I’m just going to analyze some of the popular credit cards to talk about right now, and give my non-bias opinion. And then I’ll give alternatives, if the previously mentioned cards suck.
Let me sum this up:
- There are 3 Delta cards with a 50,000 mile offer… and they all suck, but I’ll steer you straight.
- The Marriott card at 70k is still not the best hotel card no matter which way you slice it.
- The Virgin 90k offer, is not actually 90k, that’s deceitful and it certainly sucks.
- The new Citi 2% cash back card… sucks really bad.
- New Everyday Amex cards suck
The Delta 50k Sucks for real
Really, honestly, truly, dogmaticlly… the Delta 50,000 miles card is not that great of a deal. It’s insane.
What’s so insane about a 50k sign up?
[Rant about affiliate ethics]
The way I like to think about affiliate commission and blogging resonsibility/ethics, is in the ratio of content to reality.
How often do I use United miles? All the time. Therefore should it get a large chunk of content space? Yes.
How often do I use/collect/want Delta miles? Like never. Therefore should it get a large chunk of content space? No.
And that’s how you can tell whether or not your commissions are driving your content.
“But wait, it’s not bad to make a living!”
Hey, you’re telling me! I’m trying over here. And that’s not my point.
See with advertising, people ignore that crap. Heck, now a days people have ad blockers. But when you see it and click it, you know it’s a paid ad.
But with blog content, it’s different. People know and certainly trust the bloggers they follow. So when half of their content is about a card/program, the readers will get those cards.
[/Rant about affiliate ethics]
Back to Delta Miles
Why am I saying this in relation to Delta? Because a number of friends have messaged me excited about the 50k Delta card. And the big deal is that they don’t have other basic cards and were passing up offers like the United 55k offer.
Is it a terrible card? Yes. Am I getting any? No. Would I if every other card was gone? Yes.
See but the thing is, people starting out don’t know the difference between these programs. So they rely on the content of bloggers. And not only that, they perceive value in a card simply by the frequency at which a card is talked about. Therefore if multiple posts across multiple blogs are about the Delta card, then clearly this is what the “experts” are getting, then clearly this is what I should get.
Simple.
So let me set you straight.
Delta is not a program you want to start out at, and their points are going through a devaluation soon, for any travel starting 2015, but there are a few more things not so publicized.
1) Delta miles (and SkyTeam) have the worst fuel surcharges.
If you have AA, USA, and United Miles you don’t have to worry about fuel surcharges at all (except for BA (so just don’t fly that one airline)). They do not pass on fuel surcharges. No fuel surcharges flying to Europe, Asia, Australia, wherever (except on BA).
And if you have other OneWorld miles, like British Airways or Cathay, you can fly to Europe on Air Berlin and completely avoid fuel surcharges.
If you’re using Air Canada miles you can use your miles on Air China, Brussels, EgyptAir, Ethiopian, Scandinavian, Singapore, South Africa, Swiss, Turkish, United, etc…
But when you use your miles with Delta, you’re screwed.
Flying to China? Screwed. France? Screwed. $516 extra per ticket kind of screwed.
If this doesn’t make sense, see the Master Chart to Avoiding Fuel Surcharges.
I don’t want to make this a Delta post, so lets make these quick.
2) A study shows, Delta has the worst award availability of any major airline.
Researchers were able to book Delta tickets 27% of the time.
3) Therefore, on the awards you do find, you often spend way more than the “tier 1” price.
A roundtrip to Europe could cost 60,000 miles, or it will likely cost as much as 130,000 miles… ya know, plus the fuel surcharges.
Better cards would be: the Chase Sapphire Preferred 40k, the Ink Bold 50k, the current United 55,000 mile offer, AA’s 50k, or anything not Delta.
Moving on…
The Marriott 70k still sucks
This card is my last choice for a hotel card. Even with the 70k offer, I was not tempted by this card.
On the top tier end, it could get 1 free night at a top tier hotel.
- Hyatt offers two free nights
- Fairmont offers two free nights
- Hilton Reserve card offers two free weekend nights
- Club Carlson would offer 2 free nights, plus some
On the lower end you could hypothetically find a hotel for 7,500 points a night, which would be 9 free nights.
- Club Carlson card could give 18+ nights
- Hilton 60k would give 12 nights (and we’ve seen the bonus higher (so we’re comparing the best bonus to an average bonus)
- Starwood 25k could give 12 free nights
Moving on…
The new Citi 2% card sucks big
Did I miss a memo or do I just need Citi affiliate links? This card sucks. Why are we even discussing it?
It doesn’t even have a sign up bonus. The Barclay Arrival Plus comes with $400 via 40,000 points and you earn more value per dollar. And there are many more examples. I can’t imagine a universe where I would get this card, and I can’t even imagine a scenario where I would ever use it. And no other blogger is getting it (unless they are doing very very higher dollars with, no cat bonus, and don’t already have a 2% back card (but still why not get one with a bonus?)). So why are we talking about it? Unless it’s to say that no one should get it. But no one would know about it if bloggers weren’t talking about it.
This is the Cap1 Venture card with no bonus. So I mean… It’s like a worse version. And both are worse than the Barclay Arrival Plus.
Here’s why it really sucks: If I’m MSing, I’ll 5x that sucker at any grocery, office, gas station, etc… If I’m buying travel, I could at least 3x it and maybe more with that airline or hotel’s particular card.
If I’m buying anything else:
1) At 2% back, you would have to spend $20,000 to make $400, which is the bonus of many other cards. PLUS, you could have been using those other cards on the $20k. So that’s not the break even point, it’s more like $30,000 compared to using a 1% card.
2) You can 5x anything for 4% profit. Anything you buy, you could first go buy a $500 gift card and then buy it. At a 1% loss (and there are much cheaper ways), that’s a 4% everywhere.
See 5x everywhere by FrequentMiler.
Same Goes with the New Everyday Amex Cards… Those suck too
10,000 point sign up bonuses? And the spend categories are nothing.
Wait a second… this card isn’t even new? So what are the posts about?
3x at supermarkets, oh my! Half of the Amex Blue which gives 6x and my Old Blue gives 5%. Both Amex cards too. But no talky?
For 99.9% of the people out there, this card is a not the best card for their spending.
If you’re looking to get a cashback card to reimburse travel the Arrival Plus earns slightly more and comes with a $400 signup bonus. I personally, would still start with Chase UR earning cards, United, AA and generally anything over 50k.
The not 90k Virgin Offer sucks
What in the world. No one in this community includes the annual bonus when talking about the card signup bonus, or the card in general… unless they are selling something.
This card is not a 90k offer. MMS said it best with an honest title “70,000 Virgin Atlantic Miles When You Complete A LOT of Spending on the Virgin Atlantic Card”
And goofballs, Virgin Elevate and Virgin Atlantic have different award charts.
