Rose City Cruiser Posted July 31, 2018 Report Share Posted July 31, 2018 I am looking into getting the AMEX Platinum card - Canadian Edition. Seems like it is worth it for the type of travelling we will be doing and the perks that goes with it including airport lounge access (Priority Pass, Delta Sky Lounge, Amex Centurion lounge), gold status at SPG hotels, trip cancellation, etc. Just wondering what you use as your travel card and what perks you get. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitsmom Posted July 31, 2018 Report Share Posted July 31, 2018 I have a Platinum AmEx that I use. I use it for most everything and just pay it off every month. It is a good way to add up the points faster too. We had enough points for all our flights for our Alaska trip a few weeks ago, except my return flight (had points for hubby though). I also get a notice on my phone immediately when I use it and I really like that feature. mworkman and Rose City Cruiser 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted July 31, 2018 Report Share Posted July 31, 2018 If you haven't already, be sure to listen to our podcast episode about credit cards and which are best for cruises/travel: https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/podcast/episode-209-using-credit-cards-save-cruise-vacation StephanieH and Rose City Cruiser 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocLC Posted August 1, 2018 Report Share Posted August 1, 2018 I'm largely opposed to credit cards with an annual fee as I usually can't justify the perks based on what I get from the card. My current favorite travel card without fees is my Costco Visa as I earn 3% on all travel-related purchases/expenses and there's no foreign transaction charge. If you'll use the perks of the AMEX card and you'll save in the end, then I'd say go for it. The only downside about AMEX is that fewer merchants take it than Visa and MC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rose City Cruiser Posted August 1, 2018 Author Report Share Posted August 1, 2018 25 minutes ago, DocLC said: I'm largely opposed to credit cards with an annual fee as I usually can't justify the perks based on what I get from the card. My current favorite travel card without fees is my Costco Visa as I earn 3% on all travel-related purchases/expenses and there's no foreign transaction charge. If you'll use the perks of the AMEX card and you'll save in the end, then I'd say go for it. The only downside about AMEX is that fewer merchants take it than Visa and MC. The Citibank Costco USA Visa card has much better travel coverage than the CapitalOne Costco MC card in Canada. Even the USA-version AMEX Platinum card has a few more perks to make the annual fee more worth it. With any card, as long as you are getting positive value in it, it is worth it. DocLC 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mworkman Posted August 1, 2018 Report Share Posted August 1, 2018 I've got the Delta Amex and RC Spank of America card. You get your money back on the Amex via companion ticket price for traveling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellcee Posted August 1, 2018 Report Share Posted August 1, 2018 4 minutes ago, mworkman said: RC Spank of America card. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted August 1, 2018 Report Share Posted August 1, 2018 1 hour ago, DocLC said: I'm largely opposed to credit cards with an annual fee as I usually can't justify the perks based on what I get from the card. I have historically felt this way, and it's why I have not bothered to look into the AmEx or Chase Sapphire cards. Baked Alaska and DocLC 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atlantix2000 Posted August 3, 2018 Report Share Posted August 3, 2018 I've found the Chase Sapphire Reserve a very useful travel credit card but yes, there is a serious sticker shock at the $450 annual fee. My wife certainly thought I was crazy until I explained the benefits. I think she remained skeptical until I used the points (including the sign up bonus) to completely cover the airfare portion of our honeymoon (~$1200 value). Here's the highlights for those that aren't familiar: 3 points per dollar spent in travel and restaurant categories (my 2 biggest expenses anyway). 1 point per dollar on everything else. Points are nominally $0.01 each but if you use the Chase website to redeem them for travel (you book your flights/hotels/etc from chase.com) you get a 50% bonus so they are worth $0.015 each. So your travel and restaurant spending ends up giving you the equivalent of 4.5% cash back. $300 per year travel rebate. (The first $300 in travel expenses are credited back to you on the same statement as the charge. This alone means the annual fee drops from $450 to $150 as long as you use the card for travel costs which is the whole point.) $100 credit towards Global Entry or TSA PreCheck signup fees. (I'm not clear on whether this is per year since those items are good for 5 years and I don't need to renew yet.) All Chase credit cards actually earn the same type of points (called Ultimate Rewards) so you can get additional benefits by pairing the Chase Sapphire with a Chase Freedom card. The Freedom has no annual fee and each quarter it earns 5 points per dollar on a single category (like gas, grocery, restaurant, Amazon, etc) and 1 point per dollar on everything else. So if you keep track of which card to use when, you can earn 5%, transfer the points to the Sapphire's point balance and redeem with the 50% bonus to get an effective 7.5% cash back! Long story short, as long as you use these cards correctly, they give benefits far greater than the annual fees. Of course, carrying a balance and paying interest negates those benefits very quickly! JLMoran, Steve L and Rose City Cruiser 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted August 3, 2018 Report Share Posted August 3, 2018 Great wrap up @Atlantix2000. I very probably should get it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CGTLH Posted August 3, 2018 Report Share Posted August 3, 2018 58 minutes ago, Atlantix2000 said: $100 credit towards Global Entry or TSA PreCheck signup fees. (I'm not clear on whether this is per year since those items are good for 5 years and I don't need to renew yet.) Reading the terms it says every 4 years. Travel coverage is intriguing, that might be worth part of the fee as well. Only catch looks like the entire trip would have to charged on that card. Challenge is just swallowing the $450 fee mentally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rose City Cruiser Posted August 3, 2018 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2018 I have read you can downgrade the CSR to a Freedom if your travelling frequency changes. That way you won't lose the accrued points. