These were some great questions we got to answer! As someone who travels most frequently domestically and really enjoys road-tripping, these were topics I was super excited to dive into more. Thanks again for having me on man!
I liked your responses on csp vs csr but didn’t mention the dominant insurances the reserve has on the preferred. But since that guy has plat that argument is moot.
Thanks so much Spencer! It was fun to do the live with you, and I hope we can do more in the future. Thanks for covering me on the CSP/CSR question. It's always better to hear it from someone who's had those cards before. 🤣
Thanks man! And great point here. I would've gone more in depth in a full length video, but since we had a lot more questions to get through, I tried to give a brief but informational answer here. Those travel insurances are huge though! @@Gangrenous_Hank
Thanks so much! Glad you enjoyed the show and being an active participant as well! It was great to get your takes on these questions too and others could learn from it during our live!
Love the answers to those questions! The CSR definitely makes sense if you travel domestically frequently, and agreed, you should always manage expectations and make sure that you are only getting Cards that align with your own travel preferences. Great video as always Stan!
Thanks so much Matt! It's just great that we have so many options when it comes to travel cards. Depending on the person, one card may make sense, whereas another may not. I do think the CSR can be beneficial to a lot more people than we had realized previously, and the CSP is probably best for those who just need access to Chase's transfer partners!
Hey Stan, thanks for covering my question with Spencer, my overall plan was to use the CSP for the ability to transfer points to partners and eventually would want to get the Ritz card for Chase Lounge Access As for the CS Plat I run a hybrid setup so the ability to transfer points to cash is a plus and I have 3 Schwab accounts so the CS version makes the most sense for me, my other reason why I asked about it is the ability to earn MR points directly with an airline and not using a portal and my local airport only has 2 Escape Lounges, one in each terminal so the only way to access it would be the plat card, I also think I could get close to positive value from the credits. Thanks again and keep the great videos and lives coming 👍
Of course Dalton! Glad that we could both help you out. Yeah, if you're main reason for pairing the CSP with the CS Plat was to get access to UR transfer partners, then I think that's a great card for that! I would also consider the Ink Preferred since it has a better welcome offer, but not sure if you want to have a higher MSR or are ok with business cards - but yeah, an alternative to consider. Sounds like CS Plat and your Escape lounge situation makes that card a must so definitely worth getting in your situation as well! Appreciate the support and the question!!
@@TheCreditFrogalso, I think we’ll see higher af on CSP waaaaay b4 see one on ink preferred. If Chase does a refresh of CSP (&CSR) likely see that increase soon.
This was very informative guys. Thanks for the insightful comparison. I had been debating btwn the CSR, PLAT, or VX as my primary lux travel card. I currently have the CSP, GREEN, & V1. So I think im gona try the VX since im in DFW & can get a free AU. Plus im only an occasional traveler. 1-2 flights per year with fam + 2-3 road trips.
Thanks Doc! Glad you enjoyed the video! It looks like you have a lot of mid-tier options, but yeah, it may be time to get your first primary luxury travel card. the C1VX is a great started option for the occasional traveler so I agree with your pick - especially since you're at DFW!
Go with Hilton cards. It gives you so many options for easily getting SUBs... And hotel status without needing a bunch of stays. There's a Hampton Inn every 30 miles! Also get the CSP... Option to transfer to UA, Southwest, Hyatt. Or purchase hotels through the portal. And worse case, cash back option.
Hilton is the easiest program to get status (through credit cards) so yes, definitely a great option to choose for occasional hotel stays. CSP is another good option, but the Autograph Journey has better earnings. Can't deny that Chase has better transfer partners though! Depends on what you're looking for.
I like Marriott except you can only have 1 card at a time... making it tough to earn a bunch of SUBs. Also, the occasional traveler will never hit status with them. As such, I prefer Hilton. You easily get F&B credit. And, where available, hotel lounge access.
Yeah, Marriott can be tricky like that. It's power is the auto-generation of FNAs every year once you get all of their cards. Definitely a longer term strategy that requires some patience. Hilton Gold and higher is amazing for that F&B credit. Even Marriott Platinum doesn't have the greatest breakfast benefit since it may not be every day at some properties!
Also, I'm an occasional traveler. I have a CSP and Platinum, but i think the CSR is a consideration as i live in NYC, so the generic travel category could be helpful. Also thinking about downgrading the Platinum as I'm not getting enough value.
Yeah, if you're in NYC, those higher tier luxury cards will probably do you more benefit as the perks and benefits are more relevant there! Also tolls, subway, buses, and parking may be a larger expense so having a solid transit category would be important for your situation!
i went with an airline and hotel card set up since alaska airlines is at my home airport and there is a lot of good hilton hotels in my home state. i have been thinking about adding bilt card since they're adding alaska airlines for the dining multiplier.
That would be a great addition! Hopefully you have the Alaska Airlines credit card too because Bilt will be starting that partnership with Alaska where you could earn 3X Alaska miles on your rent!! Not sure if you need to have the Bilt card or not, but you certainly need the BofA Alaska Airlines card for this.
