# Chase Sapphire Preferred Offer - Should I sign up?



## benjibear

So I have heard people on here talk about this card before. In the mail today, I got an offer for this card. I will get 40,000 bonus points for spending $2000 in the first 3 months and 5,000 points for adding an authorized user. Is this a good deal or has there been better deals to sign up for this card?

Also, when transferring to Amtrak, is there a fee? So I can I can transfer all the points to Amtrak if I want? Is there a better way to use these points? It looks like I can also transfer into my Holiday Inn rewards.

After the first year there is a $95 fee. It appears I will get more points using this card then the Amtrak Chase card since you get double points on travel and restaurant related purchases. Plus, it looks like you get 7% additional points at the end of the year. It looks like it may be worth having and paying the $95 is well worth it since you get the extra points.

What am I missing? I am ready to sign up. I am saving up for a California trip and the extra points will help alot.


----------



## pennyk

I have the card and am very happy with it. Also, there are no foreign transaction fees. I received 50,000 points when I signed up several years ago. There is no charge to transfer to AGR, but, I think must be in 1,000 point increments.


----------



## Bob Dylan

Great deal and card! Book it Danno!


----------



## Devil's Advocate

I use the card all the time and have collected hundreds of thousands of Ultimate Rewards points over the years.


----------



## Ryan

Same here.

I'm pretty sure that's the bonus I got when I signed up.

Working on achieving the spend for the Chase Ink for this 90 day period.


----------



## NW cannonball

The good recommendations from here and from my daughter who is now somewhere in a different time zone --

I applied and got the card two weeks ago and it makes a perfect companion to my Chase AGR card.

Plus -- it's got a CHIP -- daughter says this helps in EU.

Zero fee to transfer the points 1/1 to AGR. Good deal on exchange rates on ATMS overseas.

Go for it.


----------



## Guest

Between Chase Sapphire Preferred and Chase AGR, you can really rack up and accumulate AGR points without point expiration. I have both, and I use AGR card for rail purchases only and CSP for everything else, taking advantage of double points on travel and dining.

Normally, people with CSP are busy transferring points to UA or Hyatt, but really Amtrak has the best value. This is an analysis (which is outdated thanks to devaluation of UA, Hyatt, SW, etc.)

http://thepointsguy.com/2013/06/top-10-ways-to-maximize-each-ultimate-rewards-transfer-partner/


----------



## sechs

If you can get a Chase checking account, the Freedom card with the 10% annual bonus is a better choice for general spend (plus the quarterly bonuses), but you still have to have a fee card (CSP or Ink) to get transfers to AGR.


----------



## Shanghai

I have had the Sapphire card for two years and have accumulated more than 80,000 points.

It is a good companion card to the AGR MasterCard.


----------



## nccb

I got the card, put the spend on it, got the bonus within 2 weeks, transferred the points to AGR (instantly), and booked a Chicago-Emeryville trip with family bedroom. FOR FREE.

Do it.


----------



## benjibear

Got my cards today!


----------



## printman2000

Before I go to the trouble of applying for the Chase Sapphire Preferred, am i correct that I can transfer the bonus 40,000 points straight to AGR for 40,000 AGR points?


----------



## Ryan

Yes.


----------



## printman2000

Wow. Instant automatic approval. Guess I thought it would take some time.


----------



## Ryan

Welcome to the club.


----------



## NW cannonball

But it will likely be a week+ before you get the actual card. :unsure: . Maybe they take longer to manufacture with the aluminum body and embedded SIM-like chip.


----------



## Railroad Bill

Card is on the way. Question: is there any reason to use the Amtrak Chase MC once you have the Sapphire card? Does the Sapphire card give you the same double points for booking Amtrak trips that you get using Amtrak MC?


----------



## benjibear

I don't know the answer for your specific question but I would keep using it at least a little. Keeping some level of activity on a card is good. I had a card that I haven't used for years and I got a letter saying the bank was closing my account because of inactivity. For that card, I didn't care, but for Amtrak, I wouldn't want them to close my account.


----------



## NW cannonball

Railroad Bill said:


> Card is on the way. Question: is there any reason to use the Amtrak Chase MC once you have the Sapphire card? Does the Sapphire card give you the same double points for booking Amtrak trips that you get using Amtrak MC?