Anyways. Has anyone looked at the redemptions on Virgin? They come with a billion dollars in fuel surcharges.
Conclusion
I should probably make a chart that’s a tab or something that’s an honest quick review of cards. Have the bonus, some info, and then Drew’s rating. On a scale of “sucks big” to “blogger style FIRE SALE” these cards are closer to the suck end. Now the United 55k card on the other hand, is closer to the fire sale end, if I were into that. It’s going away soon, and is the highest it ever gets.
Just because it’s going soon, or just because it says, “70,000” or even “90,000”, stop and research to see how far it actually gets you and at what $ costs. If you want my opinion on a program, in the top right, right under the newsletter sign up form is a search bar that searches this site.
Also, sorry if this blog post sounds so angry… I’m not, I’m just caught up in the moment. 😉 And I sincerely care about my readers and don’t want them to get stuck with the no bonus 2% cash back card. Gotta watch out for my peeps.
*Update/THE-Point*: Early on I said that these cards are not the ones you get early on. If you’re completely out of cards, yes, get the Delta card.
THE point is that these cards are a small part of anyones strategy or a main strategy for very few people. Few people in a hobby of hundreds of thousands of people. YET, bad cards that pay good commission get equal attention or even more attention than useful cards that don’t pay commission. I’m not calling out any particular blogger, but more reflecting on the blogosphere as a whole. If you averaged the number of posts about the Citi 2% against post on similar cards that don’t have affiliate commission, it would be no contest as to which gets more attention. Again, overall. This also doesn’t take away from the useful posts in the blogosphere, it’s just about the bias of $$. I have no problem with making money on a blog, duh. But unfortunately, it comes with a responsibility to give people who rely on a blogger for info to spread out the content according to reality and no commission.
Also, this post is a counter balance. There are many incentives to tell you everything a card might be good for. Here’s why these cards might be crappy, and are for 99% of the people out there. If you’re MSing 20k, 30k a week, a month or whatever… 1) things change, and 2) you’re probably in this enough to know the difference. MANY people aren’t and therefore don’t know the difference. I personally have none of the cards I bashed.
Seriously though guys, always always, thanks for reading and thanks for your support!
Drew
Thanks for this post.
Thanks for commenting!
Your post is biased and/or inaccurate in three ways:
1. It’s only aimed at low-spending FF newbies. Not mentioning that is fine because the non-newbies already know that. But high-spending newbies don’t. The Citi 2% and Amex Everday Preferred are phenomenal cards for high-spenders, like me.
2. The CC-pimping bloggers make it very clear about which cards are the first cards for a newbie to get and their analysis matches your own. Many have started doing monthly top-ten CC posts, which are excellent for newbies. The recent pimping of the DL 50k is perfectly applicable to guys like me who have almost every card out there. The same applies to the Marriott. I have all the other hotel cards already; the Marriott is a great card for me to get to provide diversity of points. All my points get more valuable if I have some of every points currency because it gives flexibility.
3. Delta is actually quite valuable to me, for aforementioned diversity and such well-covered reasons as VA to Au, which I’ve done a couple of times with great value. Just because they haven’t been valuable to your particular brand of travel doesn’t mean they’re not valuable to most people. Of course your point stands that UA are still more valuable, but the other bloggers make that clear as well.
I find most criticism of the big bloggers can only be successful when one pulls parts of their posting out of context. I read every single post of the top 20 travel blogs in the space, with the exception of MMS, TPG, and FTG (the only reason I don’t read them is because of their overwhelming newbie orientation). When you take their posting (excluding MMS, TPG, and FTG) as a whole vis a vis credit cards, they provide excellent advice that I heartily endorse to my closest friends. As you know, I know all the credit cards inside out (including some extremely niche cards that no one talks about). My business is built upon that knowledge. I have no incentive to push any certain credit cards over others. Yet I heartily endorse the CC recommendations (especially the summary posts) of VFTW, OMAT, and FM, for instance.
Well, except for those three points, I would say it’s perfectly non-bias.
And the three bloggers you mention (Gary, Ben and Greg), are blogs I actually enjoy. There are way more than 3 blogs out there, and I haven’t really been following them lately, I’m more replying to the fact that many readers are getting crappy cards for their first cards. This is a reality.
The other reality is you are among like the top .001% in terms of knowledge in this game.
However, I agree with you and still think my points are valid. Because true, we do have every card possible. But that goes to show, Delta is my last choice, or not a card I do spending on.
And the major point remains: the majority of the content pushed should be methods used. If 2/3rds content is full of cards you’d never use… that’s an issue. And I think that’s THE issue at hand.
Because: the people who need the credit card posts, are probably people who aren’t doing 20k a month in MS.
Therefore: I get emails from newbs who are excited about their first cards. Literally, someone emailed me excited to get some of their first cards, the Marriott and Delta 50k. I don’t know if others were saying “your first cards certainly need to be Marriott and Delta” but that IS what my friend understood and therefore did.
So you’re right. This post is steering away newbies from the Marriott and Delta card and the Citi 2%.
After all, I did recently write about how I got the old amex blue because I doing a lot of money at pharmacies. No signup bonus, just a 5% cash back. But it is a very small part of my content and comes with posts like this. And I also, I did give a disclaimer that the 2% card is not being gotten *unless they’re doing high spends uncategorized.
Negative posts are a lot more palatable and believable when you look for the balancing positives and include those as well. You make some decent points, but it gives the wrong overall impression because you don’t acknowledge the good advice given by the main bloggers. Here’s a listing of all the big blogs with a front page link to best credit card offers you and I would agree 90% on:
Frequent Miler – Credit Cards > Best Signup Offers
One Mile At A Time – Best Credit Cards > 10 Best Credit Card Offers
View From the Wing – Recommended Credit Card Offers
Million Mile Secrets – New to Miles & Points
The Points Guy – Hot Deals or Beginner’s Guide
Frugal Travel Guy – Start Here or Rewards Cards
Frankly, making bad, non-savvy FF decisions is a hallmark of every FF newb (I pulled some real brain-dead moves as a noob), even before there were blogs to blame it on. I just don’t understand how the main bloggers could make it any more clear about the best first cards to get and I don’t understand how you can blame them for new vs getting bad first cards. I guess this seems especially strange to me since I know you don’t read the blogs much.
Again, MANY newbies have been in touch with me telling me that they are getting the Delta and Marriott card as their first cards. Period. The impression they got from the posts in the general community has led them to do this. You’re telling me that you can’t find one example of content driven by commission? ONE?
Yes. They have good posts. My point is that 90% of the content is at least influenced by commission. And therefore the percent of content that focuses on odd credit cards is higher than reality. That’s it.
