App Party Results: A Cool 5 for 5.

Posted by Noob Master on Aug 29, 2012 in American Express, Amex, App-Party, Bank of America, business credit cards, Chase Bank, Citi Bank, Credit Cards, Hilton Honors, Meeting Spend, Miles, Uncategorized | 11 comments

I love me some App Parties. Last week, I wrote about my upcoming apps and now the results are in. 5 for 5 with 4 instant approvals. Wasn’t expecting that many instant approvals, but I’ll take it. I’m used to having to pick up the phone and talk through some approvals, but I only had to call in on the Ink Plus. Easy call, too.

If you’re unfamiliar with App Parties then check out this post. Very briefly put, I do multiple rewards card applications on 1 day every 90-95ish days. I do this to rack up huge miles balances (so I can travel for pennies) and to protect my credit.

Here’s what I applied for, and why.

1. Citi® Hilton HHonors™ Reserve Card

This was an easy decision. This is a new product from Citi & Hilton, and I just needed to get my hands on it. It comes with two free weekend stays when you spend $2,500 in 4 months. If used properly, these 2 free weekend nights can be worth as much as 100,000 Hilton points. Plus, you get instant Gold Status with Hilton. That means you will receive free wi-fi (shh, don’t tell Jordan) and free breakfast on all your Hilton stays. And you may get an occasional upgrade here and there.

• Earn 10 HHonors Bonus Points per $1 spent on hotel stays within the Hilton HHonors portfolio*
• Earn 5 HHonors Bonus Points per $1 spent on airline and car rental purchases*
• Earn 3 HHonors Bonus Points per $1 spent on all other eligible purchases*
• Enjoy the benefits of HHonors Gold status as long as you are a cardmember*
• No foreign transaction fees on purchases*
• Travel with ease and enjoy global acceptance with your Citi chip credit card
• Earn an anniversary bonus of 1 weekend night certificate at select hotels and resorts within the Hilton HHonors portfolio each cardmembership year with qualifying purchases*

There are some other cool category and spending bonuses too. You can check out my full review on the Citi Hilton HHonors card.

The first time I applied for this card, there was a “system error” so I opened and applied again. I was instantly approved the second time I applied.

2. Virgin Atlantic Amex from Bank of America

I finally jumped on this card. You will get 20,000 Flying Club points on first spend, another 25,000 when you spend $2,500 in 90 days, and 5,000 more when/if you add 2 authorized users. Score.

I’ll be transferring my Virgin Atlantic Flying Club points to Hilton HHonors. They transfer at a 1:2 ratio, so 50k Flying Club points= 100k Hilton HHonors points. Also, the $90 annual isn’t waived for the first year.

Check out my full review on the Virgin Atlantic Amex from Bank of America.

3. American Express® Premier Rewards Gold CardCard 

This was a late addition to the App Party. The sign up bonus for the Amex PRG card is 25,000 when you spend $2,000 in 3 months. I’ve been eyeing the PRG for a while, so I pulled the trigger.

I need to start rebuilding my Membership Rewards balance, and the category bonuses make a lot of sense for my spending habits. I will earn 3x points on airfare and 2x points on groceries and gas.

And if you spend $30,000 through your Amex PRG annually, you will receive an additional 15k bonus. I hoard my Membership Rewards points and wait for a “transfer bonus promotion.” Then I transfer my MR points to Delta or British Airways. Those are my favs.

• Earn Fast: Earn triple points on airfare, double points on gasoline at U.S. stand-alone gas stations, double points at U.S. stand-alone supermarkets, and single points on other purchases
• Points are earned only on eligible purchases

 

4. Amex Hilton HHonors

I went with the Amex Hilton, because holding an American Express backed Hilton card gives you acces to Axon rewards.  That means 4 nights at a category 7 property will cost 145,000 instead of 200,000. Beware, though- finding Hilton availability can be a challenge. 

I’m netting a cool 50,000 Hilton HHonors points when I spend $750 in the first 3 months. And there is no annual fee EVER, so I will be keeping this card forever and ever.

There are also some generous category bonuses: 6x points on Hilton hotels, groceries, gas, phone, internet, and cable services. (I wouldn’t use this over the Ink Bold/Plus that earns you 5x Ultimate Rewards points on phone, internet, and cable.) You will get an additional 3x per $1 on everything else.

Remember, Hilton HHonors points aren’t the most valuable out there, so don’t get sucked in by the 6x per $1. The only category I would use this Amex Hilton card on is for groceries. Plus, there are just so many other easier ways to earn Hilton HHonors points. And it takes a lot of HHonors points to get value.

