The 'BEST' credit card....

[Badhobz]

Originally Posted by Hondaracer

Sweet that’s pretty easy then. Are they awarded just randomly or based on spending?

Based on aeroplan status. They unlock the more you fly, the more you spend. So as soon as you bit 25k you get a 50% off voucher for domestic and 1 lounge pass I think. Or maybe 2.

[G]

Originally Posted by Badhobz

It’s usually tied up to cash. So 10,000 aeroplan is roughly 1000 bucks.

When you hit 25k tier (first tier on aeroplan status) you start getting these 50% off aeroplan vouchers to use within domestic and USA.

As you progress higher, you eventually get these 50% off international vouchers too.

With these vouchers any aeroplan points bookings are halved. So say you go YVR to Oahu. Regular might be 30k worth of points for economy. You apply your voucher and and it’s now 15k of points only.

Man its so hard to hit 25k if you don't fly lol I've been trying for a while, this year I got up to 90k on my EDQ but can never hit the target

[Badhobz]

That’s why you need the credit card. 5k = 1k Sqm.

50k a year on credit card would yield you 10k Sqm or almost half way there. Then all you need is one trip to Asia or a few domestic trips and you got your 25k

[Badhobz]

Like I might just burn a hundred bucks on a whatever trip just so I can reach the next reward before year end. I’m like 4 dollars away. wtf

[68style]

LOL buy the cheapest flight you can find and don't even get on it!

[roastpuff]

Originally Posted by sonick

Are there cases where flights booked by aeroplan go 'on sale' and have deals compared to cash price?

Or is it pretty much tied to the cash price (e.g. if its cheap by cash, it'll be cheap by aeroplan, and vice versa)?

Whats the best way to see what deals there are to book by aeroplan?

The best deals on AP are actually the partner flights (Star Alliance airlines + a few non alliance members like Emirates/Etihad) as they are at a fixed price. For example the hot redemption is 55k Business Class ANA to Japan, whereas with AC that price is in the 150k and up range due to dynamic cash pricing.

Aeroplan USA/domestic is mostly tied to cash price but I have gotten some good "deals" before (25k lie-flat YVR-YYZ business) from time to time.

I suggest searching Flyertalk and the Facebook Aeroplan groups for tips and tricks, the partner awards are elusive but you can score them if you plan ahead of time and try to snag them 330 days out (i.e. when they are first released).

Originally Posted by sonick

Thanks, do you suggest that it would be good to convert any Amex points into Aeroplan to maintain a certain tier?

I don't travel often these days but do plan at least one big trip a year, and I have decent amount of amex points that i dont really use day to day. Is it better off having it sit in Aeroplan for the tier than to have it sit in amex doing nothing?

As said by badhobz, conversion doesn't get you tier, so no point to put it into AP. Better to keep it in Amex, you can also transfer to other airlines like Delta/AA etc which may have better deals depending on destination. Like using Delta into SLC/MSP/ATL other Delta hubs can be a good deal as it can be as low as 7.5K SkyMiles at times.

Originally Posted by 68style

LOL buy the cheapest flight you can find and don't even get on it!

They'll cancel it if you no-show for boarding lol. Best he do a hop to Victoria or something.

[G]

Originally Posted by Badhobz

That’s why you need the credit card. 5k = 1k Sqm.

50k a year on credit card would yield you 10k Sqm or almost half way there. Then all you need is one trip to Asia or a few domestic trips and you got your 25k

I think i'm in a different tax bracket than you

[EvoFire]

Originally Posted by G

I think i'm in a different tax bracket than you

I think most people are. I do not come close to spending 50k on cc. Maybe for the WHOLE family we are around the 40k mark.

[Badhobz]

Yes I know you’re higher, no need to brag bro

[bcrdukes]

Visit me in Toronto, Badhobz.

[Badhobz]

i booked a flight to san fran. Im going back to stanford and grab some el pollo loco to eat in their manicured lawns. Gonna throw chicken bones everywhere and be totally uncouth about it.

FUCK YOUR LAWNS you rich bastards, go plant another one.

[Bender Unit]

BUMP.

Just realized HSBC is going to cancel the World Elite MC.
That's my MAIN card which I love it very much.

What's the closest alternative

[Hondaracer]

Originally Posted by EvoFire

I think most people are. I do not come close to spending 50k on cc. Maybe for the WHOLE family we are around the 40k mark.