Just because some people have good advise doesn’t negate the point. My job isn’t to say XXX blogger wrote a good post, and XXX blogger wrote a bad post. My point here is: These cards, despite wide exposure, are a very small part of the frequent flyer community’s strategy. That’s it.
“You’re telling me you can’t find…” Of course content is driven by commission. But I don’t see bloggers pushing the wrong cards dishonestly.
“My point here is…” But your title clearly blames blogs. Given all the Beginner’s Guides prominently linked on the major blogs, I have very little sympathy for a Newbie blog reader that gets a Delta card as their first card.
Would labeling the Citi card “best” cause you to sympathize with a newbie?
Drew, if any blog post said Citi 2% is the best first card to get, yes, I would be sympathetic to newbies reading that and would besiege that blog post’s comment section trying to get the author to change it.
Sorry, Hans, but when you write, “But I don’t see bloggers pushing the wrong cards dishonestly”, then you lose credibility with me (and, I think LOTS of others that aren’t newbs).
In fact, I think you come off like one of them defending their practices…but I could be wrong. (And, note that “I could be wrong” is a phrase that speaks volumes, as I don’t read that attitude in your responses here, nor on the card-pusher’s blogs, EVER, but I do see it from time to time on blogs I respect, including this one)
To summarize, you seem bent on defending the indefensible. Which, even though I’ve read and considered what you’ve written here, renders your posts “noise”.
But I could be wrong 🙂
DiffPaul, I could definitely be wrong and I welcome fact-based responses pointing that out.
If you believe it’s dishonest to even mention the DL 50k offer or a brand-new CB card that’s best in category, then of course they’re being dishonest. However, if you believe that bloggers should mention all worthwhile cards for their diverse audience, along with top ten list for newbies, then I’ve yet to see to see evidence that they’re being dishonest. Help me out. Point me to a dishonest post. Show, not tell. I’ve put in the elbow grease to list the honest summary posts prominently linked on the front pages of the main blogs. If you think individual posts are dishonestly pushing the wrong cards, please point me to examples.
“I just don’t understand how the main bloggers could make it any more clear about the best first cards.” WTF are you kids on drugs?
MV says the citi card is the “best cash back card in america”. Newbies will clearly know not to get that card.
I assure you no drugs are being used by either of us. Thanks for your comments.
Only caffeine! 😀
Sorry, I must be having a brain freeze, because I don’t know who MV is. I agree, though, that it’s the best pure CB card in the US. Which one do you think is better?
Did someone say drugs? 🙂
Are you for REAL? Most of the advice is nonsense, riddled with inferior links and horrific “analysis” (which isn’t surprising based on your support of the crappy Citi 2% and Everyday cards).
*I had to go up to reply*
Okay, well, my point at least is that a newbie should not get that card. Pro’s should see it exist, and newbies should not see the word best.
Actually, I’ll back Paul on this… because for YOU it’s the best. and for 99% of people out there, it’s a terrible option. So if it’s best for 1% of the people out there (because I guarantee people aren’t doing the same numbers), then it’s not the best.
But really, I don’t want to hit that point. Really, I want to say, it’s actually not good for newbies but if they see multiple posts and the word “best”, then they’ll get it.
Point is, I sympathize with the newbie on this.
Actually, for everyday spend, most newbies are best off with either Citi 2% or Amex Everyday Preferred, ironically enough. Given the power of signup bonuses, they should spend the first year doing min spend rather than everyday spending at 1/1.5/2% per dollar, but once the bonuses peter off, 2% CB is an excellent choice.
It is also the best CB card, as has been stated by bloggers. Like I said, the only successful attacks I’ve seem on bloggers rely on taking things out of context. I have no sympathy for someone who can’t distinguish between best or best cashback. Words have meanings.
Also, given the lackadaisical lazy responses from friends that we encourage to get into this game, we know that many of these people will actually be best off with2% CB since they’ll be too lazy to figure out how to redeem.
Haha….some good points for sure. Though not sure I agree when it comes to these recommendations in the context of those of us who have been at this for a while. If you have Chase Inks and United 50k and a dozen other cards already then I can see why Delta could be worthwhile (though I agree 100% on how terrible their redemptions are).
But I feel more strongly on the Citi 2%. Sure it’s not bonus card which is a huge knock. But I’ve also been looking for quite a while for a 2% on everything no annual fee Visa or MC card for everyday stuff. I have Fidelity but it’s an Amex and that means sometimes isn’t accepted. Plus, Cap1 is TERRIBLE about approving people who do regular app-o-ramas, regardless how good their credit is.
I’m going to get the Citi 2% to use as my default, small purchases that add up over time and aren’t worth trying to scrape together 5% on card. Because while it takes $20k in spend to earn $400 back, if that $20k in spend is now on a 1% card then I’m missing out on $200. And your point is totally valid that no sign up bonus is crap but only as compared to a sign up bonus card. I plan to wrap this card in as a 3rd or 4th application in my next app-o-rama and then keep it forever. Another plus is that it will help increase my average age of card, which will benefit the credit score. Food for thought.
The thing with the Citi card is… I’m sure some of my friends are about to jump on this card doing serious spend on it.
However, I don’t agree with getting it for everyday spends. It would take so much spend to equal a bonus. Like even if you’re getting 1% more per dollar spent, you have to do a heck of a lot of spend to catch up to a 1% with a $400 bonus. And the fact is, there are two cards out with a $400 bonus AND 2% back. Which was my main point.
If you’re a big spender, that’s different. But for 99% of people, IMO, if it’s for daily spends, just calculate where you do most of your spends, and put it on a 5%. Or a mileage program where you get more than 1cent value. You wont make up the value of the same spend on another similar value card and a bonus.
Because if you’re getting this card over the Arrival Plus (which earns more and has a bonus), that means you’re saying: I will get more in rewards on the Arrival than I would possibly spend on travel. Meaning, you wont have the opportunity to use the cash back to cover that many travel expenses and they’ll have to be used for less valuable things. If you’re spending tons of money and not traveling, totally possible. 99.99% of people who read these blogs, I find that unlikely.
thanks. i appreciate the honesty in this post.
Thanks for taking the time to say so.
Agree with your post except for the Amex everyday card. The basic no fee version still earns real MR points and keeps any orphan sign up MR points active instead of paying an annual fee for another Amex card.
MR transfers does increase the value for me, but it’s not what I’d get for MS because it has 3x on grocery UP TO $6,000 spent… very limiting and I wouldn’t do any spend after that. However, if I could downgrade to it I would. Not sure if any cards do that.
One note about the Marriott Card, it has been churnable approx. annually (a co-worker has received the bonus seven times). So, while not as good as the other hotel cards, in the context of buying points for the annual fee, it’s not so bad.
O_o You mean after 24 months?
There are “ways” to churn the Marriott card to keep getting the bonus 70k.