5. Ink Plus® Business Card

I was pumped when Chase brought back the Ink Plus. I got all giddy inside when I knew I had a new opportunity to earn highly coveted Ultimate Rewards points. It’s no secret that Ultimate Rewards points are the most versatile.

I’m getting 50,000 Ultimate Rewards after spending $5,000 in 3 months. With the help of Amazon Payments and ChargeSmart, I can get there.

I love the category bonuses on the Ink Plus- 5x points on office supplies (yes, Visa gift cards from Office Depot), phone, internet, and cable services. Plus you get 2x points on gas and travel. Check out my full review of the Ink Plus. 

The Ink Plus is just like the Ink Bold, but it’s a credit card instead of a charge card. And you will get 0% interest for the first 6 months. Love it, but don’t spend more than you can pay off with your credit cards.

I wasn’t approved instantly for the Ink Bold, but when I called to check the status of my application, I was approved on the spot. I didn’t even have to close my Ink Bold or another Chase rewards card.

Do what’s right for you.

Whenever applying for rewards cards and collecting miles – HAVE A GOAL. If you’re wanting international travel, don’t apply for the Southwest cards. Make sense? Have a plan, and collect points that will help you achieve your travel goals.

I went after so many Hilton HHonors points because I already have the Hyatt Credit Card, Chase Sapphire Preferred® and Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express. Plus, I could take a break from Chase by applying for the Citi Hilton and Amex Hilton cards. If you’re going to go the Hilton route, I would add the Citi Hilton Reserve first, so you will have Gold Status on any future stays. That was my plan. 

And if you don’t have the Starwood Preferred Guest card, you should definitely take advantage of it before the sign up bonus decreases on Sept. 4.

Only apply for credit card with minimum spends you’re comfortable meeting, and if your credit score is in good condition. If you have any App Party questions, don’t hesitate to email or chat me.

— Noob Master

Thinking Through My Next App Party.

Posted by Noob Master on Aug 15, 2012 in American Express, Amex, App-Party, Bank of America, business credit cards, Chase Bank, Citi Bank, Credit Cards, Hilton Honors, Miles, Starwood Preferred Guest, Ultimate Rewards, Uncategorized | 4 comments

It’s that time again. App Partayy! What’s that? It’s a glorious day I experience every 90-95 days. Read here for more details.

Only apply for credit cards if your credit is in good condition and you’re responsible with your spending. If you’re applying for a mortgage, don’t apply for any cards 6-9 months before you apply for a loan. This is just to be safe- you don’t want to pay a higher interest rate if you don’t have to.

Here are the cards I’m thinking about applying for this time around.

Citi® Hilton HHonors™ Reserve Card

I was pumped when Citi and Hilton released this card! I’m planning some upcoming Hilton stays next year, and having Gold Status will give me free breakfast (that’s big savings) and free internet. Although having free wi-fi could get me in trouble with the wife, I’ll be able to get some work done on trips. Plus, you get two free weekend nights certificates! I plan on using my two free weekend nights either to kick off or end an epic vaca using Hilton HHonors points.

Other cool benefits are:

• Earn 10 HHonors Bonus Points per $1 spent on hotel stays within the Hilton HHonors portfolio*
• Earn 5 HHonors Bonus Points per $1 spent on airline and car rental purchases*
• Earn 3 HHonors Bonus Points per $1 spent on all other eligible purchases*
• Enjoy the benefits of HHonors Gold status as long as you are a cardmember*
• No foreign transaction fees on purchases*
• Travel with ease and enjoy global acceptance with your Citi chip credit card
• Earn an anniversary bonus of 1 weekend night certificate at select hotels and resorts within the Hilton HHonors portfolio each cardmembership year with qualifying purchases*

Here’s my full review on the Citi Hilton HHonors Reserve Card. 

Apply: Citi® Hilton HHonors™ Reserve Card

Virgin Atlantic Amex from Bank of America

This card comes with 25,000 Flying Club points on first spend and 25,000 more when you spend $2,500 in 90 days. I plan on transferring my 50,000 Flying Club points into Hilton HHonors, because they will transfer into Hilton at a 1:2 ratio. That’s 100,000 HHonors points!

This card offer comes and goes, and there are reports of it being “churnable.” Do any of you have any experience getting the Virgin Atlantic card multiple times?

Other details for the Virgin Atlantic:

• 20,000 bonus Flying Club miles after 1st purchase with Bank of America Virgin Atlantic card
• 25,000 additional bonus miles after spending $2,500 within 90 days (3 months)
• 5,000 additional miles for adding 2 authorized users to your account
• $90 annual fee not waived for the first year

Here’s my full review of the Virgin Atlantic Card. 