I have autograph now but not sure I want WF to be my main credit issuer. A set up of Savor One, Venture X, freedom unlimited, and the preferred Would cost me only 45 dollars a year and I’m with 2 powerhouse credit issuers. Then I have domestic and international travel partners as well. Plus a Chase lounge is coming to my hometown soon if I wanted to upgrade to the reserve.
Yeah, having C1 and Chase are solid and you have a lot going for you from the travel side of things. If you're looking for a new welcome offer the Autograph Journey could be something to consider at the very least for year 1. That way you could try it out for a year and see if it fit within your goals or not! It's nice you have access to the CSR once that lounge is built!
It would be the WF card. Why? The occasional traveler will not want to pay too much for hotels or just pay cash. The perfect hotel would be a Choice hotel (or a Holiday Inn). The WF card would be great to earn on Choice hotels or just pay cash for a good Holiday Inn stay.
I agree Ping Ping! I think the WF Autograph Journey is a great option for this situation, but if you don't like annual fees, the WF Autograph would probably work just as well. It depends if you want the higher multipliers or if you prefer having a card with the gas category. The Autograph Journey could also be paird with a nice gas card. I agree that Choice would be a great option for someone starting out too!
The Journey is also brand agnostic which helps when your trips are to big events where availability and proximity are sometimes more important than brand
Autograph is such a good card for those of us that are not sure if we want travel or Cash back. Because you can do either one. I'm going to pair mine with Active Cash soon for a simple 2 card setup. Then the Journey can be added later if I start flying more often. Choice hotels are great for road trips and Autograph covers everything you do on a road trip at 3x. Gas and food bought at gas stations, tolls, hotels and dining all at 3x. And with one no AF card.
These were some great questions we got to answer! As someone who travels most frequently domestically and really enjoys road-tripping, these were topics I was super excited to dive into more. Thanks again for having me on man!
I liked your responses on csp vs csr but didn’t mention the dominant insurances the reserve has on the preferred.
But since that guy has plat that argument is moot.
Thanks so much Spencer! It was fun to do the live with you, and I hope we can do more in the future. Thanks for covering me on the CSP/CSR question. It's always better to hear it from someone who's had those cards before. 🤣
@@Gangrenous_Hank Yeah CSR has a lot better insurances, but like you said, Amex CS Plat does too hah!
Thanks man! And great point here. I would've gone more in depth in a full length video, but since we had a lot more questions to get through, I tried to give a brief but informational answer here. Those travel insurances are huge though! @@Gangrenous_Hank
From the title alone, this is video is meant for me
Awesome! It was a fantastic question, and I think it applies to a lot of people out there!
Joint vids really makes CC YT content much more entertaining and valuable, and taking Qs from audience. Great show by you two.
Thanks so much! Glad you enjoyed the show and being an active participant as well! It was great to get your takes on these questions too and others could learn from it during our live!
I like Wyndham
Wyndham has a nice program!
Love the answers to those questions! The CSR definitely makes sense if you travel domestically frequently, and agreed, you should always manage expectations and make sure that you are only getting Cards that align with your own travel preferences. Great video as always Stan!
Thanks so much Matt! It's just great that we have so many options when it comes to travel cards. Depending on the person, one card may make sense, whereas another may not. I do think the CSR can be beneficial to a lot more people than we had realized previously, and the CSP is probably best for those who just need access to Chase's transfer partners!
Hey Stan, thanks for covering my question with Spencer, my overall plan was to use the CSP for the ability to transfer points to partners and eventually would want to get the Ritz card for Chase Lounge Access
As for the CS Plat I run a hybrid setup so the ability to transfer points to cash is a plus and I have 3 Schwab accounts so the CS version makes the most sense for me, my other reason why I asked about it is the ability to earn MR points directly with an airline and not using a portal and my local airport only has 2 Escape Lounges, one in each terminal so the only way to access it would be the plat card, I also think I could get close to positive value from the credits.
Thanks again and keep the great videos and lives coming 👍
Of course Dalton! Glad that we could both help you out. Yeah, if you're main reason for pairing the CSP with the CS Plat was to get access to UR transfer partners, then I think that's a great card for that! I would also consider the Ink Preferred since it has a better welcome offer, but not sure if you want to have a higher MSR or are ok with business cards - but yeah, an alternative to consider. Sounds like CS Plat and your Escape lounge situation makes that card a must so definitely worth getting in your situation as well! Appreciate the support and the question!!
@@TheCreditFrogalso, I think we’ll see higher af on CSP waaaaay b4 see one on ink preferred. If Chase does a refresh of CSP (&CSR) likely see that increase soon.
Thanks for the info + video!
You're welcome Jimmy James!
This was very informative guys. Thanks for the insightful comparison.
I had been debating btwn the CSR, PLAT, or VX as my primary lux travel card. I currently have the CSP, GREEN, & V1. So I think im gona try the VX since im in DFW & can get a free AU. Plus im only an occasional traveler. 1-2 flights per year with fam + 2-3 road trips.
