Will I need to get out my slide rule?

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PaulM

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Jun 27, 2008
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Quincy, IL
It is getting close to a year since the BoA AGR credit cards were introduced. Back then the sign up bonus for the World card made its choice a no-brainer despite the annual fee. Would it be reasonable to think that there won't be any re-up incentives, and that I will have to look closer at the perks to see whether it makes economic sense?

I also suspect the annual fee will just appear on my statement without any warning.
 
It is getting close to a year since the BoA AGR credit cards were introduced. Back then the sign up bonus for the World card made its choice a no-brainer despite the annual fee. Would it be reasonable to think that there won't be any re-up incentives, and that I will have to look closer at the perks to see whether it makes economic sense?

I also suspect the annual fee will just appear on my statement without any warning.
You will get a warning. I got an email yesterday letting me know there was a message on my online account about it. I did not see any re-up incentive. :( I'm thinking about applying for the no-fee one now and closing the other one.
 
The perks of the fee card are:

  • 3 points per dollar for Amtrak purchases - vs 2
  • 2 points per dollar for other travel (air, hotels, rental cars) - vs 1
  • Ability to earn 4000 TQP (for $20,000 spend)
  • Companion coupon
  • One-class upgrade coupon (no sleeper)
Whether those perks are worth the $79 annual fee depends on how much you travel, the value you place on Amtrak travel, and even where you live. Someone in the northeast who often rides Acela in First can recoup the annual fee with one upgrade. A free round trip for a companion could be worth more than $79, even on a short NEC Regional trip. If you charge about $3000 in Amtrak and non-Amtrak travel expenses to the card during the year, the extra points you earn compared to the free card can be worth more than $79 of Amtrak travel.

For me, the paid card makes sense. For other, it might not.
 
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The perks of the fee card are:

  • 3 points per dollar for Amtrak purchases - vs 2
  • 2 points per dollar for other travel (air, hotels, rental cars) - vs 1
  • Ability to earn 4000 TQP (for $20,000 spend)
  • Companion coupon
  • One-class upgrade coupon (no sleeper)
Whether those perks are worth the $79 annual fee depends on how much you travel, the value you place on Amtrak travel, and even where you live. Someone in the northeast who often rides Acela in First can recoup the annual fee with one upgrade. A free round trip for a companion could be worth more than $79, even on a short NEC Regional trip. If you charge about $3000 in Amtrak and non-Amtrak travel expenses to the card during the year, the extra points you earn compared to the free card can be worth more than $79 of Amtrak travel.

For me, the paid card makes sense. For other, it might not.
Thanks for the synopsis. Makes it easier to see if it's worth the $79.
 
The perks of the fee card are:

  • 3 points per dollar for Amtrak purchases - vs 2
Hard to evaluate. I'll travel by Amtrak much as always this year. However, all but Midwest corridor trips have been with points (the minimum point redemption makes short trips not worth using them)

  • 2 points per dollar for other travel (air, hotels, rental cars) - vs 1
Again hard to evaluate. This year I organized a 7 person, 3 week European trip where I prepaid everything (air, train, lodging, bike and barge) with the card. I don't have plans like that for next year.

  • Ability to earn 4000 TQP (for $20,000 spend)
I probably can manage this which would basically get me select, worth maybee 2 upgrade coupons?

  • Companion coupon
Worthless for me me. Almost all travel with a companion is in a sleeper; and it doesn't apply to rail portion. Also, probably not worth applying to a short hall (I presume if I tried to apply it, I would lose the senior discount)

  • One-class upgrade coupon (no sleeper)
I never get near Acela, but BC on Illinois trains is nice and worth about $22 less the senior discount you loose. I not even sure the agent wouldn't try to jack up the price to the current bucket, not the price you paid.
I looks like I really will need that slide rule. Thanks for the help.
 
The perks of the fee card are:

  • 3 points per dollar for Amtrak purchases - vs 2
  • 2 points per dollar for other travel (air, hotels, rental cars) - vs 1
  • Ability to earn 4000 TQP (for $20,000 spend)
  • Companion coupon
  • One-class upgrade coupon (no sleeper)
For me, the paid card makes sense. For other, it might not.
Indeed, thanks for the information. Many of those things are of little value to me:

1) 3 pt per dollar - I travel mostly on points, so I don't earn points on the travel itself. No great loss.

2) "Other travel" - does that include hotel stays?

3) 4000 TQPs is useless to me as well.

4) Companion coupons is useless too

5) Upgrade coupon - I always travel sleeper, so that's of no use either.

Wondering if I should just switch to the no-fee card, lose the useless benefits, but get another 12K points for signing up!
 
2) "Other travel" - does that include hotel stays?
Yes it does. I've also gotten them for B and B's - real ones that is. I would have to check regarding Airbnb.

Wondering if I should just switch to the no-fee card, lose the useless benefits, but get another 12K points for signing up!

Would one get 12K for switching?
 
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Would one get 12K for switching?
My understanding, and this is from reading mostly related to Chase rather than Bank of America, is that one can get the bonus for a new application but not for a conversion. In other words, if I understand correctly and it applies to BofA, you would need to apply for the no-fee card and cancel the old card, rather than having the bank convert from one card to the other.
 
While not the BofA cards, when I chose to upgrade to a higher lever Citi American Airlines card, I was told that upgrading would not earn me the special 50,000 miles for new customers but that I could apply for the new card as a "new" card and the bonus points would apply. I did this and eventually cancelled by old card. So this is probably the process with all banks regarding new cards and bonus awards.
 
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