March 5, 2024 | View Online | Sign Up
|
 |
After my disastrous Delta card malarkey last week, I’ve got some thinking to do.
This is a big year of travel. I’ll be hitting four continents, and without a solid injection of points, I’ll be spending a little more than I’d hoped to. I’ve still got a good chunk, and so does Jess, but her business expenses will be doing some of the heavy lifting.
So, while she does that, I’ll focus on other types of lifting. Lifting beers. Lifting forks. Lifting chopsticks. Maybe some sake in Japan. A lion cub in Tanzania.*
Let’s get to the points:
Keep things simple with this card
What are your perks worth?
The best bonuses around right now
Cheers,
Steven
*I know I can’t pick up a lion cub on safari. Don’t worry.
|
|
|
|
| CARD OF THE WEEK
|
 |
Keep it Stupid Simple. This Card Has Your Back
|
I’m going to be angrily ranting about being denied by Delta card intro offer for weeks. For this, I apologize. I’ve spent a good amount of time trying to rationalize whether I can find value in an expensive card, and it’s making me crave a wonderfully straightforward card with a ton of the stuff.
And for that purpose, no card can top the Capital One Venture X Rewards Card.
I can’t think of a more approachable product, bursting with perks that offer direct value, as well as an incredible 75,000-mile intro bonus. Here’s everything I love about the card.
💹 It’s an easy earner
Sometimes it’s nice to not have five cards in your wallet. The Venture X Rewards Card is one of the few products with a generous enough earning style to make a one-carder out of you. You earn two miles on every dollar you spend. Sure, there’s no four-miles-on-dinner, but the card that does that won’t get you more than one mile on the disgusting Exxon chili dog you bought last night when you were drunk.
It’s earning on autopilot. Plus, 75,000 miles is a phenomenal intro bonus. All you have to do to earn it is spend just $4,000 within three months of opening the card.
🫰🏻It pays for itself
Unlike the card I’m currently wrangling with, piecing together the value of the Venture X is simple. Its $395 annual fee is almost wiped out immediately by the yearly travel statement credit. As long as you normally spend $300 a year on travel, you’re down to only $95 a year by using the Capital One portal.
Then, if you consider that the bonus 10,000 miles every year are worth around $100, you’re pretty much $5 up on the card at that point.
From there, you’re just enjoying the benefits. It gifts you Priority Pass access for you and any authorized users, so you can enjoy the lounge with the whole family, or sign up for TSAPreCheck with the complimentary credit.
I dream of this kind of simplicity...Learn more here.
|
|
|
|
| STEVEN'S TIPS
|
 |
What are Your Perks Worth?
|
I mentioned above that I’m sifting through a Delta card’s potential value to me. I’ve almost made my mind up to close it, but I’ve left no stone unturned in case there’s something truly valuable that can validate its high fee.
One of the ways we can regain value against a card’s annual fee is the perks. But everything isn’t always clear with these, and I wanted to highlight some things to look out for when considering your card choices.
🪙 All that glitters isn’t gold
You’ve probably seen a perk listed on the card’s promotion page and thought it sounded brilliant. Something like “$250 a year in travel statement credits” or “$200 in Uber credits.”
While the perks are technically true, it pays to look at the small print. Uber or Lyft credits are a super common one. On paper, saving $200 a year on Ubers sounds fantastic. The reality, however, is that you only receive $16 a month in Uber credits, and they don’t accrue. If you don’t use them, you lose them. Now, if you regularly use Uber, that’s fair enough. It won’t feel like much because you’re still taking them a lot, but it’s still a direct saving for you.
But, if like me, you’re not able to use them they’re not of much use. I’d love to be able to drop $200 in one week for the damn $70 LAX Uber I’d need, but that’s not possible. I’ll still only get $16 off. The rest of that perk will never come to fruition. It’s not a $200 saving. The same thing goes with flight credits released in quarterly increments or shopping credits in stores you’d never use.
✈️ Luxury perks
Subjective value comes into play with a lot of the luxury perks offered with cards. Stuff like lounge access can be marketed as being $470 a year because that’s how much it’d cost to buy it yourself, but it’s still not a saving. CLEAR and TSAPreCheck fall into the same category if you’d never normally buy them.
🤔 Which ones are truly valuable?
Your lifestyle will dictate this, but I always look at the ones that offer me direct value first and foremost. Free checked bags with an airline I use at least twice a year are good; a broad hotel statement credit; a free night; a companion pass; and even travel insurance is important.
My number one goal is to ensure that the annual fee is worth it. It never pays to pretend I’m saving by forcing something new into my lifestyle. That’s why I’m struggling with the Delta card.
|
|
|
|
| TRAVEL ESSENTIALS
|
 |
Save on Customized Travel Products with VistaPrint
|
Most journeys begin long before you hit the road, and while we can't control lost bags or flight delays, we can help make sure you've got all your bases covered before you set off your next adventure
From luggage tags to multi-purpose travel bags, VistaPrint’s travel essentials are crafted to ensure every step of your adventure is as effortless as possible. Plus, you can customize each product to make it your own.
Upon your return, bask in the memories by creating personalized mementos such as photo books and wall calendars, perfect for sharing with friends and family. VistaPrint offers a diverse range of products, helping you to preserve your travel experiences in unique and sentimental ways.
Don’t miss out! Take $15 off $75, $25 off $100 and $50 off $150 with code “BMSM” now through March 11. Shop all travel essentials here.
|
|
|
|
| TRAVEL BONUS CENTRAL
|
 |
The Algarve, Portugal
|
The Credit Card Transfer Bonuses Live Right Now
|
It’s a slower month for transfer bonuses, but we’ve got three decent ones you might be able to use to grab some outsized value on your award flights. Let’s check them out.
🤑 Amex to Avianca: 15% Transfer Bonus
First up is a cheeky little 15% transfer bonus when moving your Amex points towards Colombian airline Avianca. It might seem like an odd one to use, but it’s far more valuable than you’d assume. Avianca has some great transfer partners, and we actually featured it in our guide for getting to Portugal using points and miles this week. This bonus means that the deal will be even better. This deal ends March 15.
💎 Citi to Virgin Atlantic: 30% Transfer Bonus
This one is much bigger, and considering how useful Virgin Atlantic points can be, it’s a great idea to use this if you can. We feature Virgin a lot in our guides, especially for flying Delta for a fraction of the points. Using this, you could fly to London from New York for just 8,000 points. This deal ends March 16.
💸 Cathay Pacific: 10% Transfer Bonus Across the Board
Hong Kong-based carrier Cathay Pacific is currently running a 10% transfer bonus from all its credit card partners. You do need to register for it here, but it’s a decent chunk of change depending on how you use them. I always check them out for flights to Asia as you can add a stopover in Hong Kong for almost nothing. This deal ends March 31.
|
|
|
|
| WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING
|
*This link is sponsored.
|
|
|
|
|
