Chase Sapphire Reserve is changing... Alternative cards with high points for MVC maintenance fee payments?

[bnoble]

An Amex Plat holder has access to the Centurion lounges at $0 spend; the $75K threshold enables guests.

 

[daviator]

An Amex Plat holder has access to the Centurion lounges at $0 spend; the $75K threshold enables guests.

The sole reason I gave up my Amex Platinum six or seven years ago was because the Centurion lounges were inundated with guests, including tons of kids running around. Numerous times I tried to go in their lounge to eat before a flight and could not even find seating, not even a peaceful standing place to eat. It made me mad as I was not getting the benefits I was paying for, while lots of others were seemingly exploiting the system to the detriment of everyone else.

So I think it’s wonderful that they’ve right-sized their guest policy and put big limits on guests. It took them way too long to do so. But I’m still not particularly motivated to jump back on board.

 

[bnoble]

The same was true of SkyClubs. The new access rules are helping.

 

[daviator]

Just a data point: Citi does not have their figurative head up their figurative behind like B of A does, and they approved my Strata Elite application with a minimum of fuss and no request for hundreds of pages of documentation. So we will see how that new card goes, I think I will like it. And even though it doesn’t have the Priority Pass restaurant benefit I was hoping for, the $200/year I'll save over the CSR will buy quite a few airport meals.

 

[mountainboy]

Just a data point: Citi does not have their figurative head up their figurative behind like B of A does, and they approved my Strata Elite application with a minimum of fuss and no request for hundreds of pages of documentation. So we will see how that new card goes, I think I will like it. And even though it doesn’t have the Priority Pass restaurant benefit I was hoping for, the $200/year I'll save over the CSR will buy quite a few airport meals.

Congrats on your CSE!
Have heard some not-so-nice stories of Citi's CS from folks (including on this thread). Hope your experience is excellent!

 

[daviator]

I’ve had another Citi card for many years and haven’t ever had a problem with their service. However it’s a less complicated card and it be rarely needed to contact them.

Anyway I’ll try to remember to report back after a few months on my experience.

My CSR renews in February so I’ll cancel it at renewal. That will give me time to use my Chase rewards points before then.

 

[mountainboy]

Pls DO let us know! Hope all works well!
Lots of folks DO use Citi and now, with the AA xfr, Citi is looking more interesting with their Custom Cash or Double Cash with Premier & Elite Trifecta..
Good to have viable alternatives to Chase & Amex...

 

[mountainboy]

Wonder what Seattle or PDX or SFO based folks (with AS hub) feel about the new premium AS visa infinite card? (not for me, but curious)?
@letsgobobby , @brp , @CalGalTraveler & others?

Alaska Airlines and Bank of America present a new premium credit card designed for global travelers, the Atmos™ Rewards Summit Visa Infinite® card - Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines and Horizon Air

Our most generous card ever is packed with top-tier rewards and an array of benefits, including a new Global Companion Award that’s redeemable in any class of service, plus access to Alaska Lounges.

news.alaskaair.com

Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines launch Atmos Rewards Summit card - The Points Guy

Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines have debuted the Atmos Rewards Summit card with a six-figure bonus, companion awards, lounge passes and travel perks.

thepointsguy.com

Separately, Wish BoA would also allow xfr to AS (like Citi started with AA), although that would likely lead to significant devaluation of AS miles but would be an awesome enhancement of BoA PRE card with BoA 'points'

 

[daviator]

Wonder what Seattle or PDX or SFO based folks (with AS hub) feel about the new premium AS visa infinite card? (not for me, but curious)?
@letsgobobby , @brp , @CalGalTraveler & others?