I definitely agree that newbies are incredibly easily swayed and bloggers frame their posts to sell to them more often than not. In fact just recently I pushed a friend to join the miles & points game and the first card she told me she wanted to get was a Capitol One card. *face palm*
Anyway, amen brother.
OMG that Cap1 card. All the time people who first hear about miles and points get that thing. They must do really good advertising for “miles” or travel or something.
Yeah, both the Cap1 and DL cards have such effective advertising, I have many friends who have gotten them at 25k bonus having never read a blog in their lives. Drives me nuts.
Good points. I just closed my Marriott card. Delta Amex was closed last year. I’m in a Delta hub and for right now just fly domestically. Delta does have the most direct flights for me albeit pricey.
I decided this year that the southwest cards are cards I need to get on my next churn.
I’m so glad you mentioned old blue in your newsletter post. I had NO IDEA I could still apply for it. I have it now.
You SHOULD do a cc review. Now and then, it would be nice to see an authentic review from respected bloggers like yourself.
My favs are: chase inks, Barclays arrival plus, Spg, and now Amex old blue. I like Discover for its 5% categories and shopping portals.
I would review every card but… I’d bore myself so bad that I’d probably fall asleep in the middle of writing it. I have a pretty black/white view of cards. That’s why I say I should have a list. Crappy. Not crappy. :-p
Never had a Discover card, even tho a lot of my friends have gotten one for the same reason. Ink was one of my favorites. AA/Citi is the dumbest and therefore one of my favorites.
I genuinely like the aggressively critical tenor of this post. However, I respectfully offer a contrarian viewpoint on the Marriott (and no-fee, only no-fee, Ritz-Carlton card). The Marriott rewards program is a pretty bullshit, non-consumer-oriented program if one is interested in redeeming points for ‘free’ nights, especially in the first world. However, Marriott points have great value when not used for ‘free’ nights. The value almost wholly resides in the ability to buy back either gold or platinum status. For 25,000 points, a Marriott gold who has a few (or in my case zero one time) nights on qualifying rates can buy back status for the following year. So those relatively lower-priced, high-value hotels, namely in Southeast Asia will give you room upgrades, like semi-suites, plus free breakfasts and lounge access. At certain properties, that means lovely evening spreads with up to 4 hours of fancy cocktails and wine in places where those normally cost a lot plus a dazzling breakfast. I might have 10 paid Marriott nights a year, but likely less, but I’ll still receive the treatment afforded to genuinely high-value customers. Stays booked through third-party sites that don’t qualify for LNF (best-rate guarantees) still receive elite benefits. This includes priceline and hotwire. So, for example, one sign-up bonus nearly extends status for three extra years. And Marriotts are everywhere. The odds are pretty good of getting one on an opaque site. If half-collapsed at the Renaissance Amsterdam (paying $100 on priceline for a room going for $300 on non-opaque sites) and tempted by that obscenely priced juice or soda in the mini-bar, one can just wander downstairs and grab all one wants for free (still not a nice lounge). If daunted by hotel bar prices and the humidity outside at the Renaissance Bangkok, one could just drop out and have a smashing dinner in the lounge with great, top-shelf cocktails. And this can be done for 3 years with marginal spend after the bonus. My point was more applicable before the norm moved from status matches to status challenges. Still, with Marriott, once one is in, one can stay in with virtually no work or commitment to the brand. Try that with Hyatt, which wants 50 nights of my life to make me feel special. I have neither card but think I’ll get one to keep the gravy train running. I still like your approach to this topic but must assert that Marriott points have value, just not for things the company wants people to use them for. If you get an affiliate link for the card, I’ll definitely use it. Wow. That was far too many words.
I actually agree with you, but I don’t have paid Marriott stays ever, so I’m not in the same situation. But when I used to game Marriott, the lounges were amazing. Been to the Renaissance BKK and JW in BKK, and that lounge is wowing. So I totally see the value.
And even I would be tempted if it would top me off for enough points to do the Air + Hotel thing.
So if you are a Marriott user, then yeah. But I’m not getting one.
Drew, I’m relatively new to the game but am absorbing every piece of knowledge I can find. I can’t thank you enough for creating unique content and explaining concepts with info graphics. Your site is a welcome oasis in a desert of credit card pimping reblogged noise. I recently obtained the southwest companion pass and booked a round trip to Cabo with my g/f for 13,000 miles plus $186 in tax. Thanks again for paving your own way and keep up the great work.
Thanks Mike. I really appreciate the comment. I really strive to help people and add value, not just make a business of it. And so hearing that the posts are helpful, keeps me inspired.
Drew
I agree with most of what you said, except:
1) As Nick has touched on, Amex Everyday is useful for transferring when you don’t have any other Amex card that can transfer MR points.
2) Comparing the requirement for the lowest level of hotel points is not very practical. Most hotel chains have a very small list at the lowest level. The worst offender is Club Carlson. There are 6 category 1 hotels in the entire North America; and 100% of their Asian cat 1 hotels are in India. Hilton has 5 cat 1 in the US.
In comparison, Marriott has 163 cate 1 in NA; IHG also has >100.
What would be (slightly more) useful is to calculate a weighted point requirement so that the points required is weighted by the number of properties. For example, for IHG:
(number of cat 1 properties * 10,000 + number of cat 2 properties * 15,000 + … ) / (total number of properties)
The resulted figure I believe would reflect is more useful index than simply comparing the top and bottom tiers.
(Of course this is more complicated for chains with seasonal point requirement like Hilton)
No a bad point…
I mean, Marriott has way more properties in general than Club Carlson. Still a good point, that they have more hotels and more cat 1s. But it’s also comparing a pumped up credit card to the regular credit card of all the other programs. So it isn’t perfect, but a general comparison.
i love your honest opinions about these cards. I had the same thoughts about these cards and was wondering why other sites were pimping them out so hard.
To be fair, it’s easy to be less bias when I don’t get the same commission. 😀
Hehehe this was a fun read. Thanks for the post.
And remaining fun in the comments. :-p
The reason the Citi card sucks isn’t necessarily the sign up bonus. It’s the fact that it’s a Citi card, which means you can’t transform it into a synthetic 4-6% card, unlike the other 2% cards. And this is why I would say you are wrong about the AMEX everyday cards. 1.5x MR via Everyday Preferred is very compelling from a synthetic perspective. If you value MR at 1.5+ it might even be a superior card to Arrival.
How do you get 4-6%? It’s a 2% cash back card.
Everyday Preferred + AGC = 1.5 MR plus 2-4 cents per dollar. Of course it’s more difficult to leverage that if you don’t spend a little more time in the U.S.
The Citi 2% card is a perfect downgrade card for account aging and use if you are between Arrival cards, I can’t imagine spending an application on it.
Well, the latter is a good point. But with portal bonuses, that’s nothing inherent to the card. Right?