Same double points -yes -probably - my last statement from the Chase Saphire Prefered shows "travel, dining" one point per dollar, not 2x like the T&C said. Will raise the issue with Chase or points.com after next statement.

Another possible reason to keep the Amtrak points card when you get both is -- sometimes the bonus for shopping might be better at one or the other. Right now I'm using the multipoints on the AGR Site with Turbotax (yeah me last-minute-filer). Don't know if the Chase points has the same good deal.

Another reason to keep both cards depends on your credit rating -- in some situations, having more unused credit improves your rating by lowering your percentage of total credit used. Go figure.

Overall, me and my daughter like the CSP much.


----------



## NW cannonball

Oh, and this is NOT copied from any Chase website, it's just an impression I got from somewhere, not wanting to impinge on any corporate citizens proprietary data, but I thought I saw something like this somewhere --

+ 1 Point per $1 earned on all purchases xxx
+ 1 Point per $1 earned on dining yy
+ 1 Point per $1 earned on travel 30
+ 1 Point per $1 on Ultimate Rewards travel 0
+ Bonus points from Ultimate Rewards Mall 0

edit --

This might be - possibly - how Chase Sapphire actually works -- If--if this is how the CSP works -- maybe some questions?

1 point per dollar for travel?


----------



## Devil's Advocate

The category bonuses for the Chase Sapphire Preferred card are explained below. If this is not what you're receiving from Chase then the business may not be setup as a direct seller or the merchant code may be excluded or incorrectly assigned.

-------------

You will earn 1 point for each $1 of Net Purchases. You will earn an additional 1 point for each $1 of Net Purchases made in any of the following categories: travel; dining - when you use your card at restaurants. Merchants who accept Visa/MasterCard credit cards are assigned a merchant code based on the kinds of products and services they sell. Chase groups similar merchant codes into categories for purposes of making rewards offers to you. Chase makes every effort to include all relevant merchant codes in its listed categories. However, even though a merchant or the items that it sells may appear to fit within a listed category, the merchant may not have a merchant code that falls within that category. Therefore, purchases with that merchant will not qualify for the stated rewards offer on category purchases. For more information about Chase rewards categories, see www.Chase.com/RewardsFAQs. You will also earn an additional 1 point for each $1 of airfare and hotel accommodation Net Purchases when you book at chase.com/ultimaterewards (for a total of 3 points). ("Net Purchases" are purchases of goods and services made by you or any authorized user on your account minus any returns or refunds, and do not include balance transfers, cash advances, cash-like charges such as travelers checks, foreign currency, and money orders, any checks that access your account, overdraft advances, interest, unauthorized or fraudulent charges, or fees of any kind, including an annual fee, if applicable.) You'll receive a 7% Annual Points Dividend on all new points earned on purchases made with your Chase Sapphire Preferred card during the previous year. ("Year" means, for your first year as a cardmember, the period beginning with your Enrollment Date through your billing cycle with a December closing date of that same year. For each year thereafter, "Year" means the twelve billing cycle period beginning the day after your billing cycle with a December closing date through your billing cycle with a December closing date of the next year.) Your 7% Annual Points Dividend will appear on your January or February billing statement. You will not earn the 7% Annual Points Dividend on new account bonus points, previous Annual Points Dividends awarded, or points transferred into your account. There is no maximum number of points that you can accumulate in the program. Bonus/Promotional offers may have a maximum accumulation. See Rewards Program Rules and Regulations which will be mailed after your account is established.

Q. What determines whether a merchant falls within a particular rewards category?

A. Merchants who accept Visa/MasterCard credit cards are assigned a merchant code which is determined by the merchant or its processor in accordance with Visa/Mastercard procedures based on the kinds of products and services they primarily sell. Chase groups similar merchant codes into categories for purposes of making rewards offers to you. Chase makes every effort to include all relevant merchant codes in its rewards categories. However, even though a merchant or some of the items that it sells may appear to fit within a rewards category, the merchant may not have a merchant code that falls within that category. Therefore, purchases with that merchant will not qualify for the stated rewards offer on category purchases. Purchases submitted by you or the merchant through third-party payment accounts (e.g. PayPal), mobile or wireless card readers, online or mobile digital wallets, or similar technology (collectively, "Technology") will not qualify in a rewards category if the Technology is not set up to process the purchase in the rewards category.