Alaska Airlines and Bank of America present a new premium credit card designed for global travelers, the Atmos™ Rewards Summit Visa Infinite® card - Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines and Horizon Air

Our most generous card ever is packed with top-tier rewards and an array of benefits, including a new Global Companion Award that’s redeemable in any class of service, plus access to Alaska Lounges.

news.alaskaair.com

Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines launch Atmos Rewards Summit card - The Points Guy

Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines have debuted the Atmos Rewards Summit card with a six-figure bonus, companion awards, lounge passes and travel perks.

thepointsguy.com

Separately, Wish BoA would also allow xfr to AS (like Citi started with AA), although that would likely lead to significant devaluation of AS miles but would be an awesome enhancement of BoA PRE card with BoA 'points'

I live in San Francisco and I don’t think there has been a real AS hub here in years. Small one maybe, they do have a handful of direct destinations on the west coast (LAX, SNA, LAS) and a couple of flights a day to the east coast (NYC and maybe BOS) – so I guess you could call that a hub - but when they bought Virgin America, who was based here, there were nonstop flights from SFO to many more cities. Rather than building on that, as I’d hoped they would, AS killed most of Virgin America's route map and the destinations which they serve from SFO today is basically the same as it was pre-merger.

For the most part, if I want to go somewhere on Alaska, I’ve got to change planes in Seattle or Portland, which is 2+ hours out of the way and makes using them impractical for most trips.

So all that is a long winded way of saying that I don’t believe AS is a suitable “main” airline for most SFO- based travelers, unless their regular destinations are limited to the handful that AS flies direct to from SFO. So their card wouldn’t be a good choice for me.

I’m at a point where I prefer to be an airline free agent and fly whichever carrier makes sense for the mission. Over the last few years, frequent flyer benefits have become close to worthless and I no longer try to be loyal to a single carrier. (Frankly, none of them deserve it.) So a credit card with its own currency and ability to book and maybe transfer has more value, with the added perk that you earn airline miles on purchases with credit card points.

 

[vacationtime1]

I live in San Francisco and I don’t think there has been a real AS hub here in years. Small one maybe, they do have a handful of direct destinations on the west coast (LAX, SNA, LAS) and a couple of flights a day to the east coast (NYC and maybe BOS) – so I guess you could call that a hub - but when they bought Virgin America, who was based here, there were nonstop flights from SFO to many more cities. Rather than building on that, as I’d hoped they would, AS killed most of Virgin America's route map and the destinations which they serve from SFO today is basically the same as it was pre-merger.

For the most part, if I want to go somewhere on Alaska, I’ve got to change planes in Seattle or Portland, which is 2+ hours out of the way and makes using them impractical for most trips.

So all that is a long winded way of saying that I don’t believe AS is a suitable “main” airline for most SFO- based travelers, unless their regular destinations are limited to the handful that AS flies direct to from SFO. So their card wouldn’t be a good choice for me.

I’m at a point where I prefer to be an airline free agent and fly whichever carrier makes sense for the mission. Over the last few years, frequent flyer benefits have become close to worthless and I no longer try to be loyal to a single carrier. (Frankly, none of them deserve it.) So a credit card with its own currency and ability to book and maybe transfer has more value, with the added perk that you earn airline miles on purchases with credit card points.

+1

The major player at SFO is United; Alaska is a small player here.

AmEx's Centurian Lounge is in the United terminal making the Platinum AmEx the easy choice for the "lounge access" card.

(Yes, I know there is ongoing construction in Terminal 3 at this time.)

 

[vacationtime1]

Notwithstanding my comments about Alaska's presence at SFO, I will get their new premium credit card -- they are offering a 100,000 point infusion. @ $0.0145/point (per The Points Guy), those points are worth $1,450.

 

[1Kflyerguy]

Notwithstanding my comments about Alaska's presence at SFO, I will get their new premium credit card -- they are offering a 100,000 point infusion. @ $0.0145/point (per The Points Guy), those points are worth $1,450.

I am also strongly considering the new card. I am based in San Jose and use both SFO and SJC for flights. For the past few years, I have been flying Hawaiian out of SJC to either HNL or OGG. The 100K points would help with travel in 2026. I have not flown Alaska Airlines yet, but I think they may at least be a consideration in future plans.

