In this week’s episode of Card Talk, Frequent Miler’s bi-weekly series in which Greg and I meet with a reader to do a credit card intervention, we met with Parker, a groom-to-be planning a dream honeymoon trip to either Bora Bora or the Maldives and Australia in 2022. Whereas in previous Card Talk episodes we had focused on narrowing down a credit card portfolio, this time we focused on how to strategically expand a collection for an awesome trip.
Meet Parker
Parker pitched his need for a Card Talk intervention with the following:
I’m currently planning for a honeymoon that (fingers crossed) will occur 2 years from now. Currently planning on Bora Bora or the Maldives with a stop over in Australia and would love to know which of my credit cards I should keep, cancel, and which ones I need to sign up for.
That description appealed to us because we spent the first couple of Card Talk episodes with Jim and then Jen focusing more closely on trimming down wallets that had gotten a little unruly with annual fees. This time, we would focus on adding the right cards at the right time to make a specific trip happen — albeit with a more unpredictable flight and award availability schedule since it is harder than usual to know what the new normal will be in 2022. Strategically adding cards that would simultaneously provide good options for what Parker wants and flexibility for what circumstances allow in 2022 is the best strategy at this point in the planning stage.
A (nearly) blank slate
Parker and his bride-to-be only have a few credit cards between the two of them, so they are both under 5/24. They currently have some Delta and United miles, though neither currency is likely to be terribly useful for this particular trip. Thankfully, Parker also has a good start on Chase Ultimate Rewards points with a Sapphire Reserve card and about 80K points. This means options are open but also that there was some work to be done in terms of building a card portfolio and the order in which to do it.
Dump part of the small collection?
One topic that we managed to skip over entirely during our discussion was whether to dump any of Parker & his girlfriend’s cards. We were so focused on building up for the trip and which cards would best suit his needs that we managed to gloss over where they can save a few bucks.
Specifically, though not mentioned in the video, Parker told us that he has a Delta Gold Amex card and his girlfriend has a Chase United credit card. Neither of those cards will specifically help them toward their goals. However, I wouldn’t recommend that they close either card yet.
Given that each of them have relatively thin credit profiles given just a couple of credit cards and a few years of credit history, they probably do not yet want to drop any cards — at least until they have successfully added a few more that they want to have for this trip. Particularly in the current environment, where many issuers are tightening up a bit on approvals, I think they aren’t increasing their odds by thinning their credit profiles given their position (to be clear, if they had five or six cards each, I wouldn’t hesitate to close whichever cards aren’t being used; with just 1-3 cards each, it may be more prudent to hold until they’ve added a few more).
And actually, in their case, they really only have those two airline cards (Delta Gold and Chase United) that aren’t worth keeping. In the case of the Chase United card, I’d never recommend canceling but rather downgrading to the MileagePlus card (not to be confused with the MileagePlus Explorer card). The United MileagePlus card has no annual fee and earns an awful 1 mile per $2 spent, but it maintains access to expanded award availability that is reserved for Chase credit card holders. Unless you highly value the free checked bag benefit on the United Explorer card (keep in mind that benefit only applies when you use the card to book a ticket), the no-fee Mileage Plus card makes sense as the long-term keeper (this no-fee card is not available to new applicants, it is only available as a product change option).
The Delta Gold card I would likely cancel at next annual fee, particularly assuming that they have added a couple more cards to their portfolio by then.
New cards & opportunities
Interestingly, I have previously written a guide on how to plan a trip to the Maldives, complete with hotels and flights covered, using welcome bonuses from just two credit cards. See that post here:
Of course, Parker wants to add a trip to Australia as well, so his situation will require a bit more planning. He also hasn’t definitively decided between the Maldives or Bora Bora for the tropical paradise portion of his trip. After my trip to Bora Bora last year, I wrote several posts that he and other readers looking to take a trip there may find of interest:
- How to save money on your trip to Bora Bora
- How the Conrad Bora Bora Nui rolled out the red carpet
- Conrad Bora Bora vs. St Regis Bora Bora: Which was better?