Q. What types of merchants are in the travel category?

A. Merchants in the travel category include airlines, hotels, motels, timeshares, campgrounds, car rental agencies, cruise lines, travel agencies, discount travel sites, sightseeing activities, including sightseeing activities that take place on vehicles such as dinner cruises and tour buses, tourist attractions, and operators of trains, buses, taxis, limousines, ferries, toll bridges and highways, and parking lots and garages. Please note that some merchants that provide transportation and travel-related services are not included in this category; for example, real estate agents, websites or owners that rent properties, in-flight goods and services, merchants within airports, and merchants that rent trailers, trucks, and other vehicles for the purpose of hauling.

Q. What types of merchants are in the restaurants category?

A. Merchants in the restaurants category are merchants whose primary business is sit-down or eat-in dining, including fast food restaurants as well as fine dining establishments. Please note that some merchants that sell food and drinks located within larger merchants such as sports stadiums, hotels and casinos, theme parks, and department stores may not be included in this category.


----------



## Ryan

NW cannonball said:


> Oh, and this is NOT copied from any Chase website, it's just an impression I got from somewhere, not wanting to impinge on any corporate citizens proprietary data, but I thought I saw something like this somewhere --
> 
> + 1 Point per $1 earned on all purchases xxx
> 
> + 1 Point per $1 earned on dining yy
> 
> + 1 Point per $1 earned on travel 30
> 
> + 1 Point per $1 on Ultimate Rewards travel 0
> 
> + Bonus points from Ultimate Rewards Mall 0
> 
> edit --
> 
> This might be - possibly - how Chase Sapphire actually works -- If--if this is how the CSP works -- maybe some questions?
> 
> 1 point per dollar for travel?


One bonus point, plus the point you get for everything in the first line gives you the 2 points per dollar.

Sent from my iPhone


----------



## NW cannonball

So the 1 point for travel is an add-on to the total point thingy. Aha. not just 1 point for travel -- one additional point for travel. -- OK.


----------



## NW cannonball

The Chase Sapphire card is really good for transfer points. And really good for having the chip. But --

After the first year it costs $95 per year.

How many "points" does that cost?

Keep the no-annual-fee AGR card if you can't justify $95 up-front.


----------



## printman2000

NW cannonball said:


> The Chase Sapphire card is really good for transfer points. And really good for having the chip. But --
> 
> After the first year it costs $95 per year.
> 
> How many "points" does that cost?
> 
> Keep the no-annual-fee AGR card if you can't justify $95 up-front.


I believe 5,000 points equals $50. So That would mean 9500 points to keep the card per year.


----------



## Ryan

I'm not sure where you're getting that penny a point value from.

If you used the $95 to buy AGR points instead of paying the annual fee, you could buy 3,500 points (for $96.25). If you were smart and used that $95 during a 30% bonus period, you could buy 4,550 for the same $96.25.

There's also word on the street that the annual fee may go up in the near future. Still, with the first year free it's worth getting for the sign up bonus if nothing else. Transfer the points at the end of your year to AGR (or anywhere else you choose) and close the account if you don't want to pay the fee.


----------



## printman2000

RyanS said:


> I'm not sure where you're getting that penny a point value from.
> 
> If you used the $95 to buy AGR points instead of paying the annual fee, you could buy 3,500 points (for $96.25). If you were smart and used that $95 during a 30% bonus period, you could buy 4,550 for the same $96.25.
> 
> There's also word on the street that the annual fee may go up in the near future. Still, with the first year free it's worth getting for the sign up bonus if nothing else. Transfer the points at the end of your year to AGR (or anywhere else you choose) and close the account if you don't want to pay the fee.


That is the value, I believe, if you use it in the Chase Ultimate Rewards site. I have been using a Freedom card for years and that is the exchange rate. I would assume the same on this card.