 

[daviator]

Got the Citi Strata Elite two days after being approved for it, by FedEx. Impressive unboxing, it’s a very nice looking card, much better looking than the ugly (in my opinion) CSR. It’s also heavy – although it’s the same thickness as CSR and they are both metal, the Citi card is twice as heavy and feels really substantial. You can’t bend it. It FEELS elite which is kind of a nice touch. Anyone you hand that card to is going to go whoa…. Citi is clearly spending some money on the physical card.

My kitchen scale informs me that the CSR is 0.42 oz, and the CSE is 0.67 oz. So more than 50% heavier, it’s really noticeable. Unfortunately, it’s pretty rare that I use the physical card these days, but I’ll be tempted to do so with this one.

 

[mountainboy]

*Pls DO let us know re the Blacklane credit; hopefully you are able to use those efficiently (+ the 300 AA credits) to get the most value possible (w/o too many coupons ala CSR & Amex Platinum)!
Congratulations!!

 

[daviator]

*Pls DO let us know re the Blacklane credit; hopefully you are able to use those efficiently (+ the 300 AA credits) to get the most value possible (w/o too many coupons ala CSR & Amex Platinum)!
Congratulations!!

I had assumed that the Blacklane credit was a throwaway benefit that I'd never use. But I just looked at their website and priced a couple of random airport pickup scenarios, and it's not insanely expensive relative to taxi, etc. So I can see using it somewhere to take advantage of the credit. When I do I will report back.

Thank you for prompting me to look deeper at that benefit.

 

[mountainboy]

*Chase Lounge reservation system did NOT work this morning, for an upcoming flight 2 weeks out. 3rd party hosts it & it shows date/time but does not allow me to reserve (for multiple date/time combinations, so glitch with system not with availability) :-(
Unfortunately no place for you to complain to them directly re this either (Guess I can secure msg Chase to give them feedback but that's about it... will try again later)..
FYI..
TY!

 

[CalGalTraveler]

So do we always need to make a reservation to use the Chase lounges now? Is there a special app? how do we make these reservations?

 

[jwalk03]

So do we always need to make a reservation to use the Chase lounges now? Is there a special app? how do we make these reservations?

Not required- just helps you avoid a lounge being full and having a waitlist when you arrive

 

[Huskerpaul]

I had assumed that the Blacklane credit was a throwaway benefit that I'd never use. But I just looked at their website and priced a couple of random airport pickup scenarios, and it's not insanely expensive relative to taxi, etc. So I can see using it somewhere to take advantage of the credit. When I do I will report back.

Thank you for prompting me to look deeper at that benefit.

We used Blacklane to transfer from Heathrow into London and back. I thought the service was good and the price reasonable compared to other private transfer companies.

 

[mountainboy]

Not required- just helps you avoid a lounge being full and having a waitlist when you arrive

Correct!
Chase Sapphire Lounge in PHX is tiny (+ lots of wasted space for an airstream trailer and a full sized bar for the wow factor when they could have had a proportionately smaller space for mini-bar & just have more space for accommodating more guests...) This lounge is perpetually waitlisted & hence the intent to not have to deal with that waitlist by an advance reservation, if possible (as it worked like a charm the last time for me)...

 

[mountainboy]

Is there a special app? how do we make these reservations?

Easy to reserve on Chase mobile app: go down in iOS app to 'More', 'airport lounge', & then search for your specific Chase lounge---> Opens 3rd party (Collinson, who runs PP), where one selects date/time, enter number of people, name etc & it sends email confirmation...
Today, it only allows one to enter name but not email etc, so one cannot complete the reservation. Likely a glitch they will eventually fix... I am sure they had an 'Update' which messed up their system... Hope to have it fixed as I have a couple of trips where I could use that lounge soon...
Mahalo!

 

[ljmiii]

Easy to reserve on Chase mobile app: go down in iOS app to 'More', 'airport lounge', & then search for your specific Chase lounge---> Opens 3rd party (Collinson, who runs PP), where one selects date/time, enter number of people, name etc & it sends email confirmation...

When I press on a specific Chase lounge (e.g. LaGuardia) it just shows me the lounge details with no further buttons to press (other than the "See digital membership card" on the bottom). Is "Collinson" another app? (I already have PP installed).