve but would rather do it with legit purchases as long as it's worth it.

[TimT]

i need to refill my metrocard. under normal circumstances i would use my sp card. the thing is that i need to reach my spend (only $1k, but still) on my new delta card. i don't know the value (yet- i'm still learning) of ur vs delta points. which one should i use?

note- i can fill my threshold with gc/serve but would rather do it with legit purchases as long as it's worth it.

UR is much more valuable but if you need to reach spend...

[stbaum]

UR is much more valuable but if you need to reach spend...

basically what i needed to know. thx a mil

[ckmk47]

i need to refill my metrocard. under normal circumstances i would use my sp card. the thing is that i need to reach my spend (only $1k, but still) on my new delta card. i don't know the value (yet- i'm still learning) of ur vs delta points. which one should i use?

note- i can fill my threshold with gc/serve but would rather do it with legit purchases as long as it's worth it.

I couldn't help myself.  I did the math.

[srap]

Dan suggests using the Sapphire for booking USA to overseas.

1.  The Amex Platinum also waives foreign fees.  It is only 1x vs Sapphire's 2x, but I haven't finished my spend on the Amex CCs yet.

2.  Are foreign exchange fees charged when booking (Ukraine AI)?  If not, then are the benefits the same if I use Amex's SPG or Delta Gold instead?  Do all three of these Amexes have the same travel insurance?

3.  Is the Amex travel insurance the same or different from all that Dan lists for the Sapphire?  (Travel insurance department is closed now).

[noturbizniss]

Dan suggests using the Sapphire for booking USA to overseas.

1.  The Amex Platinum also waives foreign fees.  It is only 1x vs Sapphire's 2x, but I haven't finished my spend on the Amex CCs yet.

2.  Are foreign exchange fees charged when booking (Ukraine AI)?  If not, then are the benefits the same if I use Amex's SPG or Delta Gold instead?  Do all three of these Amexes have the same travel insurance?

3.  Is the Amex travel insurance the same or different from all that Dan lists for the Sapphire?  (Travel insurance department is closed now).

What kind of insurance do you want?

[srap]

What kind of insurance do you want?

ticket cancellation, lost baggage, missing connecting flight. The most for my buck.

But...I am in the middle of paying for the reservation (if it is still there) just waiting to know which CC to use.  The 2x Sapphire is only a few dollars.  The spend (Amex) and insurance for me is more important.

[noturbizniss]

ticket cancellation, lost baggage, missing connecting flight. The most for my buck.

But...I am in the middle of paying for the reservation (if it is still there) just waiting to know which CC to use.  The 2x Sapphire is only a few dollars.  The spend (Amex) and insurance for me is more important.

GIYF. Search amex travel insurance. Should be very sim7lar IIRC.

[srap]

Is the insurance different if the booked ticket is for the cardholder's spouse?  ie. Does each ticket need to be bought by the passenger's CC for best insurance?  Two of the three passengers are going on separate flights there.

[Shmulie]

My mom wants to know which card to use for tuition
what should I tell her
she has a freedom, Ink plus, old blue cash, Discover It

[ah]

My mom wants to know which card to use for tuition
she has a freedom, Ink plus, old blue cash, Discover It

ink- points most valuable

[srap]

ink- points most valuable

Why are the Ink points more valuable than the Freedom UR card?  Isn't this a 1x spend on either of them?