That said, the cards Parker wants for his trip are likely similar whichever way he ultimately decides to go. Read on for our recommendations.
Hotels: Ultimate Rewards for Australia / New Zealand
Parker noted that he is particularly interested in staying in some luxury hotels. While he was perhaps more focused on that goal for the Maldives or Bora Bora, Greg pointed out that both Sydney and Auckland (a potential stop) have Park Hyatt hotels that would be great uses of Chase Ultimate Rewards points. The Park Hyatt Sydney is very highly regarded and the Park Hyatt Auckland is scheduled to open later this year (which has been getting pushed back for years and will likely get pushed back again, but it’s a safe bet that it will probably be open by 2022). Since Chase Ultimate Rewards points transfer 1:1 to Hyatt with Parker’s Sapphire Reserve credit card (and could then be transferred from one Hyatt account to another if Parker knows someone with Hyatt Globalist status so that they could make him a Guest of Honor booking), adding about 100K Ultimate Rewards points to his balance would be a useful goal. That would give him enough points for 6 nights at properties like those Park Hyatts. Alternatively, he could use his points through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal to book a hotel at a value of 1.5c per point, which will give him plenty of room to shop around for other hotels.
Note also that excess Ultimate Rewards points may be handy for topping off accounts for his flights and also for paying for domestic flights from Papeete, Tahiti to Bora Bora within French Polynesia since those flights can not be booked using airline miles. (Flights in the Maldives from Male to your resort island are usually sea plane transfers that can’t be booked through the portal).
Luckily, Parker and his girlfriend are already over the first hurdle to building a Chase Ultimate Rewards balance: the Chase 5/24 rule.
| Chase's 5/24 Rule: With most Chase credit cards, Chase will not approve your application if you have opened 5 or more cards with any bank in the past 24 months. To determine your 5/24 status, see: 3 Easy Ways to Count Your 5/24 Status. The easiest option is to track all of your cards for free with Travel Freely. |
As Greg has previously written in many posts about starting out a credit card collection, the best bet has historically been to begin by adding Chase business cards. That’s because Chase business cards do not add to one’s 5/24 count (though they are subject to the 5/24 rule).
| Chase 5/24 semantics ("Subject to" vs. "Count towards"): Most Chase cards are subject to the 5/24 rule. That means the rule is enforced in making approval decisions. In other words, you probably won't get approved if your credit report shows that you opened 5 or more cards in the past 24 months. Meanwhile, most business cards (such as those from Chase, Amex, Barclaycard, BOA, Citi, US Bank, and Wells Fargo) are not reported on your personal credit report. These cards do not count towards 5/24. Example: Chase Ink Business Preferred is subject to 5/24, so you likely won't get approved if over 5/24. If you do get approved, it won't count towards 5/24 since it won't appear as an account on your credit report. |
Of course, to open a business credit card, one needs some business activity. Thankfully, Parker reports that he has a side hustle that would qualify him for business credit cards.
| Applying for Business Credit Cards Yes, you have a business: In order to sign up for a business credit card, you must have a business. That said, it's common for people to have businesses without realizing it. If you sell items at a yard sale, or on eBay, for example, then you have a business. Similar examples include: consulting, writing (e.g. blog authorship, planning your first novel, etc.), handyman services, owning rental property, renting on airbnb, driving for Uber or Lyft, etc. In any of these cases, your business is considered a Sole Proprietorship unless you form a corporation of some sort. When you apply for a business credit card as a sole proprietor, you can use your own name as your business name, use your own address and phone as the business' address and phone, and your social security number as the business' Tax ID / EIN. Alternatively, you can get a proper Tax ID / EIN from the IRS for free, in about a minute, through this website. Is it OK to use business cards for personal expenses? Anecdotally, almost everyone I know uses business cards for personal expenses. That said, the terms in most business card applications state that you should use the card only for business use. Also, some consumer credit card protections do not apply to business cards. My advice: don't use the card for personal expenses if you're not comfortable doing so. |
With that in mind, we recommended starting with Chase Ink Cards.