----------



## NW cannonball

printman2000 said:


> NW cannonball said:
> 
> 
> 
> The Chase Sapphire card is really good for transfer points. And really good for having the chip. But --
> 
> After the first year it costs $95 per year.
> 
> How many "points" does that cost?
> 
> Keep the no-annual-fee AGR card if you can't justify $95 up-front.
> 
> 
> 
> I believe 5,000 points equals $50. So That would mean 9500 points to keep the card per year.
Click to expand...

Uh - not - on United - where I have some points -- uh 17000 points is about 170 dollars - with various restrictions and all -- worth less than that --

So check the decimal point -

$95 would be worth not 9500 points, no you would need to get 95000 points to break even on the annual fee.

Like the local government lottery ads -- "It could happen"


----------



## printman2000

NW cannonball said:


> printman2000 said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> NW cannonball said:
> 
> 
> 
> The Chase Sapphire card is really good for transfer points. And really good for having the chip. But --
> 
> After the first year it costs $95 per year.
> 
> How many "points" does that cost?
> 
> Keep the no-annual-fee AGR card if you can't justify $95 up-front.
> 
> 
> 
> I believe 5,000 points equals $50. So That would mean 9500 points to keep the card per year.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Uh - not - on United - where I have some points -- uh 17000 points is about 170 dollars - with various restrictions and all -- worth less than that --
> 
> So check the decimal point -
> 
> $95 would be worth not 9500 points, no you would need to get 95000 points to break even on the annual fee.
> 
> Like the local government lottery ads -- "It could happen"
Click to expand...

As I said in the other response, I was referring to Chase Ultimate Rewards value. You can take 10,000 points and get a $100 statement credit or a $100 gift card.

As for transferring them out of Chase, points values will vary.


----------



## Ryan

I see. That's the rate I'm presented with for things like buying gift cards. 1.25 cents/point when redeeming for travel.

Either one of them is a terrible use of points. They're much more valuable when transferred to a partner like AGR and redeemed for 3-5 (or more!) cents per point.

For example: I want to go WAS-ATL tomorrow. A roomette for my wife and I is $624. But I can use 15,000 points for the both of us, meaning we're getting 4.16 cents of value out of each point.

It gets even better out west - looking at CHI-EMY, the cost of a roomette is $1,061. 20,000 points for that 2 zone gives you 5.3 cents per point. Starting all the way back at TOL, the price jumps to $1,292, but it's still the same 20,000 points. Now we're approaching 6.5 cents of value per point.

All that said, redemption values mean very little when wondering what the cost of the $95 annual fee would be. The relevant rate there is the purchase rate, which for AGR is 2.75 cents per point.


----------



## NW cannonball

Right -- you spend $ 10,000 and get 10,000 points, a restricted $100 value. That's a 1% kickback if my arithmetic is right. Double that for preferred transport and dining. The signup bonus is a good deal.

The annual fee of $95 is *how many points you pay up front? *

Can anyone do the arithmetic? I'm thinking the $ 95 annual fee -- how much needed spend to even break even?


----------



## Ryan

It's a lot more than $100 in value if you redeem well.

You don't pay any points up front for the annual fee, I'm not sure what you're getting at.

The points earning is slightly different between the two cards - and differences are going to depend completely on what your exact spending works out to be.

The problem isn't the arithmetic, the problem is figuring out how to value the points.

For me, the $95 is worth the flexibility in not being tied to using my points for Amtrak only. I can use them for hotels (regardless of my means of travel) and can use them to fly when I need to fly. Can't do that with the AGR card.


----------



## printman2000

RyanS said:


> For me, the $95 is worth the flexibility in not being tied to using my points for Amtrak only. I can use them for hotels (regardless of my means of travel) and can use them to fly when I need to fly. Can't do that with the AGR card.


YES. That is the main reasoning behind me getting this card.


----------



## NW cannonball

Right - the flexibility is worth a lot.

But - the $95 fee is - if all you spend is at the 2 points level - you have to spend $4700 on the card just to cover the $95 fee.

Go figure -- what's the flexibility is worth to you

I got the CSP card -- the signup bonus is worth it. The chip and sign is worth something

But the $95 fee -- not so much worth it .


----------



## printman2000

NW cannonball said:


> Right - the flexibility is worth a lot.
> 
> But - the $95 fee is - if all you spend is at the 2 points level - you have to spend $4700 on the card just to cover the $95 fee.
> 
> Go figure -- what's the flexibility is worth to you
> 
> I got the CSP card -- the signup bonus is worth it. The chip and sign is worth something
> 
> But the $95 fee -- not so much worth it .


