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Can You Still Double Dip Sapphire Reserve Travel Credit?
UPDATE: Chase recently changed it’s annual fee refund policy for product changes. The premise of this post still works, just mind the timing if you choose to downgrade/product change. One of the most generous benefits of the Chase Sapphire Reserve (referral link) credit card is its $300 annual travel credit. Right now, since the credit resets each December, you could receive the full travel credit twice–that’s $600–while paying only one annual fee of $450. Earlier today, news broke of a change in the reset timing of the annual credit. Instead of the travel credit resetting each December, it will reset based on the anniversary of the date you opened your account. …
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Amex Slashes Business Platinum Pay with Points
According to a post today by TPG, American Express is drastically reducing a recently improved benefit of its Business Platinum Card effective June 1. The 50% Pay with Points Airline Bonus is being reduced to 35%. This bonus was only recently enhanced for Platinum Business Card Members back in October, 2016. The enhancement lasted a mere 9 months. In addition, Amex is putting a 500,000 cap on rebates each calendar year. The cap will only affect heavy users of this benefit. There are also recent reports that the Airline Bonus rebate, which had been taking only a day or 2 to hit Cardmember accounts, is now taking weeks. If you…
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New Amex Platinum Metal Cards Already Delayed
Yesterday, the updated benefits for the Platinum Card from American Express went live. One of the new features is the new metal card design shown below. I have no urgent need for a metal version of the card, but I like having new shiny things. So, early yesterday morning, I decided to order a replacement card using the “Card Services” section of my online account. All seemed well at the time. I had two shipping options–both free: USPS standard mail or UPS overnight. Obviously I chose UPS overnight. This evening, when my card hadn’t been delivered yet, I logged onto my American Express account and noticed the following banner: The…
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New Amex Platinum Benefits–What You Need to Know.
Last month, American Express announced Changes to its Platinum Card, including uew Uber benefits, 5x Membership Rewards for certain hotel bookings, and a new metal Card design. Along with the new perks, the annual fee was increasing to $550 for new applicants. All these changes are now live. Here’s what you need to know. New Annual Fee For new applicants, the annual fee for the Platinum Card is now $550. For Existing Platinum Card Members, the new annual fee will take effect on their annual renewal date if it is after September 1, 2017. If your annual fee renewal date is prior to September 1, 2017, you will be billed $450, and the new annual…
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New Premier Dining Rewards card from Capital One
Capital One has added a new credit card to its cash back offerings: the Premier Dining Rewards card. The card earns unlimited cash back rewards on dining, groceries and all other purchases for no annual fee. If you eat out a lot, this card definitely deserves a look. Card Details Earn 3% cash back on dining Earn 2% cash back on groceries Earn 1% cash back on all other purchases $100 signup bonus when you spend $500 in the first 3 months No foreign transaction fees No annual fee Mastercard World Elite benefits Capital One is one of the few banks that offer the no foreign transaction fee benefit with…
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Activate Discover It and Chase Freedom 5% Categories for Q2 Now
Discover It and Chase Freedom are two high-earning cashback credit cards. Every 3 months, there are new bonus cashback categories where you can earn 5% back on purchases. You can activate those bonus categories right now, prior to the start of the new quarter for both cards. Both cards share similarities. Earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter. You need to activate the card each quarter to earn the bonuses. And you receive unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases. Chase Freedom Use My Referral Link to Apply Activation Link This quarter’s Chase Freedom 5% bonus categories are Grocery Stores and Drugstores.…
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Should You Cancel Sapphire Preferred after getting the Reserve Card?
Congratulations! You’ve been approved for the extremely popular Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card! Now what should you do with the your other Ultimate Rewards earning cards like Freedom and Freedom Unlimited? Should you cancel Sapphire Preferred? The answer is different for each card. There’s no reason to cancel the cards that don’t charge an annual fee, but Sapphire Preferred does and also shares many of the same benefits as Sapphire Reserve. I’ll go through each card and explain what your options are. Background Having additional Chase credit cards that earn Ultimate Rewards is a great complement to the Sapphire Reserve. You can earn points by purchasing goods and services with one card, then…
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How Does Chase Sapphire Reserve’s Travel Credit Impact the Signup Bonus?
When I applied for the Chase Sapphire Reserve card in January, the signup bonus was 100,000 Ultimate Rewards Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months. I’ve been asked what would happen if some of that spending was on travel, triggering the $300 travel credit. If the credit takes you back below $4,000, do you still get the points? I had already received some travel credits as soon as I got the card and was getting close to meeting my own spending requirement. So, I decided to test this for myself. My plan was simple: get to just over $4,000 in total spending and stop using the card. Other…
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Amex Platinum Card to add Priority Pass Guest Benefit
UPDATE: The theory I shared in this post has been confirmed. See Below. Yesterday, American Express announced refreshed benefits for its Platinum Card as well as an increased annual fee. They proudly touted new Uber benefits, 5x Membership Rewards for certain hotel bookings, and a new metal Card design. Strangely, there’s one other enhanced benefit that American Express never mentioned. Beginning March 30, 2017, the Priority Pass guest policy for Platinum Card Members will change. At any visit to a Priority Pass lounge, all Platinum Card Members may bring in two guests for no charge. Card Members will be charged $27 for any additional guests. The old policy automatically charged $27…
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American Express Announces Changes to its Platinum Card
American Express today announced its anticipated refresh of benefits for the Platinum Card. The changes include new Uber benefits, 5x Membership Rewards for certain hotel bookings, and a new metal Card design. But the accompanying annual fee increase casts a rather large shadow over what are only marginal new benefits. The new perks will kick in on on March 30, 2017. At that time, the annual fee will be increased to $550 from $450 for new applicants. For existing Platinum Card Members, the new annual fee will take effect on their renewal date on or after September 1, 2017. Back in October, Amex announced its last set of enhancements to Platinum Card benefits and…
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