I'm Getting Married Next Summer - What Credit Card Should I Use to Get Some Serious Points?

Quote from Brian1 : Check out Credit Card Tune Up [creditcardtuneup.com] and NerdWallet [nerdwallet.com]. At both websites you'll put in your personal, specific spending habits and they will tell you which cards are best for you based on your specific spending habits, ranked from most rewarding to least rewarding. Concerning which type of rewards card to get, go for cash back, not airline miles. Airline miles are fool's gold. Redeeming airline miles can be a MAJOR hassle if it's even possible to use them at all on the days you're wanting to travel. Nowadays, airline miles are a joke. However, cash is cash. It doesn't expire and it doesn't have any blackout dates.

This is said out of ignorance. I cashed in 550k miles for $30k in airfare on $12000 in spending vs the $360 cash back on 3% cash back

Quote from 8mpg : This is said out of ignorance. I cashed in 550k miles for $30k in airfare on $12000 in spending vs the $360 cash back on 3% cash back

Glad to hear you were able to benefit from a frequent flyer program. Your situation, however, was anecdotal and an anomaly. It was, unfortunately, the exception, not the rule.

"Landing the free seat you want using frequent-flier miles has long been one of the biggest frustrations for travelers. The prizes offered by airlines are enticing, but the seats never seem to be available on the flights and routes you want." [wsj.com]

Frequent-Flyer Seats: Sorry, All Full [time.com]

". . . spending those accumulated miles on travel is more difficult. Because airlines have a limited number of seats allocated to rewards use, it's not easy to book a dream vacation paid for by points." [consumerreports.org]

Frequent flyer miles are like fool's gold [clarkhoward.com]

". . . actually redeeming those miles can seem impossible - at least with some airlines." [cbslocal.com]

Frequent flyer questions – difficulty in getting the awards we want [boardingarea.com]

"I discourage cards that offer airline frequent flier miles because those miles are so hard to redeem. The airlines are always raising the number of points it take to redeem a ticket." [clarkhoward.com]

OP, first off, congrats on your pending nuptials.

You might want to look into the new US Bank Cash+ rewards card. Although it's barely a month old, it seems like being able to set your two 5% categories can be helpful for your honeymoon (travel and hotels).

Quote from 8mpg : This is said out of ignorance. I cashed in 550k miles for $30k in airfare on $12000 in spending vs the $360 cash back on 3% cash back

Only reason you got those miles was exceptional new cc sign-up deals. Looks like maybe 6-8 new cc based on total miles accumulated. Take out the sign-up offer and you are talking about 12-24K miles vs $360 cashback.

Quote from WildChickenDanc : Only reason you got those miles was exceptional new cc sign-up deals. Looks like maybe 6-8 new cc based on total miles accumulated. Take out the sign-up offer and you are talking about 12-24K miles vs $360 cashback.

Signup bonus is the ONLY way to go unless you are doing $100k a year in spending. The guy is about getting a new card or cards...only way to go with with cards to get a big bonus then meet the spending requirement with the card. I dont know anyone in their right mind that would choose a low or no bonus card and waste an opportunity to lose out on major points. I doubt the guy is going spend $100k on a wedding on strictly credit cards. Even if he does...100k miles > $2000 (if there is a good 2% cb on a single card). He isnt going to hit 3% spending in all the categories for his wedding so I would assume 2% is max cash back average.

100k miles = 2.5 round trip tickets can fly him and his wife to Europe and back.

Quote from Brian1 : Glad to hear you were able to benefit from a frequent flyer program. Your situation, however, was anecdotal and an anomaly. It was, unfortunately, the exception, not the rule. "Landing the free seat you want using frequent-flier miles has long been one of the biggest frustrations for travelers. The prizes offered by airlines are enticing, but the seats never seem to be available on the flights and routes you want." [wsj.com] Frequent-Flyer Seats: Sorry, All Full [time.com] ". . . spending those accumulated miles on travel is more difficult. Because airlines have a limited number of seats allocated to rewards use, it's not easy to book a dream vacation paid for by points." [consumerreports.org] Frequent flyer miles are like fool's gold [clarkhoward.com] ". . . actually redeeming those miles can seem impossible - at least with some airlines." [cbslocal.com] Frequent flyer questions – difficulty in getting the awards we want [boardingarea.com] "I discourage cards that offer airline frequent flier miles because those miles are so hard to redeem. The airlines are always raising the number of points it take to redeem a ticket." [clarkhoward.com]

Do you even use miles? Posting the same dang links in different threads just makes me feel like you are full of hate and ignorance on miles. Sure you have to be flexible but you seem to be a hater.