Thanks Doc! Glad you enjoyed the video! It looks like you have a lot of mid-tier options, but yeah, it may be time to get your first primary luxury travel card. the C1VX is a great started option for the occasional traveler so I agree with your pick - especially since you're at DFW!
@@TheCreditFrog - thanks stan! I would love to get a plat or CSR, but i don’t i would get enough benefits to offset the fees right now 👍🏼
1-2 flights a year makes VX #1 for anyone. AND ur at DFW..no brainer
Go with Hilton cards. It gives you so many options for easily getting SUBs... And hotel status without needing a bunch of stays. There's a Hampton Inn every 30 miles! Also get the CSP... Option to transfer to UA, Southwest, Hyatt. Or purchase hotels through the portal. And worse case, cash back option.
Hilton is the easiest program to get status (through credit cards) so yes, definitely a great option to choose for occasional hotel stays. CSP is another good option, but the Autograph Journey has better earnings. Can't deny that Chase has better transfer partners though! Depends on what you're looking for.
I like Marriott except you can only have 1 card at a time... making it tough to earn a bunch of SUBs. Also, the occasional traveler will never hit status with them. As such, I prefer Hilton. You easily get F&B credit. And, where available, hotel lounge access.
Yeah, Marriott can be tricky like that. It's power is the auto-generation of FNAs every year once you get all of their cards. Definitely a longer term strategy that requires some patience. Hilton Gold and higher is amazing for that F&B credit. Even Marriott Platinum doesn't have the greatest breakfast benefit since it may not be every day at some properties!
Also, I'm an occasional traveler. I have a CSP and Platinum, but i think the CSR is a consideration as i live in NYC, so the generic travel category could be helpful. Also thinking about downgrading the Platinum as I'm not getting enough value.
Yeah, if you're in NYC, those higher tier luxury cards will probably do you more benefit as the perks and benefits are more relevant there! Also tolls, subway, buses, and parking may be a larger expense so having a solid transit category would be important for your situation!
i went with an airline and hotel card set up since alaska airlines is at my home airport and there is a lot of good hilton hotels in my home state. i have been thinking about adding bilt card since they're adding alaska airlines for the dining multiplier.
That would be a great addition! Hopefully you have the Alaska Airlines credit card too because Bilt will be starting that partnership with Alaska where you could earn 3X Alaska miles on your rent!! Not sure if you need to have the Bilt card or not, but you certainly need the BofA Alaska Airlines card for this.
With the CSR having such a flexible travel category, surely the road Warrior can benefit say on tolls, etc.?
Depends if they go through a toll booth or not! Not sure if the midwest has a lot of those. I know Chicago has some, but maybe not in other states.
I have autograph now but not sure I want WF to be my main credit issuer. A set up of Savor One, Venture X, freedom unlimited, and the preferred Would cost me only 45 dollars a year and I’m with 2 powerhouse credit issuers. Then I have domestic and international travel partners as well. Plus a Chase lounge is coming to my hometown soon if I wanted to upgrade to the reserve.
Yeah, having C1 and Chase are solid and you have a lot going for you from the travel side of things. If you're looking for a new welcome offer the Autograph Journey could be something to consider at the very least for year 1. That way you could try it out for a year and see if it fit within your goals or not! It's nice you have access to the CSR once that lounge is built!
WF is just for churning. And unfortunately very slowly. lol. 48 months!
It would be the WF card. Why? The occasional traveler will not want to pay too much for hotels or just pay cash. The perfect hotel would be a Choice hotel (or a Holiday Inn). The WF card would be great to earn on Choice hotels or just pay cash for a good Holiday Inn stay.
I agree Ping Ping! I think the WF Autograph Journey is a great option for this situation, but if you don't like annual fees, the WF Autograph would probably work just as well. It depends if you want the higher multipliers or if you prefer having a card with the gas category. The Autograph Journey could also be paird with a nice gas card. I agree that Choice would be a great option for someone starting out too!
The Journey is also brand agnostic which helps when your trips are to big events where availability and proximity are sometimes more important than brand
Autograph is such a good card for those of us that are not sure if we want travel or Cash back. Because you can do either one. I'm going to pair mine with Active Cash soon for a simple 2 card setup. Then the Journey can be added later if I start flying more often. Choice hotels are great for road trips and Autograph covers everything you do on a road trip at 3x. Gas and food bought at gas stations, tolls, hotels and dining all at 3x. And with one no AF card.
I agree. 1-2 card setup is all you need. Simple and nearly perfect.@@deadmeat1240
I agree. You cant go wrong wither either option.@@TheCreditFrog
W Stan the man
Thanks haha!
Entertaining video. I truly enjoyed each other's POV on credit cards, setups and advice.
Thanks WongWay! We definitely bring different perspectives to these credit card questions, which is cool to see in real time!
I’m first, idc, my coworker distracted me
Haha! Well, you were the first to say first, so for that reason, you can be first! 🥇