re: Credit Card Rewards and Points Discussion

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If you just want cash back, I'd go with either Citi Double Cash or Amex Blue Cash Preferred


The latter if you spend a lot in gas and groceries.

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yep
And I'll add the Chase Freedom. It comes with a $150 signup bonus right now.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred has a 50k signup right now for $4k spend which might be too much for you.

Citi AA Platinum is $3k for 50k points.

Chase Hyatt card comes($1k spend) with 2 free nights anywhere and 5k points for an authorized user. Card also gets 2x at restaurants and Hyatt points are pretty valuable to me.

There's a 55k point Chase United card out there.

Really just depends on what/how you want to redeem points for.

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Is the AA plat better than the Premier?

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Just depends on how you want to redeem. AA points are more valuable but can be difficult to redeem domestically. 50k AA points will get you a roundtrip to Europe. 50k TYP will not.

As long as it's not a habit you are correct. Chase is particular seems to be cracking down on churners this year.

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What's the verdict on St Croix?

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St. Croix was good but not the best island I've visited. People keep their properties clean which is nice when you compare it to somewhere like St. Maarten where every front yard looks like a trash dump.

Beaches were ok and the food overall was very good. Savant, Duggan's Reef, Pier 69 and Blue Water Terrace were the standout restaurants. Sandy Point is a great beach but only open on the weekends as it is a major breeding ground for sea turtles.

We felt safe but followed the advice of locals on when and where to be out at night. There is a lot of crime on the island but it's not generally violent crime against tourists. It's bad people killing bad people.

It's quiet during the off season and picks up from November through May and there are a ton of retired people that own property and winter there as the real estate is very affordable and you can get a house on a hill with fantastic views. We may go back to visit but I don't think it's an island we'll buy property on. The lure of the BVI and all the islands to visit and things to do there may be too much for me to pass on.

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We felt safe but followed the advice of locals on when and where to be out at night. There is a lot of crime on the island but it's not generally violent crime against tourists. It's bad people killing bad people.

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Common throughout most of the Caribbean really. Governments can't afford to have tourists getting killed and putting a strain on tourist dollars coming to the island.

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It's quiet during the off season and picks up from November through May and there are a ton of retired people that own property and winter there as the real estate is very affordable and you can get a house on a hill with fantastic views. We may go back to visit but I don't think it's an island we'll buy property on. The lure of the BVI and all the islands to visit and things to do there may be too much for me to pass on.

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Very nice. I'm sure I'll get to St Croix one day. It's one of the few more populated islands I haven't checked out.

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Very nice. I'm sure I'll get to St Croix one day. It's one of the few more populated islands I haven't checked out.

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When you go you absolutely have to go to the rain forest and see the beer drinking pigs. Hilarious.

St. Croix beer drinking pigs

AA New award chart:

Most knew it was coming...but ouch. F redemptions got beat up.

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To give a few examples of changes in business class redemption rates:

Business class between the US and Europe increases by 7,500 miles, from 50,000 miles to 57,500 miles
Business class between the US and Asia 1 increases by 10,000 miles, from 50,000 miles to 60,000 miles
Business class between the US and Asia 2 increases by 15,000 miles, from 55,000 miles to 70,000 miles
Business class between the US and South Pacific increases by 17,500 miles, from 62,500 miles to 80,000 miles (in the highly unlikely event you can find award space)
Business class between the US and Middle East increases by 2,500 miles, from 67,500 miles to 70,000 miles

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And to give a few examples of changes in first class redemption rates:

First class between the US and Europe increases by 22,500 miles, from 62,500 miles to 85,000 miles (the only partner offering first class to Europe is British Airways, so you’ll still pay $400+ each way in carrier imposes fuel surcharges)
First class between the US and Asia 1 increases by 17,500 miles, from 62,500 miles to 80,000 miles
First class between the US and Asia 2 increases by 42,500 miles, from 67,500 miles to 110,000 miles
First class between the US and South Pacific increases by 37,500 miles, from 72,500 miles to 110,000 miles (in the highly unlikely event you can find Qantas first class award space)
First class between the US and Middle East increases by 25,000 miles, from 90,000 miles to 115,000 miles

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I see they are already offering fee waivers or 10k points for folks on FT. I'd take the 10k in a heartbeat.

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FT is Flyer Talk? Do you have to be a member there to get SPG to offer you 10k or a fee waiver? I was about to call and cancel today but got busy, but I would keep the card another year with 10k or a fee waiver no doubt. Tell me how to do this, obi wan

ETA: went to FT and read a couple pages of the thread. Seems like every other post says they were offered nothing or something small like $25. I'll try tomorrow on the # they listed and see what I get offered. Knowing my luck they'll raise the fee

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I'd be surprised to see this again, but I actually wish I would've not done it now

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Yeah, no kidding

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Unfortunately for us, the consumer, we are left one with less option that had a reasonable award chart for their high end properties. Marriott high end has some ridiculous redemption prices.

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Definitely. I don't get why Marriott and Hilton have shitty point values. I don't even entertain their points because they seem so worthless. I should look into Hyatt though. IHG can't get the over water bungalow, Starwood going to shite, and as I see you posted below AA became scumbags like UA and Delta with their awards.

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You'll be fine. They accept reservations up to 1.5 years out. Just book before the merger closes next summer.

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Good call. I'll either swap them over to AA miles if they have the bonus again (although AA is getting so devalued) or I'll book a year ahead of time. Of course, if the IHG points don't work in Bora Bora I could stay with their hotels in Munich as well.