I really don't get why these people go out of their way to bash frequent flyer miles. If you can't find a use for you, too bad!

Like I said, I've saved more than $400 because I was using frequent flyer miles. Yes, of course it's a sign up bonus, but that doesn't change the fact that mileage redemption is better when you know how to use it!

The guy is getting married so I'd assume he's going to travel. I have just checked. It's 60k miles for one round-trip ticket, Chicago-Heathrow flying next year in May/June. Let me know if you can find a ticket like that for $600 and I'll admit that frequent flyer miles suck

Quote from kidroach : I really don't get why these people go out of their way to bash frequent flyer miles. If you can't find a use for you, too bad! Like I said, I've saved more than $400 because I was using frequent flyer miles. Yes, of course it's a sign up bonus, but that doesn't change the fact that mileage redemption is better when you know how to use it! The guy is getting married so I'd assume he's going to travel. I have just checked. It's 60k miles for one round-trip ticket, Chicago-Heathrow flying next year in May/June. Let me know if you can find a ticket like that for $600 and I'll admit that frequent flyer miles suck

Off peak with AA and you can get it done in 40k round trip per person.

Quote from Brian1 : Glad to hear you were able to benefit from a frequent flyer program. Your situation, however, was anecdotal and an anomaly. It was, unfortunately, the exception, not the rule. "Landing the free seat you want using frequent-flier miles has long been one of the biggest frustrations for travelers. The prizes offered by airlines are enticing, but the seats never seem to be available on the flights and routes you want." [wsj.com] Frequent-Flyer Seats: Sorry, All Full [time.com] ". . . spending those accumulated miles on travel is more difficult. Because airlines have a limited number of seats allocated to rewards use, it's not easy to book a dream vacation paid for by points." [consumerreports.org] Frequent flyer miles are like fool's gold [clarkhoward.com] ". . . actually redeeming those miles can seem impossible - at least with some airlines." [cbslocal.com] Frequent flyer questions – difficulty in getting the awards we want [boardingarea.com] "I discourage cards that offer airline frequent flier miles because those miles are so hard to redeem. The airlines are always raising the number of points it take to redeem a ticket." [clarkhoward.com]

I'm thankful there are people who see airline miles as a negative. People who think airline miles are bogus and/or others who stay in CC debt are the ones floating my otherwise very expensive air travel demands. If everyone who could, signed up for these miles, then the pickings would be extremely slim for the few of us who really do benefit from all these miles and points.

Haven't paid (full price) for a flight or hotel in 2-3 years now, and if things stay like this (or get better), I won't be paying for the next 4-5 years either.

I think this probably sounds like a huge rookie question, but I'm going to do it anyways. Can we apply for the card with both of our names on the card and get two copies of the same card?

So we decided on the Chase Sapphire Preferred. My fiance already has 3 Chase cards, and she doesn't use one of them at all and she would really prefer to not have a fourth. I understand that having the open line of credit helps your credit score, but will Chase let us convert her old card into the Sapphire Preferred?

Quote from Dem Bums : So we decided on the Chase Sapphire Preferred. My fiance already has 3 Chase cards, and she doesn't use one of them at all and she would really prefer to not have a fourth. I understand that having the open line of credit helps your credit score, but will Chase let us convert her old card into the Sapphire Preferred?

I doubt, since I've already had 3 chase credit cards. When I asked Chase if I could change one of my card to another several years ago, I was told to just apply a new one. I don't know if they've changed their rules.

Quote from kidroach : Here's the definition of "return-ticket": http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/return_ticket

I have no intention to step in your arguments, but the definition of return ticket you quoted is a little problematic:

http://dictionary.reference.com/b...ticket?s=t

return ticket
 
noun
1.
a ticket for the return portion of a trip.
2.
Chiefly British . a round-trip ticket.

I suppose that you both are in US, not in Britain.