For us, we will put everything we can on this card (as we currently do with our Freedom card). I have never been able to get all the points I have earned on the Freedom card to AGR so for me, the $95 is worth it.


----------



## Ryan

NW cannonball said:


> But - the $95 fee is - if all you spend is at the 2 points level - you have to spend $4700 on the card just to cover the $95 fee.


This makes no sense to me whatsoever. What are you talking about?


----------



## StanJazz

There is one other Big advantage for the card. It does not have the 3% international fee most cards have, including AGR. I have had the card since Feb 2013 and have saved just over $200 by not paying the 3% I would have if I had uses the AGR card. I have only paid 1 $95 fee in March 2014 so I have come out ahead. I am not even counting all the double points I have received for dining and travel. Most of my international purchases have received 2 points per dollar. Hotels, dining, cabs and Via Rail Canada.

Stan


----------



## NW cannonball

StanJazz said:


> There is one other Big advantage for the card. It does not have the 3% international fee most cards have, including AGR. I have had the card since Feb 2013 and have saved just over $200 by not paying the 3% I would have if I had uses the AGR card. I have only paid 1 $95 fee in March 2014 so I have come out ahead. I am not even counting all the double points I have received for dining and travel. Most of my international purchases have received 2 points per dollar. Hotels, dining, cabs and Via Rail Canada.
> 
> Stan


Indeed. The 3% international fee on most cards kinda wipes out the points, but *not *with the Chase Sapphire. I've got Discover and NFCU which also have no international fee, and there are other cards that also don't - but Discover is not as widely accepted (except in Japan and China - they are allied with JCB) - and NFCU is only available to military (and us lucky relatives of military).

Summing up, the negative on the Chase Sapphire is the annual fee after the first year.

The positives are -

the big signup bonus

double points for any travel and dining spending

the ability to transfer points to Amtrak, United, others,

you can take the points in cash at a penny a point,

no international fee

the annual points rebate

possibly, the chip in the card

and, :unsure: the feel and heft of the thing. It's twice as heavy and twice as stiff as my other cards, I can find it by feel in the dark.


----------



## printman2000

Got mine yesterday and i can sure attest to how heavy/solid the thing is.

What is the chip for? Is that used mostly in other countries?


----------



## Devil's Advocate

The credit card chip is like the metric system. Smart, simple, effective, and almost entirely unknown to Americans. We pay more in transaction fees and processing rates supposedly because of rampant fraud, but the primary reason we have rampant fraud is because the people who could actually prevent it (retailers and banks) refuse to resolve it. Having the chip integrated into a dozen "prestige" cards in a sea of thousands of unprotected cards is nothing more than a tiny baby step toward a real solution. Until American banks and retailers are setup and trained to use the chip for every transaction with every card it's virtually meaningless. Yet another example of where the market has failed to offer a workable solution. Seems to work fine in countries that require a chip though.


----------



## Railroad Bill

Tried to use my card at Walmart yesterday and it would not work. Cashier tried sliding it and then putting it in a slot under the reader. Still no go. It works every other place I have used it. Mgr. Said our readers "do not like these new cards".

Time for Walmart to buy some new readers.


----------



## Ryan

Railroad Bill said:


> Walmart


I have located the problem!!! 

I don' think I've ever had trouble using mine. Lots of cashiers comment on how nice the card is, though.


----------



## printman2000

Railroad Bill said:


> Tried to use my card at Walmart yesterday and it would not work. Cashier tried sliding it and then putting it in a slot under the reader. Still no go. It works every other place I have used it. Mgr. Said our readers "do not like these new cards".
> 
> Time for Walmart to buy some new readers.


Used mine at Walmart yesterday as well. Because they have the chip readers, it did not allow me to slide the card using the magnetic strip. I had to put it into a slot on the bottom of the card reading machine and leave it there. It took maybe 15 seconds for it to do what it needed.

Did they put it in the chip reader and leave it in? Or did they stick it in and immediately remove it? My inclination was to just put it in and immediately pull it out but the instructions on the screen told me to leave the card in the slot.