| Card Offer |
|---|
75K points ⓘ Affiliate 75K after $6K spend in 3 monthsNo Annual Fee Alternate Offer: You may be able to get an offer of 120,000 points after $6,000 in purchases via a Business Relationship Manager. Recent better offer: 90K after $6K spend in 6 monthd (expired 1/17/24) |
Up to 75K points ⓘ Affiliate 35K after $3K spend in 3 months and an additional 40K points after $6K spend in 6 months. In addition, 10% Business Relationship bonus if you have the Ink Business Cash and a Chase Business Checking account on your first anniversary.No Annual Fee Alternate Offer: If you have a household member with an Ink card, you may prefer the referral offer whereby the referrer can earn 40,000 points and the new account holder can earn 75,000 points after $6,000 in purchases in the first 3 months since it will yield more total points. Recent better offer: 90K after $6K spend in 6 monthd (expired 1/17/24 |
100K points ⓘ Affiliate 100K after $8K spend in 3 months$95 Annual Fee Recent better offer: 80K after $5K spend. Many preferred the 80K offer due to the much lower spend requirement |
Even though the Ink Business Preferred card a big 100K offer, that’s not the one we recommend at this time. Chase has been harder on business card approvals lately and with relatively short and thin credit profiles, it seems unlikely that Parker or his girlfriend would be approved for that card. Historically, the no-annual-fee Ink cards have been easier approvals (in part because Chase will approve them with lower credit limits if need be) and they have much lower spending requirements. That makes the Ink Business Cash or Ink Business Unlimited a good fit for Parker. Which of those two to get depends on his side hustle: if he can meet his business’s expenses using Visa or Mastercard gift card purchased at office supply stores, the Ink Business Cash (which earns 5x at office supply stores) would be the better choice. If most of his spend is in unbonused categories, earning 1.5x everywhere with the Ink Business Unlimited might make more sense.
Again, Chase business card approvals have been tough as of late. There is definitely a chance that Parker won’t be approved right now. It still may be worth giving it a shot as the inquiry won’t have a huge long-term effect even if he is turned down. On the other hand, if he decides to go after other cards now, he should keep a close eye on his 5/24 status to make sure he stays under until he has the chance to pick up a Chase business card or two.
Hotels: Amex Hilton Aspire for Bora Bora or the Maldives
Parker hasn’t yet decided whether to spend a few nights in Bora Bora or the Maldives, but either way he is definitely going to want the Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express.
| Card Offer |
|---|
150K Points + free night certificate ⓘ Friend-Referral 150K after $6K spend in first 6 months. Free night certificate every year - first certificate is awarded 8-12 weeks after approval. Terms apply. $550 Annual Fee Information about this card has been collected independently by Frequent Miler. The issuer did not provide the details, nor is it responsible for their accuracy. |
I recommended that he should consider opening the card ASAP. Despite its high annual fee, there were several reasons I recommended the Aspire card right now:
- The card offers a free annual weekend night. Free weekend night certificates issued this year are valid for two years and are valid any night of the week. That adds significant flexibility. The free night certificate Parker earns this year will be valid through his intended honeymoon in 2022.
- Parker will earn a second free night certificate at anniversary next year. He will also earn enough points from the welcome bonus to cover at least one more night if he can find a standard room award. In other words, he can get his desired 3-night stay from this credit card alone.
- Through the end of August, this year’s $250 Hilton resort credit can be used at restaurants. If Parker is likely to spend that much on restaurants / take-out over the next ~6 weeks from the time of writing, he should consider this card right now to get full value out of this benefit.