Apply Now:  Virgin Atlantic Amex from Bank of America

Ink Plus Business Card

I’m pumped about Chase bringing back the Ink Plus business credit card. Why? Because it’s another option to earn Ultimate Rewards. DRRR. I’ve already exhausted my Ultimate Rewards points I earned with my Sapphire Preferred and Ink Bold and now I need more. Gimmmeee.

The Ink Plus is just like the Ink Bold, but it’s a credit card and comes with 0% interest for 6 months. The signup bonus is 50,000 Ultimate Rewards after you meet the minimum spend of $5,000 in 3 months.

The Ink Plus gives you 5x earning opportunities galore. You will earn 5x points on office supplies, cable, phone services, and internet. You can even earn 5x points on Visa gift cards bought at Office Depot. Boom. You can get these gift cards in increments of $500. I wouldn’t do more than $2,000 in a month and I wouldn’t have these be my only purchases on my Ink Plus.

The Ink Plus also gives you 2x points on travel and gas. And it has no foreign transaction fee, but isn’t a chip and pin card.

Here’s my full review of the Ink Plus. 

Starwood Preferred Guest® Business Credit Card 

If you’re a regular Noob reader, you know that American Express has raised the sign-up bonus on the SPG cards to 30,000. I already have the personal card, but that’s not keeping me from getting in on the fun. I’m applying for the business Starwood Preferred Guest Card.

I love using my Starpoints on some of the lavish SPG hotels with their cash and points method. I can stretch out my Starpoints and stay at killa properties in the process.

Here are the full details:

• Starpoints® bonus: earn up to 25,000 bonus points: 10,000 after your first purchase and another 15,000 after you spend $5,000 within the first 6 months of Cardmembership
• That’s enough for a weekend getaway to a Category 4 Hotel like the Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa, or six free nights at a Category 2 Hotel
• Earn up to 5 Starpoints® for each dollar of eligible purchases at participating SPG hotels and resorts – that’s 2 Starpoints for using the Card in addition to the Starpoints you earn as an SPG member. Earn 1 Starpoint for all other purchases.
• Free Hotel Nights: redeem Starpoints at over 1,100 hotels in nearly 100 countries worldwide – with no blackout dates
• Free Flights: redeem Starpoints on over 350 airlines with SPG Flights – with no blackout dates
• Get 5,000 bonus Starpoints after you transfer 20,000 Starpoints to a frequent flyer program with more than 30 airlines
• No limits on the number of Starpoints you can earn
• $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $65
• Terms and Restrictions apply.

Check out my full review of the Starwood Preferred Guest cards. 

Apply Now: Starwood Preferred Guest® Business Credit Card 

The Bounty

This is my plan for my app party next week. I may change it – you never know until you actually apply. But if I go through with these apps, I will earn close to 200,000 points and 2 free weekend night certificates. I will also earn other perks, like status and opportunities to earn more with the spending category bonuses. I may go crazy this party and throw in another app too. We will see.

I’ve picked cards over multiple banks, both personal and business cards, and always suggest that my readers do the same.

Again, only apply for rewards cards if your credit is in good condition. If you have any questions about an upcoming app party, don’t hesitate to email me.

— Noob Master

Quick Hit: Alaska Airlines 40k Offer.

Posted by Noob Master on Aug 12, 2012 in Alaska Airlines, Bank of America, Credit Cards | 0 comments

Hey, my Noobs! I hope all is well. Here is a quick hit for this weekend. Enjoy!

Alaska Airlines has upped their sign-up bonus to 40,000 miles. I blogged recently about applying for the Alaska card during my last app party, and how the $99 Companion Certificate is no longer good for first class. But even though the $99 certificate isn’t good for first class travel, you can still use it for full fare coach tickets. 

The new sign-up bonus for the Alaska Airlines card is 25,000 on first spend and 15,000 when you spend $7,500 in 6 months. Personally, I’m not interested in running $7,500 through an Alaska Airlines card, but some people may like that thought.

Now, this card can be “churned.” That means you can apply for it numerous times (sometimes people don’t even close their current card). But, YYMV. I like this, because it gives me options when doing an app party. And because it’s a Bank of America card, I’m more likely to throw it into the mix. However, my next BOA card is going to be the Virgin Atlantic.

Here’s the link for the Alaska Airlines Card. [I don't receive a referral credit for the Alaska card.]

Bank of American Alaska Airlines Visa

— Noob Master