Citi charges cash advance fees for AGC. Other cards do not. I think that’s the point.
No other card earns 1.5 points per dollar that can be stacked on top of the portal bonus. Except the first 25K on the UA card (at 1.4) and the 2 cents with Arrival. If you can use BA, ANA, SQ etc miles, Everyday Preferred is the fastest and cheapest card to earn them with using AGC.
It has been a while since I’ve read a blog. Once I graduated to EF (a rather junior there) I have learned so much without the self-promoting interest. You are very brave in this industry.
Some bloggers are just horrible and deceitful, specially the few that specialize selling what you describe on your first rant.
The only thing I would add, is that newbies fall for the trap. And click. I did that, for my first 2 or 3 cards.
Newbies are the biggest “victims” of the whole thing. I mean you have to make a living, but some of the bloggers are just pushing even their own colleagues out of bridge. Thanks again.
Really, “newbies” are most bloggers “target audience”. So I don’t think the goal is to do bad, but the goal is partly to make money. And thus writing about credit cards in general is a way to make money.
Hans seems to say they make it clear that these aren’t the best cards for beginners. But I’m saying, but writing about them so much, that’s what happens.
So I at least am not saying their horrible or deceitful, but I am saying that they may not realize that the impression they give just via sheer volume, is different than their intent or even sometimes their words.
“Sheer volume” is an excellent point, but consider this: At any point in time, long term readers of a blog are going to far outnumber first time readers (unless travel blogs’ audiences follow very different flows than most blogs). If you’ve been in the game as little as a year and have been following bloggers’ CC overall advice (which I endorse), then the Delta 50k is a good, relevant offer for you to consider if you’ve been in the game for a year. If 80% (or even 50%) of your readers have been in the game for at least a year, you HAVE to make posts that are relevant to them. I very much appreciate both initial notice of increased signup offers and reminders when they’re about to expire. I’m happy that bloggers get commissions from my signups because they do all the work of keeping track of that for me.
So agree to disagree. I think we disagree on whether or not there is any/most content that is slanted heavy toward payouts. I too appreciate knowing about all the options though. And we probably disagree on the percent of readers that are long term readers vs newbies.
Hans, while you don’t seem like a newb, I have to say you sound pretty naive to me. Above you make a comment that ‘you don’t notice bloggers pushing cards dishonestly’ (!). Then you don’t seem to believe that, for instance MMS, a blog might attract an audience of newbs but lose them quickly, as soon as they become non-newbs. And then, for the triple win, you write ‘if many of your blog’s readers are experienced then you “HAVE” to write relevant posts to them’. But if you’ve seen the changes in, for instance, OMAAT, or VFTW, then you couldn’t believe that, –unless you were naive–. Add to those that you don’t know which blog “MV” is, and you’ve proven yourself to me that you’re way over your head making so many comments here about things over which you have little mastery.
So my advice is to educate yourself, especially about conversions, before you show yourself to be about whom Mark Twain famously quipped.
Drew – I’m glad bloggers like yourself and TBB are calling a spade a spade. The entire Boarding Area family along with MMS, TPG and FTG is nothing but a travesty to this hobby of ours. I wish more bloggers would stand up to their atrocities.
You might also want to check out a site called Rewardflyer which I’ve started to use for my award searches. They too are trying to show people how to travel for free similar to what you’re trying to achieve for your readers.
Hope your rants (just like this one) continue to shine through!
It’s hard to blame anyone. It’s hard to make any money calling spades. 🙁 And it’s a HECK of a lot of work blogging. And I might not making any friends ranting. 😀
Never heard of em, but I’ll check em out.
I disagree about the Citi card. A 2% card with no annual fee is a great product from a consumer perspective, especially for the many people I know who aren’t interested in putting any time into thinking about cards.
Personally I’m not interested in the ‘5% everywhere’ approach, so I’m happy to have a 2% card as the default card. And a 2% card can occasionally open up opportunities that may not present themselves to a 5% bonus category card.
It’s a great card, assuming your going to put $100k++++ on it via uncategorized bonuses. But I personally don’t live near Simon and am happy putting the uncats through my barclay as it earns slightly more. But to each his own
I agree with you about the Delta cards! As a relative newbie last year, my husband and I both got 50,000 mile cards and found it impossible to use for rewards! I couldn’t find any rewards at the lower mile prices. We ended up cashing out our miles for Amex gift cards.
That’s a bummer. Yea, unfortunately it can be hard to use miles in general at peak times, but Delta really drives me nuts. Anything with fees drives me nuts anyways though.
I have very mixed feelings about Delta. I fly out of ATL, once a year. (ATL to LAX.) I only fly Biz/1st. I “had” to fly United 1st-class two years ago (had no $$, few points at the time). I was looking forward to a “Delta-equivalent” 1st class and was truly dismayed by United’s version. Unlike Delta — United’s 1st-class seats were small-ish, old, worn, and there was not only no TV in the seatback, there was no TV in the class! I had been looking forward to the small bottle of water waiting at my (Delta) seat when I embarked — United didn’t have water waiting and didn’t begin serving anything (in 1st class!) till nearly a half-hour into the flight! I actually checked my ticket to see if I was, in fact, in a first class section! (Row 2 — but it wasn’t like any 1st class I’d ever been in!)
My return flight — paid on Delta — was the comfortable high quality I expected. I have never had a problem getting (non-stop) award seats on Delta — but my schedule is freer and my itinerary is limited. So, I resent the difficulty I have getting Skypesos, and the inability to TRF miles (Ink Bold) to get Delta flights, but their *product* seems many steps above United. Still, there are folks out here who would rather fly Delta metal than anyone else (except probably Alaska Air… which seems pretty useless in ATL).
It’s true that quality of the seats/premium cabin in general, cab vary greatly between airlines, and sometimes even airplanes.
Delta does do something well, so I can’t say the miles are completely useless or anything.
And while it doesn’t say much in the US, their service ratings are at least higher than some US airlines and their “on time” flight rating is higher.
But ya know, in terms of points… which is the focus of the blog, I’m obligated to slam them. :-p
Some of the cards you mentioned do have niches, especially for the veteran who already has the good cards. I’m kind of proud to say that the only you decry that I actually have is the Marriott whose bonus has been very useful to me for a particular airport hotel redemption that I need to do repeatedly. Can’t agree more about Delta. Take whatever offer there is and slice it in half when comparing with offers pertaining to rewards programs that actually offer seats you can get at the low redemption rate. If it says 50k, think of it as a 25k card in making a decision.
You’re right. 1) Marriott has more properties than Club Carlson, Hyatt and SPG together. I think… and 2) If you compare the cards and Marriott ranks four on your list, and you already 1-3, why not?