- The card comes with Hilton Diamond status, which will get him free breakfast at whichever property he chooses and potentially some other perks like a room upgrade and perhaps more (the Conrad Maldives, for example, has offered a free cocktail hour and appetizer each day for Diamond members in the past).
- He will also get a $250 per calendar year airline incidental credit. See: Amex Airline incidental fee credits: What still works?
- Next year after his card anniversary, he could potentially use his next $250 resort credit (this is a cardmember year benefit) by contacting the hotel on which he settles and making an advance deposit (See: Maximize Hilton resort credit without staying every year.). Alternatively, since his honeymoon will be before his subsequent anniversary, he could use wait until his stay and use his Aspire card to pay and earn the $250 credit when paying for food and other things while at the hotel.
I think that adds up to a great deal. In the end, Parker will have paid two annual fees (a total of $900) and gotten:
-
- 3 nights of hotel covered in either Bora Bora or the Maldives (2 nights from free night certificates plus at least one more with points)
- $500 in easy-to-use Hilton resort credits ($250 potentially at restaurants by the end of August 2020 and $250 at his intended resort)
- $750 in Amex Airline incidental credits ($250 in credit to use before the end of 2020, $250 in credit to use in 2021, and $250 in credit to use in 2022, which could be used before his anniversary in July 2022 so he could cancel if he wants to without paying a third annual fee)
- Hilton Diamond status for free breakfast
And he’ll likely still have some Hilton points left over.
He should keep in mind that while I loved the Conrad Bora Bora and the new Waldrof Astoria Maldives gets rave reviews, some honeymooners may prefer the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island given that overwater bungalows are available as standard room rewards. His free night certificates could get him free nights in an overwater bungalow there, which is a relatively unique opportunity.
Flights: Amex Membership Rewards
My advice for Parker’s flights was that he should strongly invest in Amex Membership Rewards points. I gave him that advice because he is looking to fly in luxury on his overwater flights and Membership Rewards gives him many of the best options to do so:
- Transfer partner Air Canada Aeroplan would enable him to book one way in Etihad apartments first class between the US and Australia for 110K points each way
- Transfer partner Flying Blue will likely be his best bet to book a flight to Tahiti if he decides to go to Bora Bora (Air France from LAX-PPT)
- Transfer partner Virgin Atlantic could be a solid option for Delta flights between Australia and the US, particularly if he is able to take advantage of a transfer bonus
- Transfer partner Cathay Pacific Asia Miles would provide another solid option for business class between Australia and the US at 85K one-way and very good availability in business class
- Transfer partner Emirates Skywards may be a good option for flying between the Maldives and Australia in first class if he wants to be extra fancy now that Emirates has dropped its high fuel surcharges
- Transfer partner British Airways Avios could be useful for flights within Australia
In terms of earning Membership Rewards points, our advice was very similar to that given to Jen in Episode 2. There are many different cards that offer Membership Rewards points and since each is a different product, it’s theoretically possible for one person to sign up for each and every one. This means that a single person could pull in many hundreds of thousands of points on their own.
Interestingly, a couple working together can pull in more points than two people working alone. This is true because you can get points for referring each other. For example, Parker can sign up for the Business Platinum card and then refer his girlfriend, and then his girlfriend can refer him to another Amex card. With each referral, the person who sends the referral earns a referral bonus (sometimes as high as 20,000 points) and the person who receives it is eligible for a full welcome bonus. For details, see: Maximizing value from Amex multi-referrals.
In general, Parler and his girlfriend should concentrate mostly on signing up for business cards since those won’t add to their 5/24 count. That said, my first recommendation for Parker was to see if he was targeted for the recent 125K offer on the Amex Platinum card as that would be a great jump-start. Unfortunately, he wasn’t. Greg recommended he then consider the Business Platinum if he can meet the spending requirement and we discussed other Amex cards that may be a good fit. With about a year to collect points, there is plenty of time to pick up a number of welcome bonuses.
