In time for President’s (and Valentine’s) Day weekend, get double cash back from Ebates. If you need to do any shopping, make sure you check this one out first. Have a great weekend, nerds!
Marriott Card Offer
Marriott’s bonuses go up and down all the time. The latest one is pretty interesting…
Basics:
Spend $3,000 and make an authorized user purchase to pick up 87,500 points. Plus you get a free night every year.
Opinion:
If the annual fee were waived, this would be spectacular. As it is, I like it. Definitely worth looking at. Especially if you’re trying to stockpile Marriott points before the Starwood mess gets sorted out.
Citibank Shutting Some Down
I’ve heard from a lot of you guys this week who do “unusual” spending on Citibank cards. I should say did unusual spending…because you no longer have any Citibank cards. Yup, more shutdowns. If “unusual” sounds like the way you spend, I’d recommend transferring any ThankYou points ASAP. Better safe than sorry. And, yeah, these types of posts are getting way too common. Sigh.
The Top 25 Credit Cards
(If you see any errors or missing cards, please let me know. I try to keep a full list, but it’s a lot of information and I do make mistakes).
Time for the monthly edition of my Top 25 Credit Cards. Again, if you’re a newbie, make sure you read The Newbie Guide. Many of your questions will be answered there. Basic things like not applying for 3 Chase cards at the same time should be known before you continue. For people running out of cards, remember there’s often a Business card option. I listed a few here but not many, so it might be worth exploring more Business cards. Also, “churning” might be an option. The dates here were a guideline but things always tend to vary individually.
- Various American Express Cards – first try for potentially better Amex offers here
- Business Platinum
- Business Gold Rewards
- Premier Rewards Gold
- Spend $1,000 in 3 months. Get 50,000 points.
- Some people have seen 100,000 points.
- The above links may be dead. As always, if you are aware of something better, please send me the link so everyone can benefit.
- Platinum
- People have been seeing offers worth 100,000 points.
- Ink Plus (Chase)
- Spend $5,000 in 3 months. Get 60,000 points.
- The points transfer to United, Southwest, British, Hyatt, etc.
- 5 times the points on purchases at office stores.
- Ink Cash at the same link is also 5X at office stores.
- Worth seeing if you can still get a 70,000-point offer in your local branch.
- Sapphire (Chase)
- Spend $4,000 in 3 months. Get 50,000 points.
- Add an authorized user for 5,000 more.
- These Ultimate Rewards points are valuable. See Ink Plus.
- Bonus is up from 40,000.
- Don’t bother with Sapphire or Ink if you’ve applied for more than 5 cards in the last 24 months.
- British Airways (Chase)
- Spend $2,000 in 3 months. Get 50,000 points.
- Spend $10,000 for 75,000 points.
- Spend $20,000 total in the first year for a total of 100,000 points.
- Big spending, but nice to have these options.
- Starwood Preferred Guest aka SPG (American Express)
- Spend $3,000 in 3 months. Back down to 25,000 points.
- Some of you are seeing a 30,000-point offer as applying for a new SPG account.
- Great currency to have. See Cash + Points for hotel stays.
- I’m also a big fan of some of their 3,000-point properties.
- The Business version of the card is here.
- Barclay Arrival (Barclays)
- Spend $3,000 in 3 months. Get 40,000 miles.
- Some of the most flexible, easy-to-use miles around.
- American Airlines cards (Citibank)
- Spend $3,000 in 3 months. Get 50,000 miles.
- Targeted offers worth 60,000 miles have been around lately.
- Executive card links are here.
- United Airlines (Chase)
- Southwest (Chase)
- Spend $2,000 in 3 months. Get 50,000 points.
- Not too late to go after your companion pass.
- Hilton Honors Reserve (Citibank)
- Spend $2,500 in 4 months. Get 2 weekend nights.
- This is the best Hilton card.
- Gold status while you have the card. Upgrades, breakfast, internet, etc.
- Prestige (Citibank)
- Spend $3,000 in 3 months. Get 50,000 points.
- Nice benefits including $250 annual airline credit help with big $450 annual fee.
- People are getting a lower $350 annual fee applying in local branches.