Drew, you are a unique voice in this industry and your blog is one of the best. You are passionate about this stuff, and it shows.
That said, I kind of agree with HansGolden’s comment. While you make some valid points, IMO the post is full of broad generalizations and assumptions. Let’s address some. Does commission drive content to an extent? You bet! No one disagrees with you.
I was surprised how quickly the posts about Citi 2% card went up from all the major bloggers, when very few talk about Fido card. Wow, things are changing. Turns out, the offer pays commission, even to me! That said, the card is good for those who like to keep things simple (those people do exist), and is excepted everywhere, unlike Fido. So yes, it was legitimate news indeed.
As far as Delta card goes. Is it an amazing offer? No way. But if you live near Delta hub and want to bring a relative for a visit, who happens to have a flexible schedule, it might be a good offer for you. I will not dedicate a special post to it, but it’s not a bad deal by any means.
Virgin Atlantic 90K miles offer doesn’t pay incentive to anyone as fas as I know. But once again, it’s not a bad offer for those who want to redeem on Virgin America flights, and who don’t like to switch cards constantly.
Marriott offer is good for those who like Marriott hotels, and who have specific plans to stay in one of their properties. See what I’m trying to say here? Different strokes for different folks.
Completely disagree with you on Amex Everyday Preferred. Yes, the multitude of posts is due to the fact that it finally started paying commission. No argument there. But it is a great card for those who only get a few bonuses per year. It would be my top pick for non-bonus spending. Alas, I am a churner, so won’t be getting it for that reason.
But not everyone is like me or you, or Gary Leff. We are all different and have unique goals.
I agree with you on all points. Except that the Virgin card does pay affiliate, I thought?
There are definitely exceptions to anything. Does Delta have higher prices in general? Yes. Are there exceptions? Also, yes. But it’s still fair to say they have higher prices and pass on fuel surcharges.
And of course the Marriott offer is going to be more tempting for someone who like Marriott hotels.
But really this is about people who don’t know the difference between Marriott and any other hotel.
Or people who don’t know the difference between AA miles and Delta miles, and both are 50k. Which should they use? Without a doubt, they should start out with the AA card.
My assumption is that people who are experienced with Marriott and love them and have platinum status (which would be another exception adding value) would disagree. But they also aren’t the ones needing the post.
So I agree, but would say the post is still needed with the same angles.
Or at least I’d like to think so :-p
Drew, I actually agree with the point you were trying to make with this post. Basically, when affiliate offer comes out, suddenly it’s the best thing since sliced bread… till the offer expires, and another affiliate bonus comes out. Then that offer becomes the BIG thing.
I agree, the Delta card is waaay overhyped, but it will be over soon. More precisely, on September 8th. 🙂 There is no question that the industry is biased as a whole. Still, there are many honest bloggers, but people tend to forget that fact. It is a tough place for newbies just starting out. That’s why it’s important for bloggers to counterbalance the “sales pitch.” You should do more card reviews, your readers want you to. And if the cards happen to pay you, let them know. I do suggest, that you don’t make definitive statements about bonuses, because this hobby is highly subjective and there is no “one size fits all” card. Oh, and the Virgin offer does not pay commission to anyone as of today.
Hmm… Thanks, it’s a great comment. I guess you’re write, as this post does seem to be decently popular for a sunday. lol. Guess I’m still trying to find my voice.
Great post Drew! Totally agree with your points and respect your straight forward posts. The tips are usually right on point and very helpful. Keep up the great work!
Thanks Bruce!
It’s a post with SOME useful info. It’s informative until you proclaimed Amex EveryDay card sucks… To the contrary, Amex EveryDay (especially the preferred version) is one of the most lucrative for manufactured spending. I’m basically spending 0.26-0.29 cents per point doing MS. See the forest, not just sign up bonus.
How is it the most lucrative for MS? I’m curious what the general strategy would be.
Great post! And now…I put my tail between my legs and say that I just got the 50K Delta card AND the 70K Marriott card.
But I had reasons! I NEEDED 50K Delta miles to have enough for 3 business class tickets to Europe. Yeah…assuming I can get them at low level. (cue riotous laughter)
I also “needed” 70K Marriott points for that same European trip and (no matter what other’s opinions may be) I love Marriott. My husband stays in them exclusively for work and has built up quite a balance and Platinum status.
Well, truthfully, I had the Marriott card. I think I got it at the 70k some time ago (I guess before devals though).
I’m definitely only half way dogmatic on any of these points as there are totally times where these cards would be great. Topping off an account is a great example.
I’m not a total newbie, but I do feel a bit like a flailing novice at times. Just want to add that I really appreciate this post, as well as all the interesting comments. There are so many variables to consider, it can be overwhelming. I’m working on simplifying my miles/points hobby and it really helps to have such honest (even if contrary) opinions to consider.
Thanks Rene.
If there’s anything I can do to help, let me know.
Drew
My favorite use of Delta Skypesos are to book hotel rooms.
lol. At least you’re using them! 😀
I am confused, Gleff said the Citi card is Great. Would he have any motivation to lie or exaggerate? And Delta Points loves Skymiles and Amex cards lately (again) and he’s got to be honest and unbiased, right? Drew, those guys care about me.
lol Ramsey
In Gleffs defense though, he does pretty much post about everything. 🙂 I’ve never been to deltapoints site, but I’ve also never had a delta point (for a reason). 😀
As a new signup the Citi 2% makes little sense, however as a conversion from an existing card, like and AA or Hilton, when annual fee comes due, it is a decent option for people who don’t want to deal with MS/gift card hassle.
I’ve already got a stack of Dividend and ThankYou cards, so might go for this one next conversion. This, of course, was not the sales pitch presented by most of the blogs, though in fairness a few mentioned it.
That’s actually a really good idea. I mean, that’s just a no brainer. I have plenty of cards to take the downgrade. :-p
Thanks for sharing.
Drew:
A few things I’d like to note
1. You’re doing an awesome job and it’s beyond refreshing to get a take from someone not on a commission bankroll, because it becomes more obvious by the day that many of these guys are schilling just to get the extra $$ from commissions, rather than giving good advice.
2. I’m a bit shocked at how angry some commentators get. It’s a little pathetic to be honest. The majority of people ( I think) are playing the game, which is allowing them to fly to places they could never dream of, simply by doing some MS. If that’s the case, and if they’re truly having the time of their lives by doing so, why be so aggressive when they comment? In other words, it seems that many of these people take your stances almost personally, which is kind of beyond me. If one disagrees, that’s one thing. But to take it to another level and just say “Your post is absurd…” is quite another.
Keep up the great work. Love reading the blog.