Here’s the list of currently available Amex Membership Rewards offers (make sure to click “Next” to see more):
| Card Offer and Details |
|---|
150K points ⓘ Friend-Referral 150K points after $15K spend in the first 3 months. Terms apply. (Rates & Fees)$695 Annual Fee Alternate Offer: Targeted online offer of 170K points after $15K spend in the first 3 months See this post for details. Information about this card has been collected independently by Frequent Miler. The issuer did not provide the details, nor is it responsible for their accuracy. FM Mini Review: This card is absolutely loaded with high end perks. Depending upon your situation, those perks may be worth the annual fee or much more. Click here for our complete card review Earning rate: 5X flights and prepaid hotels at AmexTravel.com ✦ 1.5X points per dollar on eligible purchases of $5000 or more (on up to $2 million of those purchases per year) ✦ 1.5x on US construction/hardware stores, US electronic goods, and US shipping ✦ 1X elsewhere ✦ Terms apply. Card Info: Amex Pay Over Time Card issued by Amex. This card has no foreign currency conversion fees. Noteworthy perks: Select one qualifying airline and receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year for qualifying charges ✦ Up to $400 a year in statement credits for Dell purchases ($200, twice-yearly) ✦ Up to $120 in wireless services credits per year ($10 per month) ✦ $100 Global Entry fee reimbursement.✦ Priority Pass membership (Lounges only) with 2 guests and other airport lounge benefits (Centurion and Delta) ✦ Rental car elite status ✦ Marriott Gold status ✦ Hilton Gold status. ✦ $189 CLEAR fee reimbursement annually ✦ 35% Airline Bonus: Get 35% points back after you Pay With Points for flights with your selected airline (or premium cabin with any airline). Enrollment required for select benefits See also: Amex Platinum Guide |
130K Points ⓘ Friend-Referral 130K points after $10K spend in 3 months. Terms apply. (Rates & Fees)$375 Annual Fee Alternate Offer: Some people can find a targeted offer for up to 150K points. See this for more details.. Information about this card has been collected independently by Frequent Miler. The issuer did not provide the details, nor is it responsible for their accuracy. Recent better offer: (Expired 2/1/24) 130K referral offer after $10K in spend FM Mini Review: This card may be a keeper for those who use the monthly credits, but keep only if you also make good use of one or two 4X categories. Click here for our complete card review Earning rate: Earn 4X in combined eligible purchases in the two categories where your business spends the most each billing cycle (capped at $150K spend per calendar year, then 1x): Electronic goods retailers or software and cloud system providers in the U.S. ✦U.S. purchases at restaurants ✦Monthly wireless telephone service charges made directly from a wireless telephone service provider in the U.S. ✦ U.S. purchases for advertising in select media ✦ U.S. purchases at gas stations ✦ Transit purchases including trains, taxicabs, rideshare services, ferries, tolls, parking, buses, and subways. ✦ 3x on eligible purchases through AmexTravel.com ✦ 1x on all other purchases. Terms apply. Base: 1X (1.55%) Travel: 3X (4.65%) Dine: 4X (6.2%) Gas: 4X (6.2%) Shop: 4X (6.2%) Phone: 4X (6.2%) Biz: 4X (6.2%) Card Info: Amex Pay Over Time Card issued by Amex. This card has no foreign currency conversion fees. Noteworthy perks: Earn up to $20 in statement credits each month for eligible purchases at FedEx, Grubhub, and office supply stores. Enrollment required. ✦ Monthly Walmart+ Membership credit when you use the card to pay for monthly Walmart+ membership ✦ Terms Apply. (Rates & Fees) |
