Chase Sapphire Preferred

[Princess Minnie321]

I am new to buying airfare with points. Last year we opened the venture capital for the sign up bonus reward and then did purchase eraser when buying the airfare so it was easy and no risk. We ended up flying southwest due to a much better price then jet blue.

This year we have the chase sapphire preferred and again we chose it for the sign on bonus. We met the requirement so between the bonus and charging everything since we got the card, we have 75,000 points. I am looking to go to Disney in April and hoping to get a decent price on south west for my family of 4. What would be my best option to maximize rewards?

1. Transfer my points at 1:1 to southwest. Risk is bad flight times and then my rewards are in southwest so forced to buy with them.

2. Leave the rewards with chase so if southwest does not work out, we can buy from another airline. Then use the rewards as a statement credit.

I am planning to be up at 6am the day southwest opens our dates. Thank you for the advice!

 

[hsmamato2]

the good thing about transferring to SWA is it's fast! (it has in my experience) like instant. so that might be enough time for you to look at schedule, then decide to transfer as needed. Or there are other airlines thru the portal too it needed.

 

[Princess Minnie321]

That is good to know it is fast to tranfer! I was waiting for my points to post with this past statement and southwest is opening my dates in 2 weeks.

I feel it is higher to book on the portal at least for flights I was looking at. I had the JetBlue sight and chase both opened at the same time and chase was listing the JetBlue as almost double what was listed on JetBlue' website for the exact same flight.

 

[Maddykins06]

I only fly SW! Easy too change schedules if needed, no bag fees, etc.
Can you please tell me more about the Chase Sapphire Preferred? I have excellent credit, but the $450 annual fee scares me.

 

[Princess Minnie321]

I only fly SW! Easy too change schedules if needed, no bag fees, etc.
Can you please tell me more about the Chase Sapphire Preferred? I have excellent credit, but the $450 annual fee scares me.

M

The $450 annual fee scares me too! I have this one which has a $95 annual fee and it is waived for the first year.

https://creditcards.chase.com/credit-cards/chase-sapphire-preferred2?CELL=6340&SP4R=FH24R8&cardId=4

I use it to charge everything we buy and just pay it right off. I earned the 40,000 bonus and then another 35,000 with spending. I think I am going to transfer my 75,000 points to southwest and hope to get a good price if I book the morning the flights open for my dates.

 

[beccasmom]

Sorry to hijack this thread, but the Chase Sapphire Preferred has a $95 fee, waived the first year. The Chase Sapphire Reserve has a $450.00 fee (not waived in first year). However, since there is a yearly $300.00 credit on travel, the fee effectively becomes $150.00.

 

[Eastern]

That is good to know it is fast to tranfer! I was waiting for my points to post with this past statement and southwest is opening my dates in 2 weeks.

I feel it is higher to book on the portal at least for flights I was looking at. I had the JetBlue sight and chase both opened at the same time and chase was listing the JetBlue as almost double what was listed on JetBlue' website for the exact same flight.

The points should transfer fast. I have heard that prices on the portal are sometimes higher, but whenever I have checked United prices, they are the same as the United website. And they will say how many tickets are left at that price. ime the discount for paying with points (vs transferring miles) is about 1/3 cheaper for United.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

You can book a Disney hotel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards website. We did this for a trip last Feb.
Then you are free to book flights any way you like.

 

[Princess Minnie321]

You can book a Disney hotel through the Chase Ultimare Rewards website. We did this for a trip last Feb.
Then you are free to book flights any way you like.

Good tip thank you!

 

[blueskymom]

We just booked our Disneyland trip through Chase Ultimate Rewards. We did a Good Neighbor hotel & ticket package. In order to do this, we had to call in (couldn't book through their website). It was 117,000 points for our dates/hotel, etc. This was the only way we could use points to get park tickets. We also had Southwest miles from opening a Southwest card. That was only 6,000 points per ticket for us (from Nor Cal). We've transferred points before with Chase (to United, I don't recall doing it to Southwest), and it was instantaneous.

 

[FireflyTrance]

As stated above, the points should transfer to SW instantly. I think it would be best to wait and see what is available on SW, and then transfer the amount of points you need if there is something that will work for you. You may not need all 75,000 points.

I am thinking about getting CSP again. I had it about 3 years ago but closed it, so I think I should be able to get the bonus again. I am wondering why anyone would get the CSR instead? It seems like the sign up bonus is the same and the annual fee is higher (even with the $300 travel credit).

 

[blueskymom]

As stated above, the points should transfer to SW instantly. I think it would be best to wait and see what is available on SW, and then transfer the amount of points you need if there is something that will work for you. You may not need all 75,000 points.

I am thinking about getting CSP again. I had it about 3 years ago but closed it, so I think I should be able to get the bonus again. I am wondering why anyone would get the CSR instead? It seems like the sign up bonus is the same and the annual fee is higher (even with the $300 travel credit).

I don't know if this is still the case, but when we got the CSR we could use the $300 travel bonus twice and then close the card. So we paid $450 as soon as the account was opened, bought travel in 2016, credited $300, then bought travel again in 2017, credited $300.00, then closed the card before the annual fee was due again. However, my dh ended up keeping his open because we were finding the benefits did pay off (the extra earning point for travel purchases, the higher point value redemption for travel purchases, plus the TSA pre-check fee waiver, etc.) It's a fine line, but for us, it currently makes sense to have it.

 

[hsmamato2]

As stated above, the points should transfer to SW instantly. I think it would be best to wait and see what is available on SW, and then transfer the amount of points you need if there is something that will work for you. You may not need all 75,000 points.

I am thinking about getting CSP again. I had it about 3 years ago but closed it, so I think I should be able to get the bonus again. I am wondering why anyone would get the CSR instead? It seems like the sign up bonus is the same and the annual fee is higher (even with the $300 travel credit).

go to the credit card thread (the big one) and search CSR in there..... even though I'm not a big spender monthly, there are good reasons for getting and keeping that card if you travel....

 

[DisneyMandC]

Just thought I'd share that I recently read on another forum that Chase will be offering new bonus offers around the first two weeks of September. This was according to someone who recently called Chase and spoke with a representative about CSR. Obviously no way to know for sure, but if you can hold off about a month on getting one of their cards, it might be worth it. I figure this will be good timing for us anyways because it will spread the three month spending period out towards Christmas which should allow us to easily hit the spending amount.

 

[Tikitoi]

Just thought I'd share that I recently read on another forum that Chase will be offering new bonus offers around the first two weeks of September. This was according to someone who recently called Chase and spoke with a representative about CSR. Obviously no way to know for sure, but if you can hold off about a month on getting one of their cards, it might be worth it. I figure this will be good timing for us anyways because it will spread the three month spending period out towards Christmas which should allow us to easily hit the spending amount.

This will be interesting to see. I want this card also so will be waiting until Sept or so...Thanks for the info

 

[sweetmama17]

Book directly through the Chase rewards website. Your points are worth 20& more for travel when booked through them. Your 75000 points will actually be 90000 points (saving an additional $150 dollars). We book directly through them all the time and I've gotten great airfare rates and hotel rates.

 

[Princess Minnie321]

Book directly through the Chase rewards website. Your points are worth 20& more for travel when booked through them. Your 75000 points will actually be 90000 points (saving an additional $150 dollars). We book directly through them all the time and I've gotten great airfare rates and hotel rates.

Were you able to book southwest with them? I know you have to call to book southwest so I was wondering if by the time I get them on the phone, if I would miss the good early morning prices?