Thanks Danny
Ya know, there most be something personally about this, or ego driven/ego-attached. Like I’ve said before, people get defense just at the name “travel is free”. And generally these people then proceed to say how much money they just spent. Not much I can say. Like, “yes, that’s a lot more than free.” But it’s also like; why are you staying in a 600/night hotel on bogo and then complain about me? I wouldn’t spend 600 on one night even with a bogo. But for whatever reason, it’s all kind of personal in this game. So posts like these probably aren’t the best way of making anything, including friends. 😀
What a contentious crowd for this post! Drew, I for one appreciate the patience it must take for you to answer so politely to those who think you’re absolutely wrong because your post is correct for only 99.9% of us and not the other 0.01%!
I am awaiting the TiF-branded “Who’s Drew?” t-shirt link to help show my support.
Oops, “0.1%”
lol, I don’t think I could ever do a me-centered tshirt. yikes. lol
But I do greatly appreciate the support already given here by being a regular at the TiF empire. 😀
What the heck is going on here? A blog post with more comments than TBB? This is an outrage!
I loved the post by the way!
You didn’t think I could do it too?
TBB was drooling on his keyboard as he read this article.
It’s into his panera cup.
What the heck? Just an observation – Three great earlier excellently researched posts getting only 18 to 30 comments but a post on credit cards gets 80+ comments and going strong :(. May be Drew will settle writing more credit card posts ;). By the way, i always love Drew, whatever he writes 🙂
I should quit writing boring crap like on nobody programs like Singapore and Malaysia and start pumping. 😉
As always, thanks for the support Kumar.
Drew
Thank you, Drew, for an excellent post! I still can’t believe how much info there is in here. I feel much like Rene, above, in that I’m not a total newbie but feel like a flailing novice most of the time.
Just a thought: my husband and I will likely got the Delta Gold 50k card b/c he has a brand new grandchild (the first) and if we both have these points we get 2 round trips each to visit and thereby not only save the more valuable miles for European trips but also save us a 14-hour drive (one-way.) We can be somewhat flexible, and there actually is availability between our cities. So for us this is an easy decision, because we would not use more valuable miles: we would simply make the long drive.
Thanks again for your invaluable information on all of your posts!
Thanks Susan.
Yea, there won’t be fuel surcharges on a domestic flight so that sounds like a great use of those miles. Enjoy the free trips to see the grand kids. 🙂
The post is more scandalous than if Paris Hilton made a sex tape with Jeff Smisek hehe….good job!
Now I know, the secret to getting traffic is to not sell credit cards. Wait crap. That plan won’t monetize well.
You got it bro.. btw, you have me some ideas on what to post on my blog (yes..i TOO am a blogger). America…the land of effin’ opportunity.
lol, cool.
Usually I agree with you, Drew. But this post misses so many important points.
1. Just because you give content space to a particular card, doesn’t mean you’re recommended it. If you think a particular offer sucks, why don’t you blog about it and tell people it sucks?
2. This post assumes people don’t already have the basic “better” cards. Do you really want to hear about the United/CSP/Chase ink cards MORE often?
3. No thought is put into the opportunity to downgrade. E.g, the Citi double cash and Everyday cards are both excellent downgrade choices. The everyday preferred card is also great for MSing small amounts as well.
This article is nothing but clickbait, goodjob.
While apparently this was really good at getting read, my goal was/is not clickbait. I’m sorry you see it as such. But I honestly don’t want my readers being mislead. I hope they appreciate it, clearly you don’t. And that’s fine. I sincerely don’t expect everyone to agree with me.
#3 is a really good point. But… that’s not was largely recommended (and that doesn’t get affiliate commission).
#2 I agree, this post does assume that.
#1 we disagree. Doing more posts on Delta cards than any other cards would kind of give the impression people should get the card.
Above you even said that you’d signed up for one of the offers you consider “bad”. Most of the double cash posts I’ve seen at least mention downgrading, same with the every day cards. Some bloggers are better about it than others, if you think you can do a better job then you should do so – that way your readers won’t be e-mailing you about “bad” offers that you don’t agree with.
What offer did I sign up for? I clearly said that I have none of these cards, and I don’t.
(I used to have a Marriott card, but that was predevaluation and I don’t have it, and I wouldn’t get it now).
Drew,
Maybe I am missing something, but I don’t think Delta charges $516 fuel surcharges on flights to France or China, at least not on the ones Ive been on. CVG to Paris is 60k miles + $100ish taxes/fees. CVG to PEK is 70k + $50. Maybe you meant the fuel surcharges are for partner flights? If so, it ‘s a good point and yes it sucks, but the article isn’t clear. It seems to say you can’t get to France/china on SkyPesos without paying $516 inYQ which i don’t think is true. You just have to fly on Delta.
I agree that Delta’s award availability is poor and that the Delta card is not a great deal for most people when compared to some others. I do think it’s a good deal for me because the CVG-CDG Delta flight is the only nonstop to Europe in my area, so it’s convenient.
I agree about the other cards.
Sorry, this wasn’t terribly clear. It should read that pretty much all SkyTeam partners have high fuel surcharges. and internationally, partners make most of flights. So if you flew Air France, you’d pay $516.
And of course there is convenience in being in a hub.
You dummies are throwing praise on Drew while condemning FTG. Don’t you know that our boy Drew here writes for them?
Well, why I still very much appreciate Rick and what he and his site has done for me, I have not been writing for FTG for a while now.
I only got the 70K Marriott offer for one reason, and one reason only, which probably doesn’t apply to almost anyone here: to redeem at the AC Hoteles chain in Spain. I have family in small towns in Spain with Cat 1 hotels that are really nice, so these points go far for me. Now, someone here commented that this particular card can be churned every single year to get the 70K. That would be awesome. Any idea how to pull that off? How would Chase not know that I already have the card?…
That’s awesome. The joy of having a category 1 actually where you perfectly need it is pretty great. lol
I’m still sad that the Rad Blu in Budapest went to a cat 2. 🙁
OK, I can’t go ahead and read the other 99 posts at this ungodly hour, so please forgive me if it’s been said already.
Drew, you are wrong and fundamentally so.
1. Delta 50K is a rare offer and must be taken advantage of by everyone who can, newbie or no newbie. I don’t care what the studies show. I always get what I need from them even if they almost give me a heart attack. The vengeance is mine!
2. The Citi 2% is not half bad. If it were that bad, there would be more than two no AF, 2% CB cards in existance, and there ain’t.
3. Anyone who understands that loaylty is bullshit and that one must diversify, must grab Marriott 70K card–if only for a simple reason that Marriott points are hard to get. It’s not Hilton, and I’m not wasting my precious UR to get them (and neither should you).
4. Agree about Virgin.
5. You REALLY don’t need to live around Simon.
Well, we clearly disagree, because I did not get the Delta 50k, and I didn’t even get them when they were at 70k. There are many other cards I would prefer that I still don’t have.