100K Points ⓘ Non-Affiliate 100K points after $8K spend in 6 months + 10x on dining for 6 months (on up to $25K in purchases). Terms apply.$695 Annual Fee Information about this card has been collected independently by Frequent Miler. The issuer did not provide the details, nor is it responsible for their accuracy. Recent better offer: 175K after $8k spend (referral only, expired 4/8/24) FM Mini Review: This card is absolutely loaded with high end perks. Depending upon your situation, those perks may be worth the annual fee or much more. Earning rate: 5X points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel ✦ 5X points for prepaid hotels booked through American Express Travel Card Info: Amex Pay Over Time Card issued by Amex. This card has no foreign currency conversion fees. Noteworthy perks: Up to $200 a year in statement credits for incidental fees at one qualifying airline per calendar year ✦ $200 prepaid hotel credit per calendar year valid on Fine Hotels & Resorts and The Hotel Collection bookings ✦ Up to $20 per month rebate for Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, SiriusXM, and/or The Wall Street Journal ✦ $15 monthly Uber or Uber Eats credit ($20 in December, use it or lose it each month) ✦ $189 CLEAR fee reimbursement per calendar year ✦ $12.95 (+tax) monthly credit for Walmart+ monthly membership subscription credit when you pay with Platinum card ✦ Up to $100 in credits annually for purchases at Saks Fifth Avenue (up to $50 in credits semi-annually) ✦ Priority Pass membership (Lounges only) with 2 guests and other airport lounge benefits (Centurion and Delta) ✦ Rental car elite status ✦ Marriott Gold status ✦ Hilton Honors Gold status Enrollement required for some benefits. Terms Apply. (Rates & Fees) See also: Amex Platinum Guide |
90K Points + 20% back at restaurants ⓘ Friend-Referral 90K points after $6K in purchases in the first 6 months + 20% back at restaurants for the first 3 months up to $50 back. Terms apply. (Rates & Fees) (Offer Expires 5/22/2024)$250 Annual Fee Information about this card has been collected independently by Frequent Miler. The issuer did not provide the details, nor is it responsible for their accuracy. Recent better offer: 90K after $6K in the first 6 months + 20% back at restaurants for the first 12 months up to $250 back [Expired 6/8/22] FM Mini Review: This card offers an awesome return on US supermarket and worldwide dining spend, putting it at or near the top-of-class in both categories. Dining credits and Uber / Uber Eats credits go a long way towards reducing the sting of this card's annual fee. Earning rate: 3X points for flights booked with airlines or on amextravel.com ✦ 4x points at US Supermarkets (up to $25K in purchases, then 1x) ✦ 4x at restaurants worldwide ✦ 1X points on other purchases. Terms apply. (Rates & Fees) Card Info: Amex Pay Over Time Card issued by Amex. This card has no foreign currency conversion fees. Noteworthy perks: Up to $10 in statement credits monthly with participating dining partners (Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar, Shake Shack, Seamless/Grubhub, Cheesecake Factory) ✦ $10 monthly Uber or Uber Eats credit (use it or lose it each month) ✦ $100 hotel credit on qualifying charges on stays of 2 nights or longer, plus a room upgrade upon arrival, if available with The Hotel Collection at americanexpress.com/hc ✦ Enrollment required for select benefits. |
80K points ⓘ Non-Affiliate 80kK after $6K spend in first 6 months. Terms apply. (Rates & Fees)$695 Annual Fee Information about this card has been collected independently by Frequent Miler. The issuer did not provide the details, nor is it responsible for their accuracy. Recent better offer: 125K points after 6k spend [Expired 11/8/23] FM Mini Review: In my opinion, this is the best of the consumer Amex Platinum cards when you need two cards thanks to Morgan Stanley offering one free authorized user. Unfortunately you do need to have a Morgan Stanley account to apply. Earning rate: ✦ 5X points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel ✦ 5X prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel Card Info: Amex Pay Over Time Card issued by Amex. This card has no foreign currency conversion fees. Big spend bonus: $500 after $100K cardmember year spend Noteworthy perks: This card includes all of the great perks that come with the American Express Platinum Card, plus: ✦ 1 Free Authorized User ✦ Redeem points for 1 cent each into your Morgage Stanley account ✦ $695 Annual Engagement Bonus for Platinum CashPlus accounts See also: Amex Platinum Guide |