- A tool on Citibank’s site shows cards you are prequalified for. You can also get a 50,000-point offer there.
- See if you’re targeted for a 100,000-point offer.
- Ritz Carlton (Chase)
- Spend $3,000 in 3 months. Get 2 free nights.
- Big $395 annual fee. But a travel credit of $300 makes that much less of a pain.
- Mercedes Benz Platinum (American Express)
- Hyatt (Chase)
- Spend $1,000 in 3 months. Get 2 nights and 5,000 points for adding a user.
- Because of the annual anniversary free night, it’s one of the few cards I keep open.
- InterContinental Hotel aka IHG aka Priority Club (Chase)
- Spend $1,000. Get a possible 80,000 points.
- Even at 60,000 points, this is probably the most underrated hotel card.
- Club Carlson Premier (US Bank)
- Spend $2,500 in 90 days. Get 85,000 points.
- Great hotel card and not from the usual issuers.
- Fairmont Hotel (Chase)
- Spend $3,000 in 3 months. Get 2 nights and breakfast at any Fairmont.
- Many of these hotels are very expensive (see: Maui).
- Delta (American Express)
- Spend $1,000 in 3 months. Get 50,000 miles.
- If it shows up as 30,000, try clicking the link in an incognito browser.
- Marriott (Chase)
- Spend $2,000 in 3 months and add a user. Get 55,000 points and $200.
- The regular 70,000-point Business link still works.
- Hilton Honors (Citibank)
- FlexPerks (US Bank)
- Thank You Premier (Citibank)
- Wyndham (Barclays)
- Spend $1,000 in 90 days. Get 45,000 points.
- Offer has fluctuated between 30,000 and 45,000 for a LONG time.
- Book any Wyndham hotel for 15,000 points a night.
- Alaska Airlines (Bank of America)
- Propel (Wells Fargo)
- Lufthansa (Barclays)
- Spend $1,000 in 90 days. Get 35,000 miles.
- I like it better at 50,000.
- Spark (Capital One)
- Spend $4,500 in 3 months. Get 50,000 miles.
- Redeem the miles for $500 in travel purchases.
- No annual fee version of this card being advertised in-branch.
- Venture (Capital One)
- Spend $3,000 in 3 months. Get 40,000 miles.
- Has been up from 20,000 miles for a while.
- Hilton Honors (American Express)
- Spend $750 in 3 months. Get 40,000 points.
- Better offer for 60,000 points here.
- Go to Hilton.com, begin making a reservation, and you can also see a 50,000-point offer on the payment page. Thanks jakobv84 for saying this is gone for now.
- Hilton Honors Surpass (American Express)
- Spend $3,000 in 3 months. Get 60,000 points.
- Currently, a working 85,000 point link is here.
- Get the previous card, and you’ll get tons of offers to upgrade to this one.
- Gold Charge Card and/or Green Charge Card (American Express)
- Spend $1,000 in 3 months. Get 25,000 points.
- Not the greatest, but nice to have different Amex options.
- Hawaiian Airlines (Barclays)
- Diners Club Elite (BMO Harris Bank)
- 3x points at gas station, grocery stores, and pharmacies.
- Killer way to pick up Starwood points.
- Big annual fee.
- Application links have been down lately.
- Aeroplan (TD Bank)
- Spend $1,000 in 3 billing statements. Get 25,000 miles.
- Unspectacular, but low spend and not the usual issuer.
- Virgin America (Comenity)
- 2 different card offers I discussed here.
- Issued by Comenity Bank, which is the best thing about these cards.
- Oh, and flights to glorious Hawaii now!
- Freedom (Chase)
- Worth having in your collection for the 5% quarterly bonuses.
- Extra 2,500 points for adding an authorized user.
- No reason to close this one.
- Maybe a better bonus here?
- Currently with a $150 bonus.
- Korean (US Bank)
- Make a purchase. Get 15,000 miles.
- Back down from 25,000.
- Bank Americard Travel Rewards (Bank of America)
- Spend $1,000 in 90 days. Get 20,000 points.
- This is double the normal offer. Worth $200.
- Lifemiles (US Bank)
- Spend $1. Get 20,000 miles.
- Down (again) from 35,000 miles.