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coneyraven Posted August 3, 2018 Report Share Posted August 3, 2018 Global Travelers we are not .... The best card we have and truly use is our Southwest Airlines Visa.... Being that we live near Baltimore (hub for SW) and most of my family is in Central Florida, it affords us the ability to take advantage of it frequently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pooch Posted August 4, 2018 Report Share Posted August 4, 2018 We also use the SWA VISA. Live in New England with a daughter in central Florida and havent paid for a flight in 8 years. Last year took extended family, 7 in all, to WDW and the flight down for everyone came to $77. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thetechie Posted August 4, 2018 Report Share Posted August 4, 2018 I just started using the Costco Citi card. That 4% back on gas and 3% on travel and dining adds up quick for us.. I also use my Visa card through my credit union. We accumulate "score card rewards" points that can be redeemed for a variety of things, including travel. For example, we have a cruise booked on Navigator for 9 nights to the Southern Caribbean and using our points, we got a spacious balcony room for a whopping grand total of $17.55 for two people. Not a bad deal! JLMoran 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pooch Posted August 4, 2018 Report Share Posted August 4, 2018 Wow!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilson Posted August 4, 2018 Report Share Posted August 4, 2018 We have been using the Sam's Club Mastercard for three years now. Pays cash back annually as follows: 5% on fuel, 3% on travel, 3% on dining and 1% on everything else. Like the Costco card there are no annual or foreign transaction fees. We charge everything on the credit card (except mortgage and car payment, but wish I could) and always pay off the balance monthly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve L Posted August 4, 2018 Report Share Posted August 4, 2018 On 8/3/2018 at 10:41 AM, Atlantix2000 said: I've found the Chase Sapphire Reserve a very useful travel credit card. This is my go-to travel card as well. The travel benefits are hard to beat and save me from paying for travel insurance as I did the first time I went on a cruise. So after the $300 travel credit as you stated it brings the real cost down to $150. We eat at the Timberline Grill at DIA for free before every cruise ( and vacation for that matter) with the Priority Pass card that comes with the Reserve. Plus I dropped my AAA card roadside assistance coverage ( that I have not needed to tap for years $68) that I paid every year because this card covers a portion of that as well. Yeah the $450 up front cost is hard to swallow but with the generous point earning structure you get plus the 1.5 multiplier they give for using your points for travel makes this card a no-brainer for me. And I'm a frugal guy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atlantix2000 Posted August 4, 2018 Report Share Posted August 4, 2018 Travel insurance is a perk but it isn't quite as generous as I initially thought. My wife and I just took a trip to Greece with her sister and I purchased our flights to/from Europe using my card. I figured all three tickets were bought on the card so we should all have the insurance. However, the fine print says only the cardholder and immediate family (spouse plus kids) get the insurance. We ended up not purchasing extra insurance for her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve L Posted August 4, 2018 Report Share Posted August 4, 2018 17 minutes ago, Atlantix2000 said: However, the fine print says only the cardholder and immediate family (spouse plus kids) get the insurance. We ended up not purchasing extra insurance for her. Yeah I've seen that fine print. It kind of makes sense that this benefit would be for immediate family. That works for my family of 4 for all of our trips. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rose City Cruiser Posted August 4, 2018 Author Report Share Posted August 4, 2018 30 minutes ago, Atlantix2000 said: However, the fine print says only the cardholder and immediate family (spouse plus kids) get the insurance. We ended up not purchasing extra insurance for her. Looked at the CSR policy wording. "Immediate Family Member means your Spouse or Domestic Partner and their children, including adopted children or step-children; legal guardians or wards; siblings or siblings-in-law; parents or parents-in-law; grandparents or grandchildren; aunts or uncles; nieces or nephews." Your sister-in-law would have been covered if she was travelling with you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atlantix2000 Posted August 6, 2018 Report Share Posted August 6, 2018 On 8/4/2018 at 5:50 PM, jurrjurr said: Looked at the CSR policy wording. "Immediate Family Member means your Spouse or Domestic Partner and their children, including adopted children or step-children; legal guardians or wards; siblings or siblings-in-law; parents or parents-in-law; grandparents or grandchildren; aunts or uncles; nieces or nephews." Your sister-in-law would have been covered if she was travelling with you. Hmm, you're right for the Trip Interruption and Trip Cancellation coverages. However, Trip Delay Reimbursement (covering expenses for delays of 6+ hours including possible overnight stays) is different. That section says: You, a person to whom a United States (U.S.) credit card has been issued (“Cardholder”), your spouse, and your dependent children under twenty-two (22) years of age are automatically covered when a portion or the entire cost of the Common Carrier fare, is purchased with your Chase credit card account (“Account”). I knew I had seen wording suggesting she wasn't covered. I just wasn't careful enough to read ALL the fine print! Rose City Cruiser 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karl_nj Posted August 10, 2018 Report Share Posted August 10, 2018 On 8/3/2018 at 1:49 PM, jurrjurr said: I have read you can downgrade the CSR to a Freedom if your travelling frequency changes. That way you won't lose the accrued points. Yes, that is true. However the points would then be worth less if you only have a Freedom - only 1c per point instead of 1.5c, and also no way to transfer to travel partners like United and Hyatt. Complicated transfers to airline programs for international flight redemptions, or transfers to Hyatt for hotel stays are generally the best way to get most value from the points. But 1.5c though the travel portal for flights is pretty easy and not a bad way to burn the points. You can also call Chase and book cruises or WDW trips at that redemption rate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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