That’s what I thought initially, as I thought I wouldn’t be able to make the minimum for the companion fare for the Amex reserve

Fast forward having the card for 2 months.. Jesus lol.. almost half way to status in 2 months lol

[68style]

Originally Posted by Hondaracer

That’s what I thought initially, as I thought I wouldn’t be able to make the minimum for the companion fare for the Amex reserve

Fast forward having the card for 2 months.. Jesus lol.. almost half way to status in 2 months lol

If you humblebrag any more than this, we're gonna change your name to hehehe

[GLOW]

Originally Posted by G

I think i'm in a different tax bracket than you

like a real G

[Hondaracer]

Originally Posted by 68style

If you humblebrag any more than this, we're gonna change your name to hehehe

I think it’s moreso how bad I am at saving and prone to frivolous spending than how balling I am lol

[hud 91gt]

Any advice for hotel stays with CC points?

Building a house so may as well get a mucho returno credit card going with the most rewards for the entire life savings I’m about to spend lol.

[bcuzracecarz]

I’m a huge fan of the Marriott amex, if you are okay with it not working absolutely everywhere (Costco, etc). Get a free room stay a year ($129 annually for the card itself) so pays for itself just with that.

[Hehe]

If you are into points for travel, I think the best card is still Amex. There are some strategies you can employ to really maximize points earnings by just paying a bit of fees.

And for people who say they can’t put over 50k on CC, you are not trying. I put everything. And I do mean everything that’s not cash only on my card. Going as far as using some services to pay for stuff that’s usually cash only by paying a bit of fees. My math is that with everything in, with the points paying for my travels, my actual out of pocket expense is still lower. So those fees are just part of equation.

Same thing with business. We do everything from expenses to property taxes in some cases for our investment properties in the US in one single card. And US Amex has so many coupons and promotions. There are years we get over a million points without having any special one time expenses.

Then we just spend all those points on flying.

[hud 91gt]

Flying is cheap for me, hotels are not ��

[EvoFire]

Originally Posted by Hehe

If you are into points for travel, I think the best card is still Amex. There are some strategies you can employ to really maximize points earnings by just paying a bit of fees.

And for people who say they can’t put over 50k on CC, you are not trying. I put everything. And I do mean everything that’s not cash only on my card. Going as far as using some services to pay for stuff that’s usually cash only by paying a bit of fees. My math is that with everything in, with the points paying for my travels, my actual out of pocket expense is still lower. So those fees are just part of equation.

Same thing with business. We do everything from expenses to property taxes in some cases for our investment properties in the US in one single card. And US Amex has so many coupons and promotions. There are years we get over a million points without having any special one time expenses.

Then we just spend all those points on flying.

I'm way too Chinese and at least half of our groceries and 1/4 of our meals out are cash.

[Hondaracer]

Originally Posted by Hehe

If you are into points for travel, I think the best card is still Amex. There are some strategies you can employ to really maximize points earnings by just paying a bit of fees.

And for people who say they can’t put over 50k on CC, you are not trying. I put everything. And I do mean everything that’s not cash only on my card. Going as far as using some services to pay for stuff that’s usually cash only by paying a bit of fees. My math is that with everything in, with the points paying for my travels, my actual out of pocket expense is still lower. So those fees are just part of equation.

Same thing with business. We do everything from expenses to property taxes in some cases for our investment properties in the US in one single card. And US Amex has so many coupons and promotions. There are years we get over a million points without having any special one time expenses.

Then we just spend all those points on flying.

So I was talking to a family member who owns a business, uses contractors etc. but also has about 10-15 people employed at any one time. He was telling me AMEX used to have a payroll system where you would route your payroll through them

He said he was getting like 200,000+ points a month lol.. I guess Amex cut out that service shortly after he started using it however as they didn’t want to be in the banking service but sounded pretty crazy in terms of corporate accumulation of points

[bcrdukes]

AMEX has a program called BIPS (I forgot what it stands for) but it's exactly that - accelerated payment terms (i.e. Net 10 / Net 15) or something for business users and you can easily rack points up - fast.

hud 91gt - Depending on where you are, and what your future travel plans are, I'm more of a Marriott guy myself and an AMEX user. Sadly, I don't have the Marriott AMEX myself because I don't travel enough anymore to justify it, but if you plan on staying at any Marriott-chain hotel, it can be well worth considering.

[HonestTea]

If you're redeeming Bonvoy points, you also get the 5th consecutive night free.

[whitev70r]

Not to hijack this thread but similar question.

Does anyone have a suggestion for best bank account, by that I mean no monthly fees and free ATM, e-transfers. I know you prob have to keep balance over a certain amount but are there any such accounts?