Midweek Triple

  • If you like freebies, download the Lufthansa app and log in for an easy 500 miles.
  • If you like legroom,  book today for JetBlue’s sale.
  • If you like awkward singing by flight attendants, check out the domestic and international sale prices from Southwest. Book by tomorrow.

 

 

The Top 25 Credit Cards

(If you see any errors, please let me know. I try to keep a full list, but it’s a lot of information and I do make mistakes)

 

Significant Changes Since Last Month:
-Added new Hyatt link.
-IHG bonus increased.
-Citi Thank You Premier up to 50,000 online.
-Amtrak back to 30,000.
-Citi Prestige increased to 75,000.
-New link for the American Airlines Executive card.
-New link for the old Virgin Atlantic bonus from Bank of America.
-Delta offers working via the Flyertalk referral thread.
-Some readers getting Amex Platinum offers by calling.

Before Playing This Game:
-Find a new hobby until you can pay off all balances each month.
-Take 5 seconds to confirm a bonus is what you expect.
-Get a screenshot of the bonus in case you have issues collecting it later.
-Take 2 minutes to read the small print before applying.
(Look for “once in a lifetime,” “no bonus for cardholders in last 24 months,” etc.)
-Keep everything very organized in a spreadsheet. You’ll thank me later.

 

Time for my monthly Top 25 Credit Cards. It’s called “Top 25” out of tradition, but you’ll get many more links than that below. Again, if you’re a rookie, make sure you read The Newbie Guide. It’s a little outdated but many basic questions can still be answered there. For people running out of cards, remember there’s often a Business card option. Also, “churning” (getting the same card more than once) might be an option. The dates here were a guideline but things always tend to vary individually. If you’re new, it might be wise to start with Chase cards because of the limitations they’ll place on you soon.

Miles and points are far from an equal currency. 50,000 Delta SkyMiles are worth less to me than that amount from Alaska Airlines. 25,000 Hyatt points mean way more than the same number from Hilton. And so on. These links work right now (August 1st at midnight). If you read this later, many of the offers will have changed. Things move fast so read offer details and terms before applying. Especially all that small print when you’re trying to get bonuses more than once on the same card. Ok, enough chatter…here we go! My “Top 25” current credit cards are below.

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Million Mile Contest Today

Got a selfie and a picture of a “cultural experience” from your travels? That’s all you need to give this one a shot today. It’s ending in a few hours so, at the very least, you’ll get to see a cool combination of your two images. Winners get a million miles from whichever of the Star Alliance airlines they choose.

Friday Stuff

  • Here’s the latest IHG PointBreaks list. This link should be working by Monday afternoon.
    Good value? Of course. 5,000 points per night is hard to beat (if you find a decent property).
  • Virgin Atlantic brought their disappearing/reappearing bonus back up. And it’s still overly complicated.
    Good value? Yeah, as long as you don’t mind big spending. 
  • Here’s a new link for American’s Executive card.
    Good value? It’s debatable. Up to 75,000 points (as high as it has been in the last couple of years). But is a $7,500 spend for everyone? Doubtful. And a $450 annual fee? I think not.

Have a great weekend, nerds!

New Wyndham Option

If you’ve been having trouble finding a good use for your Wyndham points, take a look at their new auctions. Some interesting options – Clearwater Beach, Hamilton tickets, Elton John, Napa Valley, private tours, etc. No way to guess how high these will go since they’re new, but I’m keeping an eye on this first batch. And if you don’t like Wyndham’s domestic properties (I’m not a huge fan of them either), don’t forget that Vegas is on the way.