- LAN (US Bank)
- 20,000 miles after first use. Was 25,000 before March 1.
- Down from a 40,000-mile offer.
- Also a bonus 10,000 miles for making 45 transactions in 90 days. Ends 12/31.
- Frontier Airlines (Barclays)
- Spend $500 in 3 months. Get 40,000 miles.
- Moved way down. These miles suck. Expire after 6 months of no activity.
- Interesting use for the miles here.
- Amtrak (Bank of America)
- Two versions – 20,000 and 12,000 points.
- Big limitations on the point transfers that made this card great.
- Expedia (Citibank)
- Spend $2,000 in 3 months. Get 20,000 points.
- Also a 10,000-point version with no annual fee.
- Virgin Atlantic (Bank of America)
- Blue For Business (Amex)
- Spend $5,000 in 6 months. Get 20,000 points.
- Higher offer is through April 20th.
- Everyday (Amex)
- Sun Country (First National Bank of Omaha)
- Spend $500 in 3 billing cycles. Get 40,000 points.
- Not the most popular airline in the world. Sorry Omaha.
- Best Western (First Bank of Omaha)
- 4 different card options. Up to 70,000 points on one.
- Better than the old Barclays Best Western card.
- NFL (Barclays)
- Spend $500 in 90 days. Get $100 credit.
- Offer has been higher in the past.
- Choice Hotel (Barclays)
- I keep this as the last card mostly out of tradition.
- If you’ve been reading this far, I salute you!
Recently Dropped:
- Navy Federal Card (Military Only) – Nobody cared about this one. Oh well.
- JetBlue – Application links aren’t around until 2016. Moving from Amex to Barclays.
- Asiana (B of A) – Down from 25,000.
Beyond this mile/point list, the following are some great cashback cards:
- Discover IT – Double cashback for a year makes this very, very attractive.
- Amex SimplyCash – 3% cashback in chosen category. 5% at office stores.
- JCB Marukai – 3% cashback after $3,000 spending/year. Limited states.
- TD Easy Rewards – 5% cashback select categories for 6 months.
- Wells Fargo – 5% cashback select categories for 6 months.
- Fidelity – 2% cashback.
- Citi Double Cash – 2% cashback.
- BB&T Spectrum – 3% cashback for 90 days, plus bonuses. Limited states.
- B of A Americard Cash Rewards – 2% grocery and 3% gas.
- Capital One Quicksilver – 1.5% cashback.
- Capital One Spark Business – 2% cashback. Big bonus right now.
- NBA – 5x twice a year.
- AARP – Thanks Dale. $200 bonus and 3% categories.
February AwardWallet Codes
Here are this month’s free AwardWallet codes for you quick clickers. Log into your account, click “Upgrade Using A Coupon,” and apply a code. This will upgrade your account for 6 months (even for existing users). Please only take 1 of these each. I’ll edit the post in the morning when they’re all gone. If you’re new, AwardWallet is a must for tracking all your accounts, balances, user names, passwords, and expiration dates.
Invite-28714-DGEEO
Invite-28714-EATJW
Invite-28714-EBJAJ
Invite-28714-ERKNX
Invite-28714-ETOAD
Invite-28714-EVIGB
Invite-28714-FATIN
Invite-28714-FLBBN
Invite-28714-FQILJ
Invite-28714-HKJHV
Invite-28714-IBBKY
Invite-28714-IOWHH
Invite-28714-IUJIX
Invite-28714-JLBYM
Invite-28714-JNFUA
Invite-28714-LGCGH
Invite-28714-MEAIP
Invite-28714-MFYWF
Invite-28714-OCHQV
Invite-28714-OMGLN
Invite-28714-WUUDG
Invite-28714-XCKAD
Invite-28714-YNWCZ
Invite-28714-YVVBU
Invite-28714-ZFJNO
Invite-28714-QCVLG
Invite-28714-QCZCH
Invite-28714-QFCNP
Invite-28714-QFGSH
Invite-28714-QKURI
Invite-28714-RFCXZ
Invite-28714-RHCAU
Invite-28714-RLLFZ
Invite-28714-UCPTG
Invite-28714-ULZET
Invite-28714-UQYSM
Invite-28714-UTXKB