----------



## Railroad Bill

printman2000 said:


> Railroad Bill said:
> 
> 
> 
> Tried to use my card at Walmart yesterday and it would not work. Cashier tried sliding it and then putting it in a slot under the reader. Still no go. It works every other place I have used it. Mgr. Said our readers "do not like these new cards".
> 
> Time for Walmart to buy some new readers.
> 
> 
> 
> Used mine at Walmart yesterday as well. Because they have the chip readers, it did not allow me to slide the card using the magnetic strip. I had to put it into a slot on the bottom of the card reading machine and leave it there. It took maybe 15 seconds for it to do what it needed.
> 
> Did they put it in the chip reader and leave it in? Or did they stick it in and immediately remove it? My inclination was to just put it in and immediately pull it out but the instructions on the screen told me to leave the card in the slot.
Click to expand...

Yes, I believe they may not have left the card in the slot long enough. The clerk did not understand how the slot worked and the manager did not seem to help much either. Will need to remember to leave it in the slot until the proper o.k is received. Thanks for the info.


----------



## NW cannonball

My CSP works always in the US by sliding the mag strip. The only place that it worked where they used the chip thingy was a BP gas station for $5 snacks and soda, and it worked there also.

Haven't tried Wal-mart - maybe they have a problem with transitioning new readers.

Will try at local Wal-mart and see how it goes


----------



## printman2000

I assumed because their machines offer the chip reader, it does not allow the magnetic strip to be used since that would make the security of the chip pointless.

Sent from my iPhone using Amtrak Forum


----------



## sechs

NW cannonball said:


> Summing up, the negative on the Chase Sapphire is the annual fee after the first year.The positives are -
> 
> the big signup bonus
> 
> double points for any travel and dining spending
> 
> the ability to transfer points to Amtrak, United, others,
> 
> you can take the points in cash at a penny a point,
> 
> no international fee
> 
> the annual points rebate
> 
> possibly, the chip in the card
> 
> and, :unsure: the feel and heft of the thing. It's twice as heavy and twice as stiff as my other cards, I can find it by feel in the dark.


I think that you missed the 7% annual points bonus.

While Chase will fairly easily give a retention bonus on the Ink cards, they rarely offer any points or cash back for paying the annual fee on the CSP. If you have a business, that's something to keep in mind.


----------



## NW cannonball

printman2000 said:


> I assumed because their machines offer the chip reader, it does not allow the magnetic strip to be used since that would make the security of the chip pointless.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Amtrak Forum


I never assume anything - especially about credit cards -

Most places I've been, if the card wont scan, stripe or chip, the cashier can key in the number and use whatever their machine displays for confirmation.

Always carry cash - about 3 days worth - as a backup.

Here in the USA - the cost of fraud is covered by the big big fees the card processors collect from the retailers.

All details about that are trade secrets.

Sometimes, nah, usually, installing new tech here in the USA -- involves unmotivated front-line cashiers and tech-incompetent CIO's

grumble, grumble


----------



## Railroad Bill

Back to Walmart today and everything worked just fine. Clerk said the associates are being trained to make sure the card stays in the slot until the notice appears to remove it on the screen. But so far, Walmart is the only establishment I have used the card that requires using the slot. All others scanned just like a regular card. :huh:


----------



## printman2000

Funny, my card did it work at Walmart yesterday. Kept saying read error. I then tried sliding and it took it, but the cashier had to enter the security code.

Sent from my iPhone using Amtrak Forum


----------



## printman2000

Just called the 800 number on y Sapphire because I had a question. The strangest thing happened. A PERSON answered! No automated system. No entering my number. Straight to a very helpful person.

The Sapphire card is awesome!

Sent from my iPhone using Amtrak Forum


----------



## Railroad Bill

Just received my 40,000 bonus points last week along with loads of other double points for restaurants, hotels, etc. Yes, the Sapphire Card seems to be a really good deal..


----------



## Dovecote

Railroad Bill said:


> Just received my 40,000 bonus points last week along with loads of other double points for restaurants, hotels, etc. Yes, the Sapphire Card seems to be a really good deal..


How soon did you get the 40k bonus points after spending the required $3k? I am approaching the $3k spending requirement and was just wondering.