80K points ⓘ Non-Affiliate 80K after $8K spend in first 6 months. Terms apply. (Rates & Fees)$695 Annual Fee This card is only available to clients that maintain an eligible Schwab brokerage account. Information about this card has been collected independently by Frequent Miler. The issuer did not provide the details, nor is it responsible for their accuracy. Recent better offer: 100K points + 10x when you Shop Small in the US & at restaurants worldwide [Expired 1/20/22] Earning rate: ✦ 5X points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel ✦ 5X points for prepaid hotels booked through American Express Travel Card Info: Amex Pay Over Time Card issued by Amex. This card has no foreign currency conversion fees. Noteworthy perks: This card includes all of the great perks that come with the American Express Platinum Card, plus: ✦ Use Membership Rewards® points for deposits by Schwab to your eligible brokerage account. (For example, 10,000 points = $110) ✦ $100 credit with Schwab holdings of $250,000+ or $200 credit with holdings of $1,000,000+ on approval & each year. See also: Amex Platinum Guide |
40K Points ⓘ Friend-Referral 40K after $3K spend in first 6 months. Terms apply. See Rates & Fees$150 Annual Fee Information about this card has been collected independently by Frequent Miler. The issuer did not provide the details, nor is it responsible for their accuracy. Recent better offer: 60K after $3K spend in first 6 months + 20% off travel and transit purchases for first 6 months. [Expired 8/21/23] FM Mini Review: This card is worth considering as your go-to travel card, but only if you value its CLEAR and Lounge Buddy credits. Also note that Amex cards continue to have limited acceptance in many international destinations. Click here for our complete card review Earning rate: ✦ 3X on travel & transit (including flights, hotels, taxis, and rideshares) ✦ 3X dining ✦ 1X points on other purchases. Terms apply. See Card Info: Amex Pay Over Time Card issued by Amex. This card has no foreign currency conversion fees. Noteworthy perks: $189 CLEAR credit annually ✦ $100 LoungeBuddy credit annually Terms Apply. |
15K points + 0% APR for 12 months ⓘ Affiliate 15k points after $3k spend within the first 3 months + 0.0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months from the date of account opening, then a variable rate, 18.49% - 26.49%, based on your creditworthiness and other factors at account opening. (Rates & Fees)No Annual Fee Alternate Offer: Some people have been targeted for an offer in their online account for 75K points after $15K in purchases in their first 12 months. FM Mini Review: 2X rewards for all spend (up to $50K per year) with no annual fee makes this card a winner. Click here for our complete card review Earning rate: 2X Membership Rewards points on all purchases, up to $50K spend per calendar year (then 1X thereafter). Terms apply. (Rates & Fees) Base: 2X (3.1%) Card Info: Amex Credit Card issued by Amex. This card imposes foreign transaction fees. |
10K Points ⓘ Friend-Referral 10K after $1K spend in 3 months. Terms apply.No Annual Fee Information about this card has been collected independently by Frequent Miler. The issuer did not provide the details, nor is it responsible for their accuracy. FM Mini Review: Great choice for keeping Membership Rewards points alive if you choose to cancel other Membership Rewards earning cards. Click here for our complete card review Earning rate: ✦ 2x points at US supermarkets, on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1x) ✦ 1x on other purchases Card Info: Amex Credit Card issued by Amex. This card imposes foreign transaction fees. Noteworthy perks: ✦ Make 20 or more purchases in a billing period and get 20% more points, less returns and credits ✦ Points transferrable to many airline programs (unusual feature for no-fee card) ✦ Low intro APR: 0% for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable rate, currently 13.24% to 24.24% ✦ $0 balance transfer fee. Balance transfers must be requested within 60 days from account opening. Terms apply. See Rates & Fees |