2) That’s true. For what it is, the citi card is a decent cb card, and william says you can downgrade to it. So I would never apply for it, but if I downgraded it to it… that’d be fine.
3) Yes, but you’re wasting a chase application. If you have ink bold/plus, csp, BA, United, IHG, and every other chase card that exists… that sure go ahead. But it’s not on my list.
5) I know, that’s true. lol. But I’m happy with the systems I got going which has higher profit margins.
i’m not a newbie, but i love the amex everyday cards for a few reasons:
1) No annual fee
2) with up to 5 authorized users (6 users per account) i can probably make a few hundred dollars per year on the twitter sync promotions.
3) This past few months I’ve saved: $15 Home Depot; $10 Sprouts; $25 Best Buy; $15 Shop Small August; $5 Bed Bath Beyond; $10 Cheesecake; $15 Buca di Beppo; $10 JC Penney; The list goes on and on. Maybe not for travel, but having a no annual fee amex card with authorized users is a lucrative keeper card.
If you save money, you save money, and that’s always a good thing.
Great post Drew, this is why your site is one of the very few that I’m comfortable sending people to. Plus your info graphics are awesome.
I cringe every time someone tells me they got an Everyday Card. Every single time.
Am Ex will only give you a limited number of charge cards. Filling a slot with a card that has less value if you spend more on it is short sighted. Unlimited 5% at grocery stores is so valuable. Most of their cards offer free AU cards. All of the cards are eligible for sync deals. So are Serve cards, which also allow 5 AU cards (they just call them sub-accounts, but they function like an AU card with sync offers and small business offers).
That’s a really good point that I didn’t even think of.
Thanks I do appreciate the support! We’ll try to continue to create them infographics too! Glad you’re enjoying them.
Well, folks can disagree about “the best” credit cards, but it’s hard to disagree about the worst USA frequent flyer program. That is undoubtedly Delta, due to their very stingy award availability, difficulty in finding that availability, and higher mileage levels for most awards. For that reason, it’s generally a bad idea for anyone getting started in the “frequent flyer game” to collect Delta miles — unless they live in a Delta hub city and find that they HAVE to fly Delta.
If you carefully read Gary’s last post on the Delta credit cards, you’ll see he actually earns his miles by having a Delta Suntrust debit card (which, I believe, is no longer possible to sign up for). There are some tricks that make this card useful if you have the patience to buy money orders or pay bills with it — there are no other debit cards that earn mileage bonuses (which makes it PERHAPS worthwhile to collect Skymiles this way). So if you’re using the Suntrust card, perhaps it could make sense to “goose” your Skymiles account with a credit card sign up. But this would be useful for very few people.
I love your first point. I believe it is a scientific fact that Delta has the worst program in the US. I saw it on Bill Nye.
But it’s not true that the Delta card is the only debit that earns. What about AA?
Drew, you rock. You see that the bloggers behind the curtain are not wizards, just a bunch of people who pretend to be looking out for their readers and are just shills. Nothing wrong with the business of pimping cards, just have some integrity and admit that that is what you are all doing.
Drew you scare them because you are exposing the truth. Keep up the great work. You and Caroline enjoy every moment and thanks for your great ideas also.
Thanks Flyer,
Not sure I scare anyone though. They may not even know I exist! lol
MMh the 70,000 Marriott points give you up to 9 nights at Gulf area (Doha, Kuwait) hotels that otherwise will cost you $250+.
Delta Skymiles can be used effectively but I agree almost nobody can 🙁
Two thumbs up for the Everyday Cash cards – I can;’t find much value there.
I appreciate the honesty in this post. I have been seeing a lot of posts about the delta offers but I have also seen posts in the past about why delta’s program is not very good so i appreciate clearing that up.
Got approved for the United 55K offer can’t wait to get that bonus!
Re:
“But when you use your miles with Delta, you’re screwed.
Flying to China? Screwed. France? Screwed. $516 extra per ticket kind of screwed.”
As a data point, here are actuals associated with a trip I’ve booked for Sept 2014:
Delta Award Ticket
Cincinnati, OH, US > Paris, France > Nice, France RT
Skymiles: 60,000/ticket (Economy Comfort coach)
Taxes/fees: $119/ticket
Okay, so I’m going to enter the Citi debate with a cashback card I haven’t seen anyone mention.
I was targeted, applied for, and received a Capital One Spark Card for Business which includes 2% across the board (no minimum to cash out), a $500 Cash bonus after $4500 in minimum spend, and NO ANNUAL FEE.
Yes, that is right, I am claiming that I received a targeted version of a card that doesn’t just have a bigger bonus, but has in fact a different annual fee structure – $0 versus $59.
So someone please tell me if there is a better non category cashback card out there. In my mind, this one beats all of those mentioned: Amex Fidelity, Citi, and Barclays hands down…
Hi Drew,
Great post. I definitely feel the same way as you with many of these cards. My girlfriend’s first card was the Delta Amex, before we knew better. We ended up using 50k for cash & points for us to go to Puerto Rico. Yes, a good idea, but there are cheaper ways to get to San Juan. She canceled it after a year because the miles were so useless.
I don’t understand the obsession with the 50k Delta. I get targeted offers in my e-mail a couple times a year for 50k Delta and always ignored.
And the Marriot 70k? That’s been live on Flyertalk for literally a year, but no one cared, because likely no referral bonus. There’s a reason why no writes about the IHG Visa (now MC), even though I think one of the best hotel cards out there, period. (not for spend obviously :-P). We’ve stayed 13 free nights in US, Canada, and Costa Rica from those 80k, and still have 45k left.
Ultimately, great post. We’ve been doing this for a year, so although we’re pretty new, we’re not falling for the bloggers anymore.
I do like the idea of the EveryDay Amex, although we don’t have it. Usually we apply to cards for the bonus, not the everyday spend. The only card we have where everyday spend truly makes a difference is the Chase Ink, otherwise real spending doesn’t amount to much miles. I don’t think we’d spend enough at grocery stores to get that many Amex points.
Speaking of, two questions:
1) Do you think Amex Points are worth collecting?
2) What do you think of the Barclay Arrival Plus?
Drew,
I’d LOVE to hear your response on this. I see you bashing the Citi Double Cash card, but I don’t see how it can’t be a good thing. Here’s the skinny.
My wife and I spend around $35,000-45,000 a year currently on our AMEX Clear card (its a straight 1% cash back and no annual fee). Just so you are aware less than 30% of our annual spend is at gas stations and grocery stores. We also pay our balance in full every single month.
So, now along comes this double cash back card. Assuming we spend about $40,000 a year, going from the 1% to the 2% is an extra $400! I don’t care one bit about travel rewards – I travel a lot for work and have more frequent flier and marriott points than I know what to do with. So, please, in my scenario, how can this double cash back card not be the best one? What is better? Thanks
Nate