----------



## printman2000

I got my 40k points at the end of the billing cycle where $3000 was spent. It was quick.


----------



## Railroad Bill

Same here. At the end of billing cycle it was immediately placed in the Rewards site along with the points for the purchases. Double for restaurants, hotels, rental car.


----------



## Dovecote

printman2000 said:


> I got my 40k points at the end of the billing cycle where $3000 was spent. It was quick.





Railroad Bill said:


> Same here. At the end of billing cycle it was immediately placed in the Rewards site along with the points for the purchases. Double for restaurants, hotels, rental car.


Thanks for the responses. My billing cycle ends on the 3rd of the month. Not to long from now!!


----------



## William W.

I recently got a CSP. It's definitely the best travel card out there. I just transferred 2000 point to AGR to put me over the top for a roomette.

The best way to maximize your points is to get a CSP, and a Freedom card. You can earn 5 points per dollar spent on certain categories throughout the year. If you just have the Freedom card, each point is only worth $0.01. If you also get a CSP, however, you can transfer your Freedom points to the CSP, and then transfer those points to various programs. You can really get a ton of points this way.


----------



## printman2000

Question, I got the card using only my info and ssn. I got an extra card for my wife.

Can my wife get her own account and thus also get the bonus points?

Sent from my iPhone using Amtrak Forum


----------



## Ryan

As long as she's merely an authorized user on your account, and it's isn't a joint account (likely not, since you didn't provide her information), yes.


----------



## Railroad Bill

Wife and I got Chase Sapphire Cards for each of us. 80,000 points. WhoHoo1!


----------



## Dovecote

Railroad Bill said:


> Wife and I got Chase Sapphire Cards for each of us. 80,000 points. WhoHoo1!


Same with us! Also as you and others indicated I got my 40k points after my second billing cycle posted.


----------



## sechs

FYI for those considering the CSP: It appears that they have eliminated the 7% annual point bonus for new applicants and replaced it with some other features. The card opening bonus remains the same.

Based on what I've read, the bonus will be eliminated for existing card holders after 2015,_ i.e._, the 2015 bonus, received in 2016, will be the last.


----------



## Railroad Bill

sechs said:


> FYI for those considering the CSP: It appears that they have eliminated the 7% annual point bonus for new applicants and replaced it with some other features. The card opening bonus remains the same.
> 
> Based on what I've read, the bonus will be eliminated for existing card holders after 2015,_ i.e._, the 2015 bonus, received in 2016, will be the last.


Ah, more fine print to peruse. We shall see whether the annual fee is worth it as time passes. As of now, we are pleased with the points acquired, especially in dining and travel categories. If that changes, we will return to our trusty Amtrak MC.


----------



## Devil's Advocate

Railroad Bill said:


> sechs said:
> 
> 
> 
> FYI for those considering the CSP: It appears that they have eliminated the 7% annual point bonus for new applicants and replaced it with some other features. The card opening bonus remains the same.
> 
> Based on what I've read, the bonus will be eliminated for existing card holders after 2015,_ i.e._, the 2015 bonus, received in 2016, will be the last.
> 
> 
> 
> Ah, more fine print to peruse. We shall see whether the annual fee is worth it as time passes. As of now, we are pleased with the points acquired, especially in dining and travel categories. If that changes, we will return to our trusty Amtrak MC.
Click to expand...

For me the annual fee is a minor issue considering how many ways I can use these points at a 1:1 ratio versus being locked into a single loyalty currency. Versatility is the name of the game when it comes to maximizing use and minimizing waste. In exchange for losing the annual bonus the trip cancellation & interruption benefit will be increasing in value from a maximum payout of $5,000 to $10,000 and the rental car collision damage benefit will go from being secondary to primary. Although I enjoyed receiving extra points at the end of the year that rebate was never a make or break aspect for me. I'm still working the CSP/INK/CFR cards for miscellaneous spending. Seems to work well enough for me thus far.


----------



## benjibear

I am glad I got mine when I did. In the future, one the bonus is eliminated, it probably won't be worth keeping. I don't travel much, except for work which I am required to use the corporate card. When I dine out, I usually pay cash because I am either at a cheap fast food joint or I don't trust the waiters to give them my card.


----------

