"Credit card showdown: Chase Sapphire Reserve vs. Amex Gold"

https://thepointsguy.com/guide...eserve-vs-amex-gold/

quote:

No one, unless you're an idiot, gets these cards with the intention of leaving a balance on them.

Preach!

Wife travels over 100 days per year, on average. We kill it on the card points, absolutely kill it. Free flights, free hotels, airport lounges, first class upgrades, it's awesome. I'd pay my mortgage on that thing if they'd let me. Anything I could pay for in cash, we use the card. It's worked out VERY well for the past 10 years.

Coronavirus has sucked the wind out of the sails for sure, but there is no way we'd ditch the card. All of our shit is basically subsidized by other consumers.

quote:

Originally posted by Rev. A. J. Forsyth:

quote:

No one, unless you're an idiot, gets these cards with the intention of leaving a balance on them.

Preach!

Wife travels over 100 days per year, on average. We kill it on the card points, absolutely kill it. Free flights, free hotels, airport lounges, first class upgrades, it's awesome. I'd pay my mortgage on that thing if they'd let me. Anything I could pay for in cash, we use the card. It's worked out VERY well for the past 10 years.

Coronavirus has sucked the wind out of the sails for sure, but there is no way we'd ditch the card. All of our shit is basically subsidized by other consumers.

Truth.

quote:

Originally posted by Balzé Halzé:


No one, unless you're an idiot, gets these cards with the intention of leaving a balance on them.

Good Intentions pave the highway of bad decisions. Yet 39% of Cardholders were carrying a balance as of 4th Q 2019. We do not carry balances - unless it is a 0% promotional purchase from Best Buy or Lowes for a dishwasher.

quote:

Originally posted by Rev. A. J. Forsyth:

quote:

No one, unless you're an idiot, gets these cards with the intention of leaving a balance on them.

Preach!

Wife travels over 100 days per year, on average. We kill it on the card points, absolutely kill it. Free flights, free hotels, airport lounges, first class upgrades, it's awesome. I'd pay my mortgage on that thing if they'd let me. Anything I could pay for in cash, we use the card. It's worked out VERY well for the past 10 years.

Coronavirus has sucked the wind out of the sails for sure, but there is no way we'd ditch the card. All of our shit is basically subsidized by other consumers.

Has nobody else's firm moved to corporate credit cards? Of about 12 that are in a poker/ drinking/ pool club, only one was left able to use his own card for work - nearly everybody (most in fortune 500 companies) have been issued corporate cards, and earn no value from them. My expenses for each of the last two years were in excess of $30,000, and I dearly miss that added benefit, which was when I cut the Sapphire Reserve card, but even then, I was not able to book through the Chase system, our firm has a travel portal everything needed to be booked through.

quote:

Originally posted by 280nosler:

quote:

Originally posted by Rev. A. J. Forsyth:

quote:

No one, unless you're an idiot, gets these cards with the intention of leaving a balance on them.

Preach!

Wife travels over 100 days per year, on average. We kill it on the card points, absolutely kill it. Free flights, free hotels, airport lounges, first class upgrades, it's awesome. I'd pay my mortgage on that thing if they'd let me. Anything I could pay for in cash, we use the card. It's worked out VERY well for the past 10 years.

Coronavirus has sucked the wind out of the sails for sure, but there is no way we'd ditch the card. All of our shit is basically subsidized by other consumers.

Has nobody else's firm moved to corporate credit cards? Of about 12 that are in a poker/ drinking/ pool club, only one was left able to use his own card for work - nearly everybody (most in fortune 500 companies) have been issued corporate cards, and earn no value from them. My expenses for each of the last two years were in excess of $30,000, and I dearly miss that added benefit, which was when I cut the Sapphire Reserve card, but even then, I was not able to book through the Chase system, our firm has a travel portal everything needed to be booked through.

Yeah, we can’t use our own cards for business travel either.

quote:

No one, unless you're an idiot, gets these cards with the intention of leaving a balance on them.

You just proved my point. How many idiots do you think exist on the planet?

Edited for spelling.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: 12131,

I have a Chase Sapphire Reserve.

If you are a frequent business traveler, especially international, even with a company business expense card it still pays for itself.

$100 TSA credit, $300 annual travel credit, free membership to Priority Club, points can convert to any airline or hotel program, or used through Chase travel for 1.5x value, no international transaction fees, much better customer support.

Priority Club membership gets you and a guest into airport lounges all over the world for free, which is worth about $30 per person per entry. Very useful if your company policy does not allow business class or first class for flights shorter than a certain duration (which means no lounge, except for airline status based lounges that vary on entry rules). No matter where you are, there's a free lounge with drinks and wifi. Doesn't take more than 2 drinks and a little food to get $30 value.

