re: Credit Card Rewards and Points Discussion

Right Amex cards don't earn points but some report it working towards spend thresholds.

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Teddy, you see upset folks over at "TPG" when they blogged about AP? . I'd be highly disappointed if they began to limit AP. I'm sure its day will come though.

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noooooooo

What's going to happen? I enjoy my free 1K in points monthly

True.

I don't really abuse it though. I do my 1K and am done with it.

I'm sure there are some folks that get 5 or 10 accounts going through family members etc. to take advantage of it.

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Nothing happened. One of the most popular CC bloggers wrote a detailed piece on AP and its use. The free $1k/month is a loss leader for AP in hopes that people use it more, but when too many people just use the free services, they'll end up axing it I'm sure.

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Good ole circle and arrows.

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I carry the Southwest Visa now because it is the best frequent flyer rewards card and Southwest is unquestionably the best airline flying.

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There is no one size fits all. To fly Southwest on the best routes I have to drive an hour to BWI. American and United both have hubs at Dulles which is 10 minutes away. They both fly to destinations I frequent. British Airways is also a OneWorld partner with American and using their points to fly domestically can be a huge value if you know what you are doing.

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Why carry more than one or two credit cards of any kind? Why every carry a balance? I have never had a credit card balance that caused interest to accrue in 40 years of carry cards.

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Because different cards give different rewards and I can transfer the points in a manner that benefits me most. BTW, I charge a lot personally and through my business a month and don't pay a penny in interest. It's simply about being responsible. Your criticism of those in this thread is completely unwarranted.

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Your criticism of those in this thread is completely unwarranted

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I didn't see me criticize anyone.

I don't see anyone trying to prove any mileage cards have day in and day out long term benefits worth more than 2% of purchases either--the point of my post.

Why get a credit card, for example, that lets you have free bags on a particular carrier? I will always include the charges I expect a carrier to charge me for bags when I compare fares.

It's smoke and mirrors. BUT SWA's card does generate points you can use to fly every time you get them. You don't have to wait to reach some level of award.

2% cash back gives you more money to fly with, blow, get a hotel, invest whatever than almost any reward program.

Have you considered that people value different things when it comes to credit cards and reward programs?

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Have you considered that people value different things when it comes to credit cards and reward programs?

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Yes.

I have also witnessed people chase rewards and spend way too much for things than they need to in order to get rewards.

I made my salesmen carry company cards for travel after watching them stick to particular airlines and hotels to get rewards when cheaper cost fares and hotels were obviously available.

The cash backs will buy you what you want. Southwest Visa, a lucrative reward card on a relative basis, gives you a point a dollar in spending plus bonuses on purchases from them.

Right now a "fly this weekend" ticket round trip to Vegas is $846 or 53134 points. That comes out to 1.59% of card purchases which is 20% less than the 2% cash back on all purchases cards. It takes $53134.00 in spending to get the Vegas trip. On the 2% cash back you would have gotten $1062.68 pocketing $198.68 on your trip.


How many people take the time to evaluate the value of the points they are getting?? Very few. Even fewer consider the limitations of their rewards when they evaluate their value. Those same SW points that are worth 1.6% of purchases when you fly on SW are only worth .8% or .5% when you buy a hotel room. I bought the Hilton at Destin this summer with SWA points and the rate to buy the room with points was $50 a night higher than I could by them with cash based on my computation.

I have 240,000 Delta points that really suck. I have had them 10-15 years. They are so restrictive I have never used them.

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I have 240,000 Delta points that really suck. I have had them 10-15 years. They are so restrictive I have never used them.

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I will kindly take them as a donation

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I will kindly take them as a donation

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Can't just give them to anybody per Delta.

Another good thing about SWA I could buy you a ticket on their airline with their points.

Delta may have changed their program but last time I checked I could not transfer them.