15K Points ⓘ Friend-Referral 15K after $1K spend in 3 months. Terms apply.$95 Annual Fee Alternate Offer: Some people click through and find that they are targeted for an offer of 30K points after $2K spend in 3 months. Information about this card has been collected independently by Frequent Miler. The issuer did not provide the details, nor is it responsible for their accuracy. Recent better offer: 30K after $2K in first 3 months FM Mini Review: Thanks to the 50% bonus on points earned, this is, in my opinion, one of the strongest mile-earning cards available. Click here for our complete card review Earning rate: ✦ 3x points at US supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1x) ✦ 2x points at US gas stations ✦ 1x points on other purchases. Card Info: Amex Credit Card issued by Amex. This card imposes foreign transaction fees. Noteworthy perks: Earn 50% more points: Use your Card 30 or more times on purchases in a billing period and get 50% more points on those purchases less returns and credits. Terms apply. See Rates & Fees |
15K points ⓘ Friend-Referral 15K points after $3K spend in first 3 months. Terms & limitations apply. $95 Annual Fee Information about this card has been collected independently by Frequent Miler. The issuer did not provide the details, nor is it responsible for their accuracy. Earning rate: ✦ 2X at AmexTravel.com ✦ 1X points on other purchases. Terms apply. Card Info: Amex Pay Over Time Card issued by Amex. This card imposes foreign transaction fees. Noteworthy perks: None |
![](http://cdn.nextinsure.com/imaging/opt/b1678909-a196-414a-8066-e401677d02c3.png?w=300" alt="American Express® Business Gold Card" />)
Flights: Citibusiness American Airlines card
I additionally recommended that Parker consider the Citibusiness American Airlines AAdvantage credit card because it will not add to his 5/24 status and gives him a cheap points option for business class between Tahiti and Australia at just 30K American Airlines miles one-way for Air Tahiti Nui business class to Auckland (which can then connect to Qantas to Australia on a single award). Alternatively, if they each signed up for this card, they would be in position to use AA miles to fly from the US to Tahiti on Air Tahiti Nui. There is little downside here and it gives them some added flexibility.
| Card Offer |
|---|
75K miles ⓘ Non-Affiliate 75K miles after $5K spend in first 5 months$0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $99 Alternate Offer: There is an alternative offer of 30K + $400 credit that can be found when doing a dummy booking on aa.com. Information about this card has been collected independently by Frequent Miler. The issuer did not provide the details, nor is it responsible for their accuracy. |
Watch the video
Want to see the complete chat with Parker? Watch it here:
How to participate in Card Talk
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How I wish I read this article last year. I’m planning for Moorea/Bora for July 2022 for 1 week.
I used your referral for Aspire. Should I apply for Surpass as well just for the bonus points?
Hi Nessa! I’d first check to see if there is award availability during the time you’re looking to book. The Conrad Bora Bora can sometimes be tough to snag on points. If you see wide open availability and you can meet the spend on the Surpass in a reasonable amount of time, it certainly may be well worth it!
[…] Card Talk: Honeymoon to Bora Bora or Maldives & Australia […]
I loved this Card Talk and associated post. While previous ones were focused on saving money/fees on existing cards, this one was more about spending money on new cards (including $450 Aspire and $550 Amex Plat) for an awesome vacation and status/upgrades that would ordinarily be crazy expensive. I think this is why most folks will listen to Card Talk — not to save a few bucks by pruning unneeded cards, but by spending a few bucks for the chance to fly in Etihad apartments or to stay in overwater bungalows in Bora Bora or the Maldives. Thanks for the info!!!
[…] stumbled on this availability on Tuesday while prepping for Card Talk with Parker. It is unfortunate that it took me a couple of days to have the chance to write about this because […]
Gotta stop recommending Chase biz cards, guys. There are dozens of DPs online indicating that getting approved for *any* Chase biz card (not just CIP) is impossible for a sole prop and very difficult for other biz structures. No one knows when Chase will loosen up on biz cards, but a safe bet is that it won’t be any time soon.