Big companies have guidelines and rules about expenses - daily guidelines for food, no minibar expenses, no bar tabs (only with a meal, or even no alcohol period), no paid lounge visits, no paid upgrades, no personal items (clothes, luggage, toiletries), no tourism fees or admission to things during time off. If you take vacation tacked onto a business trip, the extra day's expenses are usually on you (sometimes a day or two extra to save even more on a flight can be expensed).

This year Chase applied the $300 travel credit to non-travel food expenses. They are also allowing 1.5x credit pay-yourself-back for grocery and restaurant expenses using points, so I burned everything I had in the last couple months and got a couple grand back. I don't need the Chase points for travel, I have tons of airline miles and hotel points.

I also have the "base" level United and Hilton credit cards because they are my primary brands and annual fees are less than $100. United card gets you access to much better award tickets and itineraries, and the Hilton card guaranties Gold status (which means free lounges and upgrades).

quote:

Has nobody else's firm moved to corporate credit cards? Of about 12 that are in a poker/ drinking/ pool club, only one was left able to use his own card for work - nearly everybody (most in fortune 500 companies) have been issued corporate cards, and earn no value from them. My expenses for each of the last two years were in excess of $30,000, and I dearly miss that added benefit, which was when I cut the Sapphire Reserve card, but even then, I was not able to book through the Chase system, our firm has a travel portal everything needed to be booked through.

Sssshhhhhhh! Mum's the word man! It is a fortune 500 company, they still let her use her card.

quote:

Originally posted by 12131:

quote:

No one, unless you're an idiot, gets these cards with the intention of leaving a balance on them.

You just proved my point. How many idiots do you think exist on the planet?

Edited for spelling.

Nevertheless, the fact still remains, most people who get these very high end, flagship travel credit cards with very high annual fees are not the people keeping a large balance or any balance on their cards.

Bumping a 2-month old thread. I checked my Delta Platinum AMEX transactions on-line and the MFers raised the annual membership fee by 28.2%. I'm not flying right now and was having a hard time justifying the old $195, but $250 is asinine.

I just hung up from talking to them and they processed a $50 credit. Definitely worth calling any premium travel cards as other cards may also have already have authorized their operators to give credits if people complain.

A few weeks ago, I also took advantage of their 100% reimbursement of the $100 Global Entry fee (good for 5 years) so at least I'm receiving some benefit.

^^^^
The fee change and benefits update was announced as early as last Fall.
https://www.businessinsider.co...lcome-bonuses-2019-9

Going from $195 to $250, but, you took advantage of the $100 GE credit (new addition for 2020) so, your annual fee for 2020 nets out to $150.

These cards need to be your primary travel card but, also your grocery & eating-out card to maximize the benefits. Only apply bonus purchase categories on these cards otherwise, the APR is too high.

quote:

Originally posted by Rev. A. J. Forsyth:
Sssshhhhhhh! Mum's the word man! It is a fortune 500 company, they still let her use her card.

I generally follow the practice of, "It's better to beg for forgiveness than ask for permission."

I plan on cancelling my CSR card next month ahead of my renewal unless they are willing to drop the fee by the $100 they raised it. Too many other cards with great signup bonuses. The added benefits they added are of no value to me.

quote:

Originally posted by mcrimm:
I plan on cancelling my CSR card next month ahead of my renewal unless they are willing to drop the fee by the $100 they raised it. Too many other cards with great signup bonuses. The added benefits they added are of no value to me.

Instead of cancelling and taking the hit on your FICO, can you downgrade the card to the CS Preferred card?

quote:

Originally posted by corsair:
^^^^
The fee change and benefits update was announced as early as last Fall.
https://www.businessinsider.co...lcome-bonuses-2019-9

I missed it or forgot as it was over 11 months ago. Regardless, it's a different world than when they announced the fee increase which is why they have already authorized the phone representative (i.e. person with no policy making ability) to refund $50 of the $55 increase.

quote:

Originally posted by corsair:
but, you took advantage of the $100 GE credit (new addition for 2020) so, your annual fee for 2020 nets out to $150.

You don't renew global entry every year so with its 5-year renewal it nets out to $230/year ($150 this year followed by 4 years of $250).

quote:

Originally posted by tatortodd:

quote:

Originally posted by corsair:
but, you took advantage of the $100 GE credit (new addition for 2020) so, your annual fee for 2020 nets out to $150.

You don't renew global entry every year so with its 5-year renewal it nets out to $230/year ($150 this year followed by 4 years of $250).

My error, that's correct.
With the CSR, you get a $300/year credit, which helps soften the annual fees.

With the all that 2020 has wrought, these travel cards are scrambling to see some kind of bump in user usage, while attempting to off-set